Months ago, Florida OK'd giving 324 acres of state forest to golf course company | Hacker News Reader

Months ago, Florida OK'd giving 324 acres of state forest to golf course company

tampabay.com

33 pointshoward9417 comments

>The Florida Cabinet on June 12 approved *swapping* this 324-acre parcel of Withlacoochee State Forest for 861 acres of timberland in Levy County, according to state documents.

Poor journalists. It must be hard trying to manufacture outrage when they’re obligated to provide the truth somewhere in the article

the outrage is that the land they are giving to the (foreign) golf club owners is specifically state-managed conservation land that was not properly vetted according to law, and in return they are receiving land that does not meet the same criteria:

> The land the company is offering in return is isolated from other conservation land, not on the state’s land acquisition wish list and not part of a wildlife corridor.

there is plenty of true and correct outrage.

I'm from Florida, the article is correct - it's an awful deal. The ecology of Florida is capital A Amazing, so it's a shame to see it get flattened for a private golf course. Unfortunately the heat causes a lot of the aged (voting) population of Florida to not engage or mostly be annoyed by the unique gift they've been given. Regardless politicians are financially incentivized for these giveaways and the hoi polloi isn't.

> It must be hard trying to manufacture outrage when they’re obligated to provide the truth somewhere in the article

It’s also hard to manufacture outrage when the truth itself is pretty shitty. It basically manufactures itself at that point.

Unless you think the land swap aspect makes what they said (a) not true, and (b) not bad? If so, you are mistaken.

This sort of stuff is very common in many states. Adding amenities, either private or leased to private orgs to run, such as swimming pools, boat rentals, concessions, and more. Land swaps are less common, usually because of the stipulations that usually come with how the land was acquired by the state if left to the state by a private individual. It's also a less popular with the public.

While this is obviously terrible on its face, I would much rather golf courses exist on public land rather than in densely populated areas that could be devoted otherwise to housing.

Wot?

Environment is a funny old thing.

A golf course in a densely populated area would at least break up concrete and tarmac surfaces which are prone to encouraging flooding. Close cropped grass isn't awful, but not the best conditions to encourage insects. Amphibians, rodents and many others, need not apply.

"The rough": better - birds and rodents are now catered for.

How on earth could a privately owned golf course exist on public land? Public land belongs to all of us and is not something to be given away.

I think I understand where you are coming from and I respectfully suggest you are misinformed. The last thing that densely populated areas need is more housing.

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