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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConnecting Seminole County-1996/1997 Seminole wants its trail system to connect with other counties' By Mary Brooks isting trails. miles of abandoned railway for the A number of horse and stable Cross Seminole Trail. 0FThE SE"71"s'ST owners pleaded for equestrian The line stretches from the trails around Lake Jesup and Seminole-Orange county line at SANFORD — Seminole•Coun- through Oviedo and Geneva. Aloma Avenue, northeast through ty's trail network should connect "There's a lot of horses in that Oviedo and the Little-Big Econ with those in surrounding coun- area where the development has State Forest, northwest through ties and include horse trails and enclosed us, so we have nowhere Winter Springs and ends at the bike lanes along major roads. to ride," said Linda Hancock,who Spring Hammock preserve.Build- Those were among ideas and boards horses. ing the Cross Seminole artery concerns raised by about 60 peo One resident expressed dismay could cost another$3 million. ple attending the first public that nothing had been done to put Residents said they also want to workshop on the planned in a trail or boardwalk along Lake see the planned Seminole Wekiva countywide trail system this Monroe. Trail link up to the West Orange week. Bikers, hikers, horse own- "I feel really ashamed we've County Trail and to a Lake Coun- ers, students, other residents and overlooked it for so many years ty trail planned for near State county officials attended. and not tried to develop it," said Road 46. The Seminole Wekiva Seminole County's goal is to Altamonte Springs resident Kurt Trail will stretch 14 miles from the eventually have a web of large and Dowd. "You see what they did western county line near State small trails connecting neighbor- with that little trail around Road 46 and cross east to parallel hoods with schools, parks and Crane's Roost(Take]." Interstate 4 down to S.R.436. commercial areas. Residents also said they want to The county has a $2.8 million "We're trying to come up with a see directional and educational state grant for that trail. realistic vision and turn it into an signs on the trails, and that sur- The next meeting of the trails action or implementation plan," rounding communities must be task force — 24 citizens and city said David Barth, the county's taken into account. and county officials charged with consultant on the trail project. "We need to not blow trails drafting the plan — is March 9. Citizens told county officials through communities but ... try The trail plan must go to county where trails should go and what to reflect the community that the commissioners by June. facilities should accompany them. trail goes through," said Barth, Noting planned and existing trails Suggestions included a trail along the consultant. in Orange, Lake and Volusia coun- the Econlockhatchee River and Work already is under way to ac- ties,Barth said,"We're in a real ex- one connecting area colleges. quire property for and design citing time in the community. .. Residents also wanted to require some trails. Seminole County offl- There's a lot of energy and activity new housing subdivisions to in- cials have offered CSX Transpor- —it's a good time to be involved in stall pathways to connect with ex- tation Inc. $4.5 million for 15 this in Central Florida" 96 o 3 till 00 y�/� `e g m j��+ y5 p{ D ofi o -0C O 3 p g�g _So Eg Bis : • v gW O O 4 Vs N C G .�J G V he y$y9. V ^, ;1118 T s rJ' N Z tx, C o l s OIL V O 'per n74 ,440 y4 g m i q t } O a m a lO 3T T t 109$ 7g aim m a it E C i fi e € e e or q n�3 -gg g d V .12 ' L -' a 3 ag „ ot.. .s .s a> D V .y5 �8§ r� VVNG�� ei § 4V r t L } V i T L 6 ' Gg e v L g y ^ C O W H ' T s G 9 T .1i IC s � T� gal � � < i a e me % a = e � zsz 44 m s 0 dm ii u 31 41 2 V 6 m W t gµ _ p o l w = i till Affo144 � s vi 5 5 Wca 1122z 3 y^I 3 11 7 % o S E p v e O y i O O r C = l V i DC C a OV C 4 O _J Q i s § 165V ! za 44 tt c.0 ti p . T Qg Vn 4 hogs ] ElE § T e v, - , ` � �' .0ip4 A. :N r an .-►tom . b _.E Photo courtesy Seminole County Planning bept. A cyclist crosses the old CSX railroad trestle over Howell Creek along the Cross Seminole Trail. Eventually the trail will link Orlando with Lake Mary (Continued Jth.n page 1) at the Winter Springs City Hall Aug. A series or town hall meetings 2S at 6 p.in. According to Bowles, arc scheduled to allow residents the the town hall format was chosen to wpm-Wads to ask questons and pro- allow mastmum input from local vide input concenring the projmt.The residents The Oviedo City Cominis- first mting will heal the Oviedo Cily stall also addressed the issue duo- Hall.Aug.27 at 7p in ing the regular city commission A second meeting will be held 'meeting Monday. Winter Springs will seek county funding for trails BY LINDA Hestrrmav The Winter Springs City Commission Monet John Langellatli casting the dissent- authorized Monday spending up to$12,300 ing vote, saying there were too many unan- in fees to Michael Design Associates, Inc., sacred question such as who would main- for planning services related to two trailbeads tam and pay for the upkeep of the nails.Rai- and trail alignment for the Florida National dent Harold Scott asked the enact location of Scenic Trail through Winter Springs. A the tails tellingthenonunion,"I don't van trailhead is an area where the public can park one in my backyard" their vehicles and prepare to we the trail. In other business, the commission ap- MDA will provide professional planning set- pursed spending S1,800 to bid bid ala Christmas vices and information needed to facilitate the sled from the Naval Training Carta for aein development of the trailheads which are in- the aomal holiday parade.Mdmore said the chided in the County Trail Master Plan They sled is in sterling condition and worth a great will also provide information that will be deal mme than the bid amount"%¼'re lock- needed to apply for grant funding for the trail lug at storage possibilities,"be added. designs and improvements. Harold Scott addressed the commission The commission passed the motion as for a second time, challenging commission an emergency procedure in older to put Wm- members to look at their spending practices ter Springs in position for this year's finding regarding consulting services. Scott said in cycle, said City Manager Ron McLemore. the past year the city spent$217,000 in con- Winter Springs will receive a portion of about sultan fees. Mcicmore said he anticipates ate-half million dollars wliid,will be allocated that figure to rise—not decline.it's the wmld to Seminole County for the building of these of work today. There is more out-sourcing. tails,according to Forest Michael,repram- We're going to be doing more and more of tative of MDA."The funding comes from the that as we move along,"be noted. DepamoaiafTraoepanrtm.the DOTbuilds City Attorney Frank Kruppenbacher bite paths for children and adults.This trail touched briefly on the T usawila Country would go through Spring iammodctodown- Club's ongoing problems between the city and town Winter Springs and downtown Oviedo. developer James Mikes. Knippmbacher aid Our goal is to take a proposal for an addi- Mikes is thousands of dollars in wears to the tional half-million,but first to get the locals city for such services as water and sewer.The interest—see what the cities want from the city is still searching fir a breach of contract county,"said Michael. McLemore said it is due to Mils'failure to maintain tents carts, important to meet the funding deadline and lights,and the swimming pool."We may go befrrst with the county. to court to ask a Judge to enforce this," Moe Mayor David McLeod said the city Kmppabachersaid bad-emote said Mlles stands to benefit from county dollars with hthis was in City Hall Maiday-t - thr adamR- project."We need to get on board and allow tionpamitfor the taints cauts and pad"We the minty to spend their money in our be- don't intend to issue a permit wins kludge hag"be said.Thevgtewas hl with Commis- says so,"McLemore said. 97 '03 /3 State, CSX close on corridor for future Cross Seminole Trail On Friday,December 27th,the Florida with the closing complete,County staff will The 14 mile corridor was abandoned by Department of Environmental Protection direct attention in this direction. Both Winter CSX Transportation in early 1995. Seminole closed on the purchase of railroad cor- County filed a Public Use Condition rido<(tom CSX Transportation,located with the then Federal Department of in south central Seminole County. The - Commerce,to guarantee CSX would recently abandoned corridor will be- not try to sell off the corridor to other mmetheCros¢Seminole Timl,linking ., to buyers. In September of 1995,Semi- Winter Springs, Oviedo, Goldenrod, ' ''' ' ' .'.'" - nole County applied for Preservation and eventually connecting with the § 2000furdsardah Crass SeminoleTnil Cady Way TraitmOmngeCaamy. Por- . "r Project was ranked third in the state. lions of the Cross Seminole Trail could State and County staff members have possibly become designated as pan of been negotiating with CSX since that the Florida National SaaicTrail,one ^?! it time, taking a contract to the of eleven in the country. Governor's Cabinet for apptoval. Ca6i- Thepumhase price of56.9n iron see - netmmuhers had questioned the value was agreed upon after almost a year of ° 7 , .,k of the property,and after two preaen- negotiations by County and State (+d rt_, �nsro��rC���� staffs with CSX,and two meetings of �' �� _ members,final approval was granted the Governor's Cabinet. The Preset-- ' u '` 't- x, „ s onOctober22nd. Swwyand title wmk vation 2000 fluids for the purchase ' m . it.-1-, was hurriedly completed to meet the camefromagant application bySemi- t ,g. afire-*i. targeted closing before the end of the nole County, after the project was = I . 4 , ,"" yeas Seminole CamtyaodFDEFmus[ ranked third in the stateby the Florida _ ,` now complete an agreement to build Recreational Trails Cotmcil.The Coon- ` 1 j",= .. and manage the Cross Seminole Trail. al saves as an advisory and ranking Portions of the trail may possibly be body for the FDEP Office of Giveaways and Springs and Oviedo staff view the trail as a open to the public for use as an un- Trails. Funds to construct the Cross Semi- key factor in both cities'downtown ndevel- paved facility by late Spring or early Summer. nole Trail have not yet been identified,but opment. Announcements will be forthcoming. 92 o / o 9 Cross Seminole Trail to become a reality for Oviedo, Winter Springs Governor Lawton Chiles and the members of the Cabinet approved the purchase of the CSX railroad corridor in south central Seminole County at Tuesday's cabinet session meeting.The agreed upon price is to be$6.9 million with no closing date yet announced. The agenda item had been taken to the Governor and Cabinet twice before and had been deferred.The approval,by a vote of 4 to 2 with Attorney General Bob Butterworth and Comptroller Robert Milligan dissenting, paves the way for the county to develop the "Cross Seminole Trail." A delegation of locally elected officials made presentations to the Gover- nor and Cabinet,seeking their support for the Preservation 2000 project. Semi- nole County Commissioner Randy Morris,Oviedo Mayor Mimi Bruce,Winter Springs Commissioner Cindy Gennell,and Orlando Commissioner Bill Bagley spoke to the Cabinet members,as well as Seminole County Property Appraiser Bill Suber. They addressed the local interest that has been generated by the project,and the value of the corridor property. The Cross Seminole Trail will become one of three showcase trail projects in Seminole County.it will be jointly developed with the cities of Winter Springs and Oviedo,playing a key role in the economic development of both entities. The multi-use recreational(rail will eventually connect with the 3.5 mile Cady Way Trail in Orange County,forming the beginning of a regional network. Mayor Mimi Bruce summed up the effort and the results when she told the Voice,"We did great!" Winter Springs City Manager McLemore presents 1997 city budget By LINDA HUMPHREY rector would give McLemore the opportunity In a recent letter to city commissioners, to consolidate all community development Winter Springs City Manager Ron McLemore functions into one department while at the presented an outline of the 1997 budget. same time separate line and staff functions. McLemore said the new budget finances a rY$40.000. continuation of existing levels of service and 3. The capital projects manager will im- several improvement programs without an in- prove the management o f capital inipmvement crease in any fees or changes. The budget projects from design to completion. would also take ad valorem taxes to the roll The city is planning more than 74 capital bark rate. Additionally,McLemore stated,he Projects representing an investment of more intends to continue an aggressive program in than$12.3 million dollars over the next five water,sewer,stormwater and transportation, years. maintenance and capital improvements. Much ot this work is being performed by Five new positions for full time employ- consultants.McLemore said the city can save eesare inc luded in the upcoming year's over- consulting dollars and greatly improve the all plan.This will bring the number of full time management of capital improvement resources employees to 197.These positions include: through this position. Salary:$29,265. I.A budget analyst designed to help im- 4.) The utility customer service repre- prove the city's financial management sys- sentative/meter reader (two positions com- wm Salary:$26,382. bined into one)is needed to keep up with the 2. The community development director increased number of customers to be served would give the manager the capability to re- and meters to be read.Salary:$15,802. Q { organize the city departments and add to the 5.) The utility adminiNativCaecretary % 6 /o eC y planning capability and capacity to manage will be needed to provide secretarial support the planning, economic development, code to the Utility Department when the Public enforcement, building code, land develop- Works office is moved to City Hall after meat, and site development functions. The Sal- ary completion of the Public Safety Buikfieg.Sal- employment of a community development di- $17,421.