Officials: 159 Acres of Green Space Donated to Villa Rica

Image: A public-private partnership would preserve the property with low-impact uses, such as nature trails (Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land).

A non-profit land conservation group will donate 159 acres of green space to Villa Rica to be developed into a park, city officials said Wednesday.

In a press conference at City Hall, Mayor J. Collins and City Council members, along with representatives of the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land, announced that the city will accept the gift of 159.25 acres of undeveloped land along Conners Road at Nally Road, on the Douglas County side of the city. Plans call for a public-private partnership to develop the parcel into a “passive park,” according to a statement from the city government.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to accept the donation of land from the Southeastern Trust at its public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29. A restricted deed protects the property in perpetuity from development, and the 159 acres would be managed by the city “as an undeveloped natural conservation area,” the statement said.

The Southeastern Trust acquired the property last year to preserve the site as green space, to protect its trees, wetlands, native plants and wildlife, the city said.

The site would be developed for passive use, or low-impact and nature-based recreation activities such as hiking, biking and bird watching along designated trails. The green space is bordered by other forests and farmland, single-family homes and the Mirror Lake Golf Club.

The mayor and City Council will form a seven-member Recreation Advisory Commission, which will work with Villa Rica’s recreation director and representatives from the Southeastern Trust to devise a master plan for the property. The master plan would then be approved and funded by the mayor and council.