A proposal for the city of Jacksonville to purchase 16 parcels of land for the Emerald Trail moved closer to City Council approval after receiving approval from three Council committees beginning May 18.
Contained in Ordinance 2026-0327, the purchases advanced through the Rules and the Neighborhood, Community Services, Public Health and Safety committees on May 18; and the Transportation, Energy and Utilities committees on May 19 with unanimous votes. After a two-week deferral, the Finance Committee approved it 4-3 on June 2, with members Raul Arias, Kevin Carrico and Rory Diamond voting no.
The legislation would allow the city to purchase the land for $12.59 million.
Those who voted no during the Finance Committee meeting expressed disapproval with the city’s ability to take the land via eminent domain should it not reach an agreement with property owners. Nina Sickler, director of the Department of Public Works, confirmed to committee members that none of the properties contained residences or active businesses.
The Finance Committee approved the bill with an amendment that would bar the city from taking a property via eminent domain without obtaining Council approval.
According to a budget transfer request from Public Works, the acquisitions are necessary to carry out restoration maintenance, decontamination and flood mitigation along Hogans Creek to connect the Emerald Trail on the east side of Downtown with the Northbank Riverwalk and venues in the Sports and Entertainment District.
The parcels range from 0.05 to 7.42 acres, as listed in city documents.
The largest parcel is at 601 E. Adams St., running along the west bank of the creek northwest of the Maxwell House production complex at 735 E. Bay St. Duval County Land Trust purchased the parcel for $100 in 2012, according to Duval County Property Appraiser records.
Property records show that owners of other targeted parcels include Kraft Heinz, the owner of the Maxwell House plant; Southern Region Industrial Realty Inc. of Atlanta; an LLC connected to Jacksonville real estate developer Jessica Miner; an LLC with a general partner LLC connected to Barbara Jaffe, executive director of The Jaffe Group at Morgan Stanley; and Contega Business Services LLC, managed by the Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow law firm of Jacksonville.
Scott Carter, chief of engineering and construction management in Public Works, told the MBRC committee that the funding for the property acquisitions was part of the overall budget for the Emerald Trail project.
Under the legislation approved by committees, the city will be allowed to make offers to property owners of up to 125% of the appraised property value and up to $100,000 in business damages.
The properties stretch from Union and Washington streets along Hogans Creek to the southeast, where it meets the St. Johns River.
One parcel originally considered in the legislation was at 2330 Boulevard St., north of Downtown, owned by Dzinic General Contractors LLC. The Finance Committee, at the request of Public Works, approved an amendment that removed that property from the list. Sickler said the property had been incorrectly added to the legislation.
The Emerald Trail is designed as a 30-mile route in central Jacksonville connecting 14 neighborhoods to Downtown, the St. Johns River, McCoys Creek and Hogans Creek. Along the route are 16 schools, two colleges and 21 parks.
Portions of the trail have been completed. The project is a partnership between the city and nonprofit Groundwork Jacksonville.
Groundworkjacksonville.org shows the segment running through the Sports and Entertainment District as under design.
In September 2025, the city held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Hogan Street Link section of the trail, which runs from Riverfront Plaza to Union Street and is expected to be completed by early 2027.
In July 2025, a $147 million federal grant issued for the Emerald Trail under Joe Biden’s presidential administration was voided when President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
At the groundbreaking of the Hogan Street Link, Mayor Donna Deegan and Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas said the loss of the federal funding would not halt work on the trail.
Deegan said the city would continue seeking federal funding, and trail supporters also are working to obtain private donations such as sponsorship funding provided by VyStar Credit Union for the Hogan Street Link.