Jacksonville Beach's newest green space is taking shape west of South Beach Parkway at Jacksonville Drive. The site is a passive park within the Southend Redevelopment District.
A post from City of Jacksonville Beach-Government on Facebook addressed voting related to the passive park. Construction and design details are attributed below to the city’s business plan and other reporting.
The Southend’s Long-Term Plan
The passive park is part of a broader redevelopment district. According to the City of Jacksonville Beach, the City Council began planning in 1985 for the largely unimproved 350-acre area in the city’s southern end to become a physical and economic asset to the community.
A Passive Park Years in the Making
The City of Jacksonville Beach’s FY2025 Business Plan lists implementation of passive park construction as a planned action, according to the city. The Beach Gazette reported that construction at the site west of South Beach Parkway at Jacksonville Drive began in June.
The Beach Gazette reported that the Jacksonville Tree Commission signed off on funding for more than 100 trees and native plantings. Plans also call for native vegetation, seating, informational signage and water stations. Existing trees that are alive and healthy are to remain rather than be cleared for new landscaping.
Trail Connections and Construction Status
South Beach Sanctuary isn't meant to stand alone. The design is intended to tie into the city's Urban Trail project next to South Beach Park, according to the same report, linking the new green space to a broader pedestrian network along the beachside. Part of that connection includes a planned trail segment described in an earlier account as an 8-foot-wide, 6-inch-thick concrete sidewalk running from Jacksonville Drive to the South Beach Park entrance, per Citizen Portal.
The project came in under the current fiscal year's budget, meaning no budget amendment was required to keep the work moving.
The planned trail links are intended to extend pedestrian access along Jacksonville Beach’s southern end.
