Trust for Public Land asks South Fulton to commit funds and partner on 300‑acre Riverlands regional park

South Fulton — The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the city’s parks staff briefed the council on a regional proposal to establish a Riverlands Regional Park on a large riverfront tract in South Fulton.

TPL representatives Emily Camargo and Walt Ray described the Riverlands as a regional spine and network of parks and trails along the Chattahoochee River that would link 20 cities and seven counties. TPL asked the council to consider an MOU and a staged local contribution of roughly $5 million over five years to serve as match and to help secure state and philanthropic grants for phased land acquisition and site development.

Why it matters: TPL said the park would anchor a larger Chattahoochee Riverlands corridor and create new river access, kayak launches, trails and overlooks. TPL emphasized prior experience delivering large land transactions and said it would manage acquisition due diligence and grant applications at no cost to the city.

Funding and timeline: TPL estimated an approximate acquisition value for the preferred assemblage in the low‑to‑mid‑teens of millions of dollars (pre‑appraisal estimate cited), recommended pursuing Georgia Outdoor Stewardship grant cycles (annual applications open in October) and suggested the city could phase purchases and pursue state grant awards in early‑to‑mid 2026 if selected.

Council questions and next steps: Councilmembers expressed support for trails and green infrastructure, asked how the Riverlands effort would coordinate with the city’s ongoing trails master plan and requested the proposal be considered as part of the FY26 budget process. TPL said it would pursue grant applications and work with city staff on an MOU and project timeline; city staff said a year‑one funding insertion could be considered in FY26.