HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-02-03 HRA Regular Meeting MINUTES
EDINA HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FEBRUARY 3, 1986
• The Edina Housing and Redevelopment Authority convened at 7:36 p.m. following
the Edina City Council meeting.
Present were Commissioners Kelly, Richards, Turner and Courtney.
MINUTES of January 6, 1986, were approved as submitted by motion of Commissioner
Turner, seconded by Commissioner Kelly.
Ayes: Kelly, Richards, Turner, Courtney
Motion carried.
GRANDVIEW DEVELOPMENT PLAN PRESENTED. Executive Director Gordon Hughes recalled
that the City retained the firm of Bennett, Ringrose, Wolsfeld, Jarvis, Gardner,
Inc. (BRW) two years ago to undertake a roadway traffic flow improvement study
for the Grandview area. Following that, a tax increment financing district was
established in the area precipitated in large measure by the redevelopment of
the Biltmore Motel site. When the Biltmore site was considered a number of
residents from the area attended who asked that the City undertake a study of
the intersections of Eden/Vernon/53rd Street/Sherwood to attempt to relocate it
or to provide a better traffic flow. That precipitated the BRW project and the
tax increment district which has been held in abeyance pending some development
that would generate increment. Mr. Hughes added that the Biltmore site has now
received a zoning and bond issuance and apparently construction will now begin.
Late last summer staff recommended to the HRA the hiring of BRW as a follow-up
to the traffic study to give advice as to the land use within the Grandview
• area. Since then staff has worked with Peter Jarvis and his associates of BRW
and have talked about various concepts. It was pointed out that BRW was asked
to perform a land use analysis; not a financial analysis as to the feasibility
of a tax increment district or the adviseability of public involvement. BRW was
simply asked to present a land use analysis and recommendation on which the HRA
could focus and then chose things the public could be involved in from a tax
increment standpoint. Mr. Hughes stated that this presentation was not scheduled
or advertised as a public hearing because the :plan was not seen as a departure
to what has previously been shown to the neighborhood and other property owners
in the vicinity. Staff has talked to most of the commercial property owners
that would be affected and has invited them to attend. Following this presen-
tation, a public hearing could be scheduled on the various alternatives if the
HRA so desires. Those items the HRA may wish to focus on from a public improve-
ment standpoint would be processed as a project and would have the normal hearing
procedure. Peter Jarvis then presented three alternatives for development of the
Grandview area. He asked the Commissioners to consider each with regard to:
1) the major circulation improvements along Vernon Avenue, 2) the possibility
of incorporating the City's need for dry storage space with solving an existing
private parking problem at Jerry's, 3) the possibility of uses south of Eden and
west of the railroad tracks that would be more appropriate and efficient, and
4) future development for the southwest quadrant. Alternative A - Construction
of a signalized four-way intersection at Vernon Avenue/Link Road adjacent to the
Biltmore site providing left turn lanes, elimination of the frontage roads, and
bringing in Sherwood Road at a T-intersection onto Eden Avenue. Private redevelop-
ment of the northeast quadrant (Bowling allwy, Cedrics, Regis) with mixed uses,
either office, commercial or high density residential, with termination of access
via the extention of Arcadia Avenue and access by means of the bridge across the
railroad tracks. Construction of an above parking level, with City dry storage
space below, to the rear of Jerry's shopping mall with access off the parking/cir-
culation area north of the mall. The School District bus garage, the car wash
Minutes
Edina Housing & Redevelopment Authority
February 3, 1986
Page Two
and the medical clinic would remain as is, with a reconfigured parking lot for
the clinic and access from the new Link Road intersection. The southwest
quadrant (Lewis Engineering, Kunz Oil) would remain in the light industrial
catagory, i.e. office or office/showroom, with access off Eden Avenue as well
as by means of a cul-de-sac on Eden Circle. The area south of Eden Avenue and
east of the railroad tracks is identified for private development of medium-
density residential. Alternative B - Major changes from Alternative A are:
1) closing of Arcadia Avenue beyond the bridge to increase the northeast
quadrant parcel to 5.1 acres, 2) addition of commercial retail between the
existing Jerry's mall and the hardware store and two levels of parking to
the rear, 3) office use for the School District bus garage and car wash sites,
4) southwest quadrant would change to medium-density residential creating in
the range of 175-210 multi-family units. Alternative C - Combination of
Alternatives A and B: 1) maintains the medium-density residential south of
Eden Avenue, 2) small addition of retail/office onto the north of Jerry's
mall, 3) School District bus garage and car wash remain in place. Mr. Hughes
pointed out that all three alternatives entail the construction of the inter-
section at Vernon/Link and present an agressive right of way acquisition.
The Engineering Department has been asked to take a closer look at that right
of way to determine if there are other options that could be pursued that
would not involve such a large acquisition. With regard to the parking level
over dry storage space for the City, staff has always viewed that as a joint
venture between Jerry's and the HRA that probably would have a portion of the
• costs assessed against the benefitted property, but would principally be a public
parking facility. Staff has spoken with several of the other property owners
(Kunz and Lewis) who have indicated their willingness to look at different
alternative uses for the property. Mr. Hughes added that the views of both
BRW and staff are that Alternative C is the recommended alternative to pursue.
As to HRA action, staff would recommend concept approval and would then
propose the following short term public projects priotorized as follows:
1) the parking facility/dry storage project, 2) the Link Road improvement and
intersection, and 3) the multiple residential development south of Eden Avenue.
Staff would bring to the HRA each project for a public hearing and explain
in detail that portion to be specially assessed and that portion to be funded
by way of a tax increment process. Mr. Hughes stated that a preliminary
analysis has been made of the feasibility of these three short-term projects and
that from a tax increment standpoint the cash flow is very good for the tax
increment district. He noted that for the redevelopment south of Eden Avenue
probably all the net tax increment that would come off the property would have
to be devoted to acquisition and would rely on the entire multi-family project
occuring in rapid progression. Following the presentation of the Grandview
Development Plan the Commissioners discussed the Plan and raised these issues and
concerns: the role of the HRA in the redevelopment of the residential south of
Eden, sidewalks along Vernon Avenue, taking of right of way for construction
of the intersection at Link Road, redevelopment by the private sector, need
for City storage space, housing versus office or light industrial redevelopment,
public participation and School District future plans for their site. In
response, Mr. Hughes suggested that staff prepare a report to bring to the
HRA on February 24, 1986, that would show different alternatives as to
public participation and other background information that may be helpful.
No formal action was taken.
Minutes
Edina Housing & Redevelopment Authority
• February 3, 1986
Page Two
The HRA meeting was then adjourned by motion of Commissioner Kelly, conded
by Commissioner Turner, at 8:40 p.m.
Go on L. Hughes
Executive Director
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