On
November 7th, 2000, Seminole County citizens, by a vote of 58%,
approved a $25 million bond referendum that funded the development of a
network of urban and wilderness trails throughout the County and provided additional
funds for the acquisition of Natural Lands. This bond will expanded the scope
of the twenty year 1990 Natural Lands referendum that has allowed the County
to acquire approximately 6,600 acres of environmentally sensitive lands for preservation.
Through
this referendum, Seminole County is in hte process of creating an interconnected system of
urban trails that will be over 50 miles long as well as connections to schools,
parks, shopping and neighborhoods.
Among other major projects, the bond money was used to
advance the construction of the Cross Seminole Trail, a 14-mile urban trail,
and complete the 4-mile
connection from this trail to the Seminole Wekiva Trail, another 14-mile
urban trail located west of I-4. The County continues to expand the $20
million set aside for trails by offering matching funds for federal grants,
an important
part in the prioritization process for these grants.
In
addition, a 20-mile network of wilderness trails was created including
a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail, a 1,300-mile wilderness path,
which runs from the panhandle to the Everglades.
Urban (paved) trails provide citizens with two major benefits: a choice
of transportation modes that will traverse the entire county and secondly,
a safe, convenient recreational opportunity.
The tremendous support for this referendum is a clear indicator that the
public wants a system of trails in their community. Seminole County is the
leader in offering citizens a referendum primarily for trail construction.
It is their hope that their innovation in this area will set a precedent
for other local governments to follow.
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Referendum