The debate over the future of the Chassahowitzka River Campground in Citrus County has intensified as Florida residents, camp staff, and former state officials urge the Southwest Florida Water Management District to keep the property in public hands.
The 40-acre campground, owned by the district, closed on Aug. 15 for hurricane damage assessments, with the agency indicating that a sale remains under consideration.
At a public meeting in Brooksville on Tuesday (August 26), district leaders said no final decision would be made for months. “
We need to collect the data,” Brian Armstrong, executive director of the district, said, as reported by Tampa Bay Times on August 26.
“We need to let ideas play out to see if they’re good or bad,” Armstrong added.
The district announced earlier this month that the campground would be closed starting Oct. 1 to evaluate damage to a camp store and deck.
Although the issue was not listed on the district’s meeting agenda, about 20 people addressed the governing board during public comment, including staff who have managed the campground for more than a decade.
Many urged the agency to maintain the property as a public resource.
Public opposition has grown since the announcement, with petitions and protests organized by residents who say the campground provides an increasingly rare opportunity for outdoor recreation.
Former District Executive Director Sonny Vergara added his voice to the opposition.
In a letter sent Monday (August 25 ), Vergara urged the board to weigh the long-term consequences of a sale.
“The campground has served as a vital point of public engagement with nature, fostering environmental appreciation and stewardship,” Vergara wrote. “Its closure and potential sale risk severing that connection and diminishing the District’s legacy of conservation leadership.”
State Rep. J.J. Grow, a Republican from Inverness, also told the Tampa Bay Times that he opposes selling the land. Instead, he said he is working on an arrangement for Citrus County to lease the campground, fund repairs, and take over management responsibilities.
District officials, however, signaled that they are reluctant to continue operating the site.
Board Member John Mitten said the campground poses safety risks and liability concerns. “We don’t want to be in the public campground business,” Mitten said. “I encourage those that are here, if you want to keep it functioning, call your county.”
The campground’s operations have been the subject of legal disputes. In May, the county and the district reached a settlement clarifying ownership of certain facilities, with the boat dock and parking lot deeded to the county.