Commission approves $700,000 design work for Legacy Trail connection at Mineral Springs

The North Port City Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve consent item J (25-2095), a $700,000 contract request for design and engineering services for a Legacy Trail connection and trailhead at Mineral Springs.

The item’s backers argued moving forward now would make the project shovel‑ready and increase the city’s competitiveness for state and federal construction grants. “To unlock other money is have it designed, have local money in it so that when you go to the state or the feds … it’s designed, it’s ready to go,” Charles Hines of Trust for Public Land, Gulf Coast Trail, told the commission during public comment.

Commissioners pressed staff for details on the project timeline, maintenance costs and how the proposed trailhead would interact with a pending conservation easement covering part of the site. Public Works Project Manager Kim Humphrey told the commission design and engineering services are expected to take about 18 months, and the total services in the contract span roughly 910 days (about two and a half years), putting construction bidding into fiscal year 2027. Humphrey said utilities are planned to be brought into the site as part of the War Mineral Springs renovation and that the trailhead would hook to those utilities once installed.

Concerns raised included whether the conservation easement would restrict trail access, whether the site would remain safe for visitors while adjoining buildings are rehabilitated, and the city’s ability to cover ongoing maintenance for restrooms and other facilities. City staff and commissioners said completing design work would strengthen applications for grant programs. The city has applied for a federally funded Recreational Trails Program grant (approx. $450,000) and a state SunTrail grant (approx. $3,730,000) tied to this project; staff also reported a roughly $33,000 contribution from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation toward project funding.

Commissioner Langdon, who pulled the item for discussion before the consent vote, said he supported moving forward but wanted assurances the conservation easement terms would be finalized and that design work would align with other rehabilitation efforts for War Mineral Springs. City staff said a memo on the conservation easement was sent to commissioners March 19 and that a draft of general terms is expected to be presented for commission review at the May 27 regular meeting.

The motion to approve item J (25-2095) was made by Vice Mayor Emerich and seconded by Commissioner Langdon; the motion passed 5-0.

The commission and staff framed the vote as an investment in being “shovel ready” to attract outside construction funding and to connect North Port to a regional 420‑mile Gulf Coast Trail system.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve item J (25-2095) — mover: Vice Mayor Emerich; second: Commissioner Langdon; outcome: approved 5-0.