HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-11-09 EEC Meeting PacketDraft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
Minutes
City Of Edina, Minnesota
Energy and Environment Commission
Edina City Hall, Community Room
October 12, 2017 7:00pm
I. Call To Order
Chair Manser called the October 12, 2017, meeting of the Energy & Environment Commission to order at
7:00 pm.
II. Roll Call
Answering roll call were Fernands, Glahn, Hoffman, Horan, Jackson, Manser, Seeley, and Shanmugavel
Late Arrival: Kostuch
Absent Members: Waddick, Burmeister, and Madhok
Staff Present: Staff Liaison, Tara Brown and Project Coordinator, MJ Lamon
III. Approval Of Meeting Agenda
Motion by Jackson to approve the October 12, 2017 meeting agenda. Motion seconded
by Seeley. Motion carried.
IV. Approval Of Meeting Minutes
Motion by Glahn to approve the September 14, 2017 meeting minutes. Motion
seconded by Shanmugavel. Motion carried.
V. Special recognitions and presentations
A. Grandview Lid Project: Katie Clark Sieben, Economic Development Project Coordinator
• Presentation on Grandview Green project and development.
Commissioner Kostuch arrived at 7:11 pm.
Commissioner Glahn exited the room at 7:12 pm.
Commissioner Glahn entered the room at 7:18 pm.
B. Jessica Vanderwerff Wilson, Water Resources Coordinator
• Presentation on comprehensive water resources management plan.
• Commissioners will be asked for feedback prior to sending a recommendation to
Council.
Commissioner Shanmugavel exited the room at 8:08 pm.
VI. Community Comment
None.
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
VII. Reports and Recommendations
A. Comprehensive Plan Kick Off
• Commission was provided information on the commission work objectives and timeline
for the 2018 Comprehensive Plan update.
• Commission Comprehensive Plan Tool-Kit was included as part of the meeting packet.
• Planning Commission liaisons to the Energy and Environment Commission, Steve Hobbs
and Jimmy Bennett, will be invited to attend an upcoming commission meeting.
Motion by Jackson to change the November meeting start time to 6:00 pm. Motion
seconded by Hoffman. Motion carried.
B. Pollinator Resolution
• The Pollinator Resolution was submitted to Commission in July of 2017.
• The project would require staff resources and project coordination.
• The Commission discussed the importance of the project outlined in the resolution but
are unsure of available resources at this time.
VIII. Correspondence
A. Attendance Report and Roster
• Received, not discussed.
B. Working Group Minutes
• Received, not discussed.
IX. Chair and Member Comments
• Commissioner Fernands: Provided a summary of ideas created by the student group,
SELC, working on sustainability initiatives.
• Commissioner Jackson and Manser: Provided update on City Council work session
meeting discussing Commission’s 2018 proposed work plan.
X. Staff Comments
A. B3 Data
• Staff Liaison Brown provided an updated B3 data report.
XI. Adjournment
Motion by Glahn to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by Jackson. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:18 pm.
Draft Minutes☒
Approved Minutes☐
Approved Date:
J F M A M J J A S O N D # of Mtgs. Attendance %
Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10
NAME
Burmeister, Jeff 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 80%
Glahn, William 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 100%
Hoffman, Howard 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88%
Horan, Michelle 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 100%
Jackson, Carolyn 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 90%
Kostuch, Keith 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 90%
Manser, Richard 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 100%
Satterlee, Lauren 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 90%
Seeley, Melissa 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 80%
Shanmugavel, Ramesh 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88%
Waddick, Louise 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 90%
Students:
Fernands, Madeline 1 1 1 100%
Kim, Joanna 1 1 1 1 4 40%
Madhok, Gauri 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 60%
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION
INSTRUCTIONS & TIMELINE
October
2017
A 2008 Comprehensive Plan chapter(s) will be given to the
Commission whose work is most closely related. For example,
members of the Edina Transportation Commission will receive the
Transportation Chapter from the 2008 Comprehensive Plan.
Objective 1
November
2017
Commissions will discuss their chapter(s), giving attention to goals
and policies at the conclusion of each chapter to determine their
current relevancy. It is anticipated that the discussions will include
critical evaluations of the goals and policies using the following
considerations and documents:
Changes that have taken place since the 2008
Comprehensive Plan
Examples of changes include: Economy, Environment,
Demographics, Housing, etc.
Vision Edina 2015 and Big Ideas Report (2017)
Commissions should review chapters through the
eight Vision Edina strategic focus area lenses.
Additional Edina Guiding Documents
Chamber of Commerce – Economic
Development/Stakeholder Engagement Analysis
(January 2017)
Quality of Life Survey (August 2017)
Living Streets Plan (2015)
Affordable Housing Policy (2015)
Parks, Recreation and Trails Strategic Plan (2015)
Metropolitan Council System Statement for the City of
Edina (2015)
Objective 1
November
2017
Determine if the goals and policies outlined in 2008’s
Comprehensive Plan should be:
eliminated or retained
retained and modified
completely re-written or
created for inclusion in a current chapter and/or
new chapter
Objective 2
Dec 2017/
Jan 2018
Engage with other to discuss overlapping issues and assist
with writing appropriate goals and policies.
Objective 3
Jan/Feb
2018
Complete work objectives Objective
1,2,3
March
2018
Make recommendations to policies, goals and/or the
addition of content
Commissions will present recommendations to
the Planning Commission at March work
sessions.
Objective 4
2008 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHAPTERS
A Commission will be provided a chapter(s) as the lead reviewer. This does not mean
Commission’s cannot provide input on other chapters AND there may be cases when a
Commission creates content that might be better served by its own chapter. The 2008
chapters includes:
Land use
Transportation
Housing
Water Resources
Parks
Health
Heritage Preservation
Sustainability
Community Facilities and Services
Chapter Responsibility Chart:
We will look to Commissions for input on chapters most closely related to the goals and
missions of the Commission. The chart designates the chapter or chapters your commission will
be asked to focus on.
Chapter Title Commission(s)
Community Profile Human Rights and Relations Commission
Community Health Commission
Landuse & Community Design Planning Commission
Housing Human Rights and Relations Commission
Heritage Preservation Heritage Preservation Commission
Transportation Transportation Commission
Water Resources Management Energy and Environment Commission
Parks, Open Space and Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Commission
Arts and Culture Commission
Energy, Environment, and Resilience* Energy and Environment Commission
Community Services and Facilities Parks and Recreation Commission
Community Health Commission
Human Rights and Relations Commission
Arts and Culture
VISION EDINA
CITY OF EDINA STRATEGIC VISION and FRAMEWORK
This vision and framework is an outcome of the broad-based community engagement and
visioning process, conducted between September and December 2014
May 2015
CITY OF EDINA
STRATEGIC VISION AND FRAMEWORK
VISION EDINA
This vision and framework is an outcome of the broad-based community engagement and
visioning process, conducted between September and December 2014.
May 2015
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 3
VISION EDINA
Vision Edina represents a fresh look at the future for the City of Edina. This work builds on the previous
Edina Vision 20/20 planning work that was undertaken 15 years ago. Since that time, the world has changed.
We are subject to stronger external trends and forces, and we face renewed pressures with increasing
population and developmental pressure. The future we face is one filled with greater uncertainty, more rapid
pace of change and emerging new opportunities. Vision Edina allows us to step back and look again at the
big picture, and decide how we continue to evolve to remain a relevant, competitive and progressive city.
Vision Edina is a long-term strategic framework that helps our community understand and guide the
important decision-making that will impact Edina’s future. This framework lays out the key issues identified
by our community, which we need to be focusing our attention and resources on, over the coming years. The
Vision Edina work and publications have been developed through a broad-based and inclusive community
visioning process conducted in 2014.
It is proposed that the current City of Edina mission statement remain largely unchanged. This is a potent
and relevant mission statement that has, and continues to, serve the City well.
“Our mission is to provide effective and valued public services, maintain a sound public
infrastructure, offer premier public facilities and guide the development and redevelopment
of lands, all in a manner that sustains and improves the health and uncommonly high quality
of life enjoyed by our residents and businesses.”
INSERT SECTION TITLE HEREBALANCING EDINA’S REDEVELOPMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 20154
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
EDINA’S VISION STATEMENT
Edina holds a well-earned reputation as a city of choice. It is the model of a successful, mature, and
progressive urban community, that strives to lead in a modern and evolving world. We maintain
our heritage and attractiveness, and afford our residents the highest quality of life, while actively
embracing the future.
The features that define our future community include:
Inclusive and Connected
• Our community embraces diversity and cherishes the contributions of all residents and stakeholders.
• Our community offers an enticing mix of residential development that retains and builds upon our
strong foundation of single-family housing, but also includes a dimension of higher density multi-
family options, especially for the young and the old.
• We strive to promote a healthy demographic mix that builds on the tradition of multi-generational
families, and also provides entry opportunities for new people seeking to raise families, start
businesses, and join our quality community.
• Our residents enjoy a wide range of transportation options that foster mobility and interconnectedness.
• Our cohesive neighborhoods are able to retain their unique individual character, while being linked
seamlessly together into the broader fabric of our city.
• Our residents benefit from close access to parks and other gathering spaces where they can regenerate,
connect with community members and enjoy nature.
Built-to-Scale Development
• Our community has worked hard to create an innovative and long-term comprehensive development
policy that strikes the right balance between renewal and progress, and protection and preservation.
• Our development policy promotes partnerships between developers and community members and
encourages innovative ideas.
• Our community’s commercial and retail base has been significantly enhanced through the creation of
more mixed-use locations, carefully woven throughout our neighborhoods.
• We have proactively developed planning procedures and policies that allow the character of our
neighborhoods to be preserved and enhanced. Local development reflects the aspirations of both
neighborhood residents and the community as a whole.
EDINA’S VISION STATEMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 5
Sustainable Environment
• Edina has focused and invested in world-class citywide resource management systems, built around
the leading principles of environmental sustainability.
• We have substantially reduced our overall environmental impact and significantly increased our
resource use efficiency.
• Our planning has integrated the best-proven standards of sustainable building and environmental
stewardship into all aspects of our city planning and building codes.
• Our community continues to treasure and protect our public spaces and parks. We have enhanced our
biodiversity and natural ecosystems, which in turn support and purify our natural environment.
A Community of Learning
• Edina has continued to evolve as a highly engaged community, where residents share the responsibility
for decision making and working collectively toward the common vision.
• We recognize and appreciate the significant value of our education system, and we continue to work
and invest to strengthen and grow this key community asset.
• As technology and society have evolved, so has our prized education system. We have a high quality,
future- oriented education system, which undeniably prepares our students to thrive in an increasingly
competitive and globalized world.
• As residents, we never tire in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding. We collectively promote
the value of engagement and education, and we ensure that we have the capacity as a community to
understand and remain agile in a fast changing and complex world.
Future-Oriented
• As a community, we continually look forward and are always working to remain competitive, relevant
and innovative. We stand on the foundation of our traditions, but are not afraid to adapt and change
as the city evolves.
• Our city leaders and organizations are actively engaged in regional leadership and in ensuring the
interests of Edina are represented at the level of the Twin Cities metropolis, but also beyond.
• Edina is willing to use its resources and expertise to apply new ideas and technology, and we actively
invest ourselves in finding and creating innovative solutions to the emerging challenges of living in a
major city.
INSERT SECTION TITLE HEREEDINA’S VISION STATEMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 20156
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA, ISSUES AND ACTIONS
Eight key strategic focus areas have emerged through the Vision Edina process. These areas are built
from the key drivers and issues identified early in the Vision Edina process, and have carried through the
extensive community and stakeholder engagement process. These focus areas, and the attendant issues
and actions, represent emerging priority areas that can both leverage and guide the future evolution of
our city. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, and in no way displaces the underlying foundational
work that continues on our key areas of infrastructure, community services, governance and fiscal
management. Rather, these strategic focus areas represent key emerging priorities, and reflect the core
drivers of our future that can be summarized in the categories of Balancing Edina’s Redevelopment, and
Enhancing Our Community Fabric and Character.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA, ISSUES AND ACTIONS
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 7
INSERT SECTION TITLE HEREBALANCING EDINA’S REDEVELOPMENT
1. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT MIX
The issue of residential property development has been repeatedly raised throughout the Vision Edina
process. The City has been faced with a number of redevelopment pressures and challenges across
numerous areas. Residents strongly favor a continued focus on the single-family housing nature of the
majority of the city neighborhoods, but there is increasing concern about the trend and impact of so-called
‘teardowns’ on the community. There is also recognition of some need for additional multi-family options
to create more diversity in housing affordability. This would provide increased options at all stages of life
and attract younger residents.
ISSUES
• Residential neighborhoods continue to serve as the defining characteristic of the city, and there is a
high desire to protect and enhance such neighborhoods.
• Residents take a great deal of pride in their homes, and express concern about the escalating
redevelopment pressures facing some neighborhood areas.
• Edina continues to face competition from neighboring communities that claim to offer a similar
quality of life while also offering more available land for development.
• The community must balance the needs of the families that have defined its character, with an aging
population that desires to ‘age in place.’
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• Further encourage the development of neighborhood associations and the overall neighborhood
concept. Define the unique character and brand of each of the well-established neighborhoods,
and explore innovative planning guidelines to allow preservation and enhancement of the desired
neighborhood visual appeal.
• Pursue further planning and development options that protect and locate key amenities, such as
parks and community facilities, within the neighborhood framework to allow neighborhood centers
and focus points to further evolve.
• Continue to explore options for new multi-family housing throughout the city in mixed-use areas and
near public spaces, including areas such as Southdale, Pentagon Park and Grandview.
• Work to create affordable housing options close to transit, shopping and employment centers.
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 20158
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
2. TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
Participants in the Vision Edina process expressed a strong desire to continue to expand a variety of
transportation options to both reduce dependency on automobiles and enhance the community’s work
and life balance, and ease of connectivity. Walking, biking, and transit options represent key amenities
that help residents feel connected to their community, and improve the overall quality of life. A diversity
of transportation options is also highly preferred among younger residents. However, such options have
met resistance in some areas, largely a reflection of a ‘not in my back yard’ reaction. The larger community
sentiment of support should be highlighted to advance policies and developments deemed to be in the
larger public good.
ISSUES
• The community’s infrastructure continues to age and be stressed by increasing traffic volume.
• The majority of Edina’s employed population works outside of the city and is therefore reliant on the
connectivity and maintenance of the roadway system for their livelihood.
• The community overall is highly supportive of increased diversity and integration of transportation
and local access options.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• Undertake community education and promotion to highlight the broad support and benefits of more
diverse transportation options, and particularly to highlight the support expressed across multiple
age demographics.
• Work to expand transit options to Edina, and ensure that Edina residents do not become further
isolated from the larger transit infrastructure.
• Develop an integrated long-term plan that lays out a future-oriented and ambitious transportation
network that covers multiple modes of transportation, and takes into account potential impacts of
future technology on transportation modes and corridors.
• Continue to promote and develop the sidewalk, trail and bike networks to improve accessibility and
connectivity throughout the city and beyond.
BALANCING EDINA’S REDEVELOPMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 9
3. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT MIX
Edina has traditionally embraced commercial development along a relatively narrow corridor along France
Avenue, and originally anchored by Southdale Center. While this practice has been successful and has led
to additional growth along France Avenue, Vision Edina participants have expressed a desire for easier and
more proximal access to small retail options and other amenities. Many participants of the engagement
process highlighted the unique and appealing experience of the 50th & France district. New development
opportunities can build upon this example and model to develop neighborhood nodes of an appropriate
scale in other locations across the city.
ISSUES
• Edina has historically favored large-scale commercial development. Best practice and community
desire has moved toward also including smaller-scale models.
• Residents currently feel somewhat disconnected from common amenities, including banking, dry
cleaning, groceries and pharmacies – and this is an issue likely to be exacerbated with an aging
population.
• The community has significant redevelopment opportunities in the Pentagon Park, Grandview, and
Southdale areas, but as of yet, there appears to be no clear consensus as to the best and most
appropriate uses and ultimate outcomes.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• In light of the escalating developmental pressures facing the Council and City, the City should as a
priority renew its broader land use plan. This plan should examine and consider the future broad fabric
of the community, and begin to define key nodes of higher-density mixed use, and potential nodes of
small-scale commercial opportunity, embedded in more of a neighborhood context.
• More consideration of scale and appropriate mixed use could be used in the review of new commercial
development proposals, especially to take into account the compounding impact of numerous
developments in close proximity and the concerns about this overall impact on streetscape,
environmental aspects, transportation and utilities and services.
• The community should further examine and consider the development of small neighborhood-based
business nodes to provide a range of local amenities and services.
• Edina should continue to explore strategies that promote the continued vitality of existing core retail
zones around Southdale Center, and also actively pursue economic development strategies targeting
specific professional services clusters. These approaches could enhance the core economic underpinning
of the local economy.
INSERT SECTION TITLE HEREBALANCING EDINA’S REDEVELOPMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 201510
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
4. LIVE AND WORK
Edina’s community has a large number of high-wage earners, most of whom commute to areas outside
the city for work. Therefore, Edina is highly dependent on the vitality of the regional economy to maintain
prosperity. At the same time, the community also recognizes a growing desire, especially among young
professionals, to both live and work in the same location. There is evidence to suggest this represents
part of a larger societal trend, and could have important implications to the future location appeal of
Edina. The city currently offers limited opportunities to do so, as a mismatch exists between the wage-
earning potential of many of the employment opportunities in the community and the relatively high cost
of quality housing. However, the city is very well endowed with recreation facilities, which offers excellent
outdoor and sporting amenities.
ISSUES
• Many of the city’s residents commute outside of the city for work. This creates a disincentive to
young professionals who may aspire to live and work in Edina.
• The community does not possess significant spaces for collaborating, start-ups or telecommuting.
• Many people who work in Edina cannot afford to live in the community.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• Edina should support the development of a start-up or entrepreneurial climate in the city, and bring
together key stakeholders to develop an integrated economic development strategy.
• The community should consider the inclusion of incubators or co-working spaces in any new
redevelopment projects and in mixed-use proposals.
• The City should promote the development of a mix of commercial amenities, including restaurants
and cultural amenities, which are attractive to young families and professionals and can further act as
connection points or hubs within the fabric of neighborhoods and development areas.
BALANCING EDINA’S REDEVELOPMENT
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 11
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
5. EDUCATIONAL FOCUS
Edina Public Schools are recognized as one of the principal assets of the community. The school district
and its institutions are routinely recognized as among the best in the state and nation. Participants in
the Vision Edina process routinely singled out quality education as one of the defining characteristics of
their preferred future. However, respondents also expressed a desire for the greater use of technology in
the classroom, expansion of cultural and ‘globally-focused’ learning opportunities and the promotion of
lifelong learning.
ISSUES
• Education policy and funding are largely a state matter, placing the City in an advocacy and partnership role.
• Respondents desire an educational system that maintains high quality while also embracing new
techniques and technologies. A balance needs to be struck.
• While Edina Public Schools and other local institutions adeptly provide K-12 education, lifelong
learning and other cultural education opportunities requires leadership from a variety of community
institutions.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• The community should promote a culture of learning among all of its residents, and continue to find
ways to explore, understand and present best practices across a range of topics. In particular, it is
important to expand the scope beyond regional expertise and explore best practices and emerging
trends on a global scale.
• The City should continue to foster its productive working partnership with Edina Public Schools. These
two entities represent some of the key leverage points in the city, and combining their influence
could accelerate the progress on key initiatives. Similar partnerships should be established with the
Richfield and Hopkins school districts.
• The City and school district should continue to explore future opportunities for expanded partnerships
between the schools and existing employment opportunities within the community, thereby helping
develop career paths and local workforce development.
ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC AND CHARACTER
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 201512
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERE
6. POPULATION MIX
The demographics of the Twin Cities are constantly changing as new residents are attracted by strong
regional employment prospects, economic tailwinds and quality cultural and public amenities. Edina
is well positioned to attract many of these new residents because of its high quality of life. Edina’s
population is also undergoing a generational transformation as its population continues to age, creating
a new group of active senior citizens with different housing and amenity needs. Developing an effective
balance in each of these areas is critical to ensuring future sustainable growth.
ISSUES
• The perception of an ‘Edina Bubble’ carries with it the stigma of being an exclusive and exclusionary
community.
• The relatively high cost of housing is a barrier to entry into the community, especially for younger
families.
• The needs of an aging population are often in conflict with the preferences of the younger residents
the community seeks to attract.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• The City should expand its work with local school districts to expose students and parents to a variety
of cultural experiences. This will serve to foster a global mindset while also cementing the education
system as a key population draw.
• Edina’s civic organizations should promote a welcoming image of the city. These efforts should be
equally directed toward new residents and businesses. These organizations should also take a lead
role in publicizing the city’s cultural amenities.
• The City should continue to prioritize amenities that meet the needs of residents of all ages. The
City should continue discussions about the effects of an aging population, as referenced in the Vision
20/20 process. Similar efforts should be used to engage young adults, including high school students.
ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC AND CHARACTER
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 13
INSERT SECTION TITLE HEREENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC AND CHARACTER
7. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Participants in the Vision Edina process were more supportive of environmentally responsible policies and
practices than any other issue area. There is a growing awareness of the impact that the built environment has on
the natural environment, and the individual and collective responsibility we all have toward good environmental
stewardship. Community residents and stakeholders believe that Edina can take an active and ambitious internal
and regional leadership role in embedding environmental stewardship principles through actions such as promoting
more comprehensive recycling, smart building and energy efficiency practices. These themes couple well with the
parallel benefits in smarter urban planning, increased transportation options and application of technology.
ISSUES
• Residential and commercial developers have little incentive to balance environmentally friendly building practices
with market pressures, or in fact to provide leading-edge examples of energy efficient and environmentally
sensitive construction.
• Currently, residential waste removal and other environmental services are poorly coordinated, and in some cases
multiple providers are serving the same streets, contributing to noise, environmental impact and inefficiencies.
• The need for green spaces is well recognized, but the use of these areas currently follows more traditional
‘green lawn’ approaches rather than integrated habitat zones.
• Developmental pressures are likely to continue to place increased demands on the City’s infrastructure and
contribute to concerns about decline in environmental quality in the community.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• Develop a comprehensive city-wide environmental management plan that explores and includes best practices in
water management, biodiversity, green space management, street scape enhancement and waste management.
• Partner with energy and utility service providers to educate residents on the importance of energy efficiency
in their daily living and promote energy efficiency and smart building practices at all City-owned properties.
This could include well-established practices such as publishing data on the carbon emission, waste levels and
recycling levels.
• Identify a series of environmental flagship pilot projects to bring stakeholders together and begin exploring
creative solutions. Examples could include: waste collection and management across the city; recycling and green
waste management; environmental overlays on development projects such as Pentagon Park; and utilization of
available areas such as Fred Richards Park as community gardens and biodiversity spaces.
• Develop incentives for individual households to take an active role in the overall city responsibility for environmental
management, including reducing nutrient loads in run-off, local recycling and efficient resource usage.
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 201514
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8. REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
Edina has long been recognized as one of the premier communities in the Twin Cities. The City has been
historically viewed as somewhat progressive in its development policies and practices. The existing phase
of redevelopment and the expanding pressures from the surrounding metropolitan area highlights the
need and opportunity for Edina to continue as an innovator, seeking and implementing creative solutions
to local and regional issues.
ISSUES
• City leadership has rightfully focused on many local issues, in large part driven by changing community
needs and expectations. In recent years, City officials have also been playing an important role in
some significant regional discussions.
• Edina’s size may limit its influence when compared to larger neighboring communities, its popularity
with respect to redevelopment has presented a unique set of challenges and the opportunity to lead
on some issues previously not encountered in the larger metropolitan area.
• The community has regional economic importance, but its cultural importance has been somewhat
more limited. However, there is potential for Edina to have some destination value as a regional
cultural center.
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• City leaders should actively advocate for Edina’s interests in the Met Council and other regional bodies.
In addition, the City should form particularly close functional connections with the immediately
neighboring cities, as they share many aspects and challenges.
• City leaders should continue to inform residents on the impact of issues of regional importance and
work to better integrate an understanding of the importance of being an active participant, and leader,
in the larger regional system
• City leaders and residents should collaborate to discover, develop and apply new best practices in
environmental sustainability, aging in place, educational quality and other broad areas of consensus.
These efforts will ensure that Edina builds the future intelligence capacity to retain a future-focused
worldview, and act as an example and role model to other cities in North America.
ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY FABRIC AND CHARACTER
Vision Edina – Strategic Vision Framework – May 2015 15
INSERT SECTION TITLE HERECONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
The Vision Edina process has presented an opportunity for the community to come together and explore
the longer-term future. The current period of intense redevelopment, which is occurring within Edina,
represents an important juncture in the community’s history and evolution. This is coupled with a more
gradual generational shift, as the predominant Baby Boom generation moves through the demographic
system. The resultant situation is where Edina stands poised before some significant choices about future
trajectory and outcomes. This has been well articulated in the Vision Edina process.
The community has chosen a path forward that represents some significant change and reinvention, but
without losing touch with the important family values and rationale that has always defined Edina as a
community. The path ahead is not without its challenges and will require careful balancing of differing
priorities, aspirations and desires. The collective decision-making process required to move forward will
set Edina apart as an intelligent, engaged, thoughtful and forward-looking city. It will require maturity
and patience on behalf of the citizens and leadership, and recognition that the complex resident mix,
which makes Edina interesting, also brings with it differing opinions and perspectives. Understanding
the importance of the common good over personal self-interests will be critical to build alignment around
important future shaping decisions and actions.
The population and leadership of Edina possess and exhibit more than sufficient knowledge and experience
to guide the City toward the vibrant and balanced future desired by the residents and stakeholders.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
VISION EDINA
The Vision Edina initiative has aimed to define a shared vision for the City of Edina. The vision and strategic
framework is the outcome of a broad-based and inclusive community visioning process. The engagement
portion of this important planning process ran from September to December 2014, and gathered significant
community input.
From a strategic planning perspective, Vision Edina examines the issues that have been identified as
having the highest priority within the community. The initiative examined future trends in cities across
North America and the world, and how generational values are changing. This was also linked to local
aspirations, values and desires for the future. This process provides a clearer understanding of what
people might be looking for in Edina in 2030 and beyond. Vision Edina has represented an opportunity for
all residents to have a say and contribute to creating the shared future vision. Vision Edina is part of the
overall community process to update the long-term vision for the City of Edina. Vision Edina will also serve
as an important foundation for other strategic efforts, such as the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Capital
Improvement Plans.
The City of Edina partnered with Future iQ Partners, an international consultancy company, to design and
facilitate the process.
For more information on the Vision Edina project and the City of Edina, please contact:
Scott H. Neal, City Manager
City of Edina
952-826-0415
SNeal@EdinaMN.gov
www.EdinaMN.gov
MAPPING EDINA’S BIG IDEAS
Bridging Between Vision and Planning
City of Edina, Minnesota
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Mapping Edina’s Big Ideas
Bridging between Vision and Planning
Prepared for:
City of Edina, Minnesota
4801 W 50th St, Edina, MN 55424
Prepared by:
Biko Associates, Inc.
79 13th Avenue NE
Studio 107
Minneapolis, MN 55413
May 24, 2017
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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
Purpose ............................................................................................................. 1
Background ....................................................................................................... 1
Wednesday, April 19 Big Ideas Workshop ........................................................ 7
Summary of Findings......................................................................................... 7
Transportation .................................................................................................. 8
Environmental Stewardship .............................................................................. 8
Education Focus ................................................................................................ 8
Commercial Development Mix ......................................................................... 9
Residential Development Mix ........................................................................... 9
Regional Leadership ........................................................................................ 10
Population Mix ................................................................................................ 10
Live and Work ................................................................................................. 11
Saturday, April 22 Mapping Edina’s Big Ideas ................................................. 13
Agenda and Format ........................................................................................ 13
“Where is Important to me in Edina?” ........................................................... 15
“How do I Travel to Important Places?” ......................................................... 15
“Where Should Big Ideas be Implemented and How are
Big Ideas Related ....................................................................................... 16
Physical Framework for Implementing Big Ideas ........................................... 16
Edina’s Big Ideas by Quadrant ........................................................................ 19
Interpreting Edina’s Big Ideas for Inclusion in the Comprehensive
Plan and Implementation ......................................................................... 21
Proposed Process for Incorporating Big Ideas in the
Comprehensive Plan ................................................................................ 23
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Page 1
Introduction
Purpose
This report documents two community-based events held in the City of
Edina in April 2017 to provide community members opportunities to
collaborate and develop future-oriented Big Ideas that will shape the
city’s growth and development in extraordinary ways over the next 20
years.
The report summarizes outcomes from these two events and identifies a
recommended process that will be put in place during a study to prepare
the city’s 2018 comprehensive plan update to ensure that the Big Ideas
will be given consideration in the plan.
Background
Comprehensive Planning in the Twin Cities
Communities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are required by statute
to update their comprehensive plans every ten years. Traditionally, a
community’s comprehensive plan, based on a shared community vision
and goals, outlines growth and development policies and describes what,
where, and by how much a community will grow…and, as importantly,
where growth will not occur. Local comprehensive plans, which provide
communities with a foundation to support defensible land use decision
making, land use regulations, and building codes, can also include urban
design guidelines to help define the desired design and appearance of
districts and new developments.
Within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, completed comprehensive
plans are approved and adopted by local governments. The plans are
also reviewed for adequacy by the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, the
metropolitan area’s regional planning agency. As such, the Council is
charged with planning and coordinating the growth and development of
the seven-county metropolitan area. Its review of local comprehensive
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plans is largely focused on determining how a local community’s growth
plans will impact regional systems (e.g., transportation, sanitary sewer
and water treatment, water systems, and regional parks) and whether a
local community’s plans are aligned with an overall framework that is
provided in regional plans.
Thus, comprehensive plans in the metropolitan area have two purposes.
They are tools for local governments to use in planning for their
communities, and they are tools the Council uses to ensure that regional
systems can be provided to communities in the metropolitan area in a
planned and cost efficient manner.
Without a defined community vision, potential exists that a community’s
comprehensive plan, while adequately addressing regional concerns,
could fail to adequately address its own local concerns.
Edina’s Current Comprehensive Planning
As mentioned, a community’s comprehensive plan is fundamentally built
on a shared community vision and goals, and initial steps in accepted,
comprehensive planning processes include community outreach activities
designed to define community members’ vision for the future. Thus, it is
a community’s shared vision and support for the vision that permit a
comprehensive plan to assert an overall direction for growth and
development.
Future iQ’s Vision Edina 2015:
The City of Edina in 2014 contracted Future iQ to prepare Vision Edina, a
series of documents that articulated a vision for the city and outlined a
long-term strategic framework that lays out key issues identified by
Edina’s community members. The visioning process used by Future iQ
included extensive community outreach activities (focus group meetings,
community-wide surveys, think tank meetings, community meetings,
etc.) and demonstrated wide spread community support for the vision
and strategic framework. Eight strategic focus areas were identified in
Vision Edina:
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Residential Development Mix
Transportation Options
Commercial Development Mix
Live and Work
Educational Focus
Population Mix
Environmental Stewardship
Regional Leadership
Vision Edina established the stakeholders’ desire to pursue a preferred
future of “Nodes and Modes,” an effort to maintain and enhance the
characteristics and fabric of Edina while embracing balanced urban
renewal. The central part of this preferred future is the focus on unique
nodes that represent the character and future goals of each
neighborhood with highly connected modes of transportation between
them.
Biko Associates’ 2018 Comprehensive Plan Update:
The Biko Associates consultant team was contracted in January 2017 to
update the 2008 comprehensive plan. Per instructions in the city’s
Request for Proposals (RFP), the Biko Associates team submitted a
proposal that did not include extensive visioning exercises, because a
community-supported vision had already been developed and
documented in 2015 by Future iQ. Instead, the team’s proposal
described steps that would be taken to work with Small Area Plan Work
Groups in each of three small areas (44th/France, 50th/France, and
70th/Cahill) to determine how the city-wide vision from 2015 might be
applied.
Bridging the Vision and Comprehensive Planning
With Edina’s vision document already two years old, there was a desire
to give community members and the comprehensive planning process an
opportunity to revisit Vision Edina and provide additional opportunities
to define a future vision for the city.
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It was determined by the Edina Council that Vision Edina should be
revisited in two workshops in order to ensure a bridge between the city’s
vision and the 2018 comprehensive plan update.
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Big Ideas Workshop:
The purpose of the first workshop, held April 19, 2017 was to encourage
new “Big Ideas” and connect them to the eight key strategic focus areas
that emerged from Vision Edina with an ultimate goal of propelling Edina
toward its “Nodes and Modes” preferred future.
Mapping Edina’s Big Ideas:
The purpose of the second workshop, April 22, was to determine where
and how earlier defined “Big Ideas” would be located on the landscape of
the city.
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Wednesday, April 19 Big Ideas Workshop
Summary of Findings
The workshop began with a review of major conclusions reached in Vision
Edina 2015. Participants were asked to rank which major strategic focus
areas should be a priority for innovation in Edina over the next 5 years.
The participants ranked Environmental Stewardship (25%) and
Transportation Options (25%) as the top two innovation priority areas,
followed by Education Focus (18%), Commercial Development Mix (11%),
Residential Development Mix (9%), Regional Leadership (6%), Population
Mix (4%), and Live and Work (1%).
Participants were then asked to identify Big Ideas under each strategic
focus area and then rank them. The top Big Ideas with the most votes,
under each focus area, are listed on the following pages. A complete list
the Big Ideas is presented in Nodes and Modes: Bridging between Vision
and Planning, April 19 Big Ideas Workshop, Future iQ.,
25%
25%
18%
11%
9%
6%
4%
1%
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Transportation
Environmental Stewardship
Education Focus
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Commercial Development Mix
Residential Development Mix
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Regional Leadership
Population Mix
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Live and Work
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Saturday, April 22 Mapping Edina’s Big Ideas
Agenda and Format
The agenda followed for the Saturday morning workshop is presented on
the following page. The all-day session was divided into two parts.
Part I
The first part, an early meeting, was held to map the Big Ideas that had
been developed at the April 19 Big Ideas Workshop.
Three mapping exercises were completed, and each was followed by a
discussion where participants were able to comment on outcomes from
the mapping and report on observations. The three mapping exercises
were:
1. Where is important to me in Edina? (I.e., identify nodes)
2. How do I travel to important places? (I.e., identify modes)
3. Where Big Ideas should be implemented? (I.e., where are
opportunity sites, where are opportunities to link Big Ideas, and
does this reinforce Edina’s future vision?)
The three mapping exercises were completed on a 25 foot-long by 20
foot-wide map of the city that was printed on a durable fabric and taped
to the floor in the city’s Public Works Department Building. (See the
attached hyper-link https://youtu.be/X8hZ8m9m8h4)
Part II
The second part included a discussion that was held among design and
planning professionals, residents, Planning, Commission members, and
staff. The planning consultants who have begun preparing the city’s 2018
comprehensive plan update requested the post-mapping discussion to
help bring clarity to their work tasks and ensure that there would be a
physical framework on which Big Ideas could be implemented throughout
the city and discussed in the comprehensive plan.
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Mapping Edina’s Big Ideas Workshop
Agenda
Saturday, April 22, 2017
8:00 Doors open, social hour
9:00 Welcome, Introductions, and Purpose ............... Cary Teague, City of Edina and Bill Smith, Biko Associates
9:15 Recap Big Ideas Workshop ..................................................................................... David Buerle, Future iQ
9:30 Post-It Mapping Exercise 1: Nodes — Where is important to me in Edina?
- My home
- Places I haunt (shop, get coffee, meet friends, entertainment)
- Where I work or attend school
- Recreational places or systems I use
10:00 Observations on important places
10:20 Yarn Mapping Exercise 2: Modes — How do I travel to important places:
- Light green for existing walking/running/biking recreational trails
- Dark green for desired walking/running/biking recreational trails
- Light yellow for the existing bike network (on-street or commuter — separate from more
exclusively recreational trails)
- Orange for desired bike network
- Light blue for existing transit
- Dark blue for desired transit
- Black for motor vehicle
- Pink for sidewalks and pedestrian systems
- Red for critical gaps in any of the above networks
10:50 Observations on transportation modes
11:10 Post-It Mapping Exercise 3: How should Edina evolve, and how can this evolution incorporate the Big
Ideas you explored on Wednesday? White Post-Its with written descriptions:
- What are the best opportunities for change?
- Where should they be located and why?
- How do they reinforce Vision Edina?
- Why is this important to Edina’s future?
11:40 Observations on the relationships physical nodes and modes and Edina’s Big Ideas
12:00 Invitation to return for Pin-Up at 3:00 ..................................................................................... Cary Teague
Policy, Project and Design Discussion
12:00 Lunch break and discussion ...................................................................... CPTF, Staff, Urban Design Team
- Big Ideas contribution to the Comprehensive Plan update
- Policies
- Projects
1:00 Urban Design Team illustrations
2:45 Prepare for Pin-Up
3:00 Pin-Up presentation
4:00 Adjourn
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“Where is Important to me in Edina?”
1. The majority of nodes are located in the eastern quadrants of the
city. Fewer are located in the western quadrants.
2. The important places are known activity centers.
3. The most active nodes are five of the six small areas that are
being addressed in the comprehensive plan. 70th/Cahill, one of
the six small areas, is not widely viewed as a high activity center.
4. The schools are recognized as important places.
5. How does the city’s changing demographics impact the
identification of important places?
6. Churches (houses of worship) are also important places where
people gather.
7. Opportunities to increase the number of live/work uses should be
place-based.
8. What are the engines for change in Edina?
9. The northwest quadrant is an area with large lots. Residents in
this quadrant cannot walk to many places. Is this the way they
want to live….without a node, gathering place, or activity center?
“How do I Travel to Important Places?”
1. The major transportation mode is driving. Is this the way we want
to be?
2. It’s a big city; 4 miles by 4-1/2 miles. Travelling across the city is
not easy without a car.
3. How do people travel within the four quadrants? How do people
travel across quadrants?
4. Our city has been cut apart by the highways (TH 100 and TH 62).
It is not possible to get to other places without travelling
(sometimes) out of the way to get to an overpass.
5. There aren’t lots of transit routes. Those that the city has are very
good at providing transportation service. There should be more
routes, however.
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6. The Southwest LRT should have a station at TH 169/Valley View
Road.
7. The streets that are county roads are problematic: they function
to carry lots of traffic and there isn’t much room left over for
other functions like bikes. France is an example.
8. There should be more inter-quadrant connectors in Edina.
Observations from “Where should Big Ideas be Implemented
and How are the Big Ideas Related?”
1. Because of our aging population, the housing needs of the future
will change.
2. Health care clinics and child care facilities could be physically
combined in community centers. All of these should be accessible
to all travel modes.
3. The Promenade should be extended north of TH 62.
4. Grandview should have a freeway lid.
5. The Zoning Code should be modified to allow pocket
neighborhoods with several bungalows on a parcel.
6. Each neighborhood should have a community-specific, community
defined activity center.
7. A circulator transit service is needed to connect the nodes.
8. Streets should be complete for all types of users.
9. Parks and park buildings could be expanded and redeveloped to
meet neighborhood needs.
10. Large buildings should be energy self-sufficient with solar and
green roofs.
The Physical Framework for Implementing Big Ideas in the
Comprehensive Plan
Presented on page 18 is a City of Edina aerial base map that shows each
of the city’s neighborhoods. The map shows that the city is divided into
four quadrants that are defined by north/south Trunk Highway (TH) 100
and east/west TH 62 (aka Crosstown Highway); Quadrant 1 – Northwest
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Edina, Quadrant 2 – Northeast Edina, Quadrant 3 -- Southeast Edina, and
Quadrant 4 – Southwest Edina.
The map identifies the following physical features that form a framework
for incorporating Big Ideas in the comprehensive plan.
Six existing small areas (activity centers/nodes):
- 44th/France
- 50th/France
- Grandview
- Wooddale/Valley View
- 70th/Cahill
- Southdale
Three potential small areas for future consideration:
- Lincoln/169/near Eden Prairie
- Expanded 70th/Cahill
- Pentagon Park
Parks and Nine Mile Creek
Golf courses
Recreation destinations
Canadian Pacific Rail alignment
Southwest LRT alignment
TH 100 and TH 62 with adjacent pedestrian and bicycle paths
Pedestrian and bicycle lids over TH 100 and TH 62 to re-connect
the city’s four quadrants
Conceptual parkway (Edina Grand Rounds) alignment that forms a
ring around the city and a ring within each quadrant
In support of the fundamental element of Edina’s future development, e
existing and potential future small areas and recreation destinations
(nodes) are linked by the parkway system (pedestrian, bicycle, and transit
modes).
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Edina’s Big Ideas by Quadrant (all participants’ comments are shown below)
North/south bike corridor that avoids
France, from 50th to Centennial Lakes
Technology center campus uses with hotel
High tech, innovation sub-divided for small
tenants
Events facilities for conferences
Education-focused uses
Full, safe bike/ped access to/from and within
Southdale
Extend Promenade to Strachauer Park
East and west promenades
Low scale townhomes/duplexes
Affordable housing
Integrated node: Southdale, Pentagon Park,
and Fred Richards
Communities center with YMCA
Break up Southdale into parcels where
affordable housing can be constructed
Break up Southdale to allow small retail
shops and housing
Artist destinations and arts focus
Regional leadership
Bike/Ped bridge over TH 169
Protected bike trail to/from City Hall
Community park, co-op, restaurant, and
coffee shop
Pocket neighborhoods
Access to LRT for bikes/peds
Safe bike paths
Eliminate buckthorn
Parking and dog park for Weber Woods
Wellness clinic at 44th/France , 50th/France,
and Wooddale/ Valley View
Gateway into Wooddale/Valley View
Coffee shop and neighborhood gathering
centers at Wooddale/Valley View
Freeway lid over TH 100 at Grandview
No “un-used” city land at Grandview
Improve Valley View Parkway linkage to
Rosland Park
No more six story mixed use buildings
Live/work at 70th/Cahill
70th/Cahill redevelopment as activity center
Medium density residential with more activity
70th/Cahill should be walkable and connected
Variety of housing types (townhomes,
duplexes, affordable.
Medium density housing
Start up office space with affordable rents
Access to LRT and Methodist Hosp on intra-city
transit line (CP Rail)
Trail around circumference of Braemar
Nine Mile Creek trail should be developed
Mixed use ground floor commercial and retail;
second and third story residential
“Maker space” and incubator uses
1 2
3 4
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Edina’s City-Wide Big Ideas (all participants’ comments are shown below)
All neighborhood parks should have
community centers
A Grand Rounds should be developed to
allow people to walk and bike around
the city
A transit circulator that links nodes
should be implemented
Access guards for children walking/biking
to school
Educational activities should be
everywhere for all ages, including
elementary, high school, post-secondary
Nature parks with educational focus
should be developed along a Grand
Rounds
Wellness centers should be developed
throughout the city that provide services
including daycare, early childhood
education, eldercare, and primary health
care
Housing diversity to allow wider diversity
in the city’s population mix
Community meeting facilities are needed
1 2 3 4
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Interpreting Edina’s Big Ideas for Inclusion in the
Comprehensive Plan and Implementation
Nodes and Modes
Create a Vibrant Public Realm in Edina:
Reimagine nodes as places of more dense community activity connected
by vibrant multi-modal parkways and boulevards
What are Nodes? Nodes are existing and potential future commercial
districts. Nodes can be some parks, some schools, and many of the city’s
existing and future gathering places. Nodes are defined as the point
where a minimum of two transportation facilities cross. The connections
(parkways and boulevards) are the key….there must be a facility that
accommodates a range of movement type.
Enliven Edina’s Commercial Zones:
Reform commercial zones as unique combinations of activity offering
greater diversity of use, especially related to housing choices and
opportunities for public gathering.
This should be a primary focus of the small area plan portion of the
comprehensive plan. Without some statement like this, that effort seems
un-comprehensive.
Encourage Infrastructure Development that Serves Many Purposes:
Reconsider the community’s infrastructure in ways that are sustainable,
prudent, efficient, and most important, are relevant for people.
Work with other taxing authorities in Edina need to work better to
achieve the plan. The city might become more active in pursuing
relationships with MnDOT (arterial trails and lids), Hennepin County (turn
backs, library site), Watershed District (day-lighting creeks and storm
water ponds).
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Refocus Energy on Education as a Community Value:
Excellence in education is one of Edina’s strongest selling points. Make
education and learning a hallmark of any development, redevelopment,
and revitalization strategy. Provide opportunities for learning at each
node and along all modes.
Recreate the Community’s Industrial Areas:
The city’s industrial areas are showing signs of age. In recent times, non-
industrial uses are being approved to occupy industrial spaces. Industrial
uses are a major source of tax revenue where the demand for public
services is comparatively low.
This is about not starting over… we don’t want to get rid of what we
have… we want to encourage innovation and evolution. Retaining
existing industrial uses, encouraging existing uses to stay, and attracting
new uses is the direction the city should establish.
Reclaim Unused Pieces of Bisecting Arterials:
Edina is a community that is divided into four quadrants by TH 100 and
TH 62. Use under-utilized roadway facilities as new bridges and decks
over these highways to reconnect the community.
Create Vital and Relevant Neighborhoods:
Renew Edina’s neighborhoods through thoughtful new introductions for
contemporary living that respects the fabric unique to each street and
block and so that the grain of how it happens is really critical—so street
and block are the scale, not neighborhood.
Reinforce Equity in the Practices and Actions of the Community
Edina should be a Fair, Inviting, and Equitable community. Efforts should
be made, when developing policies and goals and when implementing
programs and projects, to determine the implications on existing and
future Edina residents.
Questions to ask: Are city practices and actions exclusionary or
inclusionary? Do city practices and actions invite or discourage a diverse
population?
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Proposed Process for Incorporating Big Ideas in
the Comprehensive Plan
Community Engagement
Community engagement activities will be conducted throughout the
comprehensive planning process. These events can be divided into two
categories -- 1) events that will take place during three small area
planning studies and 2) events that will take place as the city-wide
comprehensive plan update is being prepared.
Small Area Planning Engagement Activities:
Each of the three small area planning processes will include direct and
close involvement with a Work Group and three community meetings.
Findings from Edina’s 2015 vision study will be reviewed for each small
area with Work Group members and community members at community
meetings. Community members will be asked to provide input on how
the city-wide vision applies to their particular small area.
In addition, the Big Ideas workshop activities will be explained, and
community members will be asked to contribute additional Big Ideas,
which will be added to the already existing list (see pages 15 through 20).
The three small area planning processes are anticipated to extend from
mid-May 2017 to mid-May 2018.
City-Wide Comprehensive Planning Update:
Work on the city-wide comprehensive plan update has already begun
with the consultant team working to update chapters of the 2008 plan in
areas where outreach and engagement are not required. For example,
the demographic analyses, which will be included in the Community
Character Chapter of the plan, have already been completed.
Outreach and engagement activities will begin in earnest in the spring of
2018. These activities will include pop-up events at locations where
community members gather; e.g., shopping venues and community
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festivals. Opportunities will be provided for community members to
contribute to the list of Big Ideas at these events.
Comprehensive Plan Task Force and Commissions
All information learned by the consulting team during its community
engagement activities will be brought to the Comprehensive Plan Task
Force (CPTF). In activities that are focused on an evaluation against
preliminary screening criteria , the CPTF will determine which of the Big
Ideas should be eliminated from further discussion and which should be
retained. Big Ideas that are retained will be defined and categorized to
match chapters of the comprehensive plan and brought to the attention
of the city’s respective commissions at their monthly meetings.
It is proposed that the CPTF members will then share information about
the list of retained Big Ideas with their respective commissions and
conduct a second screening (with their commissions) to determine how
the retained Big Ideas measure against established evaluation criteria.
Based on their performance, the commissions will help CPTF members by
letting them know which Big Ideas they can support as candidates for
inclusion in the comprehensive plan.
Following their meetings with their respective commissions, CPTF
members will participate in larger discussions at their monthly workshop
meeting with the comprehensive plan consultants. It is proposed that, at
this level, the CPTF members will jointly agree on the Big Ideas that
should be included in the plan.
The evaluation criteria for the preliminary evaluation should be taken
from the city’s mission and vision statements, city adopted goals, and the
strategic focus areas outlined in Vision Edina. The evaluation criteria for
the second evaluation should be taken from goals that have already been
developed by the commissions to guide and direct their work.
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The final discussion and decision to include or not include a Big Idea in
the comprehensive plan should consider a number of evaluation criteria,
including:
Affordability
Costs and benefits
Opportunity costs
Environmental consequences and impacts
Implementation feasibility
Public acceptance
2015 SYSTEM STATEMENT
System Statement Issue Date:
2015SYSTEM STATEMENT
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2015 SYSTEM STATEMENT FOR
CITY OF EDINA
September 17, 2015
Regional Development Plan Adoption
In May 2014, the Metropolitan Council adopted Thrive MSP 2040. Following adoption of Thrive, the Council adopted the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan, the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan, the 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan, and the 2040 Housing Policy Plan. The Metropolitan Council is now issuing system statements pursuant to State statute.
Receipt of this system statement and the metropolitan system plans triggers a community’s obligation to review and, as necessary, amend its comprehensive plan within the next three years, by the end of 2018. The complete text of Thrive MSP 2040 as well as complete copies of the recently adopted metropolitan system and policy plans are available for viewing and downloading at http://www.metrocouncil.org/Communities/Planning.aspx. Paper copies are available by calling the Council’s Data Center at 651-602-1140.
System Statement Definition
Metropolitan system plans are long-range comprehensive plans for the regional systems – transit, highways, and airports; wastewater services; and parks and open space – along with the capital budgets for metropolitan wastewater services, transportation, and regional recreation open space. System statements explain the implications of metropolitan system plans for each individual community in the metropolitan area. They are intended to help communities prepare or update their comprehensive plan, as required by the Metropolitan Land Planning Act:
Within nine months after receiving a system statement for an amendment to a metropolitan system plan, and within three years after receiving a system statement issued in conjunction
with the decennial review required under section 473.864, subdivision 2, each affected local
governmental unit shall review its comprehensive plan to determine if an amendment is
necessary to ensure continued conformity with metropolitan system plans. If an amendment is
necessary, the governmental unit shall prepare the amendment and submit it to the council
for review.
Local comprehensive plans, and amendments thereto, will be reviewed by the Council for conformance to metropolitan system plans, consistency with Council policies, and compatibility with adjacent and affected governmental units. Updated local comprehensive plans are due to the Council for review by December 31, 2018.
What is in this System Statement
The system statement includes information specific to your community, including:
your community designation or designation(s);
forecasted population, households, and employment through the year 2040; guidance on appropriate densities to ensure that regional services and costly regional infrastructure can be provided as efficiently as possible. affordable housing need allocation;
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In the following sections, this system statement contains an overview of each of the system plan updates and specific system changes that affect your community. The sections are:
Transportation, including metropolitan highways, aviation, and transit
Water Resources, including wastewater, surface water, and water supply planning
Regional parks and trails
Dispute Process
If your community disagrees with elements of this system statement, or has any questions about this system statement, please contact your Sector Representative, Michael Larson, at 651-602-1407, to review and discuss potential issues or concerns.
The Council and local government units and districts have usually resolved issues relating to the system statement through discussion.
Request for Hearing
If a local governmental unit and the Council are unable to resolve disagreements over the content of a system statement, the unit or district may, by resolution, request that a hearing be conducted by the Council’s Land Use Advisory Committee or by the State Office of Administrative Hearings for the purpose of considering amendments to the system statement. According to Minnesota Statutes section 473.857, the request shall be made by the local governmental unit or school district within 60 days after receipt of the system statement. If no request for a hearing is received by the Council within 60 days, the statement becomes final.
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Regional Development Guide
The Council adopted Thrive MSP 2040 as the new regional development guide on May 28, 2014. Thrive identifies five outcomes
that set the policy direction for the region’s system and policy plans. Building on our region’s history of effective stewardship of our resources, Thrive envisions a prosperous, equitable, and livable region that is sustainable for today and generations to come. The Council is directing its operations, plans, policies, programs, and resources toward achieving this shared long-term vision.
Three principles define the Council’s approach to implementing regional policy: integration, collaboration, and accountability. These principles reflect the Council’s roles in integrating policy areas, supporting local governments and regional partners, and promoting and implementing the regional vision. The principles define the Council’s approach to policy implementation and set expectations for how the Council interacts with local governments.
Thrive also outlines seven land use policies and community designations important for local comprehensive planning updates. The land use policies establish a series of commitments from the Council for local governments and uses community designations to shape development policies for
communities. Community designations group jurisdictions with similar characteristics based on Urban or Rural character for the application of regional policies. Together, the land use policies and community designations help to implement the region’s vision by setting expectations for development
density and the character of development throughout the region.
Community Designation Community designations group jurisdictions with similar characteristics for the application of regional policies. The Council uses community designations to guide regional growth and development; establish land use expectations including overall development densities and patterns; and outline the respective roles of the Council and individual communities, along with strategies for planning for forecasted growth. If there are discrepancies between the Thrive MSP 2040 Community Designations
Map and the Community Designation map contained herein because of adjustments and refinements that occurred subsequent to the adoption of Thrive, communities should follow the specific guidance contained in this System Statement.
Thrive identifies Edina with the community designation of Urban (Figure 1). Urban communities experienced rapid development during the post-World War II era, and exhibit the transition toward the development stage dominated by the influence of the automobile. Urban communities are expected to
plan for forecasted population and household growth at average densities of at least 10 units per acre for new development and redevelopment. In addition, Urban communities are expected to target opportunities for more intensive development near regional transit investments at densities and in a manner articulated in the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan.
Specific strategies for Urban communities can be found on Edina’s Community Page in the Local Planning Handbook.
Forecasts
The Council uses the forecasts developed as part of Thrive to plan for regional systems. Communities should base their planning work on these forecasts. Given the nature of long-range forecasts and the planning timeline undertaken by most communities, the Council will maintain on-going dialogue with
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communities to consider any changes in growth trends or community expectations about growth that may have an impact on regional systems.
The Thrive forecasts for population, households, and employment for your community are:
2010 (actual) 2014 (est.) 2020 2030 2040
Population 47,941 50,261 49,800 52,500 53,000 Households 20,672 21,645 22,000 23,800 24,500 Employment 47,457 49,082 51,800 54,000 56,100
Housing Policy The Council adopted the Housing Policy Plan on December 10, 2014, and amended the plan on July 8, 2015. The purpose of the plan is to provide leadership and guidance on regional housing needs and challenges and to support Thrive MSP 2040. The Housing Policy Plan provides an integrated policy framework to address housing challenges greater than any one city or county can tackle alone.
Consistent with state statute (Minn. Stat. 473.859, subd. 2(c) and subd. 4), communities must include a housing element and implementation program in their local comprehensive plans that address existing and projected housing needs.
The Council has also determined the regional need for low and moderate income housing for the
decade of 2021-2030 (see Part III and Appendix B in the Housing Policy Plan).
Edina’s share of the region’s need for low and moderate income housing is 878 new units affordable to households earning 80% of area median income (AMI) or below. Of these new units, the need is for
365 affordable to households earning at or below 30% of AMI, 234 affordable to households earning 31% to 50% of AMI, and 279 affordable to households earning 51% to 80% of AMI.
Affordable Housing Need Allocation for Edina
At or below 30% AMI 365 31 to 50% AMI 234
51 to 80% AMI 279 Total Units 878
Specific requirements for the housing element and housing implementation programs of local comprehensive plans can be found in the Local Planning Handbook.
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Figure 1. Edina Community Designation
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TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
STATEMENT
City of Edina
The 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) is the metropolitan system plan for highways, transit, and aviation to which local comprehensive plans must conform. This system statement summarizes significant changes to these three systems, as well as other changes made to the Transportation Policy Plan since the last 2030 TPP was adopted in 2010, and highlights those elements of the system plan that apply specifically to your community. The TPP incorporates the policy direction and the new 2040 socio economic forecasts adopted by the Metropolitan Council in the Thrive MSP 2040, and extends
the planning horizon from 2030 to 2040.
Federal Requirements The TPP must respond to requirements outlined in state statute, as well as federal law, such as some new requirements included in the federal law known as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). For instance, metropolitan transportation plans must now be performance based, so the TPP now includes goals, objectives, and strategies outlined in chapter 2. In previous versions of the TPP the strategies were known as policies; while some are new, the wording of many strategies are similar to the wording of policies in previous plans. Performance measurements for this plan are also discussed in Chapter 12, Federal Requirements.
Federal law requires the long range plan to identify regionally significant transportation investments
expected to be made over the next two decades, and to demonstrate that these planned investments can be afforded under the plan’s financial assumptions. Both costs and available revenues have changed since the last plan was adopted in 2010, resulting in many changes in the plan. Federal law
does allow the plan to provide a vision for how an increased level of transportation revenue might be spent if more resources become available, but the programs or projects identified in this scenario are not considered part of the approved plan.
The TPP includes two funding scenarios for the metropolitan highway and transit systems: the “Current Revenue Scenario” and the “Increased Revenue Scenario.”
The Current Revenue Scenario represents the fiscally constrained regional transportation plan, which assumes revenues that the region can reasonably expect to be available based on past experience and current laws and allocation formulas.
The Increased Revenue Scenario represents an illustration of what be achieved with a reasonable increase in revenues for transportation.
Under the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, local comprehensive plans are expected to conform to the Current Revenue Scenario, which is the official metropolitan system plan. Potential improvements in the Increased Revenue Scenario can be identified separately in local plans as unfunded proposals. A more detailed description of how to handle the various improvements in this category is included under Other Plan Considerations.
In addition to reviewing this system statement, your community should consult the entire 2040
Transportation Policy Plan to ensure that your community’s local comprehensive plan and plan amendments conform to the metropolitan transportation system plan. Chapter 3, Land Use and Local Planning, has been expanded and all communities should carefully review this chapter. A PDF file of
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the entire 2040 Transportation Policy Plan can be found at the Metropolitan Council’s website: http://www.metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Planning-2/Key-Transportation-Planning-
Documents/Transportation-Policy-Plan-(1)/The-Adopted-2040-TPP-(1).aspx. The format of the plan is slightly different than past Transportation Policy Plans. An introductory Overview, Chapter 1: Existing System and Chapter 10: Equity and Environmental Justice have been added to this version of the TPP, in addition to the changes noted in the first paragraph. Please note some modifications have been made to the appendices as well.
Key Changes in the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan
Adopted by the Metropolitan Council in January 2015, the revised 2040 Transportation Policy Plan incorporates the following changes:
Metropolitan Highway System - Chapter 5 The Metropolitan Highway System is made up of principal arterials, shown in Fig 1-1 of the TPP and also attached to this system statement. Although no new highways have been added to this system in
the 2040 TPP, the last incomplete segment of this system, TH 610, is now under construction in Maple Grove.
The TPP acknowledges that congestion cannot be eliminated or greatly reduced. The region’s mobility efforts will need to focus on managing congestion and working to provide alternatives. The majority of resources available between now and 2040 will be needed for preservation,
management and operation of the existing highway system.
Due to increased costs and decreased revenue expectations, many long-planned major projects
to add general purpose highway lanes are not in this fiscally constrained plan. While the preservation, safety, and mobility needs of these corridors are recognized, investments in these corridors will be focused on implementing traffic management strategies, lower cost-high benefit spot mobility improvements, and implementing MnPASS lanes. Some specific projects have been identified in this plan, but funding has primarily been allocated into various investment categories rather than specific projects. The highway projects specifically identified in the Current Revenue Scenario are shown in Figure 5-8 of the TPP which is also attached to this system statement.
Modifications were made to Appendix D - Functional Classification Criteria, and Appendix F –
Highway Interchange Requests. Appendix C – Project List is new and contains all of the transit and highway projects that have been identified between 2014 and 2023.
Transit System - Chapter 6
The transit system plan provides an overview of the basic components of transit planning, including demographic factors, transit route and network design factors and urban design factors that support transit usage. Local governments have the primary responsibility for planning transit-supportive land use, through their comprehensive planning, and subdivision and zoning ordinances.
The TPP includes updated Transit Market Areas (shown in TPP Figure 6-3, also attached) which
reflect 2010 Census information and an updated methodology that better aligns types and levels of transit service to expected demand. These market areas identify the types of transit services that are provided within each area.
The TPP includes limited capital funding for transit expansion and modernization. Opportunities primarily exist through competitive grant programs such as the regional solicitation for US DOT
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funding. These opportunities are guided by the strategies in the TPP and the various elements of the Transit Investment Plan.
The TPP includes an updated transitway system plan that more clearly articulates which projects can be funded within reasonable revenue expectations through year 2040 (Current Revenue
Scenario as shown in TPP Figure 6-8, which is also attached). The plan includes five new or expanded METRO lines, three new arterial bus rapid transit lines, and three corridors under study for mode and alignment but identified in the Counties Transit Improvement Board’s (CTIB) Phase I Program of Projects. This system was developed in collaboration with CTIB, a major partner in regional transitway expansion.
The TPP does not include operating funding for transit service expansion beyond the existing network of regular route bus, general public dial-a-ride, and Metro Vanpool.
The Increased Revenue Scenario (shown TPP Figure 6-9, which is also attached) illustrates the level of expansion for the bus and support system and transitway system that might be reasonable if additional revenues were made available to accelerate construction of the transitway vision for the region.
The plan includes updated requirements and considerations for land use planning around the region’s transit system. This includes new residential density standards for areas near major regional transit investments and an increased emphasis on proactive land use planning in coordination with the planning of the transit system.
Aviation System - Chapter 9
The Metropolitan Aviation System is comprised of nine airports (shown in Figure 1-9 of the TPP and also attached to this system statement) and off-airport navigational aids. There are no new airports or navigational aids that have been added to the system in the 2040 TPP.
The TPP discusses the regional airport classification system as well as providing an overview of roles and responsibilities in aviation for our regional and national partners. The investment plan in
includes an overview of funding sources for projects, and an overview of projects proposed for the local airports that will maintain and enhance the regional airport system.
Modifications were made to Appendix I – Regional Airspace, Appendix J – Metropolitan Airports
Commission Capital Investment Review Process, Appendix K – Airport Long Term Comprehensive Plans and Appendix L – Aviation Land Use Compatibility.
Other Plan Changes
Regional Bicycle Transportation Network - Chapter 7 The 2040 TPP encourages the use of bicycles as a mode of transportation. To that end, the TPP establishes for the first time a Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN). The goal of the RBTN is to establish an integrated seamless network of on-street bikeways and off-road trails that complement each other to most effectively improve conditions for bicycle transportation at the regional level. Cities, counties, and parks agencies are encouraged to plan for and implement future bikeways within and along these designated corridors and alignments to support the RBTN vision.
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Freight - Chapter 8 Most aspects of freight movement are controlled by the private sector, so unlike other sections of the
TPP, there is not a specific plan adopted for future public sector investment in freight facilities. However, the discussion of the need for a safe and efficient multimodal freight system has been updated and expanded in the TPP to recognize challenges and opportunities for freight movement as
well as the future direction of freight by mode. It acknowledges the closure of the Minneapolis Upper Harbor in 2015, leaving St Paul and Shakopee as the region’s major barge terminal areas in the future. The plan also acknowledges the increase of trains since 2010 carrying oil from North Dakota on BNSF
and CP rail tracks, which is expected to continue into the future. Although railroad trackage in the region was significantly decreased over the last 20 years to “right size” the system after federal deregulation, communities should not expect much additional rail abandonment. Many tracks that appear to be seldom used are owned by the smaller Class III railroads that serve local businesses by providing direct rail connections from manufacturing and warehousing/distribution facilities to the major national railroads. The major Class I railroads are approaching capacity and actually adding tracks in some locations.
System Plan Considerations Affecting Your Community
Edina should consult the complete 2040 Transportation Policy Plan in preparing its local comprehensive plan. In addition, Edina should consult Thrive MSP 2040 and the current version of the
Metropolitan Council’s Local Planning Handbook for specific information needed in its comprehensive plan. Specific system plan considerations affecting Edina are detailed below.
Metropolitan Highways
There are several principal arterials located within Edina: I-494, TH 169, TH 100, and TH 62. The TPP
does not identify any specific regional mobility improvements on these highways, although maintenance and preservation investments will be made on all highways.
Transit System
Edina includes the following Transit Market Areas:
Transit Market Area Market Area Description and Typical Transit Services
Market Area II Transit Market Area II has high to moderately high population and employment densities and typically has a traditional street grid comparable to Market Area I. Much of Market Area II is also categorized as an Urban Center and it can support many of the same types of fixed-route transit as Market Area I, although usually
at lower frequencies or shorter service spans.
Market Area III Transit Market Area III has moderate density but tends to have a less traditional street grid that can limit the effectiveness of transit. It is typically Urban with large portions of Suburban and Suburban Edge communities. Transit service in this area is primarily commuter express bus service with some fixed-route local service providing basic coverage. General public dial-a-ride services are available where fixed-route service is not viable.
Edina should identify and map existing transit services and facilities in the local comprehensive plan.
Edina should also work with transit providers serving their community to identify potential future transit service options and facilities that are consistent with the TPP and the applicable Transit Market Areas. Communities can find further maps and guidance for transit planning in the Transportation section of
the Local Planning Handbook.
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Transitways
Current Revenue Scenario Transitways
Edina should acknowledge in your local comprehensive plan the transitway investments planned for your community in the Current Revenue Scenario (TPP Figure 6-8) as the community may be impacted by the Green Line Extension with a mode and alignment adopted in the TPP.
Edina should also identify potential stations along planned transitways (once identified) and adopt guiding land use policies, station-area plans, and associated zoning, infrastructure, and implementation tools that support future growth around transit stations consistent with Chapter 3 - Land Use and Local Planning from the TPP and consistent with the project phase of development. Communities can find further guidance for station-area planning in the Transportation section of the Local Planning Handbook and the Transit Oriented Development Guide. The Transportation section of the Local Planning
Handbook also includes a map of existing, planned, and proposed transitway stations throughout the region and the planning status of these stations that should be reflected in Comprehensive Plans.
Increased Revenue Scenario Transitways
The TPP Increased Revenue Scenario shows additional transitway corridors beyond the scope of the plan’s adopted and fiscally constrained Transit Investment Plan (the Current Revenue Scenario). These corridors are listed on page 6.63 of the TPP, and TPP Figure 6-9, which is attached, shows the
complete transitway vision for the region.
If Edina believes it might be directly impacted by transitways in the Increased Revenue Scenario (for example, because they are participating in transitway corridor studies or feasibility analyses), the
transitways may be acknowledged in the Comprehensive Plan. These additional corridors are or will be under study for mode and alignment recommendations, but they are not included in fiscally constrained plan. However, they should be clearly identified as not funded within the currently expected resources
for transitways. The Council recognizes the important planning work that goes into a corridor prior to it becoming part of the region’s Transit Investment Plan, especially if increased revenues were to become available.
Similar to Current Revenue Scenario Transitways, communities should identify known potential stations along planned transitways and consider guiding land use policies, station area plans, and associated zoning, infrastructure, and implementation tools that support future growth around transit stations. These policies can also influence station siting in initial planning phases of transitway corridors and influence the competitiveness of a transitway for funding. Communities can find further guidance for station area planning in the Transportation section of the Local Planning Handbook and the Transit
Oriented Development Guide.
Aviation
All communities must include an aviation element in the transportation sections of their comprehensive plans. The degree of aviation planning and development considerations that need to be included in the comprehensive plan varies by community. Even those communities not impacted directly by an airport have a responsibility to include airspace protection in their comprehensive plan. The protection element should include potential hazards to air navigation including electronic interference.
Edina is within the influence area of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The long term comprehensive plan (LTCP) for this airport shown in Appendix K of the 2040 TPP has not changed from the LTCP included in the 2030 TPP adopted by the Metropolitan Council in 2010. However, updated LTCP’s are anticipated prior to 2018. Communities influenced by this airport should review the LTCP to assure that the updated comprehensive plan developed by the community remains consistent
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with the airport plans. Consult the Local Planning Handbook for specific comprehensive planning requirements and considerations such as airport zoning, noise and other environmental mitigation,
airport development and economic impacts, ground access needs, infrastructure requirements, and general land use compatibility.
Other Plan Considerations
Regional Bicycle Transportation Network
TPP Figure 7-1 shows the RBTN as established for the first time in the 2040 TPP. The network consists
of a series of prioritized Tier 1 and Tier 2 corridors and dedicated alignments (routes). The process used to develop the RBTN, as well as the general principles and analysis factors used in its development, can be found in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Chapter of the TPP.
The RBTN corridors and alignments make up the “trunk arterials” of the overall system of bikeways that connect to regional employment and activity centers. These are not intended to be the only bicycle facilities in the region, and local units should also consider planning for any additional bike facilities
desired by their communities. RBTN corridors are shown where more specific alignments within those corridors have not yet been designated, so local governments are encouraged to use their comprehensive planning process to identify suitable alignments within the RBTN corridors for future incorporation into the TPP.
In addition, agencies should plan their local on and off-road bikeway networks to connect to the designated Tier 1 and Tier 2 alignments, as well as any new network alignments within RBTN corridors to be proposed in local comprehensive plans. Bikeway projects that complete segments of, or connect to, the RBTN are given priority for federal transportation funds through the Transportation Advisory Board’s biannual regional solicitation.
Figure 7-1 shows that your community currently has one or more RBTN corridors and alignments within its jurisdiction. The Council encourages local governments to incorporate the RBTN map within their
local bicycle plan maps to show how the local and regional systems are planned to work together. An on-line interactive RBTN map, which allows communities to view the RBTN links in their community at a much more detailed scale than Figure 7-1, can be found in the Transportation section of the Local
Planning Handbook. The handbook also includes best practices, references, and guidance for all local bicycle planning.
A Minor System / Functional Classification
The TPP has always recognized the A minor arterial system as an important supplement to the regional highway system, and the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) continues to maintain the official regional map of these roads. The 2040 TPP does include an updated functional classification map (Fig.
1-2 in Chapter 1) and a modified Appendix D - Functional Classification Criteria. Communities should consult the Local Plan Handbook for more information on functional classification, how to reflect the A minor arterial system in their plan, and how to request functional classification changes if necessary.
Freight
The Council encourages all local governments to plan for freight movement in their communities. Trucks are the major mode of freight movement in the region and across the nation to distribute consumer goods as well as move manufactured goods and commodities, and they operate in every
community. Communities with special freight facilities shown on TPP Figure 8-1, Metropolitan Freight System, (attached) should also include those additional modes and facilities in their local plan, and plan for compatible adjacent land uses.
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Figure 1-1 of the TPP
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Figure 1-2 of the TPP
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Figure 5-8 of the TPP
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Figure 6-3 of the TPP
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Figure 6-8 of the TPP
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Figure 6-9 of the TPP
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Figure 7-1 of the TPP
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Figure 8-1 of the TPP
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Figure 9-1 of the TPP
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WATER RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS/
WASTEWATER SYSTEM STATEMENT
City of Edina
The 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan includes policies and strategies to achieve the following goal:
To protect, conserve, and utilize the region’s groundwater and surface water in ways that protect
public health, support economical growth and development, maintain habitat and ecosystem health, and provide for recreational opportunities, which are essential to our region’s quality of life. The Policy Plan takes an integrated approach to water supply, water quality, and wastewater issues.
This approach moves beyond managing wastewater and stormwater only to meet regulatory requirements by viewing wastewater and stormwater as resources, with the goal of protecting the quantity and quality of water our region needs now and for future generations. The Policy Plan includes policies and strategies to:
Maximize regional benefits from regional investments in the areas of wastewater, water supply and surface water.
Pursue reuse of wastewater and stormwater to offset demands on groundwater supplies.
Promote greater collaboration, financial support, and technical support in working with partners to address wastewater, water quality, water quantity and water supply issues.
Implement environmental stewardship in operating the regional wastewater system by reusing wastewater, reducing energy use and air pollutant emissions, and reducing, reusing, and recycling solid waste.
Key Concepts in the 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan
Adopted by the Metropolitan Council in May 2015, the 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan is the metropolitan system plan for metropolitan wastewater services with which local comprehensive plans
must conform. The Policy Plan incorporates the following changes:
Centers on and around an integrated approach to water supply, wastewater, and surface water
planning.
Promotes the investigation of the issues and challenges in furthering our work in water conservation,
wastewater and stormwater reuse, and low impact development practices in order to promote a more sustainable region.
Promotes the concept of sustainable water resources where, through collaboration and cooperation, the region will take steps to manage its water resources in a sustainable way aimed at: o Providing an adequate water supply for the region
o Promoting and implementing best management practices that protect the quality and quantity of our resources o Providing efficient and cost effective wastewater services to the region
o Efficiently addressing nonpoint and point sources pollution issues and solutions, and, o Assessing and monitoring lakes, rivers, and streams so that we can adequately manage, protect, and restore our valued resources.
Continues the Council’s position that communities that permit the construction and operation of subsurface sewage treatment systems and other private wastewater treatment systems are
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responsible for ensuring that these systems are installed, maintained, managed and regulated consistent with Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080-7083.
Includes requirements in Appendix C for comprehensive sewer plans, local water plans, and local water supply plans.
Establishes inflow and infiltration goals for all communities served by the regional wastewater system and requires all communities to include their inflow and infiltration mitigation programs in
their comprehensive sewer plan.
Works with the State to attempt to (1) make funds available for inflow and infiltration mitigation, and
(2) promote statutes, rules, and regulations to encourage I/I mitigation.
Edina should consult the complete Policy Plan in preparing its local comprehensive plan. In addition, Edina should consult Thrive MSP 2040 and the Local Planning Handbook for specific information needed in its comprehensive plan.
System Plan Considerations Affecting Your Community
Metropolitan Sewer Service
Under state law (Minn. Stat. 473.513) local governments are required to submit both a wastewater plan
element to their comprehensive plan as well as a comprehensive sewer plan describing service needs from the Council. Specific requirements for the sewer element of your comprehensive plan can be found in the Water Resources section of the Local Planning Handbook.
Forecasts The forecasts of population, households, employment, and wastewater flows for Edina as contained in the adopted 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan can be found
at: http://www.metrocouncil.org/Wastewater-Water/Planning/2040-Water-Resources-Policy-Plan.aspx and on your Community Page in the Local Planning Handbook. These forecasts are for sewered development. The sewered housing forecasts were estimated using SAC data, annual city reports,
current trends, existing and future local wastewater service areas and other information relating to your community. The wastewater flows are based on historical wastewater flow data, future projected wastewater generation rates, and the projected sewered population and employment data.
The Council will use these growth and wastewater flow forecasts to plan future interceptor and treatment works improvements needed to serve your community. The Council will not design future interceptor improvements or treatment facilities to handle peak hourly flows in excess of the allowable rate for your community. Edina, through its comprehensive planning process, must decide the location and staging of development, and then plan and design its local wastewater collection system to serve this development. The Council will use its judgment as to where to assign growth within your community to determine regional system capacity adequacy. If Edina wishes to identify specific areas within the community to concentrate its growth, it should do so within its Comprehensive Sewer Plan.
You should also note that urban development at overall densities that are substantially lower than those identified for your community in the Community Designation Section of this Systems Statement will also be analyzed by the Council for their potential adverse effects on the cost of providing metropolitan sewer service.
Description of the Metropolitan Disposal System Serving Your Community Figure 1 shows the location of the Metropolitan Disposal System (MDS) serving your community. Wastewater flow from Edina is treated at the Metropolitan and Seneca WWTP’s.
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Description of the Regional Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) Program The 2040 Water Resources Policy Plan states that the Council will establish I/I goals for all
communities discharging wastewater to the MDS. Communities that have excessive I/I in their sanitary sewer systems will be required to eliminate excessive I/I. The Council will continue the implementation of its on-going I/I reduction program. Communities identified through the program as needing to
eliminate excessive I/I will be required to submit a work plan that details work activities to identify and eliminate sources of I/I. The Council can limit increases in service within those communities having excess I/I that do not demonstrate progress in reducing their excess I/I. The Council will meet with the
community and discuss this alternative before it is implemented.
It is required that those communities that have been identified as contributors of excessive I/I, and that have not already addressed private property sources, do so as part of their I/I program. Significant work has been accomplished on the public infrastructure portion of the wastewater system. The Council will pursue making funds available through the State for I/I mitigation, and promote statutes, rules and regulations to encourage I/I mitigation.
Management of Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) and Private
Systems
The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires the sewer element of the local comprehensive plan to describe the standards and conditions under which the installation of subsurface sewage treatment systems and other private wastewater treatment systems will be permitted and to the extent
practicable, the areas not suitable for public or private systems.
The appropriate density for development with subsurface sewage treatment systems depends on the suitability of the soils to treat wastewater and whether space is available for a primary and back up
drainfield. It is the Council’s position that all municipalities and counties allowing subsurface sewage treatment systems should incorporate current MPCA regulations (Minn. Rules Chapter 7080-7083) as part of a program for managing subsurface sewage treatment systems in the sewer element of their local comprehensive plan and implement the standards in issuing permits.
Edina should adopt a management program consistent with state rules. An overview of Edina’s management program must be included in the community’s local comprehensive plan update. If adequate information on the management program is not included; the comprehensive plan will be found incomplete for review until the required information is provided to the Council. Specific requirements for the local comprehensive plan can be found in the Local Planning Handbook.
Small private treatment plants are located throughout the Metropolitan Area serving such developments as individual industries, mobile home parks, and other urban type uses. The Council’s position is that
such private wastewater treatment plants should be permitted only if they are in areas not programmed for metropolitan sewer service in the future and they are provided for in a community’s comprehensive plan that the Council has approved. Furthermore, the community is responsible for permitting all
community or cluster wastewater treatment systems consistent with Minnesota Rules Chapter 7080-7083 and MPCA standards. The Council will not provide financial support to assist communities if these systems fail.
Edina should include in the sewer element of its local comprehensive plan the conditions under which private treatment plants or municipal treatments would be allowed, and include appropriate management techniques sufficiently detailed to ensure that the facilities conform to permit conditions. Edina is responsible for ensuring that permit conditions for private treatment plants are met and financial resources to manage these facilities are available.
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Surface Water Management In 1995, Minnesota Statutes Section 473.859, subd. 2 was amended to make the local water plan (often referred to as local surface water management plans) required by section 103B. 235 a part of the
land use plan of the local comprehensive plan. Minnesota Rules Chapter 8410, updated in July of 2015, includes the requirements for local water management plans. The main change that you need to be aware of is that all communities in the metropolitan area must update their local water plan between
January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. This means that Edina must update its local water plan as part of the comprehensive plan update. The community’s updated local water plan should be submitted to the Council for its review concurrent with the review by the Watershed Management Organization(s) within whose watershed(s) the community is located. Failure to have an updated local water plan will result in the comprehensive plan being found incomplete for review until the required plan is provided to the Council.
Local water plans must meet the requirements for local water plans in Minnesota Statutes, section 103B.235 and Minnesota Rules Chapter 8410. In general, local surface water plans need to include a summary of the priorities and problems in the community; structural, nonstructural and programmatic actions to take to address the priorities and problems; and clearly identified funding mechanisms to fix the problems.
More detailed guidance for the local water plans can be found in Appendix C of the Council’s 2040
Water Resources Policy Plan and in the Council’s current Local Planning Handbook.
In addition, the Council has also updated its priority lake list that was first developed in the 1980s as
part of the Water Resources Policy Plan update. Figure 2 shows the priority lakes for Edina. The Council uses the priority lake list to focus its limited resources. The list is also used in the environmental review process. Where a proposed development may impact a priority lake, the project proposer must
complete a nutrient budget analysis for the lake as part of the environmental review process.
Also included on Figure 2 is the watershed organization(s) that Edina is part of and a list of impaired waters in the community for use in development of your local water plans.
Other Plan Considerations
Water Supply
Local comprehensive plans also address water supply (Minn. Stat., Sec. 473.859). For communities in the metropolitan area with municipal water supply systems, this local comprehensive plan requirement is met by completing the local water supply plan template, which was jointly developed by the
Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource (DNR).
FOR COMMUNITIES WHO OWN/OPERATE A PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM:
Because your community owns/operates a municipal community public water supply system (PWS),
the local water supply plan must be updated as part of the local comprehensive plan (Minn. Stat., Sec. 103G.291).
The updated local water supply plan should include information about your community along
with information about any neighboring communities served by your system.
You should update your local water supply plan upon notification by DNR. Local water supply plan due dates will be staggered between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. Your updated local water
supply plan should be submitted to the DNR. DNR will share the plan with the Council, and it will be
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reviewed concurrently by both agencies. This schedule allows the local water supply plans to be completed and included in the local comprehensive plan.
Failure to have an updated local water plan will result in the comprehensive plan being found incomplete for review until the required plan is provided to the Council.
The water supply plan template fulfills multiple statutory obligations including:
Minn. Stat., Sec. 103G.291 to complete a water supply plan including demand reduction
Minn. Stat., Sec. 473.859 to address water supply in local comprehensive plans
Minn. Administrative Rules 4720.5280 to address contingency planning for water supply
interruption
The plan must be officially adopted by your community, and if applicable the utility board, as part of the local comprehensive plan.
At a minimum, the updated local water supply plan must use the joint DNR and Metropolitan Council template and include water demand projections that are consistent with the community’s population forecast provided in the introductory section of this system statement. Potential water supply issues should be acknowledged, monitoring and conservation programs should be developed, and approaches to resolve any issues should be identified.
Guidance and information for water supply planning can be found in the Appendix C of the 2040 Water
Resources Policy Plan, the Local Planning Handbook, and the Council’s Master Water Supply Plan.
The Council’s Master Water Supply Plan provides communities in the region with planning assistance for water supply in a way that:
Recognizes local control and responsibility for owning, maintaining and operating water systems Is developed in cooperation and consultation with municipal water suppliers, regional stakeholders and state agencies
Protects critical habitat and water resources over the long term
Meets regional needs for a reliable, secure water supply
Highlights the benefits of integrated planning for stormwater, wastewater and water supply
Emphasizes and supports conservation and inter-jurisdictional cooperation
Provides clear guidance by identifying key challenges/issues/considerations in the region and available approaches without dictating solutions
Figures 3-5 illustrate some water supply considerations that the community may consider as they develop their local water supply plans, such as: aquifer water levels, groundwater and surface water interactions, areas where aquifer tests or monitoring may be needed to reduce uncertainty, regulatory and management areas, and emergency interconnections.
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Figure 1. MCES Sanitary Sewer Meter Service Areas
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Figure 2. Surface Water Resources
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Figure 3. Surface water features and interaction with the regional groundwater system, and state-protected surface water features
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Figure 4. Availability of MN Department of Natural Resources groundwater level and MN Department of Health aquifer test data
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Figure 5. Municipal public water supply system interconnections and regulatory management areas
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REGIONAL PARKS SYSTEM
STATEMENT
City of Edina
The Regional Parks System includes 62 regional parks, park reserves, and special recreation features,
plus more than 340 miles of regional trails that showcase the unique landscapes of the region and
provide year-round recreation. The Regional Parks System is well-loved by our region’s residents and
attracted over 48 million annual visits in 2014.
The organizational structure of the Regional Parks System is unique, built upon a strong partnership
between the Council and the ten regional park implementing agencies that own and operate Regional
Parks System units. The regional park implementing agencies are:
Anoka County Ramsey County
City of Bloomington City of Saint Paul
Carver County Scott County
Dakota County Three Rivers Park District
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Washington County
The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan was developed based on furthering the Thrive MSP 2040
outcomes of Stewardship, Prosperity, Equity, Livability, and Sustainability. Thrive MSP 2040 states that
the Council will collaborate with the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, the regional park
agencies, and state partners to:
Expand the Regional Parks System to conserve, maintain, and connect natural resources
identified as being of high quality or having regional importance, as identified in the 2040
Regional Parks Policy Plan.
Provide a comprehensive regional park and trail system that preserves high-quality natural
resources, increases climate resiliency, fosters healthy outcomes, connects communities, and
enhances quality of life in the region.
Promote expanded multimodal access to regional parks, regional trails, and the transit network,
where appropriate.
Strengthen equitable usage of regional parks and trails by all our region’s residents, such as
across age, race, ethnicity, income, national origin, and ability.
Key Concepts in the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan
The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan includes the following policies, each with specific associated
strategies:
Recreation Activities and Facilities Policy: Provide a regional system of recreation
opportunities for all residents, while maintaining the integrity of the natural resource base within
the Regional Parks System.
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Siting and Acquisition Policy: Identify lands with high-quality natural resources that are
desirable for Regional Parks System activities and put these lands in a protected status so they
will be available for recreational uses and conservation purposes in perpetuity.
Planning Policy: Promote master planning and help provide integrated resource planning
across jurisdictions.
Finance Policy: Provide adequate and equitable funding for the Regional Parks System units
and facilities in a manner that provides the greatest possible benefits to the people of the region.
System Protection Policy: Protect public investment in acquisition and development by
assuring that every component in the system is able to fully carry out its designated role as long
as a need for it can be demonstrated.
The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan is the metropolitan system plan for regional recreation open
space with which local comprehensive plans must conform. This system statement highlights the
elements of the system plan which apply specifically to your community. Find the complete text of the
2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan on the Council’s website.
2040 Regional Parks System Facilities The Regional Parks System is comprised of four main types of facilities: regional parks, park reserves,
special recreation features and regional trails.
Regional Parks
Regional parks most notably contain a diversity of nature-based resources, either naturally occurring or
human-built, and are typically 200-500 acres in size. Regional parks accommodate a variety of passive
recreation activities.
Park Reserves Park reserves, like regional parks, provide for a diversity of outdoor recreation activities. One major
feature that distinguishes a park reserve from a regional park is its size. The minimum size for a park
reserve is 1,000 acres. An additional characteristic of park reserves is that up to 20 percent of the park
reserve can be developed for recreational use, with at least 80 percent of the park reserve to be
managed as natural lands that protect the ecological functions of the native landscape.
Special Recreation Features
Special recreation features are defined as Regional Parks System opportunities not generally found in
the regional parks, park reserves or trail corridors. Special recreation features often require a unique
managing or programming effort.
Regional Trails Regional trails are classified as 1) destination or greenway trails and 2) linking trails. Destination or
greenway trails typically follow along routes with high-quality natural resources that make the trail itself
a destination. Linking trails are predominately intended to provide connections between various
Regional Parks System facilities, most notably regional parks or park reserves.
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2040 Regional Parks System Components The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan identifies six components which together comprise the vision for
the Regional Parks System in 2040, as described below.
Existing Regional Parks System Facilities: include Regional Parks System Facilities that are
open for public use. These facilities include land that is owned by regional park implementing agencies,
and may include inholding parcels within the boundaries of these parks and trail corridors that have not
yet been acquired. Existing regional trails may include planned segments that will be developed in the
future.
Planned Regional Parks System Facilities (not yet open to the public): include Regional
Parks System Facilities that have a Council-approved master plan and may be in stages of acquisition
and development, but are not yet open for public use.
Regional Parks System Boundary Adjustments: include general areas identified as potential
additions to existing Regional Parks System Facilities to add recreational opportunities or protect
natural resources. Specific adjustments to park or trail corridor boundaries have not yet been planned.
Regional Park Search Areas: include general areas for future regional parks to meet the
recreational needs of the region by 2040 where the regional park boundary has not yet been planned.
Regional Trail Search Corridors: include proposed regional trails to provide connections between
Regional Parks System facilities where the trail alignment has not yet been planned.
2040 Regional Trail Search Corridor System Additions: include regional trail search corridors
that were added to the Regional Parks System as part of the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan.
Key Changes in the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan
Adopted by the Metropolitan Council in February 2015, the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan
incorporates the following changes:
Identify all proposed regional trails as regional trail search corridors All proposed regional trails that are not yet open to the public and do not have a Metropolitan Council
approved master plan are represented as a general regional trail search corridor. The 2030 Regional
Parks Policy Plan depicted these trails with a proposed alignment. The alignment of these regional
trails will be determined in the future through a planning process led by the regional park implementing
agency. The alignment of these trails is subject to Metropolitan Council approval of a regional trail
master plan.
Acquire and develop ten new regional trails or trail extensions to meet the needs of the
region in 2040. The 2040 Regional Trail Search Corridor Additions include:
Carver County:
County Road 61
Highway 41
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Three Rivers Park District:
CP Rail Extension
Dakota Rail Extension
Lake Independence Extension
Lake Sarah Extension
Minnetrista Extension
North-South 1
North-South 2
West Mississippi River
The 2040 Regional Parks System Plan Map is depicted in Figure 1. Edina should consult the
complete 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan in preparing its local comprehensive plan. In addition, Edina
should consult Thrive MSP 2040 and the current version of the Metropolitan Council’s Local Planning
Handbook for specific information needed in its comprehensive plan.
System Plan Considerations Affecting Your Community
Regional Parks System Components in your community The following Regional Parks System Components within Edina as identified in the 2040 Regional
Parks Policy Plan are listed below.
Regional Trails
Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail: This is an existing regional trail that is open to the public. The regional trail travels through Hopkins, Edina, Richfield and Bloomington as it connects Minnesota River Bluffs LRT Regional Trail, South Hennepin West and South Hennepin East (CP Rail) Regional Trail Search Corridors, Intercity Regional Trail, and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The regional trail alignment as shown in Figure 2 should be acknowledged in the comprehensive plan.
South Hennepin West (CP Rail) Regional Trail Search Corridor: The regional trail search corridor
travels through Bloomington, Edina, St. Louis Park, and Golden Valley as it connects South Hennepin East Regional Trail Search Corridor, Hyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve, Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail, Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail, North Cedar Lake Regional Trail and Luce Line
Regional Trail. The trail will follow existing railroad grades. The railroad is still in active use so planning for the conversion to a regional trail is on hold pending a change in status of the active railroad operations. Three Rivers Park District will lead a planning process in the future to determine the
alignment of the regional trail. When preparing its comprehensive plan, Edina should verify whether a master plan has been approved by the Metropolitan Council. If a master plan has been approved, the planned regional trail alignment should be acknowledged in the comprehensive plan. Otherwise, the
general search corridor as shown in Figure 2 should be acknowledged in the comprehensive plan.
Please contact Three Rivers Park District for more information regarding Regional Parks System Components in Edina.
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Figure 1. 2040 Regional Parks System Plan Map
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Figure 2. Regional Parks System Facilities in and adjacent to Edina
Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
Table of Contents
10.1 Introduction – Edina’s History of Environmental Action. 3
10. 2. Climate Change and Global Warming. 6
10.2.1. Introduction and Current Conditions – Climate Change and Global Warming. 6
10.2.2. Trends and Challenges – Climate Change and Global Warming. 6
10.2.3. Goals and Policies - Climate Change and Global Warming. 9
10.2.4. Implementation – Climate Change and Global Warming. 10
10.3 Energy 10
10.3.1 Introduction - Energy 10
10.3.2 Current Conditions - Energy 11
10.3.3 Trends and Challenges – Energy 12
10.3.4 Goals and Policies – Energy 13
10.3.5 Implementation – Energy 13
10.4 Solar Protection 14
10.4.1 Introduction - Solar Protection 14
10.4.2 Current Conditions - Solar Protection 14
10.4.3 Trends and Challenges - Solar Protection 15
10.4.4 Goals and Policies - Solar Protection 15
10.4.5 - Implementation Solar Protection 15
10.5 Residential Energy Consumption 16
10.5.1 Introduction - Residential Energy Consumption 16
10.5.2 Current Conditions - Residential Energy Consumption 16
10.5.3 Trends and Challenges - Residential Energy Consumption 17
10.5.4 Goals and Policies - Residential Energy Consumption 17
10.5.5 Implementation - Residential Energy Consumption 18
10.6 Commercial and Industrial Energy Consumption 18
10.6.1 - Introduction Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption 18
10.6.2 Current Conditions - Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption 18
10.6.3 Trends and Challenges - Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption 18
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
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10.6.4 Goals and Policies - Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption 19
10.6.5 Implementation - Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption 19
10.7 City Energy Consumption 19
10.7.1 Introduction - City Energy Consumption 19
10.7.2 Current Conditions - City Energy Consumption 20
10.7.3 Trends and Challenges - City Energy Consumption 20
10.7.4 Goals and Policies - City Energy Consumption 20
10.7.5. Implementation – City Energy Consumption 21
10.8 Waste 21
10.8.1 Introduction - Waste 21
10.8.2 Current Conditions - Waste 22
10.8.3 Trends and Challenges – Waste 23
10.8.4 Goals and Policies – Waste 25
10.8.5 Implementation - Waste 26
10.10 Air 27
10.10.1 Introduction - Air 27
10.10.2 Current Conditions - Outdoor Air Quality 27
10.10.2.1 Current Conditions - Indoor Air Quality 28
10. 10.3 Trends and Challenges - Air 28
10.10.4 Goals and Policies - Air 29
10.10.5 Implementation - Air 29
10.11.1 References 30
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
10.1 Introduction – Edina’s History of
Environmental Action.
From the early 1970s, when recycling was still a novel idea and environmental programs were first being established, to the present, as the City takes on the
challenges of global warming and energy policy, Edina has sought to be in the
forefront on environmental and natural resource issues. This Chapter 10 identifies the City’s goals, policies, and objectives in the following areas:
Climate Change and Global Warming
Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency
Recycling and Solid Waste Management
Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality The following environmental topics are covered in other chapters of this plan:
Land Use and Community Design - See Chapter 4
Transportation – See Chapter 7
Water Quality and Water Resource Management—See Chapter 8.
Urban Forest, Parks, and Open Space - See Chapter 9
Noise – See Section 11.4
History of the Energy and Environment Commission
In 1971 the City of Edina established the Environmental Quality Commission, which was disbanded in 1977. On April 3, 2007, the Edina City Council
established the Energy and Environment Commission in response to the global warming crisis, and to support and advance environmental protection, conservation efforts, energy conservation, and water protection. On June 18, 2007, the City Council appointed the first members of the newly created Energy
and Environment Commission, significantly expanding Edina’s commitment to
comprehensively address environmental and energy issues.
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
Duties of the Edina Energy and Environment Commission.
The Council gave the new commission its mandate in City Ordinance Section 146:
A. Examine and recommend best practices for energy conservation
for Edina’s citizens and businesses, including recommendations for a “green” building code, use of Energy Star appliances, and other energy reduction targets.
B. Examine and recommend changes in City Government purchasing
and operations to conserve energy.
C. Evaluate and monitor the provision of a residential recycling program.
D. Evaluate and monitor the provision of a privately provided solid waste program, as well as a reduction in municipal solid waste
produced by Edina residents and businesses.
E. Evaluate and encourage improvements in air and water quality.
F. Promote the establishment of targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the City’s buildings, equipment and operations.
G. Educate the public about energy issues, reduction, conservation,
reuse, recycling and environmental protection.
H. Examine and promote renewable energy options for transportation, heating, and cooling, and other energy uses.
The Energy and Environment Commission held its first meeting in July 2007.
Since then, the nine-member commission has formed three Working Groups (WG): (i) Climate Change; (ii) Education and Outreach; and (iii) Recycling and Solid Waste. The three WG have taken on additional citizen volunteers and are now developing and implementing work plans in their areas. The next sections of
this chapter discuss Edina’s policies, goals and actions in the areas of global
warming and climate change, energy use and conservation, recycling and waste management, and air quality.
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Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
10. 2. Climate Change and Global Warming.
10.2.1. Introduction and Current Conditions – Climate Change
and Global Warming. “Global warming is a reality. It threatens both our
society and life, as we know it on earth. The overwhelming consensus of the
scientific community for the past decade has been that the planetary warming we
are now experiencing, and the resulting climate change, is largely a human induced phenomenon. This is brought on mainly by the release of carbon dioxide
through the burning of fossil fuels, which blankets our atmosphere raising the
earth’s surface temperature.”2
This was the message that renowned polar explorer Will Steger brought to Edina on January 11, 2007, when he spoke at St. Patrick’s Church in the first “Edina Dialogue” sponsored by the Edina Community Foundation and Edina High
School’s Project Earth student group. Over 1,000 residents, including Edina’s mayor and City Council members, resolved to respond to the problem of global warming. 10.2.2. Trends and Challenges – Climate Change and Global
Warming.
The City has since taken two very significant actions to address global warming. First, on February 6, 2007, Edina joined over 700 U.S. cities in signing the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Second, on November 5, 2007, the City
Council voted to join the International Council for Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI) Cities for Climate Protection (CCP). The City and the Energy and Environment Commission are now identifying actions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our community.
The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
The Energy and Environment Commission is now working to implement many of
the actions under the Mayor’s Agreement. These activities are discussed in this chapter. The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement reads as follows: A. Urge the federal government and state governments to enact policies and
programs to meet or beat the target of reducing global warming pollution levels to
seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012, including efforts to: reduce the United
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States’ dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the development of clean,
economical energy resources and fuel-efficient technologies such as conservation, methane recovery for energy generation, waste to energy, wind and solar energy, fuel cells, efficient motor vehicles, and biofuels; (Note: In 2007, the Minnesota legislature adopted one of the most aggressive
goals in the nation. This omnibus energy policy bill includes the Global Warming
Mitigation Act of 2007 which commits to reducing the State’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2015, 30% by 2025, and 80% by 2050 compared to 2005.) B. Urge the U.S. Congress to pass bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction
legislation that 1) includes clear timetables and emissions limits and 2) a flexible,
market-based system of tradable allowances among emitting industries; (Note: In the fall of 2007, Edina Mayor Jim Hovland signed a letter urging Edina’s congressional members to pass such legislation, as proposed in the Safe Climate Act, H.R.1590.)
C. Strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as: 1. Inventory global warming emissions in City operations and in the
community, set reduction targets and create an action plan;
2. Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities;
3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car-pooling and public transit;
4. Increase the use of clean, alternative energy by, for example, investing
in “green tags”, advocating for the development of renewable energy resources, recovering landfill methane for energy production, and supporting the use of waste to energy technology;
5. Make energy efficiency a priority through building code improvements,
retrofitting City facilities with energy efficient lighting and urging employees
to conserve energy and save money;
6. Purchase only Energy Star equipment and appliances for City use;
7. Practice and promote sustainable building practices using the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program or a similar system;
8. Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles; reduce
the number of vehicles; launch an employee education program including anti-idling messages; convert diesel vehicles to bio-diesel;
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
9. Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and
wastewater systems; recover wastewater treatment methane for energy production;
10. Increase recycling rates in City operations and in the community;
11. Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting to increase
shading and to absorb CO2; and
12. Help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution.
ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.
On November 5, 2007, the City Council unanimously approved Edina’s membership in ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign. Edina is the eighth city in the state of Minnesota to join ICLEI. Hennepin, Ramsey and
Dakota counties are also members.
ICLEI – the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives – is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development. ICLEI created the CCP in 1994, and today this effort assists over
800 cities across the world to adopt policies and implement quantifiable
measures to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and enhance urban livability and sustainability.
Edina’s membership in ICLEI’s CCP will provide the City with technical support, training and specific action steps for reducing carbon emissions. The City should
also realize financial savings in reduced utility and fuel costs and improved air
quality, contributing to the general health and well being of the community. The CCP works with the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to help local governments reduce carbon emissions and integrate climate change mitigation into their decision-making processes.
The CCP campaign is based on an innovative performance framework structured
around five milestones that allow local governments to understand how municipal decisions affect energy use and how these decisions can be used to mitigate global climate change while improving community quality of life. The five milestones provide a flexible framework that can accommodate varying levels of
analysis, effort, and availability of data. ICLEI’s CCP provides member cities with
a simple, standardized means of calculating greenhouse gas emissions, establishing targets to lower emissions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
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measuring and reporting performance. ICLEI has developed several software
tools that help cities comply with the methodology.
10.2.3. Goals and Policies - Climate Change and Global
Warming.
The City’s actions in joining the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection campaign have framed Edina’s goals and policies on climate change. The goals and policies adopted by the City under the
U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement are listed in Section 10.2.2. In
addition, the five ICLEI CCP milestones form a framework for the implementation of the goals and policies of the Mayors Agreement. The five ICLEI milestones that serve as the City’s goals and policies on climate change are:
Milestone 1. Conduct a baseline emissions inventory and forecast. Based
on energy consumption and waste generation, the City will calculate greenhouse gas emissions for a base year (e.g., 2007) and for a forecast year (e.g., 2015). The inventory and forecast provide a benchmark against which the City can measure progress.
Milestone 2. Adopt an overall greenhouse gas reduction goal and an
emissions reduction target based on the forecast year. The City will use its best efforts to reduce community greenhouse gases by 15 percent by 2015, 25 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050 in agreement with the Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007. The City will also develop milestone emission reduction
target for City operations from the baseline year. The GHG reduction goal and
reduction targets both foster political will and create a framework to guide the planning and implementation of measures.
Milestone 3. Develop a Local Action Plan. The City will develop a Local Action Plan that describes the specific policies and measures that it will take to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and achieve its emissions reduction target. The plan
should include a timeline, a description of financing mechanisms, and an assignment of responsibility to departments and staff, and incorporate public awareness and education efforts.
Milestone 4. Implement policies and measures. The City will implement the
policies and measures in the Local Action Plan. Policies and measures should
include energy efficiency improvements to municipal buildings and water treatment facilities, streetlight retrofits, public transit improvements, and installation of renewable power applications.
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
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Milestone 5. Monitor and verify results. The City will monitor and verify
progress on the implementation of measures to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in an ongoing process. Monitoring should begin once measures are implemented and continue for the life of the measures, providing important feedback that can be use to improve the measures over time.
10.2.4. Implementation – Climate Change and Global Warming.
The main focus of the Edina Energy and Environment Commission’s Climate
Change Committee will be to implement the action steps and milestones outlined in the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection campaign as limited by the City of Edina’s Ordinance in Section 146. These actions will include: (1) establishing the municipal carbon footprint, including an emissions inventory, baseline, and forecast for greenhouse gas
emissions; (2) identifying actions that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, (3) implementing educational actions with public and private partners, including the school district, residential, commercial and industrial sectors, that will result in quantifiable greenhouse gas reductions, and (4) establishing a procedure for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas reductions in the community. The
outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.3 Energy
10.3.1 Introduction - Energy
Energy is the driver of the modern world as we know it. Sources of energy can be either converted to electricity or transported to homes and businesses over power lines, or directly used (“burned”) to power machines. A majority of the electricity consumed in Edina is generated from coal, gas, and nuclear reactors.
The last decade has brought clarity to the immense consequences of such fossil fuel based sources on our shared environment and social structure. The impact of global climate change is already being felt across the globe and is only expected to accelerate in the coming decades. The City of Edina must not only strive to secure adequate energy to meet its needs in the future but also ensure
that it uses and produce energy that is “clean”, affordable, and safe. Alternative energy sources such as solar power, wind power, geothermal, and power from biomass, are classified as renewable and clean sources of energy because of
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
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their potentially unlimited supply and minimal environmental impact. As we learn
more about alternative forms of energy, it is important to note that we should evaluate them in a comprehensive manner to determine the forms of energy that are ideally suited for Edina. As new technologies develop and current technologies mature with respect to cost (referred to as “grid parity”), these
evaluations must be revisited. This section will describe the current energy status
of Edina, current trends and challenges, and will lay out the goals and suggest policies that will put Edina at the forefront of energy efficiency, utilization, and renewable energy in the State.
10.3.2 Current Conditions - Energy
Coal-fired power plants typically account for nearly two-thirds of Minnesota’s
electricity generation. Two nuclear plants near the Twin Cities also account for nearly one-fourth of the State’s electricity production.3 Thus, greater than 95% of electricity in Minnesota during 2005 was generated from energy sources that are neither clean nor renewable.4 The good news is that Minnesota has one of the strongest renewable energy
standards in the US. Xcel Energy, the largest electricity producer in the state, has been mandated to generate 30 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2020, with at least 25 percent generated by wind energy. All other utilities are required to generate at least 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025.
Edina residents and businesses are customers of Xcel Energy. They can
subscribe to wind energy through the Windsource Program by dedicating either a portion or their entire electrical consumption to energy produced using wind power. Windsource customers also get a credit for the avoided fuel costs of conventional sources of energy, resulting in a net wind energy service
adjustment charge of less than a dollar per 100 kWh. Xcel Energy also offers the
residential Saver's Switch program. Residents receive a bill credit during the summer months in exchange for agreeing to have their air conditioning systems cycled on and off during peak energy demand periods.
Natural gas is the preferred energy source in Minnesota for residential and
commercial heating and it is transported through federally regulated interstate pipelines. Center Point Energy is the Edina’s provider of natural gas. It offers energy saving programs such as energy audits and rebates for heating systems, food service equipment and for the installation of heat recovery systems.
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
Chapter 10: Energy and Environment
Personal and commercial transportation relies on either gasoline or diesel fuels.
By Minnesota statute, gasoline sold in the state must be blended with 10% ethanol (E10), and diesel must contain 2% biodiesel (B2). The Agriculture and Veteran bill signed by Gov. Pawlenty in May 2008 contains provisions (Section 51) that increase the state B2 mandate to B5 (i.e. 5%) by 2009, B10 by 2012 and
B20 by 2015. These blends help reduce CO2 emissions and displace the amount
of harmful additives, such as benzene, found in petroleum-based fuels. Minnesota also has over 300 gas stations5 selling E85, a blend containing 85% ethanol that can be used in flex-fuel vehicles. E85 is not sold in Edina, but it can be found at gas stations in neighboring Eden Prairie, Bloomington, Richfield and
Minneapolis5.
Efforts by Edina’s government, residents and businesses to reduce energy use and make the transition toward renewable energy sources can play a significant role in reducing the negative impact of our energy consumption.
The City of Edina currently does not have an energy and environment policy. The Energy and Environment Commission will study, develop, and recommend such policy to the City Council. It is important that Edina accelerates the use and generation of alternative energy sources, promotes energy efficiency, and finds
avenues to reduce dependence on fossil fuel based energy for government,
residences, and commercial establishments.
10.3.3 Trends and Challenges – Energy
A variety of alternative energy sources are being implemented across the country and the globe. Solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass are the most popular and
promising approaches for alternative energy. States like California and Arizona, due to abundant sun light throughout the year, are aggressively promoting adoption of solar power. States in the central US region, such as Texas and Minnesota, are good candidates for wind energy applications because of the high wind speed in this section of the nation. The Buffalo Ridge area in southern
Minnesota is a leading region for wind power generation in the country. This region also hosts one of the major wind turbine blade manufacturers (Suzlon Rotor Corporation). Minnesota is a major corn producer and there has been a large investment in
ethanol based energy production in the State. Many other sources of energy are in the research stage, with the University of Minnesota taking a lead in biomass energy research.
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For an overview of the above renewable energy sources and their comparison to conventional energy sources, please refer to the 2005 report on renewable energy by the League of Women Voters of Edina6. This report provides information on how the sources work, their cost and availability, their current level
of use in Minnesota, related incentives provided by governments, and
environmental impact, if any. The primary challenge with most of the alternative energy sources is cost. For example, solar energy costs $0.20-0.50/kW-hr and wind energy costs $0.06/kW-
hr compared to $0.02/kW-hr for electricity from coal or gas7. The second
challenge is transportation of energy. For example, new transmission lines are often required to transport wind-generated electricity from remote wind farms to urban areas. The ideal source of energy is one that can produce electricity cheaply, all year round, and be locally produced. This forces cities such as Edina
to look at comprehensive approaches to energy, where more than one form of
renewable energy could be combined to address the needs and goals of the City.
10.3.4 Goals and Policies – Energy
1. Lead by example in conserving energy and developing renewable energy
for city buildings, fleets, and operations. 2. Promote community and business energy conservation, including adopting
ordinances and policies to provide incentives for energy efficiency,
renewable energy, and reductions in greenhouse gases.
3. Adopt purchasing guidelines for the City of Edina that include renewable
energy sources, Examples are purchasing wind energy for electrical consumption and purchasing blended fuels for the City fleet.
4. Promote educational programs to inform residents and businesses of the
availability of renewable energy options in energy and fuel supply, and
carbon-neutral actions.
5. Work with public and private institutions to obtain grants for adoption of renewable energy sources by the City and residents. Work with these
institutions to make these projects economically self-sustaining.
10.3.5 Implementation – Energy
Energy option programs approved by the City Council should include specific timetables for implementation and measurement for success.
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Edina Comprehensive Plan Update 2008 –
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Implementation of these goals will require a variety of resources from the commission, its working groups, City Hall, local businesses, local non-profit organizations, and potential support from state and federal governments.
The outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.4 Solar Protection
10.4.1 Introduction - Solar Protection
One of the most important contributions the City can make in the transition to
renewable energy sources is to protect the access that individual residents, businesses and industry have to renewable sources of energy - most notably solar power. Active solar rooftop collectors and passive solar technologies require maximum exposure to sunlight, which can be reduced by the proximity of
tall structures. To help ensure that sufficient exposure is available for all
homeowners and businesses, the City already has ordinances for building setbacks, building height restrictions, and maximum lot coverage.
10.4.2 Current Conditions - Solar Protection
The Minnesota Solar and Wind Access Law of 1978 (S.F. 145, Article 4, Section 15) provides for the creation of solar and wind easements for solar and wind-
energy systems in the form of voluntary contracts. It also allows local zoning
boards to restrict development for the purpose of protecting solar access. The 1998 Comprehensive Plan stressed that protecting “the access that individual residents, businesses and industry have to renewable sources of
energy – most notably solar power” was “one of the most direct contributions the City can make in the transition to renewable energy source” 8. However, only two homes in Edina had solar power by 20049. The high cost of solar installation is still a barrier to large scale adoption of solar energy. Payback for solar installation on existing single-family homes can be 15 year or more, even after rebates.
However, excellent return on investment can be achieved in new constructions designed to optimize solar access. Increased property value and tax exemptions are two additional benefits of solar installation.
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Combined actions by the City of Edina that protect solar access, facilitate
financing mechanisms, and revise current building codes, can result in a wide adoption of solar energy in Edina.
10.4.3 Trends and Challenges - Solar Protection
Installation of solar panels on City building has proven to be a good approach for increasing the visibility of solar energy, while providing clean energy for building use. Examples are the City of Chicago, which has installed a 2 MW system on
museums, public schools, etc., and Cambridge, MA which has installed a 28 kW system providing 10 percent of the electrical needs of the City Hall Annex,
Rising energy costs and concerns about reducing carbon emissions should motivate more homeowners and businesses to invest in solar generated power.
But cost, as well as a housing stock that is not constructed to facilitate solar power, continue to impede solar panel investment. Edina’s commitment to ICLEI provides a well of resources for finding solar solutions that have been successfully implemented in other US cities. Establishing an environment in which builders design structures to be solar-panel friendly is a critical action. The
City of Edina can devise new financing mechanisms, such as low interest rates financing through bond issues, to make solar energy use more economical than it is for individuals or businesses.
10.4.4 Goals and Policies - Solar Protection
1. Continue to enforce setback, building height, and lot coverage
ordinances that can serve as protection to solar access
2. Consider access to solar protection when reviewing variance requests
3. Promote the use of active and passive solar energy for heating,
lighting, and other aspects in design, construction, remodeling, and
operation of City buildings.
4. Leverage the Solar and Wind Access Law to establish polices that
restrict development for the purpose of protecting solar access to light
10.4.5 - Implementation Solar Protection
Solar Protection programs approved by the City Council should include specific
timetables for implementation and measurement for success.
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The combined outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.5 Residential Energy Consumption
10.5.1 Introduction - Residential Energy Consumption
Energy consumed by residents of Edina can be broken into three main
categories - electricity, natural gas, and transportation fuels. Residential electricity consumption was measured at 210 million KWh in 2007, or 4,420 kWh per household10 – greater than the average Minnesota consumption of 4,252 kWh in 200511.
Total natural gas consumption during 2007 was 1.8 billion cubic feet, or 124,000 cubic feet per residential customer in Edina12. This is compared to the state average of about 100,000 cubic feet per residential customer.
In the year 2000, the City of Edina recorded 527 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) on its local streets, collector roads and primary arterial roads. National estimates suggest that motor fuel consumption for the average vehicle has risen from 698 gallons per year to 732 gallons between 1994 and 1999, down to 697
gallons in 2006, a trend due to steady price increases13. In 2008, the price of
gasoline reached $4.00 per gallon resulting in a dramatic switch of consumers away from low gas mileage SUVs toward compact cars and hybrid vehicles.
10.5.2 Current Conditions - Residential Energy Consumption
The average Minnesota Household Energy bill consists of heating (60%), water heating (9%), lighting (7%), air conditioning (4%), and other household
appliances and uses (20%). Heating and air-conditioning system problem areas leading to excessive energy use include:
Equipment sizing: average unit is oversized 47% compared to design.
Indoor coil air flow: 78% of units have low airflow.
Refrigerant charge: 72% of units are incorrectly charged.
Ductwork: over 80% of units have excessive duct leakage.14
A simple but effective way to save a large amount of energy would be investing in educational programs that teach how to properly maintain heating and air-
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conditioning systems and the importance of replacing old and inefficient
appliances, heating and air-conditioning systems. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting uses about 75% less energy than standard lighting, produces 75 percent less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer. If every
American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified
bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has a
consumer guide with simple steps homeowners can take to reduce energy usage.
10.5.3 Trends and Challenges - Residential Energy Consumption
Energy costs are going nowhere but up, due to increased global demand and
high sensitivity to global political conditions. Homeowners are feeling the effects of the rising energy costs but may not know how or what to do. They may lack the resources in time and money to employ the energy conservation measures available to them.
10.5.4 Goals and Policies - Residential Energy Consumption
1. Inform residents of the opportunities available to them to control and reduce
their energy consumption.
2. Create incentives in the form of tax rebates and low interest financing to reduce residential energy demand and promote renewable energy and low-
carbon energy use.
3. Promote the adoption by homeowners, builders and remodelers of Edina’s
and Minnesota State government energy guidelines, with the goal of meeting
LEED certification standards for new constructions.
4. Encourage the use of green materials (building materials and vegetation) to
reduce the need for summer cooling and winter heating.
5. Inform/educate new homebuilders and remodelers in Edina of energy efficient
options.
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10.5.5 Implementation - Residential Energy Consumption
Energy conservation programs approved by the City Council should include specific timetables for implementation and measurement for success. The combined outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.6 Commercial and Industrial Energy
Consumption
10.6.1 - Introduction Commercial/Industrial Energy Consumption
Commercial and industrial energy consumption is generally much more intensive than that of residential consumers. In 2007 for instance, commercial and industrial operations consumed about 413 million kWh of electricity (Xcel energy
data) and over 1.2 billion cubic feet (approx. 873,000 cu. ft./account) of natural
gas. Due to this intensive use, the potential for energy conservation is likely to be high and the City will encourage its businesses and industries to invest in energy conservation measures.
10.6.2 Current Conditions - Commercial/Industrial Energy
Consumption
According to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Building program, energy costs for
existing US commercial space, 78 billion square ft, total $110 billion annually.
They estimate improving energy efficiency could save $25 billion. Further, worker productivity will increase in a more comfortable working environment.. In spite of this, energy conservation opportunities go unrealized, perhaps for lack of recognition, perceived resources or clear direction.
10.6.3 Trends and Challenges - Commercial/Industrial Energy
Consumption
The cost of energy in the commercial and industrial sector will also go nowhere but up. A recent study by McKinsey & Company15 concluded that significant energy savings opportunities exist with lighting and heating and cooling in
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commercial and industrial buildings. However, landlords and building owners
have traditionally made decisions based on low first cost rather than long-term energy costs. Energy costs and any savings are passed through to the tenant. In owner occupied buildings, some of the same opportunities exist. The high turnover of building ownership has also been a deterrent to making long-term
investments in energy conservation. Rebate programs providing incentives are
available but building owners may not be fully aware or know how to take advantage of them.
10.6.4 Goals and Policies - Commercial/Industrial Energy
Consumption
It will be the goal of the City of Edina to help educate and inform the commercial and industrial sector about energy conservation opportunities. Providing tax
incentives or rebates may help building owners take action on energy
conservation opportunities. Efforts by the commercial and industrial sector to limit energy consumption during peak demand periods are critical to reducing the incentive for creating more centrally stationed power plants. The City will explore ways to partner with State and Federal programs to facilitate such action.
1. Promote the adoption by local businesses of locally generated renewable
energy to power part or all of their energy needs.
10.6.5 Implementation - Commercial/Industrial Energy
Consumption
Any programs approved by the City Council should include a timetable for implementation, as well as measurement of accomplishments.
The outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.7 City Energy Consumption
10.7.1 Introduction - City Energy Consumption
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The City itself is a consumer of energy and can play a strong leadership role in
reducing energy use at its City-owned facilities, and in the areas of street lighting and traffic signals. It also operates a substantial fleet of motor vehicles. Energy costs associated with these facilities and vehicles have amounted to roughly 5 percent of the City’s budget. Given the high consumption of energy by these
City-owned properties and vehicles , steps taken to conserve energy can
potentially have a significant effect on the demand for energy and the quality of the local environment. The City recognizes this and has taken many steps to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings and facilities that it owns, including energy audits and the installation of energy efficient equipment. As technologies
improve and equipment replacement occurs, the City will continue to look for
ways to improve its energy efficiency.
10.7.2 Current Conditions - City Energy Consumption
As part of Milestone 1 of the ICLEI protocol, the Energy Commission collected data on energy use for the 2007 baseline year. The year 2007 was chosen
because the Commission was able to collect a complete set of data from all sources for this year only. The Commission collected data from Xcel and Center Point utilities, from the City Engineering Department and from a survey of employee commuters. The data show a total consumption of 155,000 MMBtu (Million British Thermal Units) or the equivalent of 27,400 tons of CO2 emitted.
The breakdown in energy use was 56 percent from building, 33 percent from operation of water and sewage equipment, 5 percent from the City fleet, 2 percent from street lights and 4 percent from employee commute.
10.7.3 Trends and Challenges - City Energy Consumption
As with the other sectors, energy costs in the public sector will continue to rise. The most significant challenge is in the allocation of limited resources that can be
attributed to energy conservation opportunities.
10.7.4 Goals and Policies - City Energy Consumption
1. Create benchmarks of current energy use in all public facilities and set a goal
to reduce energy use and costs according to the ICLEI milestones and the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
2. Establish a policy that all public buildings report annually on the cost of
operation, goals for further reduction.
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10.7.5. Implementation – City Energy Consumption
Once approved by the City Council, programs should have a timeline for implementation and measurements for success. The combined outcome of these actions will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
10.8 Waste
10.8.1 Introduction - Waste
History of Edina’s Recycling Program - The Edina Garden Council began operating the first recycling collection in Edina in 1970 with a drop off site for glass in the parking lot of the Southdale Red Owl. In 1972 the drop-off location was moved to the Edina Public Works Garage at 5121 Brookside Avenue. The
drop-off site expanded to include paper, Goodwill items, cans and used oil. The
Edina recycling drop-off center closed on November 1, 1993, although residential weekly collection had already begun in a pilot area in 1986. In 1989, the program expanded City wide, collecting cans, glass, newspaper and corrugated paper.
Edina was one of the first cities in Minnesota to create a commission dedicated to environmental issues when, in 1974, the City established the Recycling Commission, starting one of the first recycling programs in the State. In 1992, its name was changed to the Recycling and Solid Waste Commission. The
Commission continued until 2007, when it was disbanded and its functions folded
into the new Energy and Environment Commission. Edina’s 2007 residential recycling program is a weekly curbside collection of ten items collected in two categories, paper and rigids. The paper items include:
newspaper, magazines, mail, boxboard, corrugated paper, magazines and phone books. The rigids include: cans, glass, and #1 and #2 plastic (bottles with necks). Recycling service in 2007 reached 14,183 single family and duplex homes and 382 multi-family dwellings of three to eight units. Over 90 percent of Edina’s households participate in recycling. The annual weight of recyclables
collected as of 2007 has been over 5,000 tons for the last five years. The generation and management of solid waste has become an increasingly important and complex issue for both Edina and Hennepin County. The State of
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Minnesota established a waste “hierarchy” in 1980 that emphasizes waste
reduction, reuse, and recycling over landfilling. Waste-to-energy is preferred over landfilling, but is less desirable than reduction, reuse and recycling. Consistent with this hierarchy, the State legislature has banned yard wastes from landfills, established municipal recycling programs and established hazardous
waste drop-off facilities. Waste reduction programs have been initiated in
businesses, public facilities, and private residences. Waste incineration has also been started on a large scale because it significantly reduces the volume of waste that must be buried at landfills.
Further reductions in the amount of waste that cannot be reused or recycled can
provide significant environmental and economic benefits to the residents and businesses within Edina. In addition to saving landfill space and reducing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, adhering to the “3 R’s” – reduce, reuse, and recycle – conserves natural resources, protects air and water quality, lowers
disposal costs and reduces taxpayer money that must be used to build new
waste management facilities. Finding creative and effective ways to reduce the amount of existing and emerging waste streams that are produced in Edina should reduce the economic, environmental and social costs of waste disposal now and in the future.
10.8.2 Current Conditions - Waste
In Edina, recycling is an accepted part of everyday life that reduces the amount of waste that would have gone to landfills, avoids pollution and saves our natural resources. Despite our recycling success, the amount of waste continues to grow, threatening the quality of air, water, soil and human health. In ten (10) years the amount of municipal solid waste generated in Minnesota has increased
more than 33 percent, rising from approximately 4,500,000 tons in 1995 to over 6,000,000 tons in 2006.16 Even as more waste is being diverted into recycling and hazardous waste facilities, waste incinerators, and compost sites, the overall amount of waste that must be managed is increasing. Minnesota Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
generation totaled 6,985,744 tons in 2005. Greater Minnesota accounted for 42 percent MSW generation and the seven county metro area accounted for 58 percent MSW generation. For 2004-2005 the amount of MSW generated in Minnesota increased by 1.8 percent while the population increased by 1.2 percent. That’s 2,338 lbs of waste and recyclable materials for every man,
woman and child in the State17. This increased waste creation incurs significant costs, including the use of virgin resources to make the products, carbon dioxide emissions and packaging that produces the waste, transportation costs
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associated with the transport of those resources and finished products and the
money spent on constructing new waste management facilities. Minnesota’s 2005 recycling rate of 48.5 percent ranked second in the nation according to BioCycle magazine’s annual survey. The state’s base recycling rate,
(which is the actual percentage of materials recycled and does not include the
additional yard waste recycling and recycling reduction efforts) is 41 percent. In 2005, recycling programs in Minnesota collected 2.5 million tons of recyclable materials (paper, metal, glass, plastic, food, problem materials, etc), an increase of nearly 70,000 tons, or 3 percent from the previous year. Edina’s residential
recycling collection, however, remained static at 222 lbs per person.
The challenge for Edina and the rest of Hennepin County is to focus both on better management of existing waste and the prevention of the need to manage waste at all through the use of closed loop systems wherein all products are
designed so that they are reusable, recyclable or compostable. Finding ways to
prevent the creation of waste is often the most cost-effective management technique in the long run.
10.8.3 Trends and Challenges – Waste
Challenges and opportunities exist in the areas of recycling #3-7 plastics, source separated organics, and toxic/electronic waste.
Plastics – The number on the bottom of a plastic container is a code representing the type of materials in the plastic. Edina’s recycling program currently includes #1 and #2 plastics, which are basically necked bottles. Technology exists to recycle more than #1 and #2 plastics, but no after market as yet exists for them.
Without demand, #3 - #7 cannot be recycled.
Source Separated Organics (SSO) - These include organic material other than yard waste. SSO can be composted or used to generate energy such as compressed natural gas (CNG). SSO includes, without being limited to, the
following. Compostable food waste including vegetables, fruits, coffee grounds, eggs and eggshells, meat, oil, bones, grease, and dairy products;
Non-recyclable but compostable paper such as coffee filters, paper tissues, paper napkins, paper towels, paper plates and paper cups; and
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Waxy cardboard such as refrigerator/freezer packaging, egg cartons, and milk
cartons. Not included are yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, weeds, tree branches), recyclable paper, or any non-compostable product such as metal, ceramics,
rubber, leather, glass, any plastic including plastic wrap, plastic bags, and plastic
packaging. (Note: While yard waste is not SSO, the programs currently picking up and composting SSO do pick up and compost yard waste as well) Taking SSO out of the waste stream makes it possible to compost SSO either: 1)
in conventional aerobic piles, or 2) in anaerobic digesters where methane
produced can be used generate energy. Removing SSO from the waste stream has many benefits as follows: a. Hennepin County’s incinerator is at processing capacity. Because
garbage continues to increase, solid waste is sent to landfills both in state and
out of state. Organic matter in landfills is a prime cause of emissions of methane into the atmosphere. Methane is 23 times worse as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
b. Incinerators operate more efficiently with wet material removed, and
release less methane. As an analogy, try burning wet noodles on a campfire. c. SSO collection may have the side effect of boosting the recycling rate. The city of Wayzata experienced a 23% increase in recycling after beginning an
SSO collection program.18
d. Recycling SSO also reduces tipping fees (fee charged to haulers to leave materials at landfills or compost sites) at landfills. The tipping fee for organics is less than the tipping fee for solid waste - $15 per ton vs about $41.85
per ton. SSO is also exempt from the county solid waste fee of 14.5% and state
solid waste tax of 17%. e. Composting SSO provides an earth friendly end product. Instead of taking up space in a landfill or being burned in an incinerator, organics are
recycled into a valuable resource that reduces the need for watering and
weeding, replenish soils, reduces soil erosion, and prevents stormwater runoff from contaminating wetlands, lakes, and streams, plus captures carbon dioxide for climate protection through the plantings, which compost encourages.
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f. Collected SSO can also be used as feedstock for future biodigesters.
Biogasification in the biodigester process captures the energy, and yields a higher energy benefit than incineration or composting. Biodigesters are good applications for recycling SSO and capturing their methane byproduct, but none is currently available to any of the City of Edina’s licensed solid waste haulers, or
to the City’s recycling hauler.
Electronic Waste (E-waste) - In addition to the challenges posted by the increasing volume of solid waste, the composition of the waste is also becoming more toxic. Electronic waste presents special environmental, health and
economic challenges. “Monitors and televisions made with tubes (not flat panels)
have between 4 and 8 pounds of lead in them. Most of the flat panel monitors and TV's contain less lead, but more mercury, from their mercury lamps. About 40% of the heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, in landfills come from electronic equipment discards. The health effects of lead are well known;
just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making
the fish unfit to eat.”19 “Rapid advances in technology mean that electronic products are becoming obsolete more quickly. This, coupled with explosive sales in consumer electronics, means that more products are being disposed of, finding their way into landfills and incinerators. To make matters worse, the FCC
mandated transition to digital television (like HDTV), in February 2009, will only
speed up the pace, as consumers will soon be dumping large numbers of old TVs that can't receive the new digital-only signals.”20
Minnesota has banned the disposal of cathode ray tubes in municipal solid
waste, and in 2007, the Minnesota legislature passed MN Stat 1115A.1310 -
1330 to establish a statewide collection and recycling system for managing electronic waste, which includes televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic products. By July 1 of each year, beginning in 2008, a retailer must report to a manufacturer the number of video display devices, by video display
device model, labeled with the manufacturer's brand, sold to households during
the previous program year. A retailer who sells new video display devices must provide information to households describing where and how they may recycle video display devices and advising them of opportunities and locations for the convenient collection of video display devices for the purpose of recycling.
10.8.4 Goals and Policies – Waste
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1. Continue to operate a household recycling program for single-family
and multi-family housing, encouraging the 3 R’s, reduction, reuse and
recycling.
2. Encourage backyard home composting of organic wastes. This includes food scraps as well as yard waste.
3. Support City-wide co-collection of Source Separated Organics with
yard waste.
4. Encourage local businesses to participate in the Minnesota Chamber
of Commerce’s WasteWise program. www.MNWasteWise.org
5. Encourage proper disposal of hazardous and other problem materials
such as e-waste through public education about Hennepin Co
hazardous waste collection sites as well as MN Stat. 115A.1310-1330.
6. Educate consumers to avoid purchasing products with harmful
ingredients and instead buy “green”.
7. Recommend changes to the City purchasing policy to encourage the
use of materials that are re-usable, recycled, compostable, or which
use minimal packaging. Incentivize City vendors to deliver products in
reusable containers.
8. Expand the range of plastics that can be included in residential recycling from only #1 and #2 to include #3 through #7 as markets
permit.
9. Encourage greater recycling among local businesses
10. Identify an Edina site that would produce renewable energy from City
waste, such as an anaerobic digester, away from residential areas.
10.8.5 Implementation - Waste
The immediate implementation is to use a Request for Proposal (RFP) or contract bidding for the City’s recycling contract, which expires on 12-31-08, to solicit greater recycling. The long term implementation will be, at a minimum, a reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions by the percentages set in the Minnesota Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007.
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10.10 Air
10.10.1 Introduction - Air
The quality of the air in Edina is a significant determinant of the health and comfort of the City’s residents. Pollutants in the air can cause anything from minor irritations or annoyances to serious respiratory health problems. In Edina, the outdoor air quality is generally very good; however there are certain sections
of the City, which are at particular risk for degradation of air quality - mostly due to auto emissions during traffic congestion.
10.10.2 Current Conditions - Outdoor Air Quality
As part of the Twin City metro area, Edina shares with its neighbors the two
major causes of air quality degradation: pollutants from nearby coal plants and
emissions from automobiles. In 2006, the Twin City area experienced 169 days of moderate quality and three days of unhealthy air quality due to ozone and particulate matter (as reported by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency). Pollutants, such as high ozone levels due to automobile emissions, and
particulate matter (soot) from nearby coal plants contribute to asthma attacks and
other respiratory illnesses. It is important for Edina to seek ways to reduce the sources of air pollution. While local improvements may dwarf in comparison to the conditions in the larger Twin City metropolitan area, similar actions by neighboring cities can result in a net overall improvement in air quality. Such
measures will also reduce carbon emissions, as described in the milestones set
by the ICLEI membership. The City of Edina can reduce the impact of coal burning on air quality by supporting the use of renewable energy for the production of the electricity and
promoting energy conservation. The City should work with utility companies, such as Xcel energy, to reduce electrical consumption by City operations and enroll in utility-sponsored programs for the development of renewable electrical capacity, such as Windsource by Xcel energy.
With the proximity of three principal roadways (TH 100, I-494, and TH 62/Crosstown) and the Southdale shopping area, traffic congestion in these areas creates localized threats to outdoor air quality. The solutions outlined in the Transportation Chapter (Chapter Seven) of this Comprehensive Plan will improve
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air quality while reducing congestion and promoting walking, biking and use of
public transportation. Idling of passenger cars and commercial vehicles during the winter and summer months can contribute to indoor air degradation when such vehicles are parked
near buildings, parks, and schools. Idling also imposes an economic cost and
has a negative impact on quality of life (odor and noise nuisance). The City of Edina should design measures, such as a citywide ordinance, to restrict or eliminate idling of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. No-idling signs should be posted in front of public building, schools and parks, to warn drivers of
the ordinance and its related penalties.
10.10.2.1 Current Conditions - Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is also an issue of importance to those who live and work in Edina. In high enough concentrations, pollutants such as chemical vapors, mold
spores, dust mites and many others can cause significant illness or discomfort for
those in a building if it is not properly ventilated. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the levels of pollutants inside buildings may be 2-5 times higher than they are outdoors - a serious problem considering that the typical person spends 90 percent of their time inside a building. Ironically,
efforts to make buildings more energy efficient in recent years have aggravated
this problem by sealing indoor air inside. These tightly sealed buildings, along with inadequate as well as poorly maintained and operated ventilation systems, synthetic building materials and furnishings, and chemical cleaning and personal care products are the most common causes of poor indoor air quality.
The MPCA does not currently maintain data on indoor air quality. Until such time as the data becomes available, the City will attempt to identify the areas, which are of concern for possible air quality problems and seek to minimize the sources of air pollution in that area.
Inadequate maintenance and operation of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems result in excessive energy use and also negatively affect air quality. Overheating, poor ventilation and lack of clean indoor air all are results.
10. 10.3 Trends and Challenges - Air
There is increasing concern over air pollution caused by idling vehicles at locations such as schools, construction sites, delivery sites and drive-up
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windows. The air pollution from idling vehicles not only pollutes outdoor air, but it
also finds its way indoors via doors, windows, and even ventilation systems. Greater education of motorists, signage at problematic sites, a City ordinance and lobbying for a State law banning idling all should be considered.
10.10.4 Goals and Policies - Air
1. Cooperate with enforcement of the Clean Air Act and other laws and
regulations relating to air quality including Minnesota’s Freedom to Breath
Act
2. Encourage and consider requiring mechanical ventilation systems in new
homes
3. Provide incentives for building practices that improve indoor air quality
4. Encourage property owners to plant trees along roadways where possible
to help reduce traffic noise and absorb carbon dioxide
5. Enact an ordinance that prohibits vehicle idling in Edina and post ‘No
Idling’ signs at all schools and public parking lots
6. Promote the use of renewable energy sources at the City and State level
to reduce the amount of particulate matter generated by coal plants.
10.10.5 Implementation - Air
Develop and implement a plan and process for educating the community on measures to improve indoor air quality.
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10.11.1 References
2 Will Steger letter, Global Warming 101 Expedition; http://www.globalwarming101.com/content/view/396/88888961/ 3 US Energy Information Administration, updated Jan 10, 2008, http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=MN#map. 4 US Department of Energy, Primary Energy Consumed in Minnesota by Source, 1995, Website: www.eia.doe.gov. 5 Clean Air Choice, American Lung Association of the Midwest (www.cleanairchoice.org) 6 “A Study of Renewable Energy,” The League of Women Voters of Edina, April 2005. 7 Nathan S. Lewis, “Powering the Planet,” MRS Bulletin, vol. 32, October 2007, pp. 810 8 City of Edina 1998 Comprehensive Plan, Chapt. on Environmental Quality, Section 2.1. 9 League of Women Voters of Edina’s Study of Renewable Energy, April 2005, p.13. 10 Phone conversation, Stu Fraser, Northern States Power, August 1998. 11 Energy Information Administration, Official Energy Statistics from the US government. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/_seds.html 12 Minnegasco records. 13 US Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Household Vehicles Energy
Consumption 1994. 14 US Department of Energy, Comprehensive National Energy Strategy, p.4. 15 Curbing global energy demand growth: the energy productivity opportunity. McKinsey Global Institute, May 2007 16 Solid Waste Management Rept (discussion only) MN Pollution Control Agency, p. 12, http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/policy/policy2007/071012roadmap.pdf. 17 Minn. Pollution Control Agency’s 2005 SCORE p. 3. 18 Curbside Collection of SSO in the City of Wayzata MN Cost/Benefit Analysis Conclusions and
Recommendations, May 2005. 19 Computer Takeback Campaign, http://www.computertakeback.com/the_problem/index.cfm. 20 Computer Takeback Campaign, http://www.computertakeback.com/the_problem/index.cfm.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
1
BEEC Meeting
Carolyn Jackson
Michelle Horan
Need to focus on policies that will help affect business energy reduction and PIE initiatives
Benchmarking
• Too expensive for Edina to take on
• Will wait until Hennepin Count’s RFP process is complete to see if we can utilize their
resources
• Tara will report on it at our next meeting
Edinborough Energy Challenge event
• Tara has a date for Edinborough event in late November, early December.
• How do we measure?
• How do we promote?
• How do we make it interesting?
• Exact location of the Edinborough Offices?
• Time frame, one or two months? Is one month long enough to get enough change?
• Each participant will need to have their electric bill from the previous year, for the same
months the challenge will cover
• Need to create a log sheet with list of possible actions for the participants to track what
actions they took which would also include:
• Identified energy captain
• Contact name of electric energy bill payer
• How many people are in the office
• Comment section including questions:
• What was the experience like?
• What did you learn?
• What worked?
• What did not?
• What motivated people to act?
• new ideas?
• At the same time the City should take the challenge at City Hall
Green Building Codes
• Carolyn has found cities that have a green building code - Mpls
• St. Louis Park has one for City buildings that received financial aid from the City
• Look into creating a resolution supporting a green building code
Minutes
Education and Outreach Working Group Energy & Environment Commission
Edina City Hall, Mayor’s Conference Room
I. Call To Order: September 7, 2017 and 7:10 pm
II. Attendees: Lauren Satterlee, Paul Thompson, Kristopher Wilson, Jeff
Lundgren
III. Agenda approved
IV. Minutes from last meeting approved unanimously
V. Topics Discussed
a. Home Energy Fair
i. Reviewed Sponsor / Exhibitors / Door Prizes
ii. Consolidated “Final” List to be incorporated into the Master
Spreadsheet by September 11 and redistributed to EOWG
members
iii. Urgent follow-up action items identified and assigned
1. Jerry’s Food and Hardware in-kind donations – Paul
Thompson
2. Window Outfitters exhibitor application – Kristopher Wilson
3. Solatube exhibitor application – Paul Thompson and Mindy
Ahlers
4. Consolidated “Final” List to be created, holes identified and
action items assigned – Jeff Lundgren
iv. Next Steps Identified, Discussed and Assigned:
1. Exhibitor Coordination – Jeff Lundgren and Ramesh
Shanmugavel. Draft communication and table plan.
2. Volunteer Coordination – Paul Thompson and Mindy Ahler.
Draft communication and assign roles.
v. Discussed Passport stamping and collection for door prizes.
vi. Two follow-up meetings agreed:
1. Wednesday 9/13 7:30 pm (location TBD)
2. Thursday 9/21 5:30 (before Film Series)
b. Film Series
i. Confirmed food and drink supplies are OK
ii. Lauren to check out the movie at the Library
c. Youth Activities
i. Compost bin distribution on September 30 at Valley View
VI. Next steps – see Home Energy Fair minutes above
VII. Other meetings and invitations to consider
a. Wednesday 9/13 7:30 pm (location TBD)
b. Thursday 9/21 5:30 (before Film Series)
VIII. Adjournment: 8:55pm
IX. Next Meeting: September 13
Minutes
Education and Outreach Working Group Energy & Environment Commission
Edina Senior Center
I. Call To Order: September 21, 2017 at 5:30 pm
(In lieu of October meeting to prepare for Edina Home Energy Fair)
II. Attendees: Lauren Satterlee, Paul Thompson, Kristopher Wilson, Jeff
Lundgren, Mindy Ahler, Bob Gubrud, Ramesh Shanmugavel, Tara Brown
III. Agenda approved
IV. Topics Discussed
a. Home Energy Fair
i. Review sponsor payments/ in-kind items
ii. Review exhibitor communications, last reminders (led by Jeff/
Ramesh). Review exhibitor map/contact handout (led by Ramesh).
1. Lauren will send a final reminder email to all exhibitors
2. Ramesh and Amy from the City Communications team will
collaborate on the exhibitor map printout
iii. Make plan for purchasing/ delivery of refreshments
1. Ramesh and Paul will pick up refreshments
iv. Review volunteer roles/ assignments/ contact info and kids
activities plans (led by Paul/ Mindy), and full day plan/ agenda
including word from Mayor
1. Mindy will send the final volunteer assignments email to
volunteers
2. All EOWG members should fill in their names on the
volunteer rolls sign-up sheet 2 days prior to the Fair
v. Finalize last-minute marketing/ outreach strategies in community
1. Tara will print handouts and pick up balloons
2. All EOWG members are encouraged to share the event on
social media at least once before the Fair as well as at least
one time during the Fair
V. Adjournment: 6:30pm
VI. Next Meeting: November 2
Meetings and Events
Day Date Event Time Location
Thurs Jan 12 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Feb 9 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Mar 9 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Mon April 3 Volunteer Recognition 5:00 pm Braemar Golf Course
Thurs April 13 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Tues April 25 BC Member Annual Reception 5:00 pm Braemar Golf Course
Wed May 3 Commission Comp Plan 101 7:00 pm Public Works
Thurs May 11 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs June 8 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs July 13 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Tues July 18 Work Session w/ City Council 6:00 pm Community Room
Thurs August 10 CANCELLED - Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Sept 14 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Oct 12 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Nov 9 Regular Meeting 6:00 pm Community Room
Thurs Dec 14 Regular Meeting 7:00 pm Community Room
Attendance at Regular Meetings and Rescheduled Regular Meetings are counted towards attendance policy.
Chair and Vice Chair specific meetings
Wed March 29 Chair and Vice Chair Annual Meeting 6:30pm Community Room
Tues Oct 3 Chair Only - 2018 Work Plan Review w/ Council 5:30 pm Community Room
Roster
Name Email
Burmeister, Jeff jeff@burmeister.com
Glahn, Bill billglahn@aol.com
Fernands, Maddy maddyfernands@gmail.com
Hoffman, Howard howard.hoffman@gmail.com
Horan, Michelle mhoran00@gmail.com
Jackson, Carolyn
(Vice Chair) bjandcj@aol.com
Kostuch, Keith kostuch.eec@gmail.com
Madhok, Gauri gaurim18720@isd273.org
Manser, Richard
(Chair) richardmanser@icloud.com
Satterlee, Lauren lauren.mpls.mn@gmail.com
Seeley, Melissa msee10@me.com
Shanmugavel, Ramesh sidharthshrey@gmail.com
Waddick, Louann lawaddick@gmail.com
Brown, Tara (Liaison) tbrown@edinamn.gov
Allison, Sharon (Executive Assistant) sallison@edinamn.gov