House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #121 Walton County Geopark Bike Trail
Requester:	Walton County Board of County Commissioners		Organization:		Walton County Commission
Project Title:	Walton County Geopark Bike Trail		Date Submitted:		01/25/2000 3:27:19 PM
District Member:	Bev Kilmer		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	Walton
Recipient:	Walton County		Contact:		Van Ness Butler
	P O Box 689		Contact Phone:		(850) 231-6266
	DeFuniak Springs 32435
Project Description:
The Walton Geopark Bike Trail is located along 26 miles of coastal corridor in South Walton County. It is a multi-use greenway/bicycle/pedestrian trail designed to link over 20,000 acres of state owned parks and forest together with existing greenways and trails, the surrounding communities, and educational/historical resources.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Since 1986, the State of Florida spent nearly 1/4 of a billion dollars to create the South Walton County Ecosystem. The Geopark Bike Trail enhances this investment by linking the 20,000 acres of state parks and forest and adding 26 miles of multi-use path to the statewide greenways system. The trail provides: outstanding recreational opportunities for outdoor education and appreciation of natural and cultural features; and economic benefits by attracting visitors in a manner consistent with the 1999 Legislature's Nature-Based Tourism initiative.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Increased public use and enjoyment of state resources in area. Increased nature based tourism. Increased economic benefits. Outcomes could be measured by bed tax collections and polling of tourists.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$1,900,000
Total cost of the project:		$2,400,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?				Yes
	Cash Amount:	$500,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?				No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?				No
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?				No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?				No
Is there a documented need for this project?				Yes
	Documentation:	FDEP's "Connecting Florida's Communities with Greenways and Trails", September 1998
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?				Yes
	Hearing Body:	The Walton County Board of County Commissioners
	Meeting Date:	09/14/1999