County establishes trails grant program
Trails. The program will pay up to $150,000 per year to build and restore shared-used trails on open space public lands.
| 20 Aug 2021 | 06:37
Sussex County towns will have a new source of funds to develop recreational trails.
A new trails grant program unanimously approved by the Sussex County Commissioners on Aug. 11 is for the construction, rehabilitation, and restoration of publicly owned, shared-use trails on permanently preserved public land.
The land must be held by a public entity or have a permanent public easement allowing recreational use.
The program will award grants of up to $5,000 for individual applicants, or $15,000 for joint applications by two or more eligible applicants.
The total paid out cannot exceed $150,000 per year. The money will be drawn from the Sussex County Farmland Preservation, Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, which supports trail projects.
The program will be available to all 24 municipalities in the county. Grants will be authorized by the commissioners after soliciting applicants, reviewing applications, and recommendations by the Open Space Committee.
Before the vote, Open Space Committee member Marie Springer of Vernon expressed her support for the grant program.