DeKalb officials committed Tuesday to developing a comprehensive countywide trails plan — and to making sure there’s money to act on it.
The resolution championed by District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson allocated $400,000 for the county to create a new master plan by 2023. The plan would lay out potential new trails and access points throughout the county while also connecting to existing features like the North Fork Peachtree Creek Trail, the South Peachtree Creek Trail, the Peachtree Creek Greenway, the Arabia Mountain Path and the Atlanta Beltline.
The resolution, which the commission passed unanimously, says the county will create and promote “equitable and inclusive trail development” and incorporate public participation in developing the master plan. The county also committed to involving local cities in the process.
The DeKalb County administration has also been tasked with identifying a dedicated funding source for trails “so that we can plan long-term for the development of the path and trail system once the plan is completed,” Cochran-Johnson said Tuesday.
She said the county currently allocates trail funding on a scattershot basis and often relies on grants and other external money.
