First Tier Regional Trail

The City of Edina has shown support for a proposed regional trail running through Edina.

Three Rivers Park District, formerly Hennepin Parks District, is conducting a study analyzing four regional trail corridors within the 10-City "first tier" ring of suburbs that border the northern, southern and western city limits of Minneapolis. Each trail is meant to provide connections between existing and future regional and local facilities. One of the four regional trail corridors runs through Edina, Richfield and Hopkins.

Three Rivers Park District presented plans and accepted comments on the Edina/Richfield/Hopkins regional trail at an open house in November 2003. More than 70 residents attended the meeting. Staff reported that the majority of those in attendance were in support of the plan.

Following is a timeline for the project:

Dec. 2, 2003 – Resolution of support approved by the City of Edina City Council.

Late December 2003-early January 2004 – Review and adoption of three First Tier Master Plans by Three Rivers Park District Board. At this time, staff will seek a recommendation from the Park District Board to forward these Master Plans to the Metropolitan Council's Park and Open Space Commission. 

Late February 2004-early March 2004 – Review of Master Plans by Metropolitan Council's Park and Open Space Commission. The Park District will seek a recommendation to forward the Master Plans to the full Council and hold a public hearing for the Master Plans. 

March 2004-early April 2004 – If approved, the pubic hearing process will take approximately 30 days; comments will be collected for each Master Plan.

April 2004 – Master Plans will go back through the Parks and Open Space commission for a recommendation to Metropolitan Council for adoption. 

May 2004 – Once adopted, projects become eligible for reimbursement or inclusion in to the Metropolitan Council's Capital Improvement Program.

All dates are subject to change based on agendas of the various boards and councils. All dates are dependent upon approval at each level --  if approval is not received, dates will change.