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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdinaMay2021Edition: Edina MAY 2021 Volume 8, Issue 5Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City EDINA COVID-19 RESOURCE HOTLINE 952-826-0370 City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1 City Works to Renounce Racial Covenants from Public Properties Edina to Join Just Deeds Project to Help Property Owners with Similar Work In the past, discriminatory covenants were used to keep people of color from buying houses in certain Minnesota neighborhoods. The covenants resulted in segregated communities and adverse effects on people of color, including a lack of access to quality education, policing, parks and public transportation. In 1948, the Supreme Court ruled that covenants were unenforceable. By 1953, the Minnesota Legislature prohibited the use of racial restrictions in warranty deeds. But covenants remained commonplace in much of the nation until 1968, when the federal Fair Housing Act made them explicitly illegal. Even after they were illegal, for a long time, there was no way to renounce the language from property titles. Minnesota law now allows property owners to discharge shameful and discriminatory language from property titles. According to the University of Minnesota project Mapping Prejudice, approximately 2,800 residential properties in Edina have racially restrictive covenants in their deeds. Several City-owned properties have them, too. To demonstrate that Edina is welcoming to all and working toward systemic changes for equitable outcomes, the City is working to discharge covenants on its properties and encourages residents to do the same. •Check the Mapping Prejudice tool at bit.ly/EdinaRacialCovenants to see if a covenant was found on your deed. •If a restrictive covenant exists on your property, hire your title company to discharge it from your property deed. Note that fees vary. The City is joining the Just Deeds Project to help homeowners who need free legal and title services to do this work. To date, 10 other Minnesota cities are part of the project, including Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, New Hope, Crystal, Minnetonka, Minneapolis, Hopkins, Rochester, St. Louis Park and Richfield. Since its founding, the Just Deeds Project has discharged 101 covenants for free. To keep up to date on the work to remove racial covenants in Edina, sign up for Race & Equity Advancement emails under “City Government” at EdinaMN.gov/CityExtra. If you are interested in free services to renounce a restrictive covenant from your property, fill out the Just Deeds form at EdinaMN.gov/RenouncingCovenants. For more information on the Just Deeds Project, visit www.justdeeds.org. – COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE A pair of experienced leaders took over influential regional posts this year, as Chris LaTondresse was elected Hennepin County District 6 Commissioner and James Lawrence was appointed Metropolitan Airports District C Commissioner. LaTondresse, a Hopkins native and resident, was elected in November. He is a veteran public servant who has spent time at the local, national and international levels. Among his current roles on the Hennepin County Board, LaTondresse currently serves as Chair of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority, Vice-Chair of the Regional Railroad Authority and Vice- Chair of Public Safety. Lawrence brings a wealth of corporate leadership experience to the regional airport authority as a member of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC). An executive and board member for several international aviation companies, Lawrence stresses the importance of maintaining Delta Air Lines’ hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). Two New Commissioners Use Expertise to Represent Edina Regionally Chris LaTondresse and James Lawrence Begin Terms A resident of south Minneapolis in one of the MSP primary flight paths, Lawrence is attuned to the noise issues that Edinans may face. He hopes to maintain the policies of the MAC while helping shape MSP’s response as air travel and commerce recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Both LaTondresse and Lawrence will each represent Edina and other West Metro communities for four years. LaTondresse can be reached at Chris.LaTondresse@hennepin.us or 612-348-7886. Lawrence can be reached at James.Lawrence@mspmac.org or 612-726-8191. – COMPILED BY DAN REISIG James Lawrence Chris LaTondresse 2 City Works to Develop First Climate Action Plan Residents Encouraged to Participate Through Survey BY KAITLIN GAULT On April 5, the Twin Cities set a record high for that date at a scorching 83 degrees. While the hot day was a welcome change for many after the frigid winter, the uncharacteristically high temperature signals a changing climate. To address the challenge of climate change, the City of Edina is developing its first Climate Action Plan. The plan will help those who live and work in Edina imagine and achieve a future where the Earth and all who live on it thrive. A team of community representatives, members of the Energy & Environment Commission (EEC) and City staff will work on the plan throughout 2021. The work is facilitated by consultant paleBLUEdot. Energy & Environment Commission Chair Hilda Martinez outlined how the commission’s involvement will assist with the outcome of the plan. “The involvement of the EEC will give the commission the opportunity to identify, prioritize and review the different actions and strategies that would be part of the plan,” she said. “Commission participation can also help bring the community perspective to the process.” The City’s current goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide 30 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050 and to establish actions to enhance community resilience and adaptation to climate change. Sustainability Coordinator Grace Hancock believes creating the plan now is critical. “Developing the plan now will provide a clear pathway to reassess and meet our goals,” she said. “We have had goals in place in the past, but we haven’t had actionable steps to get us there.” She also emphasized how climate change impacts almost everything people love about living and working in Edina. “The climate in Minnesota is already different, and we are expecting warmer, wetter and more unpredictable weather,” Hancock said. “This affects our lakes and waterways, trees and green space, and all the plants and animals that call Minnesota home. As a metropolis, we are also at greater risk for flooding with increased precipitation and the urban heat island effect. This effect means cities are getting hotter faster than surrounding areas because we have so much asphalt that absorbs the heat and activities by those who live close. We need to work together so Edina can thrive.” Those who live and work in Edina are encouraged to complete a short survey before June 6 at BetterTogetherEdina.org/climate- action-plan to share how they experience nature in Edina and any concerns they have for the future. To complete the survey over the phone, contact Hancock at 952-826- 1621. Surveys in Spanish and Somali can be downloaded from BetterTogetherEdina.org or mailed upon request. Developing the plan with community input is important to all working behind the scenes to ensure equity is at the forefront. “Climate change is not experienced equally across all residents and work groups,” Hancock said. “People with lower incomes who can’t afford to flood-proof their home or pay higher energy bills due to less predictable temperatures are more at risk to the effects of climate change. We want to include those community members’ perspectives in the plan itself and that’s why we are taking a community-forward approach to the plan.” Martinez reiterated the importance of engaging the community during the plan’s development. “The engagement of all members of the community is key in the development of the plan, since the actions/policies that would be implemented as part of it would have impacts on the way the community lives and the businesses operate,” she said. “It is vital that they are part of the process from the beginning, and that we continue to hear their input throughout the whole process.” The City’s Energy & Environment Commission anticipates recommending a completed Climate Action Plan to the City Council in December. Implementation of the plan is expected to begin in early 2022. For more information on the Climate Action Plan or the survey, contact Hancock at 952-826-1621 or visit BetterTogetherEdina.org. BY THE NUMBERS Winter at Braemar Field When COVID-19 cases spiked in Minnesota this winter, sports and indoor activities were put on pause. The pandemic forced Braemar Field to close Nov. 21, 2020 to Jan. 3, 2021, but the City of Edina worked to develop protocols for successfully reopening it for organized youth practices, open soccer and walking on the indoor track. Number of sports played on the field 6 4,200 – COMPILED BY KAITLIN GAULT 39 Number of organizations that rented the field 84,000 Weight in pounds of the dome fabric 7 million Number of cubic feet of air inside the dome $196,610 Revenue generated from field rentals Number of residents and visitors who walked around the track 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov UPCOMING EVENTS May 1-28 Step To It Challenge The Step To It Challenge is a free four- week physical activity challenge that motivates people of all ages and abilities to become more physically active. Visit StepToIt.org to sign up. Tuesday, May 4, 7 p.m. City Council meeting Wednesday, May 5, 5:30 p.m. Board of Appeal & Equalization meeting Friday, May 7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday, May 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Edina Garden Council Plant Sale, 6421 Indian Hills Road and 7013 Comanche Court Wednesday, May 12, 7 p.m. Planning Commission meeting Thursday, May 13 Eid al Fitr; No City meetings Friday, May 14, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting Tuesday, May 18, 7 p.m. City Council meeting Saturday, May 22, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, May 23, noon-4 p.m. Buckthorn Dump, 7420 Braemar Blvd. Wednesday, May 26, 7 p.m. Planning Commission meeting Thursday, May 27, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting Monday, May 31 Memorial Day; City offices closed For a complete listing of meetings and events, visit EdinaMN.gov. Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission meetings live: • Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16) • Facebook.com/EdinaMN • “Watch a Meeting” web page at EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings Watch other meetings live at youtube.com/EdinaTV. Arts & Culture Commission 4:30 p.m. fourth Thursday of the month Susan Chandler Lindsay DiLorenzo Alyssa Fram Susan Johnson Shreya Konkimalla* Lauren Piela* Russ Rubin Tiffany Shen* Rebecca Sorensen, Chair Brian Stemmler Steve Suckow Laura Westlund Board of Appeal & Equalization Meets twice in April of each year Andrew Ayers Rhonda Bland Philip Buckvold Edward Cracraft Michael McCauley Community Health Commission 6:30 p.m. second Monday of the month Mary Absolon Eva DeSimone* Andrew Hawkins Amanda Herr Isadora Li* Philip King-Lowe Robert Loesch Ellie Mullen* Tracy Nelson Julia Selleys Michael Wood Gregory Wright Construction Board of Appeals Meets as necessary Brian Berube Wayne Dvorak Ryan Holten Aaron Ouska Austin Wagner Energy & Environment Commission 7 p.m. second Thursday of the month Ukasha Dakane John Haugen Teri Hovanac Michelle Horan Bayardo Lanzas Cory Lukens Peter Mans* Ana Martinez* Hilda Martinez, Chair Rajeev Ratan Tom Tessman Heritage Preservation Commission 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month Robert Cundy Thomas Everson Mark Hassenstab Garrett Knudsen Mike Lee* Jane Lonnquist Arjun Maheshwari* Sarah Nymo Rachel Pollock Annie Schilling, Chair Darrah Widmoyer Human Rights & Relations Commission 7 p.m. fourth Tuesday of the month Joni Bennett Magnus Borene* Cindy Edwards Michael Epstein, Chair Mark Felton Leticia Guadarrama Fartun Ismail Francesca Lichtenberger* Sabeehudeen Mirza* Richard Ross Mamie Segall Jasmine Brett Stringer Moore Parks & Recreation Commission 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month Matthew Doscotch Greg Good Brian Haas Eileen McAwley Koren Hawk Nelson Rick Ites, Chair Michael Miller Nick Mork* Will Nahlovsky* Jack Sorem* Julie Strother Patrick Willette Planning Commission 7 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays of the month Kate Agnew David Alkire Rachel Bartling James Bennett Sheila Berube Sophie Cullen* Louis Miranda Ian Nemerov, Chair Joann Olsen Gerard Strauss Transportation Commission 6 p.m. third Thursday of the month Melinda Ahler Nihar Atri* Chris Brown Anna Clark* Kirk Johnson, Chair Aboubekrine Kane Anand Khariwala* Peter Lafferty Andy Lewis Bruce McCarthy Jill Plumb-Smith Lori Richman *Student Commissioner City of Edina Advisory Boards & Commissions More than 100 residents volunteer to serve on the City’s 10 advisory boards and commissions, which advise the City Council on various projects and sometimes make recommendations for its consideration. Except for the Board of Appeal & Equalization and Construction Board of Appeals, each body includes student members who are typically high school juniors or seniors. Below are the City’s boards and commissions, along with their typical meeting times and members. For more information on the City’s boards and commissions, contact Community Engagement Coordinator MJ Lamon, 952-826-0360 or MLamon@EdinaMN.gov, or visit bit.ly/EdinaBoardsCommissions. 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.gov City of Edina EdinaMN.gov4 Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE Escanee este código para ver en español The City has plans to reduce flooding in the Morningside Neighborhood. Roadway reconstruction is planned in the Morningside Neighborhood in 2022 and 2023, presenting an opportunity to consider infrastructure improvements to manage flooding. Staff began having conversations with residents and working on possible solutions in early 2020 to have ideas solidified before design of the streets begins this year. The Edina City Council at its April 20 meeting approved staff’s recommendation to pursue the following improvements: •Expand and lower Weber Pond going into Weber Woods with natural resource restoration and creation of nature trails and a bridge or floating boardwalk across the pond •Expand and lower Lynn/Kipling mixed wetland and pond with aquatic and other natural resource restoration •Expand pipe and swale to provide overflow from the Lynn/Kipling mixed wetland and pond •Expand and reconfigure pipe network extending west on 42nd Street, south on Crocker Avenue, east on Morningside Road, south on Grimes Avenue and west on Branson Street. While flooding on private properties and risk to homes would not be eliminated by these improvements, it would be significantly reduced. The Council also approved a $1.2 million agreement with Barr Engineering to provide engineering services for the project. Besides working through the designs developed by Barr Engineering, City staff will lead a public engagement effort to get feedback on landscaping choices associated with the project. In other business last month, the City Council: •Approved the use of Hennepin County grant funds to reduce residents’ monthly organics recycling fee by $1 for 12 months, provide each household a year’s supply of compostable bags and make compost available to residents in neatly packaged one-cubic-foot bags at City events such as the annual tree giveaway associated with Arbor Day. •Approved a Travel Demand Management (TDM) Policy. To reduce the number of vehicular trips on congested roadways during peak travel times, the policy would be used as new projects are considered by the City. It recommends thresholds for applicability, required plan components and methods for administration and compliance. •Reviewed sketch plans and provided nonbinding feedback for proposed redevelopments at 4630 France Ave. and 5146 Eden Ave. The City Council will next meet 7 p.m. Tuesdays May 4 and 18. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. – COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE City Moves Forward with Plans for Flood Infrastructure in Morningside Neighborhoods Barr Engineering Hired to Provide Engineering Services for Project City of Edina Goals Strong Foundation: Maintain physical assets and infrastructure. Reliable Service: Maintain service levels that best meet the needs of the community. Livable City: Plan for connected and sustainable development. Better Together: Foster an inclusive and engaged community. The City of Edina has four budget goals. Look for the goal icons throughout this publication to read stories about how the City is working to meet these goals. Putting Course Opens 10 a.m. May 1! 7499 France Ave. S. • CentennialLakesPark.com CITY OF EDINA 4801 WEST 50TH STREET EDINA, MN 55424 ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932