Jekyll Island, GA: Round 2 to developers and their shameless enablers

"We understand that Jekyll Island is a state park. But people don't come there for a state park experience."

That's what it's come to. Apparently the Georgia State Senate thinks people come to Jekyll for condos, timeshares and fancy hotels.

Despite a guest survey by the Jekyll Island Authority just 2 years ago that said "It is clear that the guests prefer Jekyll Island as a travel destination because of the unique combination of natural, seaside beauty, interesting historic sites and limited development;" despite the island authority and developer Linger Longer constantly throwing around misleading numbers to make the situation seem more dire than it really is; despite the thousands of citizens opposed to the development plan who called their legislators and actually forced a vote on bills to protect the island, a vote the chairman of that committe never thought would see the light of day.

That's what it's come to.

I guess the JIA, having enough pro-development Senators on their side during a committee hearingon bills meant to protect the island from inappropriate development, feels like it's okay to call a sitting Senator a liar. It's okay, even though that Senator is doing his job, standing up for the thousands of people who detest what the JIA is doing. It's okay, because they know that none of the Republicans on the committee will make them specifically prove they didn't misrepresent the numbers they fed to the public. It's okay, because the Reynolds family, which controls Linger Longer, is a huge- huge- Republican donor.

And it's a damn shame.

Senator Chapman got his hearing yesterday and every single Republican voted against his 3 bills. They crammed people into such a small room that Chapman supporters werebooted to make room for the JIA. Chip Pearson, committee chair, did everything he could to make sure the bills would have no shot. Ben Porter, JIA chairman and coastal developer, is just unbelievable:

The measures would have prevented additional full-time residences from being built on the state-owned island, restricted construction near the waterfront, and limited what new hotels could charge overnight guests.

Ben Porter, chair of the Jekyll Island Authority, warned committee members at the hearing what would happen to plans to revitalize the island if Chapman's legislation passed.
"If you want to kill it, you've got an easy way to do it right now," Porter said. "Pass these three bills and I promise you, you've killed Jekyll's revitalization."

Is he so bad at his job that the island wouldn't be revitalized without permanent residences? Without putting a massive development on the beach? Without 70% of the accommodations being on par with what other state parks charge? Is he THAT unimaginative?

The assistant to Senator Joe Carter told a constituent that 300-400 calls came into their office in favor of the bills. Only 2 or 3 were against. Senator Joe Carter voted against. How well he represents his people.

I can't vote for Jeff Chapman but if I could, I would- regardless of party. It's damn rare these days that someone will take on developers and his own party.

It's not over. There's still a bill in the House. There's still the voice of the public. And there are still elections.