Following nearly three hours of back-and-forth debate over the merits and flaws of constructing a trail along Nine Mile Creek, the City Council unanimously supported a creek-based route for the controversial project.

Council members listened to testimony from dozens upon dozens of concerned citizens on both sides of the issue during their Tuesday, Dec. 7 meeting.

Edina Mayor Jim Hovland prefaced Tuesday's debate with his own comments on the project, noting the desires of residents are not monolithic.

"This is one of the most significant, controversial issues to face those of us living in Edina in the last 10 years," Hovland said.

After hearing about everything from potential assaults on the multi-use path to the lack of sidewalks in Edina, the council closed public comments to talk through an assortment of issues with Three Rivers Park District representatives.

In the midst of that discussion, Three Rivers Park District Superintendent Cris Gears took a moment to remind the council that the park district was not asking the city for a contract to construct the trail, but rather was looking for the council to approve a general route for the trail.

"We wouldn't expect or ask you to enter into any agreement that would bind you to the construction of this trail or ask for easements until we were in complete agreement with the city as far as alignment and had all of the funding in place," Gears said.

A few moments later, the issue was called to question and the council voted 5-0 in support of a creek-based route. The same route, which could connect Hopkins and Richfield by 2015, was overwhelmingly approved Oct. 12 by the Edina Park Board. 

Now that the council has approved it, the proposed route will go before the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and the Edina Board of Education for further consideration. Should both entities support it and the Three Rivers Park District Board of Commissioners give it the stamp of approval, the park district will then begin the lengthy process of securing funding.

The Three Rivers Park District wants to put $3.5 million in annual taxes collected from Edina residents toward constructing and maintaining the proposed trail. Overall construction costs are estimated at $20 million.

Jonathan Vlaming, chief of planning with Three Rivers Park District, said once everyone has signed off on the creek-based route they can begin applying for funding through both federal and state programs. After submitting a regional solicitation next summer, it will be a lengthy wait until word on the funding comes through.

"We wouldn't find out until March 2012 if we'd been selected or not," Vlaming explained.