Public River Access Threatened in Latest Legislative Action

[fieldafm]

Representative Goodson  has introduced HB 1101 and Senator Hays has introduced its compantion bill SB 1362 which would privatize state submerged land.

These bills redefine the present boundary line between privately owned land and public land in and along the State's rivers, lakes and streams.  This boundary line is known as the "Ordinary High Water Line". The effect of this legislation would be a lowering of the elevation of the Ordinary high Water Line, thus moving the ownership boundary of private lands further towards or into the water and shrinkage of acreage currently inpublic ownership.

If you are a sport fisherman, hunter, birdwatcher, kayaker or airboat enthusiast then your ability to trave on our rivers and lakes in Florida may be limited to the main channel of the river or the most open water part of the lake.  In the future you may see roof tops, strip malls and parking lots where deer, ducks and wading birds used to live.

You can contact
tom.goodson@myfloridahouse.gov
and
hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov
and urge these gentleman to drop these speciial-interest bills that trade the beauty and health of our public lands for potentially hazardous development.  This bill would represent a massive privitization of Florida's public lands, rivers and lakes and would negatively affect public access to our waterways. 

[dougskiles]

Which lobbying group is pushing them to do this?

[Jumpinjack]

 A concerned friend and boater sent these talking points for communicating with the idiots that wrote this bill:


1.   The bill would change the boundary of lakes, rivers and streams from the ordinary high water line to the low water line
2.   It would be a giveaway of 500,000 acres of shores and littoral marshes from state ownership to big landowners
3.   If the bill passes, the shore of all rivers and lakes will become private property:

-   Boaters are trespassing for getting out of their canoe or boat and walking on the shore
-   Fishermen could be arrested for standing on the shore fishing
-   Boaters could get arrested for picnicking on the shore
-   Fishermen could get arrested for pulling out or putting in boats past the low water line during the high water season
-   Hunters could get arrested for hunting in marshes that are  dry in the low water season

4.   The bill would validate bogus swamp deeds from the 1800s that Supreme Court decisions for the past 100 years have held do not affect  state-owned water bottoms
5.   Everglades restoration and other restorations would be thwarted because the marshes on rivers and lakes which filter out pollutants would be private property and capable of development.
6.   Once the bill gives the land away to big landowners, it would not be possible to get it back without buying it for billions of dollars.
7.   Every governor in the past 50 years has stopped these efforts to give away state water bottoms

[CG7]

I just emailed both the Senator and the Representative. Let's hope they listen.

[tufsu1]

submerged lands bills come up (no pun intended) almost every year

[north miami]

submerged lands bills come up (no pun intended) almost every year

Excellent tufsu

" Definitive " State Constitution aspects along with other 1990's era response.

see yesterday's MJ rambling " FIND" thread.
little worries as to Downtown Float Access
Field, you will learn to discern,and Focus.

( Certain McCoy Creek "Urban" camp site location could be up for grabs.......hmmm......by who? I claim the fire pit refrigerator grill projecting over the water site. ..... *** see MJ Noone Hogans,McCoys,Fishweir Creek Trifecta *** Downtown Jacksonville's finest waterfront location !!)

[Noone]

A concerned friend and boater sent these talking points for communicating with the idiots that wrote this bill:


1.   The bill would change the boundary of lakes, rivers and streams from the ordinary high water line to the low water line
2.   It would be a giveaway of 500,000 acres of shores and littoral marshes from state ownership to big landowners
3.   If the bill passes, the shore of all rivers and lakes will become private property:

-   Boaters are trespassing for getting out of their canoe or boat and walking on the shore
-   Fishermen could be arrested for standing on the shore fishing
-   Boaters could get arrested for picnicking on the shore
-   Fishermen could get arrested for pulling out or putting in boats past the low water line during the high water season
-   Hunters could get arrested for hunting in marshes that are  dry in the low water season

4.   The bill would validate bogus swamp deeds from the 1800s that Supreme Court decisions for the past 100 years have held do not affect  state-owned water bottoms
5.   Everglades restoration and other restorations would be thwarted because the marshes on rivers and lakes which filter out pollutants would be private property and capable of development.
6.   Once the bill gives the land away to big landowners, it would not be possible to get it back without buying it for billions of dollars.
7.   Every governor in the past 50 years has stopped these efforts to give away state water bottoms

Mjers,

Be concerned keep score. Has anyone done a site inspection of Stonewall and Chelsea St? NM and CG7 have. Anyone else? Anyone checked out the Mayor Alvin Brown kayak launches at RCB and the marina? Are these the only safe two options on the Northbank and Southbank for any outfitter to promote a safe launch so that Downtown Jacksonville will be a safe Downtown Destination River Activity and not a pass through? I say NO.

As for Public River Access threatened that occurred already within our own legislative actions by prior administrations and city councils and with the final stake in the heart occurring with Dist. 4. leadership. The Public Trust just totally destroyed. The reorginization is now shutting Downtown. Just one MJer go look at the brand new signage. Where is this being reported?

As soon as you step on shore you will be arrested and banned for a year. We passed legislation that now just has to be enforced. Its on the books. So forget the state stuff. We have done this locally.

When you share this with the commissioners of FIND and soon the other 66 counties of Florida you want to get the heck out of Jacksonville. Where is the opportunity? SHIPYARDS III. The total destruction of the Public Trust.

[north miami]

RK- why not invite the Bill Sponsor(s) to Jacksonville......classic River setting.....,


if my life depended on Sovereign Lands Justice,I would look to the Florida Wildlife Federation,David Guest (Earth Justice) and,hmmmmmmm,something else.......thinking hard.......oh,yea!!!  Former State Attorney,still alive and...kicking....

[Dog Walker]

RK- why not invite the Bill Sponsor(s) to Jacksonville......classic River setting.....,




And then quietly drown them in the creek.