The Sandbar

Back in June of 2001 the Florida State Park Service and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, going against the State Oversight Committee and without proper public notice, annexed the North Anclote Sandbar into the Gulf GEO Park System. The idea was to increase the GEO Park Systems acreage, for each additional acre added, the Park would receive more funding for park related activities. But Park land requires varying amounts of operating funds depending on usage. The Park Service and DEP came up with a plan: close the Sandbar to use. This plan requires little or no funds to maintain the land and what costs do exist can be spread over several agencies to enforce the closure. The Sheriffs' Dept, FWC, Coast Guard, and city police already patrol the area so the Park Service did not need to expend resources.

The next task would be to implement the plan without a lot of attention. Public Notice was given in a small Pinellas Co. news paper and the public meetings were held in Pinellas Co. No one knew about the notice or meetings because the Sandbar was in Pasco Co. and so were it's users. The "official" position would be that there were endangered birds on the Sandbar that had to be protected at all costs so a closure was warranted.
On December 31st, 2001, under the cover of bad weather, signs went up announcing the Park Services' intentions. On January 1st, 2002, the signs were spotted by a group of boaters who would soon become "SaveOurSandbar". Phone calls were quickly made and a meeting of the regular users was held. Spearheaded by Curt Kurtz, a Pasco Co. native and avid boater, the group discussed ways to get the word out and stop the Park Services action.
In February SaveOurSandbar was formed, in its first election of officers Curt was made President. The group launched a website and message board that quickly became one of the largest at MSN.com. Meetings could no longer be held at restaurants, large halls were needed. By March a law firm specializing in land use issues was retained, and a lobbyist in Tallahassee was hired. A month later SOS as it became known was drawing hundreds to it's meetings and fundraisers, local businesses pledged their support, TV cameras and reporters followed every move. The list of elected officials supporting SOS included State Senators, Representatives, County Commissioners, Mayors and City Council members, the fight was on...
By mid- summer SOS had started to turn the tide, the membership, support, and the war chest grew. The Park Service and DEP were having to defend themselves as SOS picked apart their case.
In the fall of 2002, Curt and the SOS executive committee and it's board of directors who were working countless hours for zero pay got a break, they convinced the Governor and Cabinet not to approve the management plan and allow the two sides to develop a new plan that was acceptable to both sides. The negotiations quickly broke down though as the DEP tried to take control. Elected officials called the bureaucrats at the DEP on the carpet as SOS threatened to file an injunction and a rules challenge but as quickly as it escalated, it was over, State Representatives informed SOS that the Park Service and DEP were backing down, the fight was over...SOS had become the first grassroots organization to take on the State of Florida and WIN!!!
Today the North Anclote Sandbar is open to use and being enjoyed year round by everyone thanks to Curt Kurtz and SOS. The organization has since turned its attention to repaying the community for its support by fundraising for local charities, but stays ever vigilant.