Pasco County is moving forward with plans to add a restaurant and additional parking at Anclote River Park, despite concerns from Native American groups and residents about the potential impact on the historic Native American mound there. The county has completed a ground-penetrating radar scan of the mound and conducted a study by a consultant that found no human remains but suggested that there may be more underground features than previously thought. The Florida Indigenous Alliance and other groups have expressed concern about the plan and have held events, gathered signatures, and contacted the county about their concerns. The site plan for the park changes includes a restaurant, increased parking, and other features. The mound site is delineated on the plan, bordered on one side by the expanded parking and another by the expanded beach. Archaeological studies conducted over the decades suggest significant prehistoric occupation on the site, and the county’s own study, commissioned after questions were raised about cultural harm, hinted at the possibility of a burial mound. Stantec, a consultant hired by the county, recommends avoiding work in the area of the mound and suggests adding signage to provide interpretive information about the Spanish Well and the mound. If avoiding the area isn’t possible, the consultant suggests conducting a detailed, large-scale dig to document everything found at the site for future study before new construction starts.
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Park changes advance around mound at Anclote River Park
