HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-22 Council Town Hall Meeting MINUTES
OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING OF THE
EDINA CITY COUNCIL
HELD AT CENTENNIAL LAKE PARK CENTRUM
SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
7:00 P.M.
ROLLCALL Answering rollcall were Members Bennett, Brindle, Housh, Swenson and Mayor
Hovland.
Mayor Hovland thanked persons for attending. He explained this was the second Edina Town Hall
Meeting hosted by the Edina City Council. He noted that residents had been asked to complete a
card stating their name, address and topic and he would be calling residents to speak by name.
Each speaker would be allowed to have three minutes to speak on any issue or concern they
wished to express.
Dick Whitbeck, 6128 Brookview Avenue, stated he had been disappointed by the failure of the City
government to support residents of Brookview Avenue.
Tom Bonneville, 4378 Browndale Avenue, asked the Council to carefully study and adopt the best
Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance that could be found.
Janey Westin, 6136 Brookview Avenue, expressed disappointment in the operation of the
Planning Department.
Bob Sandilla, 6715 Cahill Road, stated he did not support development of a regional bike trail
along Nine Mile Creek by his home.
Michael Wolff, 5300 West 70`h Street, stated he did not support development of a regional bike
trail along Nine Mile Creek by his home and asked that there be a hearing on the matter.
Jim Peterson, 6520 Creek Drive, expressed concern about possible taking of property if there was
to be a fifty-foot setback with a regional trail because of the nearness of the creek to his property.
Jerry Clifford, 5516 Gleason Court, asked why Three Rivers Park District was considering such an
expenditure in the current economic times.
Dan Peterson, 6520 Creek Drive, stated concerns about potential habitat destruction along the
creek if a regional trail gets built.
Steve Howe, 5169 Abercrombie Drive, stated he did not support the construction of the trail
because of concerns about the environment, safety and security.
Jackie Whitbeck, 6128 Brookview Avenue, expressed her dismay over the potential JMS
subdivision. Ms. Whitbeck said she felt the City does not follow its codes and did a poor job
representing residents with the development next to her residence.
Robert Lubar, 6619 Londonderry Drive, asked who was reviewing the cost estimates and would
be responsible for maintenance and security of a trail if it were built.
Doug Lysen, 6813 Langford Drive, called upon but did not speak.
Richard Johnson, 5700 Tucker Lane, expressed concern about the negative impact on trees and
habitat if the trail along Nine Mile Creek were approved.
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Minutes/Edina City Council/September 22, 2009
Ruth Rinker, 7100 Metro Boulevard, #203, said she was neutral and perhaps pro trail
development, and urged the Council to consider the entire Edina community when making a
decision on the trail.
Charles Madden, 6524 Creek Drive, said he was concerned about the impact on the adjacent
marsh land if a trail were built.
Charlie Danielson, 6508 Creek Drive, noted the trail will cost money and asked if the facts were
being reviewed by a neutral party before any decision was made.
Ruth Englund, 7100 Metro Boulevard, #123, stated she was concerned about security if a trail
were constructed.
Pamela Johnson, 5505 Valley Lane, stated that she was concerned about mitigation of loss of
wetland and asked how an EAW could be done if an alignment had not been defined.
Walter Meadley, 6420 Nordic Circle, asked if the City were legally obligated to install the trail. He
expressed concern over potential flooding and impact on wildlife.
David Rudick, 5908 Killarney Lane, expressed his concern over parking of trail users.
Pete McCarthy, 6801 Brook Drive, expressed his concern over the potential bike path
development.
Mary Landberg, 5408 Creek View Lane, expressed her concern over the potential regional trail
along Nine Mile Creek and recommended it be located along W. 70th Street.
Bill Joas, 6409 Biscayne Boulevard, expressed his concern that if the trail were installed the Nine
Mile Creek would never be the same and the marshland would be negatively impacted.
David Russell, 6623 Londonderry Drive, expressed concern about the Nine Mile Creek and its
impact on property owners from flooding if the trail were developed. Mr. Russell said he felt the
City would be liable for property damage from any flooding.
Alan Gallagher, 5744 Duncan Lane, asked about who would be required to pay for replacement of
any trail necessary to be repaired due to flooding and how much the city would set aside for
liability for crimes committed by individual coming back on the trail at night.
Andrea Johnson, 5173 Abercrombie Drive, expressed her concern about environmental impact,
flooding, security and suggested the trail be built on 70th Street, not along the Creek.
Lorenzo Tunesi, 4413 Ellsworth Drive, offered his support of the trail along the Creek. He said it
would encourage a "greener" community and stated he had concerns about an on-road trail.
Tim Crain, 4952 Poppy Lane, stated he felt that putting the trail along the creek was not
appropriate.
Tom Moser, 6969 Langford Court, called upon but did not speak.
Alan Holst, 4120 Parklawn Avenue #335, stated there was a need for a bike path in southern
Edina. They were a diverse friendly neighborhood with many bikers and he felt there was a need
to be connected to Richfield east of Highway 100.
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Minutes/Edina City Council/September 22, 2009
Dave Thompson, 5517 Valley Lane, suggested that a better route be found for the trail. He stated
that in other areas adjacent property owners have built privacy and security fences along bike
paths.
Glen Lacher, 5700 Duncan Lane, stated he was pro-bicycle and wanted to see a path going
through Edina to connect Edina to the rest of the area. . He urged the Council to be sensible.
Tom Clifford, 6500 Creek Drive, expressed his concern about flooding and the negative impact of
the proposed Segments 9 and 11.
Shelly Golden, 6987 Langford Court, stated her opposition to the proposed bike trail and asked
the Council to opt out of the project.
Laurie Chapman, 6420 Aspen Road, stated her opposition to the proposed trail. She displayed
photos of wetlands and asked they be protected. Ms. Chapman said she was also concerned with
safety and parking.
Bill Westerdahl, 5912 Walnut Drive, expressed concern about the cost to construct the proposed
trail, wetland mitigation, and whether there was a need for a trail that would be unlighted and
operated for eight month per year.
Jim Hildebrand, 6808 Brook Drive, stated he was concerned about the proposed trail. He stated
the Bike Edina Task Force Bike Plan has recommended the trail be lit and plowed, and that was a
financial concern.
Gary Evans, 5208 Duggan Plaza, said the trail would be adding hard surface that would be
detrimental to water quality by increasing run-off and flooding. He expressed concern about
security and access to Creek Valley School, Valley View School and Edina High School.
Dianne Smith, 6717 Cahill Road, expressed concern about environmental impact, safety and
potential for diminished property values.
Jim Landberg, 5408 Creek View Lane, asked the Council to keep the trail off the creek.
Nancy Crain, 4952 Poppy Lane, expressed concern over safety and asked if there was a
formalized plan for addressing police calls on the trail. She also asked about the cost of trail
construction along .the roadway.
Mary Ross, 312 Harrison Avenue, expressed concern about environmental impact. She asked the
Council to look at the long term.
Carolyn Peterson, 6960 Langford Court, expressed concern about the impact of a roadside trail on
wildlife, landscaping buffers, and numerous crossings of driveways and roadways. She suggested
it would be better to build additional bus stops and asked about the committee structure.
Mayor Hovland declared the meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, 1
Debr A. Mangen, ity CI k
Minutes approved by Edina City Council, October 6, 2009.
James B. Hovland, Mayor
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