History
Advent of Greenways Planning in Hillsborough County In the early 1990s, the Board of County Commission- ers (BOCC) saw the potential for meeting important community mandates for recreation and conservation through the creation of a network of interconnected greenways. The Board formed the Greenways Adviso- ry Committee, a citizen group with broad representa- tion, to assist in developing the county ’ s first green- ways plan. Through the assistance of the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, which provided planning expertise and guidance, the planning process emphasized public participation and helped to inform citizens about the importance of greenways. The result of this process was the 1995 Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan. Building a Greenways Network In the early 1990s, the Board of County Commission- ers envisioned a network of interconnected green- ways that would provide new opportunities for out- door recreation as well as routes for non - motorized travel. Since then, Hillsborough County and its partners have continued working towards a complete greenways network.
Hillsborough Greenways Committee The Hillsborough Greenways Committee was appoint- ed by the BOCC to help develop the plan, and the Na- tional Park Service provided planning expertise and guidance. The Committee reflected the county's di- verse citizenry and interests. The 1995 Greenways Master Plan was the realization of that vision. County departments and agencies serve on the HGC as non - voting members. The Plan ’ s next steps (in the Action Plan section of this document) include those related to the Committee. Intergovernmental Coordination The City of Tampa received National Park Service sup- port to develop a Greenways and Trails Master Plan. The Tampa Greenways and Trails Master Plan was ap- proved by Tampa City Council on February 1, 2001. In August 2012, the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County committees began meeting jointly. This con- tinued through 2017. The Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Or- ganization (MPO) developed a Greenways and Trails Plan Update in 2016, which provided an updated study complementary to the 1995 plan and focused on paved trails. The MPO revised their Trail Facilities map in 2019. 2022 - 2024 Update: Hillsborough Greenways and Trails Master Plan The County began its update to the Hillsborough County Greenways and Trails Master Plan in 2022. The updated plan was approved by the BOCC on June 5, 2024.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GREENWAYS AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN
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