complete agenda - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

ARC Ten Questions - Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail-Trail- Pritchard Road Easement
1. Description of when and under what program or fund the parcel under consideration was
acquired or donated.
This 14.5 mile former railroad cOrridor in western Duval County was purchased by the State of
Florida from CSX Transportation in 1992 for $636.000 uSing Preselvation 2000 (P2000) funds.
2. Description of the purpose for the parcel's acquisition or donation and any restrictions or
conditions of use that apply to the parcel, if any.
The Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail-Trail was purchased with P2000's greenways and trails funding for
the purpose of establishing a multi-use recreational trail within the railroad corridor. The property
is currently managed by the City of Jacksonville via a sublease from the DEP Office of
Greenways and Trails (OGT).
In 2002, the City of Jacksonville was awarded a $100,000 grant through the Recreational Trails
Program (RTP), funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), for the purpose of
constructing an equestrian trail that parallels the paved trail within the State-owned corridor. To
remain consistent with the terms of the RTP grant, any subsequent modifications to the trail
corridor (such as the installation of the proposed bridge for Pritchard Road) must be designed
and built in a manner consistent with guidance provided by FHWA
3. Description of the current level of public recreational use or public access of the parcel.
The City of Jacksonville estimates that approximately 25,000 visitors used the trail last year
Three established trailheads make up the primary points of access for this property. Common
types of recreational use include bicycling. hiking, walking, horseback riding. Jogging, skating, and
wildlife viewing.
4. Description of the natural resources, land cover, vegetation, habitat or natural community, if
any, that are currently present on the parcel.
The proposed easement area covers 043 acres in a generally rectangular shape, spanning the
entire width of the trail corridor (1 OO-ft north-south), by 190 feet east-west. Photo analysis of the
easement area indicates that there are mixed hardwoods, pines, and a shrubby understory inside
the perimeter of the trail corridor, with ruderal vegetation immediately adjacent to the trail
surfaces themselves (paved, equestrian). Immediately south of the State-owned trail corridor is
planted pine, and immediately north of the corridor is a previously timbered open field.
5. Description and list of the imperiled and other wildlife species, if any, that occurs on or use the
parcel.
According to the property's management plan (approved by ARC in 2010), FNAI determined that
six state-listed fauna species are known to occur in the general area of the trail corridor, but no
occurrences have been documented within the trail corridor Itself, including the easement area for
this proJect.