Greenways Program
The Tallahassee - Leon County Greenways program was created in the early 1990s. This program is designed to do the following:
- Protect remaining natural ecosystems and preservation and conservation features as defined in the Comprehensive Plan;
- Connect neighborhoods, parks, schools, and historical and cultural sites to natural areas and open spaces;
- Provide “green infrastructure� for alternative transportation routes, stormwater management, and wildlife habitat, and;
- Create and expand recreational opportunities for walking, hiking, biking, skating, horseback riding, and nature interpretation.
The Greenways program will also provide opportunities for nature study through school visits, onsite signage, and occasional exhibits and field trips.
The program offers an option for landowners whose properties are severely constrained by environmentally sensitives features to consider selling their property to local government as part of a voluntary transaction based on appraised value. Local government can and has purchased such properties in the past to increase the greenway system, and to reduce or eliminate land use conflicts.
Implementation
The Greenways Program has been underway for more than a decade. The first major effort, mapping out a countywide Greenway system, was completed in 1995. It was intended to provide potential greenway locations for planning and design activities involving transportation, stormwater, and changes to the Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan.
Implementation of the Greenways system is continuing. The Master Plan will incorporate on a regular basis any changes in land use, natural and cultural features, and any new or changed community preferences. Natural areas will be incorporated over time into the Greenways system, and new connections will allow citizens to better access the system. Facilities such as parking areas, trails, picnic tables, and other amenities will be constructed as funds permit.
The Greenways program, through management plans for the individual units, will address ecosystem management to ensure that wildlife habitat and other natural values and features are maintained or restored where possible.
Organization
The Tallahassee - Leon Greenways system consists of three major features:
- Hubs - such as major floodplains, greenways, or parks;
- Sites - smaller, more isolated natural features and resource areas, and
- Connectors – narrow linear features that provide some level of ecological or recreational linkage between hubs and/or site.
These features may be different depending on where they’re located and how large they are. For example, within the Urban Services Area, the Greenways system includes existing parks and recreational facilities, and is intended to connect residential areas, schools, universities, and colleges. In the more rural portion of the County, the Greenways system will include major floodplains, critical habitat, and water features.
Connectors will be flexible and inclusive. Within the urban area of Tallahassee, they will include where feasible utility or drainage easements, shared use paths, and linear parks. Connectors in more rural or urban fringe areas will include where feasible natural drainageways, shorelines, Canopy Roads, and abandoned rail corridors.
Features
The Greenways system is intended to include and protect to the maximum extent possible conservation and preservation features as defined within the Comprehensive Plan. These include:
- Wetlands, waterbodies, and watercourses (altered and unaltered)
- High quality successional and native forests
- Floodplains (altered and undisturbed)
- Canopy Road corridors,
- and Listed species habitat.
The Greenways system out of necessity has and will continue to focus on large, intact natural features and systems. As natural areas and vacant lands are developed, easements protecting conservation and preservation features on these developed parcels are routinely acquired and protected by local government. These areas are integrated into the Greenways system as appropriate, depending on type, size, and quality of features.
Accomplishments
With the exception of $4.1 million worth of land donated to the City and several other land purchases totaling $3.7 million by Blueprint, local government agencies have invested almost $18 million of local funds in greenway purchases over the last 15 years. However, that investment amount has also been matched at least twice by state and federal grant funds. Combined, the Greenways program has purchased over 5,200 acres of environmental sensitive property worth almost $54 million. These properties will be held and managed in perpetuity for the citizens of Florida and Leon County.
The efforts of the Planning Department has been recognized by the Governor in resolutions proclaiming the Lafayette Heritage Trail, the Phipps/Overstreet/Maclay greenway, and the Capital Cascade Greenway as part of the state’s greenway system. This was one of only four local greenways programs in Florida that received this recognition.
The City of Tallahassee and Leon County have also received the 1000 Friends of Florida Annual Greenways Award. The acquisition of the Piney Z and Block properties also won for the City and County the 1996 award for "Outstanding Achievement in the Protection of Archeological Resources" from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
Finally, the Best Trails State Award was presented in 2008 to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Greenways & Trails (OGT) at the National Trails Symposium in Little Rock, Arkansas. This first ever "Best Trails State Award" presented by American Trails recognizes Florida's success in facilitating an outstanding statewide system of trails. This award also recognizes local and regional projects and the partnerships between OGT and local governments in Florida such as the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. Local partnership projects include the Miccosukee Greenway, the J.R. Alford Greenway, and new park lands and amenities purchased and built by the City, the County, and Blueprint 2000 utilizing local and state funds.
Greenways Recognition
The work on greenways by the Planning Department led to special recognition by the Governor in resolutions proclaiming the Lafayette Heritage Trail, Phipps/Overstreet/Maclay, and Cascades Greenways as part of state greenway system. The overall City-County program was also one of only four local governments in Florida that received such recognition. The City and County also received 1000 Friends of Florida Annual Greenways Award. The acquisition of the Piney Z and Block properties also garnered the City and County the 1996 award for "Outstanding Achievement in the Protection of Archeological Resources" from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
Signature Greenways
Two of the largest major greenway hubs within the urban area of the County include the Phipps-Meridian-Overstreet-Maclay greenway (1,820 acres) on the north side of Tallahassee, and the Tom Brown Park-Lafayette Heritage Trail-Kirk Edwards Wildlife Management Area greenway (1,738 acres) on the east.
Lafayette Heritage Trail
This is a multi-phase land acquisition project 800 acres in size. This land includes a trail from Tom Brown Park along and across Lake Lafayette to Pedrick Road and the Swift Creek Middle School. The 876-acre J.R. Alford Greenway was recently acquired with funds from the State of Florida, and there will be a connection to the Goose Creek Conservation Area in the future.
Map (PDF)
Governor's Park
The City of Tallahassee and the Florida Communities Trust acquired nearly 200 acres north and east of Governors Square Mall. The land will be a passive park incorporated into surrounding residential and commercial development.
Map (PDF)
Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway
The State of Florida acquired 503 acres along Miccosukee Road from Fleischmann to Crump Roads. The land preserves perhaps the most scenic stretches of canopy road in Leon County, and protects endangered wildlife habitat and rare upland forests. The park will feature recreational trails, mountain bike paths, equestrian trails, and an active sports complex. Leon County has agreed to manage the property and to develop these amenities.
Map (PDF)
Lake Munson Preserve
The County acquired 62 acres on Lake Munson with extensive frontage on Crawfordville Highway. This land has been developed as a park to complement other county efforts to restore Lake Munson and Lake Henrietta. The park includes a new boat ramp, pier, and boardwalk system.
Map (PDF)
Lake Jackson Greenway Acquisitions
The County was successful in obtaining Florida Communities Trust grants matched with Federal grant dollars to acquire 26 acres (Okeeheepkee Prairie) on Meginnis Arm, adjacent to the Indian Mounds State Historical Site. An additional 43 acres (Jackson View) were acquired to prevent intense lakeshore development.
Map (PDF)
Jackson View map (PDF)
Elberta Crate
The City secured funding from the Department of Community Affairs to create a park and trail terminus for the St. Marks trail at the FSU-City stormwater Facility. Staff is currently working to connect this trail to Florida State University’s Main Campus.
Signature Greenways
The 2004 Greenways Master Plan:
- Wetlands, waterbodies, and watercourses (altered and unaltered)
- High quality successional and native forests
- Floodplains (altered and undisturbed)
- Canopy Road corridors,
- and Listed species habitat.
The Greenways Master Plan was adopted in 2004 by both the City Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. The plan, which is scheduled to be revised and updated in 2009. Please direct any questions to:
Stephen M. Hodges
Senior Planner
Comprehensive/Environmental Planning
Tallahassee - Leon County Planning Department
Renaissance Center
435 N. Macomb Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
850.891.6408 work
850.891.6404 fax
steven.hodges@talgov.com