Palm Beach Gardens manages about 2,051 acres of conservation land next to Avenir. The city's own staff say the only way into that land today is through the Avenir neighborhoods. The planned Gardens Nature Park and Trail would add one public entrance at the east end of the site. That makes it the gate to a much larger piece of land, and the version of that gate on paper this fall is narrower than the one shown to the public in May.
The redrawn plan is now with the State, and city staff wrote in early July that "the review timeframe is unknown." The open land along the Loxahatchee Slough is reachable today through Palm Beach County's entrances off the Beeline Highway, PGA Boulevard and Indiantown Road.
The park site sits east of Regency at Avenir, between the homes on Timber Creek Way and the Loxahatchee Slough. Part of the same parcel already holds the city's Nest Par 3 golf course. The revised site plan sets the park and trail boundary at 23.8 acres.
The parcel's history goes back further than most of the homes around it. The 2016 Avenir master plan set aside two parcels for future city parks. In December 2018 this land was conveyed to the city as part of required parks and recreation impact fees. About half of the Avenir land, which used to be the Vavrus Ranch, has been set aside for conservation. To the east, the Slough is the largest and most biologically diverse natural area in Palm Beach County, covering 13,025 acres and nine native Florida ecosystems.
The city calls the park passive. It is meant for individuals, families and permitted groups to learn about native plants, wildlife and conservation, with "miles of trails" and no organized sports or large events. The plan includes an open-air nature education pavilion, a butterfly habitat, a fishing pier, bridges, picnic facilities and a 12-foot-wide interpretive nature trail.
The city held three public meetings in May 2026. One was for Regency residents, and two, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., were for the surrounding community. The concept shown then had a half-mile trail running from a parking lot behind the Timber Creek Way homes, and that trail was the only way into the park. At the June 4 council meeting, Regency homeowners raised concerns about emergency access, privacy and the bald eagles that perch at the edge of the Slough. Council Member Rachelle Litt asked for a council presentation on the park the following month.
The Regency at Avenir committee's written position said it supported "a low-impact, nature-focused park" and wanted a design compatible with the homes next to it. The revised site plan, dated July 1, 2026, is the city's answer. According to staff responses in the July 2 reference packet, these are the changes:
Taken together, these changes give the public one way in. Staff wrote that a 4-foot fence and landscaping will run along Avenir Drive, that the pedestrian gate at the west end of that road is gone, and that "entry into the park will be from the parking lot only." City staff will open and close the parking-lot gate each day. The Regency HOA keeps two access points of its own into the park, and the HOA controls them. Staff also say the roofed structures sit about a football field away from the Regency property lines, and that a Registered Accessibility Specialist found the revised plan compliant with Florida and federal requirements.
The planned rules follow the same idea. The park would be open sunrise to sunset. Pets, grilling, swimming and watercraft would not be allowed, pavilions would be first come, first served, and permits would go only to educational group programs. Pets would be prohibited at the park, which matters for anyone hoping to make it a regular dog walk.
"The revised park plan has been submitted to the State. The review timeframe is unknown."
That July 2 line from Leisure Services Administrator Charlotte Presensky is the most recent status the city has published. The State review is connected to the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. The July 1 drawing is titled a grant application revised site plan. In April 2026, the city council approved Ordinance 3, 2026, which included $2.1 million for the project.
The council presentation requested in June has not taken place. The presentation at the July 9 meeting covered the 2026 Citizen Survey by ETC Institute. Regency residents spoke during public comment that night. A resident asked that the proposal be tabled until late December and that food-related facilities be moved toward the parking area to protect the eagles. Another resident asked the council to "pause any final vote" while a request was considered. The September 24 agenda, which included adoption of the FY2026/27 budget, had no park item, and neither did the October 1 agenda.
In June, Stet News quoted the city's website as planning construction for June or July 2026 and completion in fall 2027. The city has not confirmed that schedule since the plan went back to the State, and nothing published shows that site work has started. Until the State review comes back, any opening date is an estimate.
The county already provides public access to the same wetlands, and all of it is open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. Palm Beach County lists these entrances for the Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area:
Entrance | Address | What is there |
|---|---|---|
Main Entrance | 11855 Beeline Highway | Paved hiking trail, accessible covered observation platform, restrooms, natural-surface trails to a fishing pier and observation tower, part of the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail |
Karen T. Marcus Sandhill Crane Access Park | 8175 PGA Boulevard | Observation tower, restrooms, access to the Jeaga Wildways multiuse trail on the east side of the C-18 Canal |
Kayak and Canoe Launch | 8311 PGA Boulevard | A 2-mile one-way paddling trail on the west side of the C-18 Canal, catch-and-release fishing |
Riverbend Park | 9060 Indiantown Road, Jupiter | Two long-distance Jeaga Wildways multiuse trails into the northern sections |
Timing matters this month. The county warns that the site "gets very wet for hiking" in summer and fall and recommends mud boots, or the perimeter multiuse trails to stay dry. The Jeaga Wildways trail from the Sandhill Crane park is the easiest dry route in early October. It is paved south of PGA Boulevard and shell rock to the north. Bicycles are allowed only on the designated multiuse trails, and cyclists must yield to horses.
Families with younger children have a nearer stop on the calendar this month. The city's Fall Festival is Saturday, October 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Gardens North County District Park, 5101 117th Court North. Organizers ask guests to wear costumes, bring a trick-or-treat bag and leave pets at home.
Whether you live near the Nest or are weighing a home on the west side of the Gardens, Malloy Home Team follows the Gardens Nature Park and Trail at every stage of its review. We are glad to explain how public access, buffers and timing affect specific streets in Avenir. When you're ready, schedule a consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
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