Fletcher to commit matching funds after two grants awarded for Cane Creek Greenway extension

Fletcher officials said the town has been awarded two grants that together would support an extension of the Cane Creek Greenway and asked the council to reaffirm a local match commitment.

Mark, the town manager, told the council the town received a Connecting Communities grant for $100,000 and a Great Trails State Program award of about $293,000. “We’ve received notification that we have been awarded those,” he said, and staff recommended council commit the matching funds so the town can begin design and the grant administration process.

The town expects to supply matching funds from a combination of the capital improvements program and unappropriated fund balance; staff said roughly $100,000 of match is already appropriated and an additional match of about $200,000 would need to be allocated. Staff and council members said the next steps include hiring or contracting for full construction design, completing the environmental review required by at least one of the grants, and coordinating with partners such as Conserving Carolina and McGill Associates on administration and design.

Officials cautioned the current greenway plan is a concept and that the total program anticipated for the segment is “just shy of $800,000,” meaning the awarded grants and local match will cover early design and initial construction steps rather than a finished multi‑mile corridor. Council concurred with staff’s plan to place acceptance of the grants and an initial commitment to match on the consent agenda and to return later with a formal budget amendment and more detailed design for council approval.

The council did not take a final appropriation vote on the larger match at the meeting; staff said they would return with a budget amendment when construction drawings and environmental review were further along.