Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Grant for Dunedin park ranks No. 2

By TAMARA EL-KHOURY, Times Staff Writer
Published September 6, 2007

The City of Dunedin wants to use the $4.5-million grant to turn roughly six acres owned by J.C. Weaver that straddle Bayshore Boulevard into a park.
	[Times photo: Jim Damaske (2006)]

DUNEDIN - Last year, the city's attempt to get state money to purchase a controversial piece of property fizzled because the project was ranked too low to win a grant.

But this year, it appears Dunedin's luck has improved.

On Wednesday, Florida Communities Trust, a state land-acquisition program, released the preliminary scores for a record 118 grant applications.

Dunedin's project was second. The only locality to score higher was the city of Clearwater, which is trying to acquire land near Lake Chautauqua.

"That's pretty impressive," said Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth. "We were just hoping to meet the cut score."

Dunedin wants to use the $4.5-million grant to turn roughly 6 acres owned by J.C. Weaver that straddle Bayshore Boulevard into a park. Last year, the city's application was scored at 110, far from the 160 points needed to make the cut.

The scores released Wednesday are preliminary, said Ken Reecy, program manager for Florida Communities Trust. The agency will award a total of $66-million in grant funding. Cities can contest their scores and make presentations before the trust's board members, who will select the winning grants Nov. 2.

This year, the city enlisted the help of the Trust for Public Lands, a nonprofit conservation group, to put together a winning application. The city's application was scored at 185.

The two-phase proposal put together by the Trust for Public Lands included a key change that involved the city matching half the grant funds.

Other changes included dividing the land into north and south parcels so that each phase would include access to the water and the Pinellas Trail. Last year's application split the property into a waterfront parcel and a trail parcel.

Weaver's asking price for his property is $18-million, a number that city officials say is too high. The property will have to be appraised again before the grant is awarded. Florida Communities Trust will not fund a project higher than its appraised value.

Weaver told city officials he intends to donate $1-million to the Trust for Public Land if the $18-million sale goes through.

If the land is appraised at $18-million, the city will be responsible for $4.5-million for each phase of the project. In an letter to Hackworth dated April 30, 2007, Weaver said he intends to give the city a charitable donation of $1.5-million to offset that cost.

Coming up with the remaining money will still be a challenge in a time of tight budgets and demand for tax relief from citizens, Hackworth said.

Clearwater, which owns the 45-acre Lake Chautauqua Park in the eastern part of the city, wants to buy another 49 acres of abutting property, which includes an equestrian stable and nature preserve.

The city would then build a number of horse-riding trails and open the area up to the public. It would be managed by a third party.

"This part of the city, years ago, was more rural and had a series of riding stables, but it's all been developed," said Kevin Dunbar, the city's parks and recreation department director. "This would be like preserving a little part of history."

The area the city currently owns includes a running and jogging area and a lake with a fishing pier. The property Clearwater is seeking to buy will probably cost about $6-million, with most of that coming from the state grant.

Times staff writer Mike Donila contributed to this report. Tamara El-Khoury can be reached at tel-khoury@sptimes.com or 727 445-4181.

[Last modified September 5, 2007, 21:58:42]