Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Trails topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City outlines trail link from Oviedo Sports Complex to Shane Kelly Park under RTP grant
Summary
City staff described a Recreational Trails Program project to build a 0.88‑mile trail connecting Oviedo Sports Complex to Shane Kelly Park, funded with an RTP grant and impact fees; survey work to check for tortoise burrows raised additional costs and schedule constraints.
City staff outlined plans for a Recreational Trails Program (RTP) project to create a roughly 0.88‑mile trail connecting the Oviedo Sports Complex (OSC) to Shane Kelly Park.
The staff presentation said the project is part of an RTP grant the city won and that council already awarded the construction contract. The work would build an access point from State Road 419 into OSC, run along an existing fence easement and connect into Shane Kelly Park. Amenities planned along the route include a pavilion area, benches, interpretive kiosks and signage. Funding for the amenities and construction is coming from the RTP grant and the city’s impact fees, staff said.
Why it matters: the trail aims to improve neighborhood pedestrian access and link multiple parks in the city’s long‑range master plan. Staff framed the work as both a connectivity and recreation improvement that had been part of the city plan for about 20 years.
Project details and constraints Staff said construction costs and design fees rose after the original grant award, and that additional survey work was required because staff observed tortoise burrows in the corridor. The city commissioned a biological survey to determine whether the burrows were active; if active burrows are confirmed, staff said, federal or state wildlife rules will require relocation or avoidance steps that add cost and schedule risk. Staff estimated the immediate additional expenses tied to surveys and related work at roughly $17,000, and said impact fees will cover amenity and removal costs.
Staff described the end of the new trail as gated where it meets Shane Kelly Park because Shane Kelly is a closed facility at night; the city will install a walk‑through gate for daytime access but said some trail segments may need to be closed at night. The presentation noted the city could not include a hard trail inside Shane Kelly as part of the current RTP project because state rules did not allow the city to have two active RTP grants covering overlapping work at the same time.
Connectivity and future phases Board members asked about connections to nearby Long Lake and Lockwood Boulevard. Staff said the trail will provide a pedestrian connection toward Long Lake but that a formal crossing closer to Long Lake would depend on future road‑widening phases for SR‑419 and on separate pedestrian crossing work the city would need to coordinate with the county and state. Staff said the city intends future phases to create a harder surface trail inside Shane Kelly Park and additional sidewalk ties, subject to separate grant or budget approvals.
Next steps and oversight Staff said council has awarded the construction contract and that staff will return with board updates if substantive changes, constraints or additional design decisions arise. The board was told staff will continue coordination with public works and with state grant administrators as the design and mitigation work proceeds.
Ending: The city staff presentation closed by asking the advisory board to direct any additional questions to staff and noting that the staff will provide ongoing updates as mitigation and construction scheduling are finalized.
