Universal City Council authorizes submission of recreational trails grant with $75,000 city match

Universal City voted Jan. 21 to authorize submission of a recreational trails grant application to the state recreation trails program, with the city committing $75,000 as its local match.

Parks and Recreation staff told the council the application covers phase 2 of the citys multi-stage trail project, a segment staff described informally as the "cave trail" that would extend existing routes to Kitty Hawk Road and ultimately tie to Harrison Park in Selma. "Everything that you see in phase that are yellow was our phase 1 that you currently can walk as of today," Parks and Recreation staff said during the presentation. Staff said the phase 2 alignment includes low-water crossing areas and some creek crossings that will remain gravel, with the majority of the trail constructed on a cement-stabilized base similar to phase 1.

Councilmembers asked about the grant amount and match. A councilmember noted the packet showed the state program typically funds 80 percent and a local match of 20 percent, but that the documentation did not list the dollar amount requested. Parks and Recreation staff said the city is budgeting a $75,000 match for the application; the total grant request amount was not specified in the meeting materials. Staff said, if awarded, the city expects to program the project in the 2026 budget and that phase 3 would follow in 2027 as funding allows.

Council moved to approve the resolution and voice-voted the measure into effect. The council was shown maps of the phases, and staff said in-house crews, using city equipment, constructed phase 1 and would build phase 2 to extend the trail as far as the combined grant and match funding permits. Staff emphasized parts of the route run through flood-prone terrain and will use a stabilized base to resist flood damage.

The resolution does not include an exact total grant amount in the packet; council discussion indicates the city match is $75,000 and that exact project footage and contractor pricing will be determined after the grant award or during final design.