Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks

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1 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks Land Honeymoon Island State Park Introduction Honeymoon Island State Park is a 2, acre public outdoor recreation and conservation area located in Pinellas County on Florida s central Gulf of Mexico coast. The park lies within the Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve, adjacent to Caladesi Island State Park and Anclote Key Preserve State Park (see Vicinity Map). Honeymoon Island State Park was acquired for protection of the barrier island and surrounding fragile marine ecosystems and to provide resource-based public outdoor recreation. The park is one of the most highly visited units in Florida s state park system, with over one million visitors in Fiscal Year Access to the park is via State Road 586 and the Dunedin Causeway. This management plan amendment was prepared as part of an effort to expand family camping opportunities in the state park system. It amends the current management plan for Honeymoon Island State Park that was approved on June 15, That document can be found at: The Department has analyzed the proposed location for the family camping area from the standpoint of its potential impacts on the park s natural and cultural resources, public recreational uses and park operations. Consideration has also been given to the benefits that family camping would provide to the public. The Department has determined that the development of the new camping area described here is compatible with the park s outdoor recreation and conservation purposes and will compliment the existing recreational opportunities and operational programs of the park. Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment The principal natural features of the state park are approximately 9.5 miles of shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico and St. Joseph Sound, the undeveloped northern half of the island, and the relatively undisturbed sand beach and beach dune community that lies along the Gulf north of the park s developed area. This shoreline provides an important area for loafing, nesting, resting and feeding shorebirds, some of which are imperiled species. The peninsula that forms the northeastern land mass of the island is an undisturbed coastal dune and mesic flatwoods habitat, a remnant example of the inland portion of the barrier island prior to the impacts of dredge and fill activity. Aside from being important native habitat, this area provides public interpretive access via a popular nature trail.

2 Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park Hidden Lake Project _ ^ New Port Richey Starkey Wilderness Park Robert Crown Wilderness Area Key Vista Nature Park Gulf of Mexico Holiday Brooker Creek Preserve Anclote Key Preserve State Park Tarpon Springs Brooker Creek Buffer Preserve Brooker Creek Headwaters Lake Rogers Park John Chestnut Senior Park Honeymoon Island State Park 586 Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve The Hammock Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin Philippe Park Legend Interstates FDOT US Routes FDOT State Routes FDOT Local Roads Park Boundary Private Lands Developed Undeveloped Public Lands Federal Managed Areas State Managed Areas Local Managed Areas Private Managed Areas Aquatic Preserves Alligator Lake Management Area 60 Tampa Bay Clearwater Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve 275 Gateway Tract 92 Sources: Florida Natural Areas Inventoy, 2004 Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System, 2007 HONEYMOON ISLAND STATE PARK Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks Office of Park Planning Miles 5 VICINITY MAP

3 Page 3 of 9 Honeymoon Island State Park contains nine distinct natural communities (see Natural Communities Map). The park s diverse habitats include coastal strand, maritime hammock, mesic flatwoods, beach dune and marine seagrass beds. The park also contains approximately 73 acres of manmade uplands, classified as ruderal. The park s natural communities provide ecosystem connectivity and help to support native wildlife genetic diversity along the Gulf coastal lagoons and barrier island chain and play an important role in providing shorebird feeding, wintering and nesting sites along the heavily developed Gulf coast. Typically, the coastal strand community is a narrow, linear zone of vegetation on the northeastern half of the island. It occurs between the beach dune community and the mesic flatwoods. Coastal strand is not well established on Honeymoon Island, and it is sometimes difficult to identify. Typical species present include cabbage palm, sea grape, saltbush, Florida swamp privet, Hercules-club, prickly pear and occasional slash pines. The maritime hammock community occupies only a small area at the center of the island. It is dominated by cabbage palms, and southern red cedar in the canopy, coin vine, necklace pod, saffron plum and sedges in the ground layer, but is without oaks. Imperiled plant species are not anticipated to be found in either of the natural community areas proposed for development. Gopher tortoises may be located in the either the coastal strand or the maritime hammock areas in the southern part of the proposed development area. Invasive exotic plant species pose a threat to natural ecosystems throughout Florida. District and park staffs maintain an ambitious exotic plant removal program to manage noxious plant species that persistently infiltrate the boundaries of the park. New landscape plantings (if needed) will consist of native species found within the adjacent natural community. Native plants from seed or stock plants from sources within 50 miles of the park will be provided, if possible. Plant lists will be reviewed and approved by Division resource management staff during the design of the project. Cultural Resource Inventory and Assessment Cultural resources have been identified at the park, including two historic and archaeological sites. An archaeological study uncovered a prehistoric site at the park that included artifact and lithic scatter. The southern end of one of the known sites is within the area proposed for camping area development, and appropriate study of the cultural site will precede further consideration of the use of this area. Public Access and Outdoor Recreation Honeymoon Island State park provides resource-based public outdoor recreation in Florida s highly populated central region. Over 3 million people reside within 50 miles of the park. The park provides visitors with an opportunity to experience a variety of

4 LEGEND Beach Dune ac. 5 - Coastal Strand ac. 7 - Maritime Hammock-3.48 ac. 8 - Mesic Flatwoods ac Marine Grass Bed ac Marine Mollusk Reef-6.95 ac Marine Tidal Marsh-5.04 ac Marine Tidal Swamp ac Marine Unconsolidated Substrate ac Ruderal ac Developed ac. HONEYMOON ISLAND STATE PARK ,000 Feet 2,000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks Date of aerial: NATURAL COMMUNITIES MAP

5 Page 5 of 9 coastal plant communities, Gulf beaches and marine seagrass beds. Recreational opportunities at the park include swimming, picnicking, surfing, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, birding and nature study. Offshore fishing and boating recreation are popular activities in the waters surrounding the island. The park serves as the land base for access to Caladesi Island State Park, and visitors reach that island through a ferryboat dock located at the southern end of Honeymoon Island. Through the efforts of the park s citizen support organization, an excellent nature center has been created in the park by recycling a beach bathhouse building that was threatened with destruction by the ongoing shoreline erosion of the park s filled shoreline. The park s recreational carrying capacity is currently estimated at 6,862 visitors per day. The park s attendance in Fiscal Year was 1,119,837 visitors. Plans for new facilities at the park, as outlined in the approved management plan, include additional staff residences, volunteer campsites and expansion of parking for the Caladesi Island land base. Extension of the Honeymoon Island bike trail to provide safer bicycle and pedestrian circulation within the park is also planned. Description of the Proposed Facilities The proposed location of a family camping area is an area of approximately 17.5 acres located east of the southern beach area parking lot. It includes the area that is now being used as a picnic area. The proposed development extends south into coastal strand and maritime hammock vegetation, impacting approximately 7.5 acres and 3.7 acres of those communities, respectively (see Amended Conceptual Land Use Plan). The proposed family camping area will consist of up to 45 campsites that are designed to accommodate recreational vehicles, pop-up campers and tents. The camping area will include paved or stabilized roads, stabilized camping pads, bathhouses, picnic tables and grills, connections for water and electrical service, wastewater disposal and other amenities such as playgrounds and interpretive facilities. As discussed above, the recommended location is at the end of the park road on the east side of the island, partly located within the footprint of the existing picnic area. The proposed camping area will be a short walk from the beach, the nature center and the nature trail, yet will be separated from the busy beach use areas for privacy and security. To accommodate the proposed development, the existing picnic area will need to be relocated. The proposed site for a new picnic area is an upland area within the filled portion of the island, centrally located to the southern beach use area. Parking for the new picnic area will be located off the main park drive, and shelters, scattered tables and a restroom will be located within easy walking distance from the beach. A large

6 ST. JOSEPH SOUND Proposed Nature Trail Extension Proposed Trailhead Proposed Family Camping Area Residences and Volunteer Campsites Nature Center (Completed) GULF OF MEXICO j k Future Bathouses, Picnic Area & Other Improvements Parking Area Expansion j k Proposed Relocated Picnic Area Bathouse Renovations Concessions, Expanded Deck and Restrooms (Completed) j k HURRICANE PASS LEGEND PROPOSED FACILITIES IN APPROVED PLAN PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN APPROVED PLAN PROPOSED BICYCLE PATH IN APPROVED PLAN PROPOSED NEW FACILITIES PARK BOUNDARY PROTECTED ZONE HONEYMOON ISLAND STATE PARK ,000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks Office of Park Planning Feet 2,000 AMENDED CONCEPTUAL LAND USE PLAN

7 Page 7 of 9 pavilion may be included in the new picnic area to provide a place for events and large family gatherings at the park. The potential impact of camping area traffic to the congested traffic conditions that now occur at the park entrance will be addressed by the addition of a campers-only entrance lane and directional signage. Potential Impacts of the Proposed Facilities and Use As in development of any vegetated site, there will be impacts from this project to the canopy and understory of the undisturbed southern portion of the proposed camping area site. A tree survey of the site will guide the design, and removal of large trees will be minimized to maintain the canopy, both for its wildlife benefits and for the natural shade it can provide to camping visitors. To the extent possible, maritime hammock species will be preserved. Understory trees, shrubs and groundcovers will be retained to buffer and separate campsites. Due to the highly permeable sandy soil of the island, stormwater treatment for the developed area will likely be in shallow retention basins and swales, and water quality of the surrounding aquatic preserve will be carefully protected by the design of that system. Wastewater from the camping area bathhouses and RV dump station will be disposed off-site to a local municipal sewage treatment facility. The proposed location will not directly affect shorebird or sea turtle habitat supported by the park, and no imperiled plant or animal species are known to exist in the proposed site with the exception of gopher tortoises. Relocation of gopher tortoises may be necessary for the development of both the proposed camping and picnic areas. During the design phase of the project, surveys to locate any imperiled plant or animal species within the project boundaries will be conducted, and measures to avoid or mitigate potential impacts will be incorporated into the development project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) will be consulted on management of potential impacts. Prior to beginning design work on the proposed development, a further archaeological study may be required in the southern end of the recorded site that extends into the north end of the developed picnic area. Although the state park has been subject of archaeological surveys in the past, it is conceivable that unknown cultural resources may be found elsewhere in the proposed development area. A reconnaissance-level archaeological survey will be conducted of the remainder of the proposed site. The project will be reviewed by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources (DHR) early during the design phase, and actions necessary for the protection of cultural resources, as prescribed by the DHR, will be incorporated in the design and

8 Page 8 of 9 will guide the construction of the project. The proposed family camping area will be constructed in an area that avoids encroachment on the recreational experiences of other park visitors, to the greatest extent possible. Swimming and picnicking recreation at the state park s beach draws capacity crowds on winter holidays and essentially every weekend during the summer. When developed, the proposed new camping area would increase the park s daily recreational carrying capacity by a maximum of 300 visitors, as shown in Table 1. The addition of camping visitors to the beach swimming areas may increase the number of days when capacity crowds occur. However, it is observed that recreational uses in the parks are self-regulating, to a degree. When visitors are in the park for multi-day stays in campsites or in cabins, they tend to make use of the recreational opportunities of the park in the off hours before or after crowded conditions occur. Table 1--Existing Use And Optimum Carrying Capacity Existing Capacity Proposed Additional Capacity Estimated Optimum Capacity Activity/Facility One Time Daily One Time Daily One Time Daily Beach Use 2,663 5,326 2,663 5,326 Fishing Nature Center Camping Family Camping Area* Picnicking Trails Canoeing/Kayaking TOTAL 3,347 6, ,647 7,162 * Additional carrying capacity proposed by this amendment. As in the construction and operation of all park facilities, close attention will be paid to the protection of the natural and cultural resources in the parks. Construction and

9 Page 9 of 9 operation of the camping area will be guided by the park s approved management plan, by Division of Recreation and Parks policies and practices, and by accepted best management practices for site development and operation in natural areas. The Department will have control over all aspects of planning, design, construction and operation of the facilities to ensure consistency with the mission and quality standards of the state park system. The camping area will be designed and operated in a manner that is consistent with the standards and criteria that apply to all state park camping facilities. The following guidelines will be applied for to all park development: 1. All natural and cultural resources, including imperiled species, historic structures and historic or prehistoric archaeological sites, will be protected where possible and any unavoidable impacts will be mitigated. 2. Facilities will be located and designed so that the park s resource management activities are not interrupted, where possible. 3. All stormwater management and other environmental regulations will be satisfied by the design and construction of the facilities. 4. Camping areas will be located, construction activities will be staged and managed, and the completed facilities will be operated to avoid encroachment on the recreational experiences available to other park visitors, to the greatest extent possible. 5. Existing park support facilities such as roads and utilities will be used, where feasible, to minimize the impact of new development in the park. 6. Impacts to park land or other resources that cannot be avoided during construction of the facilities will be restored or offset within the park. 7. Operational reviews of new camping areas and programs will occur on a regular schedule. Potential Benefits of the Proposed Facilities and Use The purposes of the Division s statewide family camping initiative are to expand the recreational opportunities that are provided by Florida s state parks, to stimulate the creation of new employment opportunities and enhance the parks beneficial local economic impacts, and to move the park system closer to its goal of economic selfsufficiency. Camping at Honeymoon Island State Park will provide a new recreational opportunity for Florida s residents and visitors to enjoy this park, to spend time at Caladesi Island State Park and to enjoy the other attractions offered by the Dunedin area. Camping opportunities will help contribute not only to the economic viability of the state park, but purchases by campground visitors will benefit the local economy by patronizing area businesses, including restaurants, stores and attractions.