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New Paved Trail Sparking Controversy In Eagan

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Controversy has crested over a park in the south metro. It appears Dakota County is about to pave a brand new trail through Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

The park is in Apple Valley and Eagan. Hundreds of people wrote to board members, complaining that the park should be left as is. Some want to pave, while others want to preserve.

With 2,000 acres of wilderness, Lebonon Hills Regional Park draws nature lovers from all over the state. But some visitors say a new proposal to change the park would take away from its natural beauty.

The biggest complaint is the addition of a six-mile paved trail.

Of the 690 people who wrote in to the Dakota County commissioners, only 3 percent supported it.

County officials say the paved trail is necessary to make the park accessible to the elderly and disabled community members.

Todd Kemery, who is on the Citizens Committee for the Park Project, says the paved trail would allow the park to adhere to ADA regulations and would only affect 1 percent of the park's total acres.

The Dakota County Commission ultimately voted 5-to-2 in favor of the plan. Commissioner Thomas Egan says they'll likely take up the issue again at their next meeting.

He would like to see a compromise reached to make both sides happy.

"There are other surfaces we feel we could look at that wouldn't be as damaging to the integrity of the park," he said.

The changes to the park would cost around $28 million. The Dakota County Board will likely take a final vote at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

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