The City of Fenton in conjunction with Southern Lakes Parks & Recreation, Fenton Township, the City of Linden and the LAFF Pathway organization are set to apply for County, State & Federal TAP (Transportation Alternatives Programs) grants.

$108,000 locally raised dollars could get $732,000 grant dollars!

Already secured:
LAFF Pathway                         $48,000
Southern Lakes Parks & rec  $15,000
City of Fenton                         $15,000
Total so far:                           $78,000

Only $30,000 more to go!   - Sounds like a lot?  Its actually only $5,000 per year over the next 3 years for the remaining municipalities.

Remaining entities expected to contribute to meet the local match requirements:
Fenton Township  -  Voting Monday Sept 17th, 7:30pm - Fenton Township Hall (lower level), 12060 Mantawauka Drive, Fenton.
City of Linden  -  Voting Monday, September 24th, 7pm  -  Linden Council Chamber, 201 N. Main Street, Linden.

We need your support, by attending either or both of the above meetings where a vote will be taken to provide identical financial support for this TAP grant.  If you're available - please attend and offer encouragement to support the largest regional project of our time.

LET’S PUT IT ON THE GROUND

• Mission Statement: “Connecting Communities with Multi-Use Recreational Pathways.”
• Multi-Use Pathways – 10ft wide, ADA (American Disability Act) accessible, paved trail with potential sections of board walk (wood decking)
• LAFF is a Michigan nonprofit corporation comprised of local community volunteers; tax deductible donations to help build the pathway can be made to “LAFF Pathway Fund”, Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) either via the LAFF website or sent directly to the foundation. 

• Our website is: LAFFpathways.com which contains:

              a) A link to our “Donate Now” button - CFGF
              b) A current project timeline
              c) Maps of proposed pathways
              d) News & information
              e) Links to our Facebook page – “LAFF Pathway-Community Page”
              f) A resident’s survey on pathways
              g) How to get involved
              h) Contacts

• LAFF Pathways:  

             1)   L = Linden
             2)  A = Argentine
             3)  F = Fenton
             4)  F = Fenton Township
             5)  Other communities interested in connecting with LAFF? Holly, Byron, Tyrone Township,                            Seven Lakes Department of Natural Resources (DNR) - (a potential 16+ miles of pathway).

• The “Silver Lake Road Corridor section” runs from Jennings Rd, Fenton to Triangle Park, Linden and is the first priority for a pathway, identified by local residents.  Preliminary engineering plans have been completed and were funded by donations to the LAFF Pathway Fund.​

• Design work IS NOT covered by grants. Tax deductible donations have to be raised for design engineering and after a certain percentage is achieved, can be used as matching dollars (for future grant requirements)

• Next step – a governmental unit needs to take “ownership” of the project in order to serve as the grantee (for any grants received), hold any potential easements, plus manage the construction project.  

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• How can you help?  Make a tax deductible donation to help fund the pathway; talk to your local governmental officials and tell them this is a priority for you and you want to see pathways “put on the ground” in the LAFF area.

• Non-motorized multi-use pathways are for EVERYONE; runners, walkers, roller bladders, children, families, seniors, bicyclists, and more (equestrians not included in LAFF pathways). These pathways provide for alternate forms of transportation, economic gains for businesses and communities, provides opportunity for tourism, helps create a healthy community and increases home values.
• The LAFF is a Michigan nonprofit corporation. We are working with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) as our 501-c3 partner. Gifts may be made to the LAFF Pathway Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. Individuals or corporations may make donations through our website or through the foundation website or by mail to them, www.LAFFpathways.com or www.cfgf.org.  All tax-deductible funds donated to support the LAFF mission are deposited with the CFGF and held by them.
• The LAFF mission is, “To connect the Linden, Argentine, Fenton and Fenton Township communities with non-motorized pathways. This will create recreational opportunities and alternate forms of transportation, improve public safety, increase community and home values, and realize economic gains for area businesses”. Our website is www.LAFFpathways.com and our Facebook page is LAFF Pathway - Community Page.
• LAFF Pathways Inc. is grateful to our local communities – City of Linden, Argentine Township, City of Fenton and Fenton Township along with the Southern Lakes Park and Recreation Commission (SLPRC), Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission (GCMPC), the Genesee County Road Commission (GCRC) and Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission (GCPRC) for supporting our initiative to provide safe non-motorized pathways within our local communities.
• The Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission (GCPRC), on behalf of the SLPRC, signed a contract with Nowak & Fraus Engineering for preliminary engineering and scoping on the Priority Tier 1 Trail along the Silver Lake Road corridor connecting the cities of Linden and Fenton. The length of this pathway is approximately 2.0 miles. This preliminary Engineering study includes preliminary surveys, preliminary engineering design, route evaluation and preliminary construction costs for development.
• The Silver Lake Road corridor pathway placements were the first choice of the public through public hearings held in 2009, 2010 and again in 2014. All community park and recreation plans have supported this routing as reinforced by the most recently approved Five (5) Year Park Recreation/Non-Motorized Plans by both the City of Linden and Fenton Township. Argentine Township’s existing plan also provides for these non-motorized facilities.
• The pathway connection between the City of Linden, through Fenton Township, to the City of Fenton connects to the existing sidewalk at Tri-Angle Park in Linden and to an existing sidewalk in Fenton east of Jennings Road.
• The Argentine Township pathway runs from the west city limits of Linden through the Linden High School-Middle School Campus to Lobdell Lake Road and then connects to Haviland Beach Drive. The length of this pathway is approximately 2.0 miles.
• These non-motorized pathways are designed to be ten (10) feet wide blacktop surface with some wooden pathway facilities where there are low spots to be bridged.
• The plans will receive preliminary and final review and approval from all the local governments, county agencies and state agencies, including the Michigan DEQ.
• As of February, 2017 the Silver Lake Road corridor plans connecting Fenton and Linden are being reviewed by the local, county and state agencies. The next step for this section of plans is to work on acquiring easements, were necessary, and acquiring grant moneys along with match monies to satisfy the grant applications.
• As of February, 2017 the Argentine section, designed by Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, has 99% of their easements signed and recorded. They have also received a grant for approximately $430,000. They will be receiving an additional $400,000 from a Safe Routes to School grant this coming year.
• The LAFF was approached by other local communities about pathway extensions. We have met with Holly Township, the Village of Holly and Seven Lakes State Park officials to seek connecting the City of Fenton through the state park to reach Water Works Park in the village. When successful this would yield approximately 16 miles of non-motorized facilities between Argentine and Water Works Park.
• Typically, the professional services fees for design work ARE NOT covered by grant monies. Thus, far the professional services fees for the Linden to Fenton connection have been paid for by the LAFF Fund from donations that have been made to that fund. THUS, FAR NO PUBLIC NONEY HAS BEEN SPENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THESE CURRENT PLANS.
• The LAFF has donated from our LAFF Fund to Argentine Township $5000.00 to support their engineering fees. ADDITIONALLY, the Community Foundation of Fenton granted Argentine Township $7000.00 toward their engineering fee costs.
• The approximate cost for construction of the City of Linden through Fenton Township to the City of Fenton, non-motorized pathway, connection is approximately $2.4M.
• The approximate cost for construction of the Argentine section, non-motorized pathway, from the City of Linden to Haviland Beach Drive through the Linden Schools Campus is approximately $1.1M.

 
 
04.09.17

A joint resolution from the communities of the City of Linden, Argentine Township, City of Fenton and Fenton Township was approved and signed to support the planning, development and construction of non-motorized trails and pathways within their communities for the the purposes of promoting smart growth and alternate forms of transportation that will create strategic growth, environmental integrity, economic prosperity, and social equality, making all communities in southern Genesee County great places to work, live and play. Resolutions were approved in August and September, 2015.

A resolution request is currently before the Southern Lakes Parks and Recreation Commission for their consideration.