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Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Mollie G. Palmer, Deputy Chief of Staff
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 50
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Phone: 850-245-2011 Suncom 205-2011
Fax: 850-245-2021 Suncom 205-2021
For more information about DEP,
please visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/.
Ms. Palmer,
Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman's Association (KRVSA) President Danny Brantley has asked that I respond to your letter on behalf of our membership.
Thank You for responding to our letter to South Florida Water Management District outlining the concerns of KRVSA regarding the reported planned disposal of the Speight Family Property as "surplus lands" in a sale or trade by SFWMD.
As SFWMD response indicated, during negotiations with the Speight Family, SFWMD recognized the clear benefit of acquiring the entire property - 3,000 acres -- rather than just the amount of land required to meet the new high water mark of Lake Kissimmee -- 800 acres. This is certainly one point that all parties agree to -- this parcel is priceless to current and future generations of Floridians and tourists who seek to recreate on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. It represents the only public funds purchased and in-trust-held paved road lakefront property on Lake Kissimmee.
SFWMD purchased the Speight Property with $18,242,000 of tax dollars, working as custodians of the best interests of all of Florida's citizens. Then, SFWMD spent additional tax dollars to clean the property of most signs of The Hand of Man - clearly increasing the property's value and leaving this parcel an absolutely prime development piece without the property cleanup costs and environmental liabilities which are normal and customary with redevelopment.
We understand the importance of restoring the Everglades and many of our members have taken a very active role in those ongoing efforts. We also understand the importance and rapid disappearance of public access to Central Florida's great waterways like the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
There are several "alternative" access sites listed in your letter. The only public ramps mentioned are at S-65 Lock and Spillway are not available to the public as a result of lock and spillway construction maintenance work there. These two adjoining access points will most certainly disappear with the inevitable widening of Highway 60 - and these two are often closed to public access as a result of dangerous current flows from S-65 spillway openings. At each of these sites, there are no improvements for public service, convenience or safety. The launch ramps dump directly into the lock's discharge plume, making for very treacherous boating during the many times of discharge each year. There are no docks, lights, rest rooms, telephones, security services or shelters at either of these ramps.
Grape Hammock is a private marina offering discretionary public access. Thomas Landings also offers discretionary public access and is accessible by a historically terrible dirt road and is currently on the market for sale to developers by very willing and motivated ownership. The Kissimmee River State Park operated by DEP, outright discriminates against likely the largest current group of motor vessel users of the area by banning the launching of all private airboats from their facilities.
Overstreet Landings requires a road trip of more than 100 additional travel miles each way for any of the millions of residents located west of Lake Kissimmee to launch as it resides on the northeast corner of Lake Kissimmee and is accessible only from either Kissimmee / St. Cloud or Keenansville.
We simply see this property as a priceless and irreplaceable treasure for current and future generations of Floridians wanting to recreate on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Florida recently recognized the tremendous value of such properties by paying millions of taxpayer dollars to the Lightsey Family for a nonpublic access Conservation Easement on adjacent Brahma Island. Tax dollars put the Speight Property in public trust and tax dollars cleaned it up and added millions of dollars of value to the remaining prime waterfront acres. We believe that investment of public funds could and should be recognized with a public access set aside and conservation easement.
This is a rare opportunity for the citizens of Florida to receive true exceptional value added from their tax payments. We believe it is only fair and equitable that SFWMD make sufficient property available to accommodate this clear public need.
Members of KRVSA pledge their support toward such an end and pledge their willingness to stay actively involved in this issue. We respectfully request all involved parties to find a way to accommodate the current and future needs of public access for water recreation and to assure the continued availability to practice Florida's traditional uses such as motor vessel access, fishing, boating and hunting.
Respectfully Yours,
Capt. Dave Markett
For the Membership
Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman's Association
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS 50
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Phone: 850-245-2011 Suncom 205-2011
Fax: 850-245-2021 Suncom 205-2021
For more information about DEP,
please visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/.
Ms. Palmer,
Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman's Association (KRVSA) President Danny Brantley has asked that I respond to your letter on behalf of our membership.
Thank You for responding to our letter to South Florida Water Management District outlining the concerns of KRVSA regarding the reported planned disposal of the Speight Family Property as "surplus lands" in a sale or trade by SFWMD.
As SFWMD response indicated, during negotiations with the Speight Family, SFWMD recognized the clear benefit of acquiring the entire property - 3,000 acres -- rather than just the amount of land required to meet the new high water mark of Lake Kissimmee -- 800 acres. This is certainly one point that all parties agree to -- this parcel is priceless to current and future generations of Floridians and tourists who seek to recreate on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. It represents the only public funds purchased and in-trust-held paved road lakefront property on Lake Kissimmee.
SFWMD purchased the Speight Property with $18,242,000 of tax dollars, working as custodians of the best interests of all of Florida's citizens. Then, SFWMD spent additional tax dollars to clean the property of most signs of The Hand of Man - clearly increasing the property's value and leaving this parcel an absolutely prime development piece without the property cleanup costs and environmental liabilities which are normal and customary with redevelopment.
We understand the importance of restoring the Everglades and many of our members have taken a very active role in those ongoing efforts. We also understand the importance and rapid disappearance of public access to Central Florida's great waterways like the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
There are several "alternative" access sites listed in your letter. The only public ramps mentioned are at S-65 Lock and Spillway are not available to the public as a result of lock and spillway construction maintenance work there. These two adjoining access points will most certainly disappear with the inevitable widening of Highway 60 - and these two are often closed to public access as a result of dangerous current flows from S-65 spillway openings. At each of these sites, there are no improvements for public service, convenience or safety. The launch ramps dump directly into the lock's discharge plume, making for very treacherous boating during the many times of discharge each year. There are no docks, lights, rest rooms, telephones, security services or shelters at either of these ramps.
Grape Hammock is a private marina offering discretionary public access. Thomas Landings also offers discretionary public access and is accessible by a historically terrible dirt road and is currently on the market for sale to developers by very willing and motivated ownership. The Kissimmee River State Park operated by DEP, outright discriminates against likely the largest current group of motor vessel users of the area by banning the launching of all private airboats from their facilities.
Overstreet Landings requires a road trip of more than 100 additional travel miles each way for any of the millions of residents located west of Lake Kissimmee to launch as it resides on the northeast corner of Lake Kissimmee and is accessible only from either Kissimmee / St. Cloud or Keenansville.
We simply see this property as a priceless and irreplaceable treasure for current and future generations of Floridians wanting to recreate on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Florida recently recognized the tremendous value of such properties by paying millions of taxpayer dollars to the Lightsey Family for a nonpublic access Conservation Easement on adjacent Brahma Island. Tax dollars put the Speight Property in public trust and tax dollars cleaned it up and added millions of dollars of value to the remaining prime waterfront acres. We believe that investment of public funds could and should be recognized with a public access set aside and conservation easement.
This is a rare opportunity for the citizens of Florida to receive true exceptional value added from their tax payments. We believe it is only fair and equitable that SFWMD make sufficient property available to accommodate this clear public need.
Members of KRVSA pledge their support toward such an end and pledge their willingness to stay actively involved in this issue. We respectfully request all involved parties to find a way to accommodate the current and future needs of public access for water recreation and to assure the continued availability to practice Florida's traditional uses such as motor vessel access, fishing, boating and hunting.
Respectfully Yours,
Capt. Dave Markett
For the Membership
Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman's Association
