Palm Coast Greenway Celebrated (FL)

Palm Coast, Florida, 8/28/2003 – Florida Communities Trust (FCT) Executive Director Janice Browning joined representatives from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), Flagler County and the City of Palm Coast last week to present a check for $4.9 million to the City of Palm Coast for the acquisition of 57 acres on the Palm Coast Greenway.

Palm Coast is located midway between Jacksonville and Orlando in Flagler County, one of the nation’s fastest growing areas, and a place square in the sights of investors and land developers. Acquisition of the land will provide opportunities for recreation and protect wildlife habitat. The grant also will enable the city to extend its existing bike trail network and connect it to other public recreation amenities, such as the City Community Center and Flagler County’s Coastal Greenway.

“We get more than 100 applications every year, and this one really stood out, ” said Janice Browning, FCT Executive Director. “The Palm Coast Greenway is truly exceptional, and it exemplifies the incredible partnership between the Trust for Public Land, Florida Communities Trust and local governments.”

At the request of the city, TPL project manager Bob Guido managed TPL’s acquisition of 11 separate properties for the Greenway from six different landowners. At the same time, he helped city staff line up the financing and government approvals that would transfer the land permanently into public ownership, including the Florida Communities Trust, the state’s major source of funding for the acquisition of environmentally significant land.

The City plans to coordinate with the Daytona Beach Community College-Flagler Campus to use the site as a resource for environmental education. The dollars provided by the FCT will assist in restoring altered wetlands and enhancing the water flow and water quality in the area.

“I’d like to thank TPL and FCT for providing us with this opportunity,” said Bill Butler, City of Palm Coast Landscape Architect. “This project is creating a legacy that residents and visitors will enjoy for years to come.”

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since its founding in 1972, TPL has helped protect more than 1.6 million acres of land in 45 states. In Florida, TPL has protected more than 270 sites – almost 200,000 acres at a market value of about $500 million. The Trust for Public Land depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve our land for people mission. For more information please contact us at (415) 495-4014.

Florida Communities Trust is a state land acquisition grant program within the Florida Department of Community Affairs. FCT provides funding to local governments and eligible non-profit environmental organizations for acquisition of community-based parks, open space and greenways that further outdoor recreation and natural resource protection needs identified in local government comprehensive plans. Matching and full grants for land acquisition projects are provided to communities through an annual competitive application cycle.