Fritz Musselmann worked for
the district acquiring environmentally sensitive lands totalling some 435,000
acres for nearly 40 years. Much of that
land was purchased with funds provided under such statutorily-mandated programs
as Save Our Rivers, Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever. The last two programs, Preservation 2000 and
Florida Forever, were approved by a majority of Florida voters. Funds came not from sales or property taxes
but documentary stamp taxes generated primarily from private land transactions
involving recently-arrived buyers establishing residence in their new home state. This supports the concept that growth in the
form of new residents should help pay for the increasing need to preserve at
least a part of natural Florida for the future.
In an email to the Hernando County
Commission sent Sunday, July 6, 2014, Musselmann wrote:
”Unless
the laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures governing SWFWMD have
dramatically changed since the acquisition of the Weeki Wachee Preserve, the
proposed "Nature Coast Educational Plaza" including its various
components are without a doubt incompatible with the purposes for which the
lands were acquired and the "passive" uses recommended for such
properties.”
Here’s his email in full:
Dear Commissioners and Staff:
My name is Fritz Musselmann, I retired from
the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)in December 2008.
During my tenure at SWFWMD (March 1975 to December 2008) I worked in the Land
Resources Department and in July of 1982, I was selected as the Director of
that department. In a nutshell, I was responsible for providing direction and
oversight to the department which was responsible for Land Acquisition, Land
Management, Land Use and Land Surveying services for the sixteen county
jurisdiction covered by SWFWMD.
On behalf of the Governing Board and taxpayers
of the SWFWMD my staff and I negotiated, acquired and managed some 435,000
acres throughout the region including the properties referred to as the Weeki
Wachee Preserve, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Bayport, etc. At the time the
Preserve and Springs were acquired, Hernando County was very supportive and
appeared to understand the notion that these properties were acquired to
protect some of "Hernando County's most fragile natural resources".
Resources that hopefully will be left intact for future generations of Hernando
County residents and visitors to enjoy.
It is obvious that Weeki Wachee Springs,
Weeki Wachee River and Weeki Wachee Preserve are collectively the number one
recreational/cultural venue for residents of and visitors to Hernando County.
Unless the laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures governing SWFWMD
have dramatically changed since the acquisition of the Weeki Wachee Preserve,
the proposed "Nature Coast Educational Plaza" including its various
components are without a doubt incompatible with the purposes for which the
lands were acquired and the "passive" uses recommended for such
properties.
It is difficult at best to truly understand
what the County wants to build in the Weeki Wachee Preserve or for that matter,
anywhere. A flyer I received from County Staff describes the "Nature Coast
Educational Plaza" as a "Tourist Welcome Center, Educational Nature
Center, Nature Museum/Conference Center/Auditorium including several hundred
parking spaces, Plaza Grounds for holding large events such as tournaments and
festivals, a beach and associated amenities". These proposed intrusive
uses appear to also conflict with what many of us thought the "Nature
Coast Experience" was intended to represent. Environmentally responsible entities
build facilities such as those proposed by the County on the periphery of
Preserves so as not to impinge upon the purposes for which the lands were
acquired, core habitat and in this case an established wildlife corridor.
Better yet, such a facility should probably be built on a major thoroughfare
thereby providing visibility and access to more potential visitors. If you are
trying to market the "Nature Coast Experience" you shouldn't
compromise it by building in the Preserve.
In 1997 consistent with building facilities
on the periphery of conservation lands such as the the Weeki Wachee Preserve
and in recognition of Hernando County's need for additional swimming
opportunities, the SWFWMD as part of its "Plan for the Use and Management
of the Weeki Wachee Preserve" and in coordination with the County,
identified a site for a beach, swimming and picnicking area in the northwest
corner of the lake complex adjacent to Shoal Line Boulevard. It was estimated
that the site would double the County's existing capacity for swimming
opportunities but the Board of County Commissioners did not have the political
will to develop the site. If the County Commission wants to utilize this site
and do the right thing, you will need to have the political will to develop and
construct roadway and other necessary infrastructure improvements along Shoal
Line Boulevard to accommodate traffic safety and the site.
I have heard from County Staff the notion
that building the "Nature Coast Educational Plaza" in the Weeki Wachee
Preserve will somehow relieve some of the visitor volume pressures at the Weeki
Wachee Springs State Park and on the Weeki Wachee River. This is at best,
nothing more than deferred political will. A number of years ago in response to
community concerns about issues regarding the Weeki Wachhee River System,
Hernando County had the vision to create the "Weekiwachee Eco-System Task
Force". The mission of the Task Force which included representatives from
local organizations, businesses, government agencies and residents from the
community was "to preserve and prevent further deterioration of the Weeki
Wachee River eco-system by identifying the issues impacting this system and to
provide proactive and preventative solutions". If you truly want to maintain
and protect the "Nature Coast Experience" for future generations you
will find the political will to read, consider and adopt the recommendations in
that report. Regardless of the Weeki Wachee Preserve, Weeki Wachee Springs and
the river will likely always receive the highest user volume. After all, Weeki
Wachee Springs (one of only 33 first magnitude springs)and the Mermaids are
recognized worldwide. The Park is simply an iconic landmark.
While I understand the County's desire to
market the Nature Coast, I do not believe adequate attention has been given to
the County's existing parks and associated facilities. I am aware of the
necessary cuts in staff and services that local governments and state agencies
had to endure during the recession. Much of the short and long-term maintenance
of government facilities including park facilities was deferred. Only recently,
did the Hernando County Property Appraiser announce that the County's tax base
was finally starting to turn around. From a private business planning
standpoint one would ask what the cumulative deferred maintenance costs and
staffing needs will be on existing facilities before taking on more capital,
maintenance and staffing costs for a new facility. Maybe the County has
considered this but it was not evident when questions were raised in the two
public hearings or in any discussions I have been involved in.
If for example you want to "market"
Pine Island Beach to be inviting to new visitors to the County, you should
rethink the 23 signs of varying colors, shapes and sizes (ten at the entrance
and thirteen just inside the entrance)advising visitors of what they can and
cannot do. It is the epitome of sign blight. While I understand the need for
the messages in those signs, there is no staff on-site to enforce the
rules/regulations nor are there any lifeguards. It appears that since the cuts
caused by the recession there is still little if any staff on-site at any of
the existing County Parks which begs the question relative to staffing the
Nature Coast Educational Plaza. In the two public hearings it was mentioned
that there would be lifeguards on site which would be appropriate but contrary
to the County's current practices at all of its other swimming venues. You must
have the political will to adequately fund and staff your existing parks and
NO, trying to spread existing staff to the proposed "Nature Coast
Educational Plaza" will simply defer the inevitable and stretch staff
resources beyond their ability to meet the real needs of visitors to the County
and your voting constituents.
I am hopeful based on the public input you
received at the two public hearings as well as other input and observations
that you will find a way to locate the "Nature Coast Educational
Plaza" at an alternative site as well as remove any other proposed uses
from the core or center of the established wildlife corridor. As well, if your
primary unspoken goal is to market the unique attributes of the nature coast
including its natural and cultural resources to increase jobs, visitor tax
revenues and motel/hotel bed taxes, a more responsible, well-thought-out
approach should be taken. You can start with a more professional and inviting
sign at Pine Island Beach.
Respectfully Submitted,
Fritz Musselmann
Spring Hill, Florida
