South County Recreational Corridor Plan

In January 2006, the Board of County Commissioners funded the development of a comprehensive recreational corridor plan for southern Hillsborough County including consideration and identification of needed enhancements to feeder transportation corridors to functionally link proposed off-road trails in a manner that improves connectivity as well as access to recreational opportunities.The plan:

  • Identifies existing and programmed recreational facilities south of the Alafia River and examined in greater detail existing site conditions;
  • Incorporates recreational objectives of approved community plan (through 2007 – Apollo Beach 2005, Riverview 2005, Ruskin 2005, SouthShoreAreawide Systems 2003) (after 2007 – Gibsonton 2007, Greater Palm River 2008, Little Manatee South 2010, Sun City Center 2010, Wimauma Village 2007
  • Analyzed planning project recreational user preference survey data
  • Analyzed projected South County population and demographic data and identified future regional recreational needs and opportunities within South County study area
  • Analyzed opportunities and constraints in development of South Coast Greenway and Cross County Greenway proposed recreational trail corridors in South County (identified in Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan)
  • Coordinated affected agencies and utilities interests in South County study area
  • Proposed design concepts for South Coast Greenway and Cross County Greenway
  • Identified enhancement to transportation corridors to functionally link neighborhoods to future trail system to improve connectivity and bicycle-pedestrian access to recreation
  • Identified capital improvements, preformed preliminary cost analysis and recommended a phasing plan for the South Coast Greenway in South County

Two greenway corridors were evaluated at different levels of analysis.

South Coast Greenway (Primary Focus Area) – detailed GIS-based analysis of the existing physical and planned conditions:

  • A continuous 13-mile, north-south 10-15-foot wide paved trail un the Urban Service Area from Symmes Road to the Little Manatee River, providing recreation and non-motorized transportation opportunities for cyclists, in-line skaters and pedestrians, linking to key destinations including parks and recreation facilities, public schools, Hillsborough Community College, nature preserves, shopping, town centers, and neighborhoods
  • Roadways intersecting the corridor (enhanced transportation corridors) to safely accommodate cyclists and pedestrians providing easy access to neighboring area off-road trail systems
  • Includes three trailheads strategically located at points along the greenway to provide parking and basic amenities for those traveling via car to recreate on the trail

Cross County Greenway (Secondary Focus Area)- desktop-based review of corridor characteristics to determine where trailhead locations will be needed:

  • A continuous 15-mile, north-south 12-foot widepaved trail and parallel unpaved equestrian trail located primarily in the RuralArea of South County from Fish Hawk Boulevard at Lithia Pinecrest Road toSaffold Road, with the prospect to connect to a similar future trail in ManateeCounty. The corridor provides recreational opportunities for cyclists, in-lineskaters, pedestrians and equestrians, and adjoins several nature preserves,some of which provide access to passive recreation such as hiking and mountainbiking.
  • Some roadways intersecting the recreational corridor are enhancedtransportation corridors to safely accommodate cyclists and pedestrians andthereby provide easy access to the off-road trail system from adjoining areas.
  • Includes four !railheads, utilizing existing Countyparks and Tampa Electric Company property near or adjacent to the trail system,to provide parking and basic amenities including one trailhead for equestrianswho trailer their horses to recreate on the trail.

Implementation

Successful implementation of this corridor plan requires a number of actions. Approval of theplan by the Board of County Commissioners provides greater certainty for realizing implementation of the plan by establishing the necessaryframework for future actions, such as inclusion of projects within future five-year CapitalImprovement programs. The following specific actions are also important to successfulimplementation:

Future Parks and Recreation -

1. To address the strong desire expressed in the user preference survey for morenature-based recreational opportunities in South County, provide more access tonature-based recreation by developing suitable existing preserve sites into higheruse nature parks, with such facilities as a nature study center, hiking trails,fishing access and group picnicking in appropriate locations.

2. Develop the two identified trail concepts (i.e., South Coast Greenway and CrossCounty Greenway) to address residents' strong desire expressed in the userpreference survey for multi-use paved trail opportunities. Because the SouthCoast Greenway concept is located within the Urban Service Area wherepopulation in South County is projected to increase most dramatically, this trailconcept should be developed first, followed by development of the Cross CountyGreenway.

3. Create safe access to and from the two trails by funding bike-pedestrianenhancements to plan-identified roadways that intersect the two trails. Suchsidewalk and bike lane improvements to these transportation corridors should beprogrammed in the Public Works Capital Improvement Program, if not alreadyincluded.

4. Plan for the anticipated increased demand for active recreational opportunities inSouth County in a manner that reflects changing demographics and needs. Theanticipated population shift from an older to a younger population with families inthe study area will generate increased demands for active recreational uses overthe next decade.

South Coast Greenway (Primary Focus Area)–

  1. Fund and develop the South Coast Greenway in the phases described in thisplan, over a number of years. (As described elsewhere in the plan, the BOCChas allocated CIT revenues to fully fund Phase I of this greenway, beginning in2007.)
  2. Coordinate with the landowners identified in this plan to negotiate neededeasements and other use agreements, as funding becomes available for projectdesign and construction of phases.
  3. Seek federal enhancement grant funding to design and construct two bike-pedestrianoverpasses - at the Big Bend Road and College Avenue - to ensurethe safety of trail users.
  4. Utilize Tampa Electric Company utility corridor property for trail and trailheadimprovements, as described in this plan, coordinate and accommodate TampaElectric Company's need for continued utility operations and maintenanceconcerns, as part of easement and use agreements.
  5. Negotiate with Florida Department of Transportation to obtain approval for use ofundeveloped 1-75 rest area property for a portion of the South Coast Greenwayto minimize filling and improve access to the Little Manatee River Preserve.
  6. While the trail will provide connectivity to two nature preserves, special designconsiderations will be needed to protect the sites' natural resources frominappropriate recreational use and limit use to those activities allowed by thesites' management plans.

Cross County Greenway (Secondary Focus Area)–

  1. Phase, fund and develop the Cross County Greenway in future years, followingcompletion of at least the first three phases of the South Coast Greenway, due toanticipated higher use of the South Coast Greenway.
  2. Utilize Tampa Electric Company utility corridor property for trail and trailheadimprovements, as described in this plan, coordinate and accommodate TampaElectric Company's need for continued utility operations and maintenanceconcerns, as part of easement and use agreements.
  3. Coordinate with Manatee County on the planned future connection of the CrossCounty Greenway to a similar trail system in Manatee County as identified in thatcounty's greenways plan.
  4. While the trail will provide connectivity to several nature preserves, specialdesign considerations will be needed to protect the sites' natural resources frominappropriate recreational use and limit use to those activities allowed by thesites' management plans.
  5. A potential future highway project could affect this greenway. Such a projectshould be reviewed to identify possible impacts and ensure trail needs areaccommodated.

South County Recreational Corridor Plan, Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, Mark J. Thornton, Director and Wilson Millers, February 2007.

BOCC Agenda Item No.A-21 March 07, 2007 – Staff Recommendation to the South County Recreational Corridor Plan for implementation. Approval itself does not result in a financial impact, implementation of the plan will, over time, require future Board approval of funding. Some funding has already been approved by the Board for allocation to specific project that will implement aspects of plan (i.e., $4,758,000 from CIT revenue to design and construct a portion of the South Coast Greenway, a multi-use paved trail).

Contact: Richard G. Sanders, General Manager III, Public Works Department, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 22 Floor, County Center, Tampa, Florida, 33601