Tavares city council to explore "primitive camping" ordinance

Is establishing a "primitive camping" site on a city-owned park the precursor to a full-fledged homeless encampment? One Florida city council will explore the notion of creating the Community Service of "primitive campsites" at a nature park within their city limits.

On the agenda for the August 21, 2019 Tavares, Florida city council meeting is agenda item number 12  : 

"To explore the idea of creating primitive campsites at the Tavares Nature Park"

According to the meeting packet detail, the grant used to purchase the land for the park does allow for primitive camping.

Among the many issues city council will consider is the concern of attracting a large homeless population, as well as potential fire hazards, trash accumulation and human waste disposal.

"Issues to Consider – Staff contacted the Florida State Parks organization and the local parks that offer primitive camping in the region to ascertain what issues they have come across and offer a highlight of their responses:   

o     All of the State Parks that offer primitive camping are monitored with park rangers and charge a small fee for the campsites.
o     Lake Louisa Park Manager stated their biggest issue is from campers cutting down trees and other brush to use for firewood.
o     Fear of attracting a large homeless population was the reason that Lake Griffin State Park in Leesburg did not create primitive campsites.
o     The biggest issue regarding primitive campsites in both the Lower Wekiva Preserve and Rock Springs Run Reserve State Parks is the trash that sometimes get left behind and outsiders using the primitive toilet facilities as they canoe or paddle through the areas.
o     Several rangers mentioned that all their sites are equipped with food lockers as a protection against bears and other wildlife.
o     The Wekiva River Basin State Parks Manager did mention that bears are a concern, however they have more issues with bears in their developed campsites verses the primitive ones because those sites have more food."

The City of Tavares is located in Lake County, Florida. 

County Examiner recently published Florida Department of Health statistics on the outbreak of hepatitis A, including risk factors such as drug use (both injection and non-injection drugs), identifying as men who have sex with men, and recently experiencing homelessness.

With the Department reporting 98 cases of hepatitis A in Lake County, County Examiner hopes Tavares city council also take these health department stats into consideration as they discuss the merits of the ordinance.

Desoto County officials briefed on Florida’s’ hepatitis A outbreak

Employees of the Florida Department of Health briefed the Desoto County Board of Commissioners on the current hepatitis A outbreak in the state, emphasizing the best preventative measure is vaccination.

According to public documents reviewed by County Examiner, during the May 14, 2019 BOC meeting Penny Pringle, Assistant County Health Department Director and Patrick Hickey, Epidemiologist with the Florida Department of Health gave a short presentation on the nature of the disease and how the illness progresses.

The Florida Department of Health continues to publish the number and percentage of reported hepatitis A cases on their website.

“From January 1, 2018 through June 15, 2019, 2109 hepatitis A cases were reported.”

The number of reported hepatitis A cases more than doubled from 2016 to 2017 and nearly doubled again in 2018 after remaining relatively stable in previous years. Case counts in 2019 have already surpassed those in 2018.”

A map published on the Florida Department of Health website reveals Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando Counties have the highest cumulative rate per 100,000 population, followed by numerous counties across the Central Florida region.

The Hepatitis A Surveillance report dated May 2019 disclosed in that month the incidence rate was highest among adults aged 30-39 years old at 4.9 cases per 100,000 population. Since January 1, 2018, cases were reported primarily among men (66%) and persons who identify as non-Hispanic white (92%).

Nationwide

“Hepatitis A rates have decreased by more than 95% since the first vaccine became available in 1995. However, since March of 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been monitoring outbreaks in 15 states among persons who use drugs and persons who are experiencing homelessness. Kentucky and West Virginia have been the most heavily impacted, and response efforts are ongoing.”

Florida response

“Several Florida counties have experienced ongoing local transmission of hepatitis A since 2017. Since January 1, 2018, 98% of Florida’s cases (n=1,876) have likely been acquired in Florida. Cases likely acquired in Florida share several common risk factors including drug use (both injection and non-injection drugs), identifying as men who have sex with men, and recently experiencing homelessness. Individuals with any of these risk factors should receive the hepatitis A vaccine, and health care providers are encouraged to actively offer the hepatitis A vaccine to individuals at risk. Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A infection.”