Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_May 20154801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 952-927-8861 mail@EdinaMN.gov www.EdinaMN.gov The City of Edina Speak Up, Edina! MAY 2015 Volume 2, Issue 5 Legend: Infrastructure Commercial and Mixed-Use Redevelopment Workforce Communication and Engagement Community Vision Aviation Noise Edi tion: The City’s next online discussion is now available at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. The discussion, which focuses on communication, is available until July 1. The City of Edina uses many communications vehicles, including a website, multiple social media sites, About Town and Edition: Edina publications, City Extra emails, Edina To Go mobile app, Edina Channels 16 and 813, press releases and local media. In this discussion, the City asks if residents believe they have a responsibility or duty to stay informed about what is happening in their local government; what residents currently do to keep themselves informed about the activities and actions of the City; what sort of information is missing from the City’s mobile app, Edina To Go; and what suggestions they may have to improve or expand local government communications. The feedback from this discussion will be compiled and presented to the City Council July 21. This month, the City has been gathering feedback on the City’s commercial areas. Questions asked include what types of businesses, if any, should be recruited; what residents like about their neighborhood commercial areas and what areas could use attention. The discussion is open until June 1. Feedback will be compiled and presented to the City Council June 17. To weigh in on a discussion, visit www.SpeakUpEdina.org. As a part of Edina Police Department’s monthly “Focus In” campaign, officers will “Focus In” on following vehicles too close in June. “Thousands of accidents can be avoided by keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you,” said Sgt. Nate Mendel. It is recommended that a driver of a motor vehicle not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic on and the conditions of the highway. A safe distance of three car lengths is considered to be reasonable. At this distance, the driver will be able to stop or safely avoid an accident. The violations the Police Department “Focus In” on have seasonal relevance, affect the quality of life in Edina or pose safety risks to residents. All statutes are enforced year-round, but additional attention is paid to the focus of the month. Each month, patrol officers focus police efforts on a specific statutory violation in order to educate the public and gain compliance. Education includes a warning to those who violate the statutes or codes. In extenuating circumstances, a citation may be issued. Police have already focused on obstructed vision, failure to signal, unsafe equipment, failure to display headlights and bike safety. In the coming months, police will “Focus In” on pedestrian safety, child and seatbelt safety, distracted driving, speeding in school zones, night and snow parking, and the “move over” law. For more information, contact the Edina Police Department at 952-826-1610. ‘Following Too Close’ is Police Focus for June Many Departments Come Together to Assist with Edina Art Fair Each year, more than 160,000 people gather in downtown Edina at 50th & France to peruse the work of 300 creative minds selling a diverse collection of art. Hosted by the 50th & France Business & Professional Association, this event has grown from a few crafters to the second-largest art fair in Minnesota and relies on various City departments to make sure the event runs smoothly. “The departments from the City of Edina are extremely easy to work with and are willing to make the Edina Art Fair a great event,” said Rachel Thelemann, Executive Director of the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. “I feel all of the staff and departments are always giving feedback and being supportive as to how we can make this event work.” The Edina Art Center has its own double booth at the Art Fair where student- and instructor-made pottery is sold. Live pottery wheel demonstrations are also given. Profits from the Fair are used to purchase new pottery wheels and fund other expensive repairs in the Art Center’s pottery department. Manager of the Art Center Michael Frey said the booth is staffed by volunteers, many of whom are Art Center potters. “The Edina Art Fair is the first major art fair of the season, so I always look forward to it because, for me, it starts festival season,” he said. The Edina Police Department is responsible for traffic and crowd control to ensure the safety of the thousands of people who attend. They also set up the street barricades. “We have four uniformed – two Officers and two Reserves – staffed during the time the event is open,” said Lt. Tim Olson. “This year, the Department will provide additional staffing for the craft beer tent area.” With safety of the streets covered by Police, the Health Division focuses on safety of guests’ hungry stomachs. “Our involvement is with the food vendors,” said Environmental Health Specialist Lee Renneke, who event itself, monitoring vendors and serving as a resource for vendors with questions. Public Works sweeps the streets, fills pot holes and makes sure other trip hazards are taken care of to ensure the streets are in top condition for increased foot traffic. They also provide the Police Department with “no parking” signs for nearby side streets, to leave room for emergency vehicles. The Administration Department oversees the licenses and permits for use of City grounds for the craft beer tent. “We don’t always get to work together as a team on a single event, but the Art Fair allows almost every service we have in the City to come together and to work as one,” said Edina City Manager Scott Neal. “I’m really proud of how it turns out every year.” The 49th-annual Edina Art Fair will be held 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 7. There is no cost to attend. The event is held rain or shine. For more information about the Edina Art Fair, visit www.edinaartfair.com. With years of experience operating public recreation facilities, Roxann Maxey began work as Assistant Manager of Braemar Arena and Braemar Field earlier this month. Maxey graduated in 1999 from Mankato State University from the Allied Health and Nursing Department with a Parks, Recreation and Leisure Planning and Management focus. Throughout college and for some time after graduation she worked for the City of Brooklyn Park as a Youth Development Program Manager. Maxey then worked for Westonka Public Schools as a Middle School Athletic Director in addition to managing the Aquatics for the City of Mound and the School District. She spent the last 13 years at the City of Roseville Parks and Recreation Department, the most recent 3 years as manager of Cedarholm Golf Course. During this time she was also the Department Marketing Manager. Maxey decided she was ready for a new adventure and the Assistant Manager opening at Braemar Field and Braemar Arena seemed to be the perfect fit. “I am looking forward to this new experience and having new adventures,” said Maxey. “I believe this career is going to help me grow professionally as well.” Braemar Arena General Manager Susie Miller thinks Maxey will bring a lot of knowledge to the table. “She understands the demands of the position and is up for the challenge. We are excited for Roxann to bring her wealth of knowledge in facility management, programming and – most importantly – staff training. We are thrilled to have her join our team!” said Miller. Maxey will office at Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way, and oversee staffing, daily operations, and accounts payable, among other things. She most looks forward to learning about ice arena operations, as well as the management and mechanics that come along with the job. “I am excited to get started, but I just need to find my way around this building! It is so big, I will have to get used to this,” Maxey said with a laugh. For more information about Braemar Arena, visit www.BraemarArena.com. For more information about Braemar Field, visit www.BraemarField.com. Support Edina’s public art and celebrate hockey’s importance in the community by helping the City acquire a new sculpture for Breamar Arena. “Slapshot,” a four-foot, 300-pound steel sculpture, was crafted by artist and Minnesota native Judd Nelson. It depicts a hockey player with a hockey stick. The sculpture was on display on the Edina Promenade in 2013 as part of Public Art Edina’s annual outdoor sculpture exhibition. City Council Member Ann Swenson is leading the effort to make the sculpture a permanent fixture at Braemar Arena. “We’re fortunate to be able to locate public art all over the city and excited to have a piece that could be at Braemar Arena,” Swenson said. “Edina has one of the largest youth hockey associations in the country. Erecting ‘Slapshot’ at the arena is a great way to show community support for these kids and their passion for hockey.” The goal is to raise $12,000 to purchase and install the sculpture. Both hockey and art lovers are encouraged to donate and help make “Slapshot” part of the City’s permanent public art collection. Anyone who would like to donate can do so at www.gofundme.com/EdinaMN. Any funds raised above and beyond the fundraising goal will go to commission a sculpture of a figure skater, also to be placed at Braemar Arena. For more information, visit www.gofundme.com/ EdinaMN. New Assistant Manager Begins at Braemar Park Score a Goal for Edina Public Art and Help Buy ‘Slapshot’ Roxann Maxey is the new Assistant Manager of Braemar Arena and Braemar Field. Ph o t o b y K a y l i n E i d s n e s s The City is raising funds to purchase ‘Slapshot’ and make it a permanent sculpture at Braemar Arena. An estimated 165,000 people attend the Edina Art Fair each year. Fi l e p h o t o Su b m i t t e d p h o t o MAY 2015 Upcoming Events For years, Comcast has been the only company to hold a franchise to operate a cable television company in Edina, but a new competitor wants to enter the local market. CenturyLink has expressed interest in bringing its internet-based television service, Prism TV, to Edina. Comcast’s franchise is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The franchise is non-exclusive, meaning that as long as another company is willing to abide by the same rules, they are free to seek their own. Though Comcast is the only cable television company available in Edina, they compete for customers with Direct TV, which does not need a franchise agreement. Internet streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu are also indirect competitors to the company. If CenturyLink enters the game, they will be the only other franchise- holding cable television company in the city. Direct competition in local cable television, telephone and internet services could be a very good thing for consumers in Edina, but the potential for a new competitor raises some questions. The City’s cable franchise requires a cable company to meet certain standards, one of them being that if a new company wants to enter the market, they build out their systems to serve the entire community within five years to ensure fair competition. According to City Manager Scott Neal, chair of the Southwest Suburban Cable Commission, CenturyLink has not yet committed to meeting this State standard, raising the concern that they will not make this a priority, resulting in unfair competition between them and Comcast. “This is the line Council Members are having to walk on. Getting competition for Comcast is good – good for consumers who live in the community – but how important is it that it be fair competition and who’s the judge of [that]?” asked Neal. The City Council held a public hearing at its May 6 meeting to provide residents with the opportunity to share their thoughts about the possibility of another cable television company operating in Edina. The next step in the process is for the Southwest Suburban Cable Commission to issue a recommendation to its member cities regarding CenturyLink’s legal, technical and financial qualifications to operate a cable system. Following the recommendation, the Commission will attempt to negotiate a model cable franchise with CenturyLink. Assuming an agreement can be reached, the Commission will issue a recommendation to the member cities – Edina, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield – along with a proposed cable franchise for the City Council to consider. For more information about the possibility of CenturyLink entering the local market, contact the Administration Department at 952-826-0364. For information on community TV made possible through the franchise, contact Community TV Administrator Nathalie Gage at 952-826-0344. The City Council unanimously approved the Living Streets Plan at its May 6 meeting, incorporating the needs of motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders into the City’s maintenance, expansion and redevelopment of its transportation network. “In the 1950s and ‘60s, Edina, like a lot of other suburban communities, was developed when the car was dominant, and the infrastructure reflects that,” said the City’s Transportation Planner, Mark Nolan. “The culture has shifted away from being so car-dominant to focus on being more active, and our streets should be safer for everyone to reflect that. It’s important to have this plan in place as it gives staff and the development community a path or guideline for how to make that happen.” Living Streets balance the needs of motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders in ways that promote safety and convenience, enhance community identity, create economic vitality, improve environmental sustainability, and provide meaningful opportunities for active living and better health. The Living Streets Policy defines Edina’s vision for Living Streets, what principles Living Streets will embody and the plan that will guide implementation of the construction. Implementation of the plan will take place during neighborhood reconstruction projects. A major aspect of the plan will help guide the City on which streets parking lanes, bike facilities and sidewalks are required or optional, how many driving lanes it should have and street width, depending on street classification. Living Streets projects will consider the physical, social, ecologic, regulatory and economic context in a given project area. Depending on the project, Living Streets can be funded by special assessments, Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety (PACS) Fund, utility funding and grants. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/ LivingStreets. CenturyLink Surfaces as Potential Competitor for Comcast Council Approves Living Streets Plan Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 p.m. Community Health Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Tuesday, June 2, 7 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7 Edina Art Fair, 50th and France The fair is ranked No. 1 in Minnesota and is one of the top fine arts fair in the nation, featuring 300 fine artists from Minnesota, the United States and Canada. Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m. Heritage Preservation Board Meeting, Edina City Hall Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m. Park Board Meeting, Edina City Hall Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, June 11, 7 p.m. Energy & Environment Commission, Edina City Hall Thursday, June 11, 3-7 p.m. Centennial Lakes Farmers Market, Centennial Lakes Park Every Thursday through Sept. 24, the weekly Farmers Market allows consumers to purchase directly from farmers, growers and producers, ensuring a high level of freshness and quality. Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Saturday, June 20, 9 a.m. Walk with the Mayor, Centennial Lakes Park Walk and talk with Mayor Jim Hovland. Saturday, June 20, 9:15 p.m. Drive-In Movie Night, Braemar Golf Course Experience the movie “Despicable Me” under the stars at Braemar Golf Course. Provide your own blankets, lawn chairs and bug spray for the movie, which will be shown on the driving range. Snacks and beverages will be for sale. Tuesday, June 23, 7 p.m.| Human Rights & Relations Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Wednesday, June 24, 7 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, June 25, 4:30 p.m. Arts & Culture Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Come June, a Futsal Sports Court will be a new seasonal addition to the Backyard Rink at Braemar Arena. “We like the space at Braemar Arena a lot,” said Jeff Northrup, Vice President of the Edina Soccer Club’s Board of Directors. “We’ll have the ability to host tournaments or leagues. Plus, it’s a venue that draws people from all sorts of different sports to one location.” At its April 21 meeting, the City Council accepted the $55,440 donation from the Soccer Club to buy a Sports Court. In exchange for the donation, the Soccer Club will receive up to 500 hours of scheduled practice hours annually for 15 years or for the life of the Sports Court, which will be installed inside the boards and glass of the Backyard Rink. The donation and amenity gives the City the ability to use the Backyard Rink year-round as well as attract more diverse users to the facility. In addition, Braemar Arena Manager Susie Miller said that the staff will run recreational programs and sell additional time not used by the Soccer Club. “The addition of the Futsal Sports Court is important for the diversity of athletes who visit Braemar Arena,” she said. “We want the Soccer Club to feel part of this facility. They will only add to our hub of activity!” Futsal, a sport similar to soccer, but played with different balls, goals and rules and on smaller fields or courts, has gained popularity among soccer clubs as a component of winter training programs. The Sports Court will be installed each spring shortly after the ice melts and removed in October, so the Backyard Rink can get prepped for ice. For more information, contact Miller at 952-833-9502. The Public Works Department has seen a rise in the amount of “flushable” sanitary wipes clogging the City’s sewer pipes and is asking residents to throw them in the trash instead. According to Public Works Coordinator Dave Goergen, in 2014, sanitary wipes clogged City pipes on 12 occasions. Similar numbers were recorded in 2012 and 2013. Although packaging may claim products are flushable, it’s better for the community at large if they are simply thrown in the trash. The material the wipes are made out of is resilient to the motion of the sewer drains and can even travel to the City’s lift stations still intact, clogging the pipes, which employees have to manually clear. “It’s an entirely preventable problem,” said Goergen. If the City’s pipes continue to be clogged by these products, Goergen says there will likely be an increase in backups affecting residents as well as increased costs to accommodate overtime hours and added maintenance time. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 952-826-0376. The City of Edina reminds residents to “Show Some Respect” on local streets. Recently, a shift has occurred in the way the City of Edina’s residents, workers and visitors think about streets, the way they have been designed, and how (and by whom) they are used. The community has been moving toward becoming one that is more active and “livable,” with streets that are more “human-centered.” Living Streets are designed and engineered to be safe and convenient for everyone – not just drivers, but also bicyclists, transit riders, wheelchair users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Living Streets are designed to improve residents’ health and quality of life while enhancing a neighborhood’s social and economic vitality. To educate street users about safety, the Engineering and Police departments recently launched the “Edina Street Smarts” campaign. Each month of the spring, summer and fall, the departments will remind street users of ways to be safe and respectful of others. This month, the message is “Show Some Respect.” “Understanding and acceptance between people using differing modes of transportation fosters mutual respect,” said Sgt. Tim Olson. “This ultimately makes our streets safer for everyone.” Things to remember: • Bicyclists have a rightful spot on the road, and even the sidewalk. • Do not resent bicyclists or pedestrians. • Replace frustration with a smile every time you see a bicyclist or pedestrian. For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov or contact the Police Department at 952-826-1610 or Engineering Department at 952-826-0371. Help keep local lakes and rivers clean while creating a beautiful habitat for bees and butterflies. Learn how at “Raingardens and Beyond: Clean Water, Healthy Habitats,” a new workshop hosted by Metro Blooms. The workshop will first give residents an overview of raingardens and native plants. Then, participants will receive recommendations for their properties with one-on- one assistance from Metro Blooms landscape designers and Hennepin County Master Gardeners, as well as information about cost share programs and how they can apply. In a healthy forest, only about 10 percent of the rain that falls each year leaves the forest as surface runoff. In a developed urban area, more than 50 percent runs off, carrying pollution to our local water bodies. Raingardens are shallow depressions in the ground that help runoff soak into the soil to be cleaned naturally, providing homes for bees and butterflies, and recharging groundwater. “This workshop is a great opportunity for residents to jumpstart their summer and learn how to install their own raingarden or get help from the pros,” said Metro Blooms Community Engagement and Development Director Barbara Speltz. The workshop will be held 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 at the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility, 7540 Metro Blvd. For more information or to register, visit www.metroblooms. org or call 651-699-2426. Registration is required and the cost $15. Futsal Sports Court Added To Braemar Arena Wipes: Not in the Pipes! City reminds residents to ‘Show Some Respect’ Attend a Raingarden Workshop Futsal is a sport similar to soccer, but played with different balls, goals and rules and on smaller fields or courts. Su b m i t t e d p h o t o Su b m i t t e d p h o t o