HomeMy WebLinkAboutAboutTown_2023AnnualReport_Web2023 Annual Report of the City of Edina
AboutTown
Clock Tower at Braemar Golf Course Cover photo by Scott Denfeld
A four-sided post clock built specifically for Braemar Golf Course and donated by longtime golf booster Pacy Erck stands at the heart of activity. Braemar Golf’s courses and practice facilities remained very busy in 2023 after renovations in recent years.
Learn more at BraemarGolf.com.
On The Cover
Table Of Contents
Translations
Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali
Escanee este código para
ver en español
AboutTown
2023 Annual Report Circulation 25,000
Official Publication of the EdinaMN.gov City of Edina, Minnesota 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, Minnesota 55424 952-826-0359
Editor: Jennifer Bennerotte
Designer: Dan Doar
Contributing Writers: Reham Alemam, Brittany Bader, Jennifer Bennerotte, Matthew Cords, David Katz, Lauren Siebenaler and Debbie Townsend
Publisher: City of Edina
Copyright 2024 by City of Edina, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424.
Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City A Word From The Mayor .........................................................1
Edina Sports History’s Forgotten Chapter:
Bandy in Minnesota ..................................................................2
2024 Brings Changes to Edina’s Executive
Leadership Team .......................................................................8
Police Staffing Changes Bring Better Balance,
New Ideas .................................................................................10
Work Continues on City’s Climate Action Plan..................12
City Initiatives From 2022-2023 Lay the Way
for New Community Services and Amenities ....................17
Merchants To Charge for Bags Beginning July 1 ................24
Fire Department Plans to Redefine
‘Community Space’ with New Fire Station 2 ......................26
It’s Not Only Neighborly, It’s The Law ................................29
Work Begins to Transform Braemar, Fred
Richards Parks .........................................................................31
Braemar Arena Expansion in Design and
Planning Stages........................................................................37
New Apartments for Seniors Highlight
Housing Successes ..................................................................38
Small Area Plan in Works for Lincoln/
Londonderry Area ...................................................................43
Donors Contribute to Help Keep Edina Safe
and Beautiful in 2023 ..............................................................44
From the Winter Ice Festival in a typical January at Centennial Lakes Park to the Family New Year’s Eve Party at Edinborough Park in late December, the City of Edina has a number of annual events for residents to enjoy with their loved ones while connecting with other members of the community.
Other popular annual events include the State of the Community in March, Parade of Boats and Juneteenth celebration at Centennial Lakes in June, July 4 parade and fireworks, and Lighthouse Night and Torchlight Concert in August at Centennial Lakes Park. The 50th & France Business & Professional Association will host the Edina Art Fair May 31-June 2, and the Edina Chamber of Commerce will host the Fall into the Arts Festival, a fundraiser for the Edina Crime Prevention Fund and Parks & Recreation Department, Sept. 7 and 8.
In addition to those annual events, residents can look forward to some other special events in 2024. As of press time, some dates had not been set, but make note of these events and look for announcements online and in the monthly Edition: Edina newsletter.
Public Works open house, May 23. A free, family-friendly “Big Trucks” open house typically takes place in even-numbered years during National Public Works Week, a week dedicated to celebrating Public Works professionals. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn more about how Public Works, Engineering and Park Maintenance serve the Edina community in a fun and interactive way. Attendees can explore vehicles like a log loader, street sweeper or paver, look at different types of hand and power tools, take pictures, and ask City staff questions.
Celebration of the history of Centennial Lakes Park, June 26. Formerly a gravel pit, Centennial Lakes Park is the crown jewel of our parks system. United Properties took control of the land now known as Centennial Lakes through
a contract for deed in 1988 and worked to redevelop the site as a mixed-use office and lifestyle complex. The company worked with the City to transform the property into a design that incorporated retail, entertainment, residential and office space and parkland for the 100-acre development.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for an improved Weber Park, July 11. The Morningside Neighborhood has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding. Climate change has already increased the risk of flooding and will continue to do so. The City recently completed a project to help the community be more resilient to flooding.
Ponds, pipes and a surface swale will be used to safely move and store floodwaters. An expanded pipe and swale will provide overflow from the Lynn/Kipling inundation area and the Grimes Avenue low point, and an expanded and reconfigured pipe network and minor grade changes will move water away from homes. Weber Pond and the Lynn/Kipling Pond were expanded and lowered. The flood infrastructure project also included natural resources restoration in upland areas, nature trails and bridge crossings at two locations at Weber Park, improved pedestrian access to the park with some ADA-compliant paths, and rebuilt sports fields in impacted areas with new turf and irrigation systems.
Groundbreaking for Fire Station 2. Sometime this spring, we will begin construction on a new Fire Station 2 at 4401 W. 76th St. The new station will ensure continued rapid response times in the future after projected growth in the southeast part of our community. The building has been designed to be a focal point in the greater Southdale District and will include space for community events and meetings.
I hope to see all of you at these events and other community gatherings in 2024!
James B. Hovland Mayor
A Word From The Mayor
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 1
2 • ABOUT TOWN
Edina Sports History’s Forgotten
Chapter: Bandy in Minnesota
By David Katz
Edina’s generations-long passion for and prowess in ice hockey is well known. Over the years, the City has produced more than its fair share of high school championships, collegiate standouts and NHL stars. Far less known today is Edina’s formative role in introducing hockey’s cousin, the European sport of bandy, to North America. It’s an interesting story in its own right – and doubly so for taking place against the larger backdrop of Cold War-era “sports diplomacy.”
Wait, What’s Bandy?When first explained to the uninitiated, bandy is often described as a blend of hockey and soccer. Bandy actually predates both sports by centuries, but the comparison is still apt.
Bandy is played on ice, but on a large surface closer in dimension to a regulation soccer pitch than to a standard hockey rink. Rules mirror those of soccer, while the equipment makes obvious that hockey can trace its roots back to bandy. Eleven skaters per team take the ice kitted out with skates that are longer and sticks that are shorter than the hockey equivalents. In lieu of a puck, they “bandy” a cork-and-rubber ball similar in size to a tennis ball.
Bandy’s beginnings are murky and contested. England, Wales, Holland, Finland and Russia claim that honor, but all narratives agree that the sport found its formal footing in the 1800s, spread across northern Europe, and gained some of its greatest adherents in the Nordic countries.
Two factors hindered bandy’s further growth: World War I and, perhaps more devasting still, the inclusion of hockey (but not bandy) in the Winter Olympic Games starting in 1920. As one chronicler of the sport describes it, bandy then receded “like glaciers shrinking in a warming climate” to the Soviet Union, Sweden, Norway and Finland. It stayed that way for decades.
Bandy’s Beginnings in EdinaMinnesota’s climate and strong hockey tradition make the state a logical enough springboard for the introduction of bandy to the United States. However, Edina’s role as the specific epicenter of a concerted, transnational push to rejuvenate bandy requires some explanation.Photo Provided by Edina Historical SocietyBraemar Arena played host to several of North America’s first-
ever bandy clinics, held in December 1976 and March 1977.
“Envoys” included world champions from the Soviet National
Bandy Team.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 3
Credit is owed chiefly to former Parks & Recreation head Bob Kojetin, who the American Bandy Association unabashedly calls “the Father of American bandy.” In addition to his role as Assistant Director (1962-1976) and then head of that department (1977-1994), Kojetin served for years as Commissioner of the Minnesota Softball Association.
In 1972, Kojetin accepted a most unusual assignment from Don Porter, Executive Director of the American Softball Association (ASA). Porter had just returned from a summit of the International Federation of Sports, where he had met with a Soviet delegation from the International Bandy Federation (IBF).
They may not have spoken the same language, but these officials shared a common cause: both parties wanted their sport adopted into the Olympic Games. Neither was likely to happen unless more countries embraced softball and bandy, respectively. As means to that end, Porter sent Kojetin on a fact-finding mission to Moscow to explore the viability of bringing softball to Europe and bandy to North America.
Kojetin returned from this whirlwind trip with a proposal for a phased, five-year Bandy/Softball Exchange Program co-sponsored by IBF and ASA. Over that period, bandy ambassadors would host informational clinics, play exhibition games and shepherd the formation of America’s first homegrown bandy teams. Softball emissaries, including Kojetin himself, would lead parallel efforts across the Atlantic.
Braemar Arena in Edina played host to several of the first-ever bandy clinics, held in December 1976 and
March 1977. Envoys included Mikhail Osintsev and Viacheslav Soloviev, six-time world champions from the Soviet National Bandy Team. During the latter trip, a breakneck itinerary zigzagged nearly 1,500 miles across Minnesota before sending the representatives off for a brief tour in Michigan.
Gaining Traction on IceBandy’s proponents felt the sport could carve a lasting toehold in America’s hockey country by appealing to two groups in particular: youth skaters and “senior” hockey players.
(continued on next page)Photo Provided by Bob KojetinAs part of the novel exchange program between the
International Bandy Federation and American Softball
Association, Edina Park & Recreation Director Bob Kojetin
conducted softball clinics throughout the Soviet Union.
4 • ABOUT TOWN
In a 1981 interview with The Minneapolis Star, Kojetin explained the former argument as follows: “We have about 2,000 youngsters in organized hockey. I call them 10-minute skaters. They spend three hours, including traveling to and from games … yet their total ice time may be 10 minutes.” In contrast, a bandy team fields 11 players at once (as opposed to six in hockey), “with no substitutions, and it goes full-tilt for two [45-minute] halves.” In short, “bandy produces skaters.”
As a no-contact sport, bandy is also a great alternative for skaters who feel they are aging out of hockey. Paul Lundeen, who played NCAA hockey before joining the country’s first official bandy team (the Edina-based Bandoliers), noted in 1983: “What I like about bandy is that there isn’t the checking and charging. The sheet of ice is too big to run someone over. It requires more skating and finesse.”
However, the sheer size of regulation bandy rinks – about 340 feet long and 200 feet wide – also presented an obstacle. No such infrastructure existed on the entire continent; but without it, bandy could never truly take root.
How fortunate for the exchange program that the Softball/Bandy Coordinator for the United States happened to double as the head of a suburban parks and recreation department.
Historic FirstsIn 1979, the first official bandy rink in the western hemisphere opened in Edina. Bob Kojetin consulted with experts, including the secretary general of
The Finnish Bandy Association, on how to replicate an authentic bandy experience in the Prospect Knolls Neighborhood at 21-acre Lewis Park.
Edina Parks & Recreation’s efforts more than passed muster. Some aficionados of the sport even “considered [Lewis Park] the finest bandy rink in the world,” according to an 1987 article in the Minneapolis Tribune.
Other historic firsts followed in quick succession. Kojetin and colleagues coordinated the first true bandy games on American ice in December 1979. This showcase at Lewis Park pitted the Swedish Junior National Team against Sweden’s elite Broberg/Söderhamn bandy club.Photo Provided by Edina Historical SocietyIn 1979, the first official bandy rink in the western hemisphere
opened in Edina at 21-acre Lewis Park. Some aficionados of
the sport “considered it the finest bandy rink in the world,”
according to a 1987 article.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 5
Next, in 1980, a charismatic bandy coach and one-time Swedish Army officer named Gunnar Fast set boots in the Twin Cities. He had accepted an ambitious mandate: to convert ice hockey players to bandy, form teams and establish a bona fide American league. His success with this endeavor is evidenced by the fact that such a league not just thrives today, but vies annually for the coveted “Gunnar Cup.”
That same year, Kojetin co-founded the American Bandy Association (also known as USA Bandy) and added ABA president to his growing list of titles and responsibilities. During its formative years, USA Bandy would hold many of its regular meetings at either Edina City Hall or the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, hockey players with an Edina Hornets pedigree loomed large within America’s first bandy rosters. Inaugural teams bore colorful names like the Bandy Roosters, Bandy Aide and Bandolier. (Bandolier persists to this day and boasts 10 Gunnar Cup wins – more than any other club.)
Thanks to the spirited efforts of boosters like Fast and Kojetin, helped along by the transferability of hockey skills to bandy, Minnesota soon fielded a dozen teams across two divisions.
Bandy’s rapid germination in the American Midwest surprised and impressed fans in the sport’s homeland. Some enjoyed an early opportunity to see these newcomers in action when the United States sent its best to Ljusdal, Sweden, to play as an exhibition team prior to the 1981 Bandy World Cup.
Six thousand spectators – roughly the population of the host city itself – packed the stands to watch Team USA challenge a local Ljusdal club. Remarkably, the rookies scored the first goal in this historic game and ended the first half at 2-2. During the second half, the Swedes’ greater conditioning took its toll, resulting in a 2-9 loss for the exhausted hockey converts. Even so, Team USA’s respectable debut garnered headlines across Scandinavia and the Soviet Union.
(continued on next page)Photo Provided by Edina Historical SocietyEdina hosted the first true bandy games on American soil
in December 1979. This showcase pitted the Swedish Junior
National Team against Sweden’s elite Broberg/Söderhamn
bandy club.
6 • ABOUT TOWN
‘Glasnost Cup’In January 1989, the Soviet government offered a unique proposition to its national team. If they clinched that year’s Bandy World Championship in Moscow, the full Soviet roster would earn a first-of-its-kind bandy tour of the United States (in effect, a long trip to Minnesota). When the USSR prevailed that winter over Finland, the wheels were officially in motion for this watershed January 1990 visit.
In addition to matchups between the national teams of the host and visiting countries, USA Bandy also organized a novel bracket dubbed the Glasnost Cup. (It took its name from the sweeping Soviet policy of the same name, which emphasized reform and transparency.)
In the Glasnost Cup, competing American teams each “recruited” three Soviet guests to join their team. When world champions Vladimir Plakhunov, Andrei Efremov and Viktor Salomatev carried the day, they did so wearing the red jerseys of the Minnesota Reindeer.
The Glasnost Cup was a striking demonstration of sportsmanship and camaraderie in the waning days of the Cold War – and an interesting counterpoint to hockey’s more famous and far less collegial “Miracle on Ice,” which opened the preceding decade.
Bandy Bounds ForwardNeedless to say, American bandy never achieved the level of visibility or popularity needed to rival its more popular cousin – even in the winter sports mecca of the Twin Cities. However, USA Bandy continues strong to this day. Over the decades, the association has sponsored youth leagues and expanded with a Women’s National Team.
During this later growth period, bandy’s continental center of gravity shifted away from Edina – but not by much. In 1983, Governor Rudy Perpich kicked off a search for the location and financing needed to give Minnesota an Olympic-grade winter sports facility with an ice rink at its center. Although the City of Edina was among the communities that submitted proposals, the State ultimately awarded this laurel to the City of Roseville.
The Guidant John Rose Minnesota Oval (or simply “the OVAL”) boasts 110,000 square feet of outdoor refrigerated ice, making it one of the largest artificial outdoor ice sheets in all of North America. It opened to the public in 1993.Photo Provided by Edina Historical SocietyHockey converts – nearly all from the Twin Cities – impressed
athletes and fans in bandy’s homeland with respectable
showings at the annual Bandy World Cup in Ljusdal, Sweden.
Pictured is the 1983 roster.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 7
Interestingly, the OVAL’s original design did not provision for bandy. In contrast, the City of Edina’s proposal had envisioned an ice rink for bandy and figure skating nested within a speed-skating course. John Rose, the state legislator who championed the project and for whom the sports complex is named, liked the idea of including Minnesota’s newest winter pastime in the final blueprint.
Rose called Kojetin personally to ask that Edina’s Parks Director partner with his counterpart in Roseville to adapt this portion of Edina’s design for the OVAL.
In hindsight, bandy’s inclusion proved a godsend to the sport – and not only because the City of Edina would eventually decommission the rink at Lewis Park after more than 20 years of operation.
The new infrastructure also allowed the ABA to host the 1995 Bandy World Championship. For a sports association with a modest, 15-year track record and a mere 300 members on its roster, this bid for the international spotlight was nothing short of audacious. They prevailed in part due to a major sponsorship from Sweden’s government-owned railroad company.
Twin Cities sports journalist Patrick Reusse likened the unprecedented gathering at the OVAL to a Super Bowl with international flair – and in fact turned down the opportunity to cover Super Bowl XXIX in Miami in favor of watching history in the making in his own backyard.
A then-record nine countries competed in the 1995 Bandy World Championship. By that point, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands and the newly independent nation of Kazakhstan had all formed national bandy associations.
It seems safe to conclude that the International Bandy Federation’s campaign to spread their sport beyond its traditional homeland has proven a resounding success. Moreover, it’s remarkable to reflect that little Edina, Minnesota, played such a center stage role in jumpstarting bandy’s renaissance.
Background information for this piece came from materials
maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society, Edina
Historical Society and American Bandy Association. Special
thanks are owed to ABA president Chris Middlebrook, author
of the memoir The Bandy Chronicles: My Pursuit of a Forgotten
Sport, and to Bob Kojetin, “the Father of American bandy.” Photo Provided by Edina Historical SocietyThe American Bandy Association unabashedly credits former
City of Edina Park & Recreation head Bob Kojetin as “the Father
of American bandy.”
8 • ABOUT TOWN
2024 Brings Changes to Edina’s
Executive Leadership Team
By Matt Cords
The City’s Executive Leadership Team gained two new staff members in the first quarter of 2024.
The hiring of Ari Lenz as Assistant City Manager brings valuable experience to the Administration Department, as several high-profile projects are slated for the upcoming year. Lenz, who worked for the City in 2012 and 2013 as a City Management Fellow, returned to Edina in January, bringing a vast knowledge of local government to the team. She succeeds Lisa Schaefer, who resigned in the fall to take a position with the League of Minnesota Cities.
Lenz has worked in local government nearly her whole career, starting as a Management Intern for Johnson County, Kansas, during her collegiate years at the University of Kansas where she earned a master’s degree in Public Administration. Post-grad, Lenz returned from the Great Plains to Minnesota, and began a City Management Fellowship with the City of Edina.
“My time in Edina made a huge impact on my career – how I view the role of a local government manager, and the type of manager I want to be,” she said. “I got to see what quality public service looks like and learn from some of the best department directors in the business.”
In her role as Assistant City Manager, Lenz manages the Administration Department, which presently includes Community Engagement; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; and the office of the City Clerk. In addition to these responsibilities, the Assistant City Manager oversees the Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology departments and backs up the City Manager.
Before accepting the position with Edina, Lenz worked for nearly eight years at the City of Hopkins as Assistant City Manager. It was at Hopkins where Lenz became skilled in many of the areas she will be overseeing as Edina’s Assistant City Manager, with diversity and inclusion and community engagement being two of her biggest strengths.
Having worked in one of the most diverse cities in the metro, Lenz has firsthand experience engaging with a high percentage of residents who speak multiple languages and come from varying racial and socio-economic statuses. “I learned a lot about systemic disparities and enjoy culture-building, rebuilding and creating a sense of community where people feel a sense of pride and belonging,” Lenz said.
Promoting the City’s organizational culture is another important task for Lenz. “It takes intentional, hard work to understand and influence an organizational culture, but when done well, it increases productivity, employee engagement and overall performance. Culture, and creating the type of environment where we can do big things, is a top priority for me,” she said.
Lenz sees herself as a natural problem solver whose ability to understand concepts quickly and connect them produces innovative, compelling and practical solutions. “I have really strong communication skills and I value employee engagement, which I believe creates a strong, honest culture where we can do really hard things but have fun while doing it.”
City Manager Scott Neal will work closely with Lenz. “Ari will be my right-hand person. I expect to learn from her, and vice versa. I trust her,” Neal said. “I appreciate
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 9
Ari’s energy, intellect and work ethic. She is a good fit for our organization, and I think she is going to excel here.”
When asked about her return to the City, Lenz described Edina as “a community with a very strong reputation for professional management and top-notch government services. … The City Council and staff take the responsibility of public service seriously and are willing to get creative and innovate to provide the best possible services for the community.”
In Finance, Pa Thao in February began her new role as the department’s Director, responsible for overseeing the department’s internal and external activities.
Thao began working for the City of Edina two years ago as an Auditing and Accounting Coordinator. She was quickly promoted to the department’s Assistant Director. A graduate of Concordia University in St. Paul with a degree in Accounting and Finance, “Thao’s experience in both public and private settings made her a strong, well-rounded candidate for the job,” Neal said.
Thao was promoted once again within the organization in late 2023 to succeed Alisha McAndrews as Edina’s Finance Director. In 2022, McAndrews’ husband took a job out of the state which resulted in the decision to move permanently, opening up the opportunity for Thao. “Pa brings strong technical skills to the job and is not afraid to roll up her sleeves to tackle tough problems,” McAndrews said.
As Finance Director, Thao will be heavily involved in the strategic vision of the team, bond issuance, and forecasting the financial health of the City through the annual budget and Capital Improvement Plan. The importance of customer service from a finance perspective is important to Thao, as well, and she intends to set that tone “from the top down” to help all clients going forward. Thao is excited to “bridge the gap” in terms of assisting other departments, which she predicts will “bring more meaning to their roles.” Providing training
opportunities for the Finance team is another goal for Thao, as she cites that the opportunities the City has provided have stood out during her time with Edina.
Thao also is working on creating a positive work environment. “There’s a stereotype that finance people are boring and that we’re so gray. … I want to bring enthusiasm, fun and meaning to our jobs.
Some of Thao’s top goals are overseeing the annual audit that will run from February to June and allocating funds for expansions at Braemar Arena and construction of a new Fire Station 2.
“It’s about knowing what you want, and if an opportunity arises, to not lose sight of it,” Thao said when asked about what inspired her to take the new position. “Edina is a great city and the people I get to work with make it so worth it.”
For more information on the City’s departments, visit
EdinaMN.gov.Photo by Jason HeuerAri Lenz and Pa Thao joined the City of Edina’s Executive
Leadership Team earlier this year. Lenz is Edina’s new Assistant
City Manager and Thao is Finance Director.
10 • ABOUT TOWN
Police Staffing Changes Bring
Better Balance, New Ideas
By Lauren Siebenaler
The Edina Police Department’s Command Staff grew in 2023.
“We’ve had a lot of turnover in the last couple years, but we have been fortunate to have such great talent within the ranks,” said Police Chief Todd Milburn. “That has allowed us to make some really good promotions into key positions.”
In August, four Sergeant positions were added. The slight restructure helped to create a more balanced supervisory role across all patrol shifts. Four officers with more than 30 years of combined service were promoted to the new Sergeant roles – Darren Davis, Emily Jepson, Mike Sussman and Jesse Penman. The department now has 10 sergeants who oversee 41 officers.
“Law enforcement has changed and the challenges are unique,” said Lt. Dave Venne, who oversees the Patrol Division. “Adding more sergeants allows for an extra person on patrol to ensure the safety of the officers and the safety of the community. They provide around-the-clock professional coverage and enhance the responsiveness to our community’s needs.”
The Police Department’s three lieutenants focus on administration, patrol and professional standards. Venne has been the Patrol Lieutenant since 2022. He oversees all patrol operations, leadership development and communications.
Ryan Schultz has been the Administrative Lieutenant since 2022. He oversees investigations, 911 dispatch, major projects, technology and special operations.
One of his biggest projects in 2023 was the implementation of new dispatching software.
Jake Heckert was named the newest Lieutenant at the end of 2023, overseeing professional standards. His duties as lieutenant include recruiting and hiring personnel, community engagement, training, records, property and evidence, and managing the Cadet program.
With Jepson’s promotion to Sergeant, the community engagement officer role was left vacant. A nine-year veteran with the department, Retail Crime Investigator Photo by Jason HeuerThe Edina Police Department leadership team includes front,
from left:) Sgt. Mike Sussman, Sgt. Emily Jepson, Sgt. Darin
Cizek, Police Chief Todd Milburn, Deputy Chief Aaron White,
Sgt. David Boosalis, Sgt. Jason Behr; and back: Sgt. Brandon
Kuske, Sgt. Darren Davis, Lt. Ryan Schutlz, Lt. Jake Heckert,
Lt. Dave Venne, Sgt. Ben Wenande, and Sgt. Jesse Penman.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 11
Nick Donahue expressed interest in the position and was ultimately selected for it. Donahue started as the Community Engagement Officer Jan. 1.
“I look forward to meeting residents, sharing my knowledge and educating them on ways to prevent becoming a victim of a crime,” said Donahue. “In this role, I will get to meet so many awesome people. I think having the opportunity to make a positive impact on kids is the absolute best part of this job and what I am most excited for.”
Another major staffing success came from the Edina Police Cadet Program, which started in late 2022. The program was created to provide Cadets on-the-job training and the mentorship needed to transition into a Police Officer role upon completion of their schooling. Originally hired as Community Service Officers, Emily Zeise and Jared Simmer transitioned into the Cadet program when it started. Jacob Prince, Jose Soto Ortiz and Moises Martinez were hired as Cadets. All five were promoted to Police Officers in 2023 and early 2024.
“The Cadets have shared that this experience has eased the burden of the initial Police Officer training,” said Heckert. “The program has provided them an opportunity to learn policy, procedures, geography and create relationships with officers. It’s a 24/7 job interview as they are making relationships with officers and also making impressions about their work ethic and ability to be promoted to the officer position.”
With all of the momentum generated from the 2023 staffing changes, leadership is looking forward to new opportunities in 2024. Among them is the development
of an Alternative Response Team, a partnership between Edina Police, Edina Fire and Hennepin County. The team will support and follow up on mental health incidents in Edina. The department is also looking forward to welcoming an in-house therapy canine for Police Department staff in spring.
“With this new leadership team in place, there are a lot of really innovative ideas coming forward,” Milburn said. “We are excited for these ideas and look forward to seeing their growth.”
For more information on the Edina Police Department, visit
EdinaMN.gov/Police.Photo by Jason HeuerNick Donahue started as the Community Engagement Officer
Jan. 1.
12 • ABOUT TOWN
Work Continues on City’s
Climate Action Plan
By Lauren Siebenaler
The City made significant progress in 2023 on the first phase of its Climate Action Plan. One of the biggest accomplishments of 2023 was the City of Edina subscribing to 12 million kWh of renewable energy through Xcel Energy’s Renewable*Connect program. Combined with renewable energy created on each site, this means all City facilities run on renewable energy.
“The City made good on its commitment to sourcing 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations,” said Sustainability Specialist Matthew Gabb. “Residents are challenged to join the City’s commitment!”
The Renewable*Connect Flex program makes it possible for residents and businesses to enroll in clean energy without the need to install equipment such as solar panels. The City has a goal of getting 1,200 Edina households enrolled in this program that is supplied with energy from local wind and solar resources. The low-cost commitment is added to the energy bill monthly, making it easy to go green.
Also in 2023, the City continued to add electric and hybrid vehicles to its fleet. Four electric vehicles were added for a total of eight, and three hybrids were acquired for a total of 37. Additionally, the City installed six charging stations in 2023. Stations for general parking at City Hall and Braemar Arena were installed. Four chargers for fleet vehicles were added at the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility and Fire Station 1 for fleet vehicles only.
Edina Public Works was also the site of the City’s first two Electrify Everything workshops, a program made possible by a collaboration with the Center for Energy and Environment and the City of Edina’s Engineering Department. Nearly 60 residents from Edina, Eden Prairie and St. Louis Park attended the two workshops in May and October where they learned about electrification and the variety of rebates available for energy-saving home improvement projects. More workshops are being planned for 2024.
“People who attended the workshops learned all about what electrification and decarbonization is,” said Gabb. “They learned how to improve air quality and insulation to make their home more comfortable in the summer and winter. We also went over the different kinds of rebates available.”
Another resource for rebates is the Climate Action Fund. More than 40 Edina residents and business owners benefitted from the fund last year, with a total of $51,342 going toward energy upgrade projects. Up to $1,000 and $2,000 for commercial, industrial or multifamily properties can be granted toward projects like rooftop solar installation or improving insulation.
Growth in the City’s Clothing Swap was another big success in 2023. About 500 community members exchanged over 3,300 pounds of clothing and shoes, with an additional 875 pounds donated to Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota. In comparison, in 2022, 300 community members exchanged roughly 1,500 pounds of clothing and shoes.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 13
(continued on next page)
“Reuse is one of the top priorities for the state, county and City. There aren’t many other programs like the Clothing Swap that capitalize on reuse in the city,” said Organics Recycling Coordinator Twila Singh. “Additionally, this is one of the few programs that people can do for free, and there’s no obligation for people to bring things. There aren’t many spaces for people to do things for free these days.”
The Climate Action Plan is still currently in Phase 1, which lasts through 2024. Phase 2 will occur from 2025 through 2027, with Phase 3 following from 2028 through 2030. Along the way, the City will monitor progress through results from greenhouse gas inventories conducted every other year.
The actions chosen for the plan are based on climate science and have been customized to Edina based on community input. They are organized under the following categories: Transportation & Land Use, Water & Wastewater, Buildings & Energy, Local Food & Agriculture, Green Space & Trees, Climate Health & Safety, Climate Economy, Cross-Cutting Actions and Waste Management.
The public is encouraged to follow along with the plan’s progress through the Climate Action Plan Progress Portal at Bit.ly/ClimateActionPlan-Edina.
To learn more about the Climate Action Plan or the City’s
sustainability efforts, visit EdinaMN.gov/Sustainability.File PhotoAlthough a bit chilly in April, the 2023 Clothing Swap had the
best turnout yet. The next Clothing Swap is being planned for
May 9 at Braemar Arena.
14 • ABOUT TOWN
2023 Progress Report
Renewable Energy: The City made good on its commitment to sourcing 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations. In 2023, the City subscribed 12 million kWh of renewable energy through Xcel Energy’s Renewable*Connect program.
Energy Retrofits at City Buildings: Energy improvements are ongoing at Edina City Hall. An examination of the efficiency of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment revealed City Hall’s solar panels had reached the end of their useful life and needed a complete redesign and expansion. Once installed by the end of 2024, they will produce nearly 50% of the building’s annual energy needs.
Sustainable Buildings Policy: Four development projects were approved in 2023 adhering to the Sustainable Building Policy, including the new Fire Station 2 and The Finch. The policy, implemented in 2022, requires developers seeking City incentives,
such as a planned unit development (PUD) or tax-increment financing (TIF), to follow sustainable building guidelines.
Climate Action Fund: The cost-share program reimbursed 41 residents and business owners for the costs of energy-efficiency projects or rooftop solar installations. A total of $51,342 went into these community projects. In 2024, this program is looking to expand due to the Inflation Reduction Act. The City expects slight adjustments to the reimbursement amounts and the inclusion of electric bikes.
Residential and Commercial Energy Assessments: The City supported 47 commercial energy assessments and approximately 200 home energy assessments through the Conservation and Sustainability Fund, which is generated by utility franchise fees. Two Electrify Everything workshops were held.
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 46 by 2030
16 ACTIONS
Buildings & Energy
Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project: The engineering project was completed in summer 2023 and will make the Morningside Neighborhood more resilient
to flooding. Many native plants were installed in the project area.
Water & Wastewater
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 20 by 2030
10 ACTIONS
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 15
Carryout Bag Fee: The City’s Climate Action Plan has a goal to reduce waste collection in Edina. Part of that goal includes promoting more environmentally friendly ways to shop. Beginning July 1, most businesses in Edina will charge 5 cents per carryout bag. If you bring your own bag when you shop, you help both your wallet by not being charged the carryout bag fee and the planet by not using as many bags.
The ordinance applies to merchants and retailers that sell or provide merchandise, goods or materials. Food banks and licensed food establishments like restaurants and food trucks are exempt. The 5-cent fee does not apply to certain bags, such as those for produce, baked goods or prescription drugs.
Green Business Outreach Program: Seven additional Edina businesses were named a “Green Business” in 2023. The Galleria Shopping Center was in the “gold” tier. Grandview Tire & Auto, Redline Property Partners, Minneapolis Area REALTORS, Stranger & Co., and Paragon Pilates and Physical Therapy were named in the “silver” tier. Lush Cosmetics was in the “bronze” tier. Eight businesses were named Green Business in 2022.
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 14 by 2030
13 ACTIONS
Cross-Cutting Actions
Clothing Swap Event: The City hosted its second Earth Day Community Clothing Exchange in April to help keep clothes out of the landfill.
Organics: 7500 York successfully implemented a pilot program for multifamily organics recycling. With the help of 7500 York’s Organics Committee, 65 condos
signed up to participate in the program. Three public organic drop-off locations were opened in 2023. The locations at the Edina Senior Center, Community Gardens and Centennial Lakes Park allow apartment residents to participate in organics recycling.
Waste Management
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 24 by 2030
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16 • ABOUT TOWN
Bredesen Park: The City secured nearly $1 million from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to both restore Bredesen Park and to replace ash trees killed by Emerald Ash Borer. Implementation of the grants will occur from 2024 to 2026.
NextGen Trees Initiative: $100,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was allocated to the NextGen Trees initiative. Over the last two years, 1,100 trees were planted in Edina. The NextGen Trees Dashboard shows a map of where the trees were planted, what type of tree and how many were planted. Find the map at EdinaMN.gov/Maps.
Lawn Ordinance: The Edina City Council approved a new lawn ordinance that allows for more and larger pollinator-friendly lawns. The ordinance eased height
limits for vegetation year-round, and suspended enforcement for the month of May consistent with the goals of No Mow May. The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources’ Lawns2Legumes program is a great resource to get started with a more pollinator-friendly yard. Learn more at bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l.
Natural Areas Projects: • Completed - Lynmar Basin stormwater project; Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project Phase 3 landscape restoration
• In Progress - Nine Mile Creek vegetation restoration; Wooddale Path landscape restoration
• Designed - Bredesen Park restoration project landscape restoration; Braemar Park and Fred Richards Park restoration and enhancements
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 24 by 2030
Green Space & Trees
Safe & Equitable Mobility Action Plan: The City secured $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to create a Safe & Equitable Mobility Action Plan to improve road safety and make Edina a better place to bike, walk and take the bus. The City
will provide an additional $50,000 toward the plan and begin community outreach in 2024.
Electric Vehicles: Four electric vehicles and three hybrid vehicles were added to the City of Edina fleet in 2023.
Transportation & Land Use
Were Either In Progress or Completed
of a total of 28 by 2030
7 ACTIONS
Note: The categories of Local Food & Agriculture, Climate Health & Safety and Climate Economy will start in later years.
7 ACTIONS
28
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 17
City Initiatives From 2022-2023
Lay the Way for New Community
Services and Amenities
By Brittany Bader
The 2022-2023 Budget Work Plan included 33 projects across the City’s four budget pillars of ensuring a strong foundation, reliable service, livable city and being better together in Edina.
Investing in parks and park facilities; designing a new fire station; completing a flood risk reduction project; improving the reliability of the street lighting system; adding affordable housing; and using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to support small businesses, provide food and rental assistance, support community organizations and plant more than 1,000 trees were just a few of the outcomes from the ambitious two-year plan. Several initiatives revolved around creating new or improved public spaces, translating into more ways Edina residents can enjoy their community in future years.
“The work done in 2022 and 2023 really laid the groundwork for tangible improvements to the community in 2024 and 2025,” said City Management Fellow Gillian Straub. “By the end of 2023, the City secured the ability to collect more than $70 million for park and arena improvements, designed a Fire Station 2 that includes welcoming community space and Public Health, and began talking with Hennepin County about the Art Center being a tenant of its new library. In 2024 and 2025, those improvements and facilities will take shape in the city.”
A few of the key projects are detailed on the following pages with a summary of other projects completed on Page 22.
Local Option Sales Tax
Referendum for Improvements at
Braemar and Fred Richards Parks
Work Plan Item: Host local option sales tax referendum in
2022 general election. If approved, implement the results.
The City of Edina prides itself on the quality of its more than 40 parks. With a growing population and increasing demand for recreation opportunities, the City is committed to addressing needs residents have identified for parks, recreation and trails. Once finished, the $71 million plan to invest in Braemar Park and Arena and Fred Richards Park will provide new recreation opportunities, including trails for biking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and pedestrian use; new playgrounds, picnic and outdoor meeting spaces and pickleball courts; important infrastructure repairs at Braemar Arena and expansion to include a fourth sheet of indoor ice; upgrades to the Courtney Fields ballfield complex; restoration of natural habitat and vegetation; and more.
In November 2022, Edina voters approved a referendum to use a half-percent local option sales and use tax for up to 19 years to fund projects in the two parks. This financing option will share the tax impact with nonresidents who buy goods and services in the city, instead of just those who own property in Edina. Additionally, in the November 2023 election, voters approved using the existing sales tax to fund the expansion of Braemar Arena.
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18 • ABOUT TOWN
Since then, design teams have been working to refine concepts and create bid packages for construction. The trail project at Braemar Park is at 60% design and restoration work has started. The improvements at Courtney Fields have been fully designed and work has begun on the lighting package. Fred Richards Park is currently at 20% design.
The community should be on the lookout for future engagement opportunities to weigh in on and help steer certain projects elements, like playgrounds, pickleball courts and facility usage. Notably, the public will be invited to review and comment on the Fred Richards Park refined design layout at an open house and on BetterTogetherEdina.org. Details will be announced when available.
For Braemar Park, trail construction will take place in 2024, Courtney Field improvements implemented in 2024 and 2025 and natural resource management will continue through 2026. For Fred Richards Park, design, bidding and some initial construction will take place in 2024 with improvements expected to be completed in 2025. The design phase of the Braemar Arena expansion will begin in 2024.
“Each project will bring new, exciting and unique amenities to add to our Edina parks and trail systems,” said Park Planner Rachel Finberg. “For example, the city currently doesn’t have mountain biking trails, so that’s something to be excited for. And at Fred Richards Park, we have the opportunity to do this restoration project that will give the community another space to connect with nature.”
To learn more about the work being done on the Braemar
and Fred Richards parks projects, read the article on Page 31.
Fire Station 2
Work Plan Item: Acquire Fire Station 2 site. Determine finance
method/plans. Select a project architect. Approve construction
plans to ensure the building satisfies the needs of City staff to
provide 24-hour fire and EMS operations. Include office space
for the Public Health Division within the Station 2 site.
A new Fire Station 2 is being built on an eight-acre site at 4401 W. 76th St. and will house firefighter/paramedics and the Public Health Division, as well as community space. Construction is anticipated to start in the spring and be complete in the winter of 2025.
Visit the Parks & Recreation Projects hub on
BetterTogetherEdina.org to stay up to date with the
Braemar Park and Fred Richards Park master plan
projects and associated engagement opportunities.
Parks & Recreation
Projects
View current projects in
Edina’s parks and recreation
spaces and provide feedback.
View Projects
https://www.bettertogetheredina.org
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 19
“When you look at a map, you’ll see that the new station is located further west than the current one, so our coverage within the city of Edina is extended and projected response times are going to be more equitable throughout the city,” said Project Manager Zuly Marquez. “The new station will provide greater access and visibility to critical services and more green space for the public in that area.”
The new building will be approximately 33,600 square feet over two floors and feature a five-story training tower. It will also include sustainable building solutions like solar panels, geothermal wells and native plantings. The station will take up about one-third of the site, with other projects being considered for the remaining land.
Although the existing Fire Station 2 is not large enough to meet the desired fire/paramedic service level needs of the community and will be discontinued for that use once the new station is complete, the City is looking into repurposing the building for other uses.
To learn more about the work being done on Fire Station 2,
read the article on Page 26.
Morningside Flood
Infrastructure Project
Work Plan Item: Implement Morningside Flood
Infrastructure Project.
This innovative City engineering project completed in 2023 reduced the flood risk for more than 100 properties in the Morningside Neighborhood in the northeast quadrant of the city, which has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding.
“We knew there was a real need in the Morningside Neighborhood because it had the most structures with exposure to flooding. So, when the neighborhood came due for street reconstruction, it felt like an opportunity to do something to address this,” said Water Resources Manager Jessica Wilson.
Construction of the $12.5 million project started in early 2022 and wrapped up in summer 2023. Tying the project into preplanned neighborhood street reconstruction reduced cost and disruption to the neighborhood. The project included regrading streets, expanding and improving the storm sewer system and providing flood water transportation through a new swale through Weber Park. Weber Pond flood storage increased by four times and the Lynn/Kipling inundation area flood storage was made twice as big.
The most unique feature is the addition of a predictive pumping system to increase the flood storage capacity in Weber Pond. Every 15 minutes, the pump system collects Submitted IllustrationA design rendering of the new Fire Station 2 from the southeast
corner of the lot.(continued on next page)
20 • ABOUT TOWN
real-time data about weather forecasts using a cellular connection. If a large storm is in the forecast, the system lowers the water level in the pond to create flood storage capacity as it did before the project, water is then routed to Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis, only early.
“Ahead of when a storm is forecasted, if people are looking at the water level in Weber Pond, they might see a big drop of several feet,” explained Wilson.
When looking at major storm events – events between 10-year and 100-year floods – this infrastructure project reduced flood risk for 138 structures and totally removed risk for about 30 structures.
Weber Park is a highly valued community park, so in addition to the primary benefit of flood risk reduction, invasive buckthorn and garlic mustard plants were removed as part of improving the health of natural areas.
Park enhancements included:
• Natural resources restoration, including:
◦Planting more than 2,500 trees and shrubs
◦Planting more than 6,600 native perennials
◦Adding turtle logs
• New nature trails and bridge crossings
• Improved pedestrian access to the park with ADA-compliant paths
• Rebuilt sports fields with new turf and irrigation systems
Wilson explains that Weber Park will join the ranks as one of the healthiest natural areas in the city alongside Arden Park and Braemar Golf Course, two places that also underwent natural areas restoration in the last 10 years.
“Natural restorations take a few years to reach their full beauty. The plants are in an adolescent stage now and will still look patchy in 2024. But in 2025, we will reap all the benefits of the work we’ve put in. We’ll see ecological uplift and it will be beautiful,” said Wilson.
To learn more about the Morningside Flood Infrastructure
project, visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/morningside. Submitted PhotoAs part of the infrastructure project, park amenities like nature
trails and bridge crossings were added at Weber Park.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 21
What’s Next for 2024-2025
Highlights of the 2024-2025 Budget Work Plan include:
• Continuing park improvements at Braemar Park and Arena and Fred Richards Park
• Planning for a new Art Center facility and programming
• Expanding Cahill Area sanitary sewer capacity
• Site selection and planning for a new Fire Station 3
• Grandview area transportation improvements
• Expanding York Avenue sanitary sewer capacity
• Identifying resources and training for response to mental health calls
• Planning for Edina Public Schools elections for 2025 and beyond
• Studying the impacts of THC/cannabis legislation
• Supporting staff with wellness and PTSD needs
• Advancing affordable housing goals
• Preparing for Comprehensive Plan update
• Administering 2025 Quality of Life survey
• Refining community engagement processes
How to Follow Work
Plan Progress
In early 2023, the City launched the Progress Portal, online transparency dashboards where the public can track City and Commission work plan progress.
The Progress Portal currently includes dashboards for the Budget Work Plan, Climate Action Plan, Race & Equity Plan and Advisory Commission work plans. Staff provide updates quarterly.
To view the Progress Portal for the Budget Work Plan, visit
Bit.ly/EdinaBudgetWorkPlan.
(continued on next page)
Budget Pillars:
Strong Foundation
City infrastructure, facilities, technology and equipment meet community needs now and in the future.
Reliable Service
City services enhance the safety, wellbeing and quality of life experienced in Edina.
Livable City
City planning fosters healthy, connected, sustainable development that enriches the lives of current and future residents.
Better Together
City government fosters an inclusive, informed and engaged community.
22 • ABOUT TOWN
Art Center Long-Term Plan
In September 2023, the City entered into a letter of intent with Hennepin County to include tenant space for the Edina Art Center on the second floor of the new Southdale Library building, which will be built on the site of the existing library at 7001 York Ave. S. Construction is scheduled to start in mid-2025 and finish Spring 2027.
Street Lighting System & Maintenance Plan
In September 2023, the City Council approved an increase in utility franchise fees for 2024, with most of the additional revenue going toward the maintenance of the city’s approximately 3,000 streetlights. To improve the reliability of the street lighting system in Edina, the City plans to increase the rate at which old lights are replaced and transition ownership of all except those at parks and recreation facilities and in the 50th & France and Grandview districts to Xcel Energy over 25 years.
Capital Improvement Plan Levy
The $2 million 2024 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Levy was approved in December 2023 by the City Council and will fund projects like asset preservation, City Hall building security and efficiency, election equipment storage, and upgrades to systems for planned centralized monitoring and location services for 911 dispatch. The City Council also adopted the policy of increasing the CIP Levy as debt service levies expire.
Affordable Housing Strategies Utilizing Housing Trust Fund
A new partnership with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity was formed to preserve up to six homes for long-term affordable ownership. The City’s partnership with Homes Within Reach was extended to allow for at least three more affordable homeownership opportunities. Two property owners signed on to the 4d preservation program and received financing through the Resilient Homes Grant program to make their rental property more energy efficient.
Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) Funds
The City approved a plan to invest available TIF funds to promote growth and reinvestment in Edina. The policy governing the use of TIF was also updated to reflect best practice and to ensure public benefits can be delivered when TIF is used.
Project/Initiative Update Budget Pillar
Other Project Updates From the 2022-2023 Budget Work Plan
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 23
Project/Initiative Update Budget Pillar
Increase Organics Program Participation
Organics recycling participation has increased about 2% every year since the program began. Multi-family home participation continues to be an area of focus and the City provided assistance at 94 properties and concluded four onsite pilot programs in 2023. Additionally, the City opened three public organics recycling drop-off sites.
Execute American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding
The City received $4.9 million in ARPA funding from the federal government to provide relief from the COVID-19 pandemic and boost the economy. The City chose to develop two separate spending plans for the money, and as of October 2023, $2.386 million of the $4.9 million had been spent, and the rest obligated to be spent. Causes supported include:
• Business assistance for the Chamber of Commerce, 50th & France Business & Professional Association and the Edina Theatre• Small business support through the Technical Assistance Program (TAP)• Rental and food assistance through Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP)• Mental health assistance expansion• Edina LETRS program, which is dedicated to providing literacy training to students• Edina Give and Go to help Edina Public Schools students pay for arts, academics or athletic activities• NextGen Trees initiative, which planted over 1,000 trees of diverse varieties across Edina• Sponsoring free high-speed internet for qualifying Edina residents through Comcast’s Internet Essentials program• Public-facing capital improvements at Centennial Lakes Park and Edinborough Park• Community surveillance camera network pilot project at 50th & France• Municipal government operations, primarily employee compensation, training, support and operations
To learn more about the City’s use of ARPA funds,
visit BetterTogetherEdina.org/arpa.
Quality of Life Survey
The Quality of Life survey was administered in Spring 2023. 93 percent of respondents rated the quality of life in Edina as “excellent” or “good.” When looking at benchmark comparisons, Edina ranked No. 1 in snow removal, ambulance or emergency medical services, fire services, fire prevention and education, and city-sponsored special events compared to other Minnesota communities asked the same survey questions.
24 • ABOUT TOWN
Merchants To Charge for
Bags Beginning July 1
Beginning this summer, most businesses will charge 5 cents per carryout bag.
Edina’s Climate Action Plan has a goal to reduce waste collection. Part of that goal includes promoting more environmentally friendly ways to shop. To that end, the Energy & Environment Commission in 2023 recommended the City Council adopt an ordinance requiring most merchants to charge for carryout bags. The ordinance, which is in Chapter 20, Article 14 of the City Code, goes into effect July 1, 2024.
Below are some frequently asked questions about the new initiative:
Why is reducing the amount of single-use carryout bags important?More than 1.3 million bags are distributed each month in Edina, according to calculations by City staff. Many of these bags aren’t getting reused or properly recycled through drop-off locations at places like supermarkets. Instead, most plastic bags end up in our landfill, and sometimes our waterways, storm drainage systems and greenspaces.
What businesses will charge for bags?The ordinance applies to merchants and retailers that sell or provide merchandise, goods or materials in Edina. This includes, but is not limited to:
• grocery stores
• clothing and home goods stores
• convenience stores
• street vendors
• sports/entertainment facilities
Are any businesses or bag types exempt from the ordinance?Food banks, food assistance programs, and licensed food establishments (such as restaurants and food trucks) are exempt from this ordinance. The 5-cent fee does not apply to certain bags such as those for produce, baked goods, prescription drugs or bags brought by a customer.
What does the ordinance require?The main requirement of the ordinance is that merchants must charge 5 cents per carryout bag provided to customers starting on July 1, 2024. While the City will not collect this revenue, merchants will be required every year to report to the City the number and value of carryout bag fees charged to customers.
Who gets to keep the funds collected?The bag fee will be charged and kept by the business. These fees can be used to help businesses recover the cost of more sustainable checkout bags and/or communications materials to outline their specific bag policy.
How will the law be enforced?The City uses an education-first approach and will support businesses to meet the requirements of the ordinance.
Do other Minnesota cities have this requirement?Yes. Minneapolis and Duluth require merchants charge for carryout bags.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 25
What is the best reusable bag? The best reusable bag is the one you already own; please wash it regularly and repair when needed.
If you are in need of a new bag, there are many types of reusable checkout bags. Most importantly, opt for one that is washable and capable of at least 100 uses. Examples of durable and reusable bags materials include:
• Synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, recycled PET and polypropylene (non-woven and woven polypropylene)
• Cotton or recycled cotton
• Other natural fabrics (e.g. hemp, jute)
“Boomerang” bins for residents to give and take bags are popping up around town, including the Edina Community Library.
I use a rolling shopping tote. Can I keep using it?Yes! Use the method that works best for you to transport items purchased or received from a business. In addition to rolling shopping totes, other alternatives to reusable bags include:
• Backpacks
• Straw baskets
• Bicycle panniers
• Rigid plastic tubs
• Crates
For more information on the carryout bag fee, visit
EdinaMN.gov/BagFee or contact Sustainability Specialist
Matthew Gabb, mgabb@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-1611,
or Organics Recycling Coordinator Twila Singh,
tsingh@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-1657.
– Compiled by Jennifer Bennerotte
Edina’s New Year’s Resolution:
Beginning July 1, Edina merchants are
required to charge for bags. Form a habit
now to bring your own bags when shopping!
Learn more at EdinaMN.gov/BagFee.
Bring Your Own Bag
26 • ABOUT TOWN
Fire Department Plans to
Redefine ‘Community Space’
with New Fire Station 2
By Reham Alemam
The City will break ground on a new Fire Station 2 later this year.
The City purchased 4401 W. 76th St. with plans to tear down the building on the site and construct a new 33,578-square-foot Fire Station, which would also include space for the department’s Public Health Division. The new Fire Station will replace the one on York Avenue that is too small to meet the department’s needs.
The current Fire Station 2 on York Avenue only provides advanced life support ambulance service. Only a single reserve fire engine is at the location, leaving the greater Southdale area underserved for fire protection, according to a 2019 study by Five Bugles Design. The study commissioned by the City also found that calls for emergency services in the eastern half of the city is expected to continue to grow.
The new Fire Station will be located on the northern third of the site on 76th. The existing parking lot on the southern portion has been demolished and seeded with native species and the wetland on the southwest corner will be protected and preserved. Future phases may include a subdivision for development opportunities, including a greenway connection to the City’s park system.
“A Fire Station is a landmark in every city,” said Fire Chief Andrew Slama. “The Fire Station 2 project will create an identifiable landmark to the neighborhood and city as a whole. We are excited to create a facility that is well thought out and creates a safe working environment for our staff so that they are better prepared to respond to emergencies in the city.”
Last fall, the City Council approved a site plan for the project with variances for additional signs, a shorter first-floor building height and less first-floor transparency facing the public realm. The Council also approved an ordinance amendment to allow publicly owned and operated civic and cultural institutions in the Planned Industrial District where the property is located.
With input from the public and staff and an eye toward sustainability, much thought has been put into the design. Sustainable features include solar panels and permeable pavement.
Project partners are Tegra Group, owner’s representative; BKV, project architect and engineer; and Kraus-Anderson, construction manager. City of Edina Project Manager Zuly Marquez, part of the Engineering Department’s Facilities Division, is overseeing the project. She answered some questions and gave insight into the project.
Why is there a need for a new Fire Station 2?Marquez: Fire Station 1 near Countryside Park is the main hub for firefighters and paramedics in Edina. Fire Station 2’s current location in the southeast quadrant of the city is great for serving the community, but the building and land is too small for predicted needs in the future.
The current Station 2 is cramped; it’s small. It wasn’t when it was designed, but it wasn’t meant to house a lot of firefighters overnight. So, they’ve outgrown that space.
The southeast quadrant of our community has had significant growth, which has also meant a significant growth in call volume. The construction of Fire Station 2 will position vehicles and responders to best respond to the needs of the area. The design will also allow for growth.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 27
What new amenities will the community see at the new Fire Station 2?Marquez: In the last couple of years, the Public Health Division moved into Fire Station 1, and that station already had a good amount of people in it. So, they’re going to be housing Public Health out of the new fire station with the increased capacity.
Fire Station 2 will be more visible to the community with potential spaces to gather and opportunities for Parks & Recreation to hold events. There are plans for a community meeting room to be included for use.
What is the timeline of the build? Marquez:
• Land purchase - 2022
• Design, demolition and bidding of contracts - 2023
• Award of contracts - February 2024
• Groundbreaking - spring 2024
• Construction completion - winter 2025
How much will the building cost?Marquez: The City Council awarded contracts for construction totaling $24.1 million. This brings the total project budget to $47.3 million, which includes construction, land acquisition, soft costs (furniture, fixtures, general building and fire station equipment), and owner contingency.
Who’s involved?Marquez: The Fire Department is heavily involved with this project to make sure that the design of the building fits their needs, from making sure the layout is functional
and the station is correctly equipped, to making sure the materials used are the right ones.
Derik Otten, my manager, has been super in tune with it. Other people from our Facilities Division have also been looking at the plans in terms of electrical and just a maintenance perspective, and the overall future of the building.
(continued on next page)Photo by Jason HeuerFacilities Project Manager Zuly Marquez is overseeing the Fire
Station 2 construction project.
28 • ABOUT TOWN
What are some things unique to this build?Marquez: We’re doing a lot of cool things with the site. We’re planning to have solar panels and permeable pavement so that stormwater runoff can drain into the underground stormwater system. We’ve got geothermal wells and the landscaping will include native plant species.
We’re trying to meet all of those City values. It’s not only meeting the Fire Department needs, but then also considering other departments and how they can use this space and how the community can be better served with different resources at the fire station.
What impression do you want Fire Station 2 to have on the community?Marquez: I want people to know that the City is here and wanting to serve the community. That’s something that I hear a lot from my coworkers – we love serving the public. And so, how do you do that? Well, in so many ways, but being visible to the community is important.
For more information on the construction of Fire Station 2,
visit BetterTogetherEdina.org.Submitted IllustrationA rendering of the new Fire Station 2 shows its modern redesign
with a view from the northwest direction of 76th Street.Submitted IllustrationThe west front entrance will include landscaping with
native plants.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 29
It’s Not Only Neighborly,
It’s The Law
The Law: Sec. 8-89. – Required. Any owner of a dog over six months of age shall secure a license for such dog from the City.
Sec. 8-90. – Proof of rabies vaccination must be presented at the time of initial licensing and each subsequent license renewal.
Sec. 8-91. – Fee. Each owner of a dog shall pay the amount set forth in Section 2-724 as required for the initial licensing fee, the renewal fee, the neutered dog fee, or the duplicate fee. The renewal fee shall be due on or before Jan. 1 of each year.
Sec. 8-92. – Receipts and tags. Upon payment of the license fee required by Section 2-724, the City shall deliver an original receipt to the owner and retain a duplicate of such receipt. At the time of initial licensing, the City shall also deliver a metallic tag to the owner of the dog.
(1) The owner shall cause the tag to be fastened to the collar of the dog with a permanent metal fastening in a manner so that the tag may be easily seen by the officers of the City.
(2) If a tag is lost, a duplicate tag may be issued by the City upon presentation of a receipt showing the payment of the license fee for the current year. The City shall charge a fee for each duplicate tag in the amount set forth in Section 2-724.
(3) It shall be unlawful to counterfeit or attempt to counterfeit the tag or to take from any dog such a tag legally placed upon it by its owner with the intent to place it upon another dog, or to place such tag upon another dog.
(4) The tag shall not be transferable, and no refunds shall be made on any dog license fee because of leaving the City or death of dog before the expiration of the license period.
What It Means: Each year, owners of dogs over 6 months of age in the city are required to obtain a license. Dog licenses expire at the end of the year on Dec. 31. There is a $10 late fee if you renew your license after March 1. Licenses cost $30 for non-fixed dogs and $20 for fixed dogs.
Licensing provides the City with a method of ensuring dogs are properly vaccinated against rabies. Additionally, dog owners receive tremendous value from a license in that authorities make every effort to return lost dogs to their homes when they are wearing a current license. All other dogs are transported to an animal shelter where impounding and boarding fees are charged.
You can apply for a dog license online at EdinaMN.gov/DogLicenseForm. To apply in- person, visit the front desk at the Edina Police Department, 4801 W. 50th St., during the business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Learn Local Laws
Dog Licenses
(continued on next page)
30 • ABOUT TOWN
You must bring proof of current rabies vaccination. Renewals by mail can be requested by sending current rabies vaccination status and licensing fee to: Edina Police Department, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424-1934.
Once you pay the licensing fee, you will receive a receipt and a metal tag if you are a first-time license holder. This tag should be fastened to the dog in a visible manner. There is a $6 fee for duplicate tags if the previous one is lost.
It is illegal to counterfeit tags, steal tags, remove tags or move tags from one dog to another. The tags are nontransferable, and the licensing fee is nonrefundable.
For more information or to buy a dog license online,
visit EdinaMN.gov/DogLicenseForm.
The Law: Sec. 26-46. – Removal of vehicles after snowfall. No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle on any street or alley in the city after a snowfall
of at least 1.5 inches in depth until after the snow on the street has been removed or plowed to the curb line. Any vehicle parked or left standing on the street in violation of this section may be removed by or under the direction of any police officer or city employee.
If the vehicle is removed by or under the direction of the City, the expense may be charged against the owner of the vehicle. The removal shall not prevent prosecution of the owner for a violation of this section.
No vehicle may be parked on an Edina street, highway, or alley under the following conditions:
• When 1.5 inches or more of snow has fallen, until it has been plowed to the curb line
• From 1 to 6 a.m. Nov. 1 to March 31, regardless of weather or forecast
• For six or more consecutive hours, unless otherwise signed (enforceable year-round)
What It Means: From Nov. 1 through March 31, all vehicles must be off the streets between the hours of 1 and 6 a.m. No vehicle may be parked on any street after a snowfall of at least 1.5 inches until the street has been plowed to its full width.
For more information, call the Edina Police Department
at 952-826-1610.
– Compiled by Matthew Cords
Learn Local Laws
Winter Parking RulesFile PhotoAll City of Edina dog licenses
are good for the calendar
year and expire on Dec. 31.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 31
Work Begins to Transform
Braemar, Fred Richards Parks
By Debbie Townsend
Crews already have cleared buckthorn to make way for walking and mountain biking trails as the first phases of improvements to Braemar Park get underway.
Both Braemar Park and Fred Richards Park will undergo massive changes in 2024 and 2025 after voters approved a local sales and use tax to pay for new trails, pickleball courts, playgrounds, nature restoration and more long-sought amenities.
“Edina residents helped develop the master plans for these parks a few years ago, and we are now making those happen,” said Park Planner Rachel Finberg, who is leading both projects with assistance from other City staff and consultants.
Braemar Park
At 500 acres, this is the largest recreation space in Edina. It’s home to Braemar Golf Course and Golf Dome, Braemar Arena, Braemar Field and the Courtney Fields baseball complex. In between and around those facilities are unmanaged natural areas overtaken by invasive species and ripe for natural resource restoration and recreational use.
The half-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2022 and collected starting April 2023 will pay for $8.1 million in improvements to Braemar Park and access to it.
Since passage of the tax, the project has shifted from a 2018 conceptual master plan to completing actual designs with input of park users, nearby residents and the City Council. SRF Consulting, which helped develop the master plan, is
working on trail designs and natural resource restorations. Another project team led by consultant WSB is working on Courtney Field improvements.
“The master plan contains quite a few different elements, some that go together very well, some that are independent,” Finberg said. “So, with this project, we have a unique situation of different consultants working on different aspects of this master plan in order to get the most knowledgeable consultant services.”
Here are some of the Braemar Park projects and their status. For the latest updates and more information, visit the Park & Recreation Projects section of BetterTogetherEdina.org.
Buckthorn RemovalSections of Braemar Park, including the eastern portion along Gleason Road and the northwest and southwest sections, are infested with buckthorn. The invasive woody species must be cut down and its roots treated to prevent it from returning.
Landbridge Ecological Services started work in January to clear the buckthorn in the east and southwest sections to make way for nature restoration, plantings and trail building. Park visitors may see piles of buckthorn that will be hauled away. Some piles deeper in the park will be burned when conditions and permitting allow.
The initial buckthorn removal will be completed by April. Landbridge will return for site visits this summer and fall to target any buckthorn that resprouts and treat any invasive plants that pop up in the cleared areas.
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32 • ABOUT TOWN
Volunteers, including mountain biking groups eager for trails in that area, have been clearing northwest sections. Near the Braemar Golf Dome, Resource Environmental Solutions is conducting an ongoing study, testing different methods of buckthorn removal and treatment to prevent it from returning.
“Some of those findings will be used in our future plans to remove buckthorn,” Finberg said.
Courtney FieldsThe mild start to winter allowed a jump-start on improvements to the baseball fields. Fields 2, 3 and 4 are getting the same updated lighting and controls that were previously done on Field 1 via a Hennepin Youth Sports Grant and donations from the Edina baseball community.
Contractors have already removed the old wooden light poles and fixtures. The ground was warm enough to set the foundations for the new steel poles and install them. The energy-efficient LED fixtures atop them will provide better lighting while reducing operational costs and maintenance.
Wiring and electrical work will wrap up in spring 2024, before the first pitch of the season.
Other upgrades, including safety netting and irrigation, are being analyzed and will be done based on cost and priority.
Courtney Fields PlaygroundFamilies have long requested a playground near the baseball fields. A new one will be installed where the batting cages are now. Those cages will be moved elsewhere on the property as part of improvements.
Park users and residents in nearby neighborhoods already provided their choices for the playground’s theme and the type of play pieces they’d like to have: swing, slides, climbers. A second survey this spring will gather feedback on proposed designs.
The goal is to order the playground pieces in time for installation in fall 2024. Safety measures, including netting, will be installed to shield playground users from stray baseballs.
Cross Country Ski TrailsWhile the mild winter benefitted the Courtney Fields projects, it didn’t help early testing of ski trails.Photo by Jason HeuerLandbridge Ecological Services worker clears buckthorn to
make way for trails in Braemar Park.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 33
About two miles of trails are to be groomed in the snow atop Braemar Golf Course for use by cross-country skiers. A map of the planned trails has been developed and a vehicle purchased that can groom snow trails while also being used for summer tasks.
But as of mid-February, there wasn’t enough snow to groom anything. The plan is to groom trails one winter and test out response from users, then possibly modify the trail layout for future years.
No snowmaking is allowed, and neither is night lighting, based on community feedback to winter recreation in Braemar Park.
Mountain Biking TrailsWork to create about eight miles of mountain biking trails in the northwest, southwest and east segments of the park begins this spring.
SRF created the trail designs after hearing from various mountain biking groups, including a lot of Edina middle and high school student riders. Based on feedback, the original layout has been changed into a series of loops with connections to other loops so a person can ride a single loop over and over or explore various sections of the park, SRF’s Ken Grieshaber said.
The trails will include berms, tables, rollers, bouldering, jumps and other features, many of them to be created from the earth and rocks already on site.
“The great thing about this land area is we have about 30 to 40 feet of grade differential to play with,” Grieshaber told City Council members when providing a park update. “Everybody’s really excited about a lot of features we will be able to incorporate within the trail system.”
Sections with more challenging obstacles will also include a way to go around those.
“We are trying to make this a fun trail experience whether you’re an entry-level rider or more an intermediate rider,”
Grieshaber said. These won’t be advanced trails, so they won’t draw hardcore mountain bikers.
“Everything we’ve heard thus far is people are most likely going to bike to this location to ride. They aren’t going to drive to this location to ride,” said Parks & Recreation Director Perry Vetter.
Natural buffers will separate mountain biking trails from the other recreation amenities in the park. The trails also will be separate from hiking and walking trails in most areas. Where they come together, such as the south end of the park through wetlands, dividers will separate riders from walkers.
City staff are exploring partnerships with area mountain biking groups to help with maintenance, a common practice in many communities.Photo by Bryan HuinkerNew energy-efficient lights have been installed on Courtney
Fields 2, 3 and 4 that will greatly improve night visibility for
players and spectators.
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34 • ABOUT TOWN
*Lengths and configuration are subject to change
Planned Braemar Park Trails
Mountain Bike Trail: 8.09 Miles | Pedestrian Trail: 2.9 Miles | Total Trail Length: 10.99 Miles*
Mountain Bike
Jump Loop
Mountain Bike Trail -
Basic
Mountain Bike Trail -
Intermediate Walking Trail
Northwest 0.48 Mile 0.87 Mile 0.88 Mile 0.35 Mile
Southwest X 0.59 Mile 1.62 Miles 0.66 Mile
South X X 0.60 Mile (Wetland)0.53 Mile (Wetland)
East X X 3.05 Miles 1.36 Miles
BRAEMAR BLVD
HWY 169
W 74TH ST
W 76TH ST
W 78TH ST
DEWEY HILL RD
FIGURE 1: Park Context Map
VALLEY VIEW R D
HILARY LN
Southwest
South
East
Northwest
Braemar Golf Course
Hilary Lane
Braemar Golf Dome
Braemar
Arena
Mountain Bike Trail -
Intermediate
Mountain Bike Jump Loop
Mountain Bike Trail -
Basic
Walking Trail
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 35
Pickleball CourtsThe original concept of building new pickleball courts near Braemar Golf Course isn’t feasible for a variety of reasons. New locations are being explored to find the best location that provides easy access for players.
To help determine that, pickleball players were surveyed on BetterTogetherEdina.org about how they would get to the courts, how often they play, what times of day and what other activities they participate in. The survey also asked about desired amenities, such as restrooms or bike racks.
Results of that survey will be used to help select a location and determine what should be included in addition to courts.
Walking TrailsOnce the buckthorn is cleared, work can begin on about three miles of walking/hiking trails in the northwest, southwest, south and east sections.
A new trail in the northwest section will meander through the park east of the mountain biking trails, just skirting to the west of Braemar Golf Dome. It crosses Braemar Boulevard, where walkers can do a loop or continue toward the south end of the park.
“I think it will be a drastically different experience for walkers once the buckthorn is removed,” Vetter said. “Then, you are going to get a better sense of place and location where you are. Right now, if you go walking in there you are seeing maybe 10 feet at a time.”
Sections of the existing boardwalk trail in the south end, which travels through sensitive wetlands, will be removed. To limit the number of bridges, boardwalks and trails, biking and walking trails will merge at points. A buffer in the middle of those trail sections will separate the two groups.
The hiking/walking trail will split away from the biking trail as it exits the wetlands in the southeast corner. From there, the trail will take walkers north where they can do a loop or head straight up to Hilary Lane. A natural vegetative buffer will shield walkers from Gleason Road to the east.
Improvements will be made where the trail crosses streets, such as at Braemar Boulevard, and to provide easy access for people to pick up the trail.
Bidding for the project goes out this spring, with construction to follow. The exact surface in each section will be determined once the bids return, but Finberg said the goal is to maximize accessibility for people with limited mobility or who use mobility devices.
Eventually, mixed-use trails will be built along Hilary Lane and Braemar Boulevard to create a full loop around the park. That project relies on some state funding and will be tied into future street reconstruction, so no timetable is set yet.
Fred Richards Park
People walking and biking the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail through the former golf course property north of West 77th Street and west of Parklawn Avenue see few signs of the park to come.
The 43-acre site, almost double the size of Centennial Lakes Park, will soon be home to new trails, courts, play fields, an inclusive playground, nature restoration and improved wildlife habitat. The only phase built until now is a playground and picnic shelter along Parklawn Avenue.
The half-cent sales tax will provide $17.7 million for the projects.
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36 • ABOUT TOWN
Much of the work so far has been to refine the original master plan that will lead to design layouts and construction plans. Consultants have been conducting site surveys, taking soil samples and evaluating the existing vegetation and wetlands.
Community input will be sought this spring with hopes to send projects out to bid in the fall. If all goes according to plan, construction would begin late this year.
Finberg has been meeting with the park’s neighbors to keep them up to date.
“In general, everyone is excited to see it go forward,” she said.
Here are a few of the larger Fred Richards Park project pieces and their status. For the latest updates and more information, visit the Parks & Recreation Projects section of BetterTogetherEdina.org.
Clubhouse TransformationThe former clubhouse for the golf course, currently hosting some Parks & Recreation programs and used for storage, will be extensively renovated and expanded.
“People really want a food option there,” Finberg said. The original plans called for a possible taproom. A business analysis is being conducted to determine a workable food and beverage service and how to combine that with a community space available for rental and areas for Parks programs.
A new entry road to the clubhouse, sports courts and parking will be built at the south end of the park as part of the redevelopment of 4620 W. 77th St.
Inclusive PlaygroundWhile all new Edina playgrounds are designed to be accessible for people in wheelchairs, inclusive playgrounds are designed to encourage play and participation by children with a wide range of abilities.
Rosland Park hosts the only inclusive playground in Edina, and it was built under earlier guidelines.
To help ensure the new Fred Richards playground meets community needs, Finberg has assembled a focus group of people, including three school district representatives who work with children with special needs, Children’s Minnesota staff and those familiar with children with autism.
“We want to find out what inhibits people from using playgrounds,” Finberg said. “Our goal is to make this new playground as inclusive as possible.”
The new playground will be in the south-central portion of the park, near the clubhouse and parking.
Wetland BankThe northwest section of the park, named the Nature Bank in 2017 plans, will become 17 acres of meadows and marshland for wildlife plus natural floodwater storage. A trail and boardwalk will let visitors explore the wetlands while minimizing impact on them.
The paperwork and regulatory process to certify the area as a wetlands mitigation bank is underway. Making it a bank could generate more than $1 million by selling the credits to offset development impacts. A bank has the advantage of creating a much larger wetland area that draws wildlife rather than dots of mitigation ponds.
The certification also means the wetland is permanent and will remain a nature-based park feature.
For more information, contact Finberg at
rfinberg@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-0397.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 37
Braemar Arena Expansion in
Design and Planning Stages
By Debbie Townsend
Two specialist companies will work together to renovate, update and expand Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way. One will bring expertise in the mechanics of ice arenas, from plumbing to electrical, and work primarily on the inside of the building. The other’s expertise is in overall spaces and will work from the outside in.
When Edina voters approved a half-cent local sales and use tax in November 2022, they also voted to dedicate $13.5 million of the tax raised for critical infrastructure repairs and upgrades at the Arena. A year later, they voted to use the same sales tax to invest another $31.7 million for upgrades, including adding a fourth indoor sheet of ice.
Rather than starting projects after the 2022 vote, City leaders chose to wait for the second vote so they could combine the efforts and minimize disruptions to users.
“We didn’t want to waste any money,” said Parks & Recreation Director Perry Vetter.
The two companies are being finalized. This year will be focused on design and planning. The Arena was built in the mid-1960s and has had various small renovations over the decades, so it’s a patchwork of construction. Its three indoor rinks host high school and league hockey, figure skating, recreational skaters, pros in Da Beauty League and kids learning to skate. Balancing those users with construction will require extensive planning and timing of each piece of the overall project.
“If we are going to be down a rink, we want to make sure any existing rinks are upgraded so they are reliable,” Vetter said, as an example. It even needs to get down to the details of which exits to use during each phase, bathroom access, hallways, etc.
The design and planning work will help determine a construction schedule.
For more on the Arena project, visit the Parks & Recreation
section of BetterTogetherEdina.org.
ARENA
38 • ABOUT TOWN
New Apartments for Seniors
Highlight Housing Successes
By Debbie Townsend
The opening of Forty-Forty Flats, the first development dedicated to affordable senior housing built in Edina since 1991, highlighted the accomplishments in housing goals in 2023.
Its 118 apartments tucked inside a modern building at 4040 W. 70th St. were a 50 percent increase in the City’s total of affordable units approved or created under current housing policy. Edina is at 353 affordable units open or approved of its goal of 1,804 units by 2030.
“We’ve made some pretty big strides in meeting our affordable housing goals,” said Community Development Director Cary Teague, reflecting on accomplishments over the last few years. “I think we can be proud of what we’ve done.”
Looking forward, Edina’s efforts will be moving more toward housing affordability rather than the strict rules or income limitations of affordable housing. More emphasis will be placed on ownership options versus rentals. The goal is to help everyone from young working families to seniors looking to transition to other housing or move closer to their grandchildren.
Here’s a rundown of progress made by Edina’s housing programs:
Affordable Ownership Preservation ProgramThis program purchases moderately priced houses across Edina, updates them and then keeps them as affordable instead of them being torn down for luxury houses or
other development. The properties are placed in a Community Land Trust so while the owners can sell, it keeps the homes affordable for subsequent buyers.
Five houses were purchased in 2023, for a total of 15 since the program’s inception in 2021.
A $750,000 award from the Metropolitan Council for Edina’s efforts in housing preservation expanded what the program could accomplish. Also in 2023, a new partnership was formed with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.
Affordable Housing Development Manager Stephanie Hawkinson expects that partnership will help the program purchase six houses in 2024.
“What’s holding us up is supply of homes to buy and contractors available to fix them up,” she said.
Apartments and Multifamily UnitsForty-Forty Flats was the only housing development fully dedicated to affordable units to come online in 2023. It’s the third such development in recent years. The others – Amundson Flats, 62 units at 7075 Amundson Ave., and The Sound on 76th, 70 units at 4100 W. 76th St. – feature one-, two- and three-bedroom units serving singles to families.
Forty-Forty Flats has been filling up quickly, in part to it being a new building that offers many amenities a higher-end apartment complex would, but at a more affordable price, said Housing Manager Jen Massa. It has a fitness center, rooftop patio, guest suite, social activities, an on-site manager, and what’s turned out to be a wildly popular multipurpose room on the first floor.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 39
“We love welcoming neighbors who stop in for tours,” Massa said. “The feedback we’ve heard from them is that the building is very nice and many are interested in connecting our tenants with the neighborhood.”
Forty-Forty Flats is expected to be fully leased this spring. Amundson Flats and The Sound on 76th are full and have waiting lists.
“The number of calls we receive underscores the need for affordable communities for older adults,” Massa said.
The other way Edina adds affordable apartments is through the Affordable Housing Policy, established in 2015, that requires market-rate housing developments to include some affordable units or pay a buy-in fee that supports City housing programs. To date, that policy has led to 110 affordable units in seven otherwise market-rate buildings, including Avidor, The Lorient and Nolan Mains. It also has raised more than $8.4 million in buy-in fees.
Two more approved in 2021 are just opening. The Eddi, at 4911 W. 77th St., has 20 of its 200 units qualify as affordable housing. Maison Green, on the former Perkins site at 4917 Eden Ave., has 196 units, also with 20 reserved as affordable housing.
Come Home 2 EdinaThis second-mortgage program provides down payment assistance up to 25 percent of the purchase price. In 2023, the maximum loan amount was increased to $90,000, instead of the previous $60,000, and the overall purchase price maximum raised to $515,000 to better reflect the actual housing market.
The program had nine loans in 2023; five of those for houses and four for condominiums or townhomes. Since its inception in 2007, Come Home 2 Edina has lent more than $7.3 million and helped 154 families purchase homes.
The City also increased its partnership with the Community Land Trust, which holds the land title of homes it purchases to make the houses more affordable and keep them that way for 99 years. Since 2021, two-thirds of Come Home 2 Edina loans for single-family houses have been Land Trust homes.
First Generation Loan ProgramThis program launched in November 2021 to offer down payment assistance to those whose families had never previously owned homes, missing out on the generational wealth ownership provides. In 2023, the maximum loan amount was increased to $20,000, up from $15,000. For each year of ownership, $1,000 of the loan is forgiven.
So far, nine loans have been made through the program to people who work in local schools, social service organizations, restaurants, government and daycare centers. The $140,000 total loaned has been used to help buy six houses, two condominiums and one townhouse.
Homeownership Rehabilitation ProgramThis program provides deferred loans to homeowners who need assistance with home maintenance and energy improvements. Many seniors have used this program, facilitated by the Center for Energy and Environment, to help with repairs and maintenance so they can stay in their Edina houses, condominiums or townhouses.
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40 • ABOUT TOWN
In 2023, nine such loans were approved. They provide $2,000 to $30,000 at low interest and are deferred for up to 30 years so they needn’t be repaid until the property is sold.
“We still have money available in this program, so I encourage people to apply,” Hawkinson said.
Rental Property Tax Reduction Program This program, known in tax circles as “4d,” allows property tax reductions of approximately 40 percent for owners who keep 20 percent or more of rental units at affordable levels.
In 2023, two buildings were added to the program, preserving six affordable units.
Those building owners also are participating in the Resilient Homes Grants program that covers up to 90 percent of energy-efficiency improvements. This helps the owners and renters by providing upgrades that improve the units and reduce utility costs. It also makes the units more energy efficient, helping the City with Climate Action Plan goals.
The Need for Housing
That’s Affordable
The median value of an Edina house sold in 2023 was $746,950. The average apartment rent has risen to $1,321 a month for a studio to $1,980 for a two-bedroom unit, according to Rent.com.
The gap between income and housing costs continues to increase, putting a bigger strain on people to afford their housing. The common rule for budgeting is to spend no more than 30 percent of income on rent or mortgage; anything higher than that is considered cost burdened.
In Edina, half of renters are cost burdened, compared to 21 percent of owners, Hawkinson said. For many of them, rent or mortgage costs reach or exceed 50 percent of income.
“The gaps between rent and income have become completely out of line,” Hawkinson said. “People are running through their savings just to make their rent.”
Every week she gets calls from people looking for help. There’s the retired schoolteacher who raised her children in Edina and put them through college. Now in her late 70s, her pension isn’t enough to pay for living in Edina, so she needs affordable housing options to stay in the city she calls home.
Or the woman whose only asset is her Edina home, but she can’t afford its upkeep, so she’s trying to figure out how to time its sale to match up with housing she can afford and make sure it pays for her rent into the future. “It’s her only asset, so she needs the money from it to last as long as her life,” Hawkinson said.
Affordable Housing Units in Market
Rate Developments
Year
Approved Development Total Units Affordable
Housing
2015 Millennium 227 11
2017 Nolan Mains 100 10
2017 Avidor 165 18
2018 4500 France/
The Lorient 45 3
2021 Maison Green 196 20
2021 The Eddi 200 20
2022 The Finch 276 28
TOTAL 1209 110
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 41
Many people Hawkinson talks to simply can’t find anything in their price range. They may or may not qualify for “affordable housing,” where most rental programs serve households with no more than 60 percent of area median income (maximum $59,640 for two people in 2023) while most ownership programs serve people at or below 115 percent ($114,310 for two people).
While the specific stories of people who need assistance might be unfamiliar to Edina residents, they recognize the issue. In the 2023 Quality of Life Survey of residents, those who had an opinion about housing felt Edina has too few available housing options for both low- and middle-income singles and families.
“Edina residents recognize the gap that prevents singles, young families and most of the people who work in Edina from being able to afford to live in Edina,” Hawkinson said.
Looking Ahead
While much has been accomplished, the City remains far from the Comprehensive Plan goal of 1,804 affordable housing options by 2030. But there are some bright spots ahead.
(continued on next page)
1986
100
150
200
250
300
1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
146
318
Median Household Income (MN)CPI Rent of Primary Residence (MSP)
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures inflation in day-to-day living expenses.
The score reflects the average change in prices paid for a variety of goods and services.
Rent costs have risen far faster than income, making
housing less affordable for families in the Twin Cities.
Change in Rent Expense vs. Household Income
42 • ABOUT TOWN
The available tax break for property owners in the Rental Property Tax Reduction Program (4d) greatly increases in 2024. An owner with 100 qualifying units could get an 80 percent reduction.
“We hope for more participation in 2024 with the reduced 4d tax classification,” Hawkinson said. “It’s a major savings.”
The Finch, in the Pentagon Park area near Fred Richards Park, is under construction and expected to open in 2025 with 28 of its 276 apartments qualifying as affordable. (These units are already included in the total toward housing goals.)
The City’s housing efforts primarily have been funded by the buy-in fee or from the last of Southdale tax-increment financing money. Most of it has been spent for the successes through 2023.
“We only have $2.14 million left to spend on affordable housing, and you can’t really move the dial on affordable housing with that,” Hawkinson said. “We have enough for a few homes or less than one multifamily development.”
Not much is on the horizon for buy-in fees or affordable units in new multifamily buildings because little is in the development pipeline. Available land, higher interest rates, labor availability and cost, and materials costs all factor in.
Preserving modest homes is also a challenge, even with the assistance of experts like Habit for Humanity. “The single-family preservation is slowing in part because of a decreasing number of houses remaining in the price range we can preserve,” Hawkinson said.
An informal project team of City staff, current and former Council Members and a City attorney worked with a consultant to determine ways to create sustained funding for housing efforts. Doing so could also open the doors to outside investors, greatly increasing the opportunities, said City Council Member James Pierce, who is part of the group.
“This is a nationwide issue, and nobody has been able to solve it. But we are trying to figure it out for our community,” he said.
Some of the work ahead is also in educating people about the housing situation and affordability. For instance, Pierce chatted with a woman who had returned to Edina to care for her ailing mother and wanted to purchase a home, but all the ones in her price range were being snatched up by developers who were tearing them down to build much larger luxury homes.
“She didn’t realize that’s what we are talking about when we talk about housing affordability,” he said.
To learn more about any of these programs, visit
EdinaMN.gov/AffordableHousing or contact Hawkinson
at shawkinson@EdinaMN.gov or 952-833-9578.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 43
By Debbie Townsend
A volunteer working group will spend the rest of 2024 creating a Small Area Plan for an area just off Lincoln Drive east of U.S. Highway 169.
The area, bordered by Nine Mile Creek on the north and east, extends to just below The Loden apartments. It currently is home to light manufacturing, warehouses, business buildings full of offices and services, and the Londonderry Shops featuring restaurants and retail.
A Lincoln-Londonderry Small Area Plan was talked about for the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Update but not done at that time, explained Community Development Directory Cary Teague. Small Area Plans were conducted for other areas, including 44th & France, 50th & France and Wooddale-Valley View. These plans guide land use regulations and future development proposals. They are long-term vision guidance for a specific geographic area and include topics such as transportation, housing and environmental protection.
A recent development proposal generated interest in completing a small area plan.
“There hasn’t been a discussion with the community on what the vision for this area is, so in order to guide development in this area, we need to have discussions,” said Community Development Coordinator Addison Lewis, who will serve as the staff liaison to the working group. The group will be composed of Planning Commission members, residents and property owners who have varied backgrounds to bring different perspectives.
The City has budgeted for a consultant to facilitate the process and draft the plan based on the guidance from the working group. Community meetings will be held at points in the process to share information and gather feedback.
The working group’s draft plan must be presented to both the Planning Commission and City Council for feedback and approval. It would then need to go the Metropolitan Council for final approval before being adopted as an amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan, a State-mandated plan updated every 10 years, provides an outline for development and redevelopment across Edina.
Lewis hopes to have the draft plan completed at the end of 2024 or early 2025.
Learn more or sign up for updates at bit.ly/Lincolnsap.
Small Area Plan in Works for
Lincoln/Londonderry Area
Lincoln-
Londonderry
Small Area
I-494 HWY 100HWY 169HWY 169HWY 100HWY 62 HWY 62
44 • ABOUT TOWN
Thanks to the generosity of individuals, clubs and associations, the City of Edina received more than $180,000 in donations in 2023.
To fortify the City’s commitment to public safety, the Edina Crime Prevention Fund allocated a total of $57,312.86 to the Police Department in 2023.
The Crime Prevention Fund made contributions for a Mavic 3 drone, two e-bikes for bicycle patrol, service on the Police Department’s Mobile Pro camera trailer, mobile fingerprint scanners, holiday foot patrol expenses, Police motorcycle uniforms and training, motorcycle patrol expenses, retired K-9 expenses, community engagement promotional items, national conference travel expenses, Police Department outreach/promotional items and a collapsible dog crate.
“The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is comprised of wonderful volunteers who tirelessly help our department to ensure we have the tools and resources to keep Edina safe,” said Police Chief Todd Milburn.
Also supporting the Police Department, lifelong Edina resident and Crime Prevention Fund Board Member Pacy Erck made a $12,000 donation to equip the Edina Police Department with a new K-9 service dog. The department currently has a Dutch Shepherd in training. His handler is Officer Nick Pedersen.
Erck also donated $1,000 for “Shop with a Cop” and $500 toward the Braemar Memorial Fund in 2023.
Others contributing $500 or more were:
• Dennis Schulstad – $10,000 toward Centennial Lakes Park landscaping, flowers and maintenance
• Mark and Jackie Nolan – $10,000 for three benches at Bredesen Park
• Bert and Carol Guinee – $3,200 for a bench at Bredesen Park
• David and Martha Williams – $3,200 for a bench at Centennial Lakes Park
• Diane Kaplan-Berk – $3,200 for a bench at Centennial Lakes Park
Donors Contribute to Help Keep
Edina Safe and Beautiful in 2023
File PhotoDecorated K-9 Blitz poses with his medals and awards before his
retirement “paw-ty” in December. The Edina Crime Prevention
Fund donated money to cover the dog’s expenses in retirement.
2023 ANNUAL REPORT • 45
• Edina Girls Fastpitch Association – $3,200 for a bench at Pamela Park
• Jonathan Gross – $3,200 for a bench at Weber Park
• Megan D’Agostino – $3,200 for a bench at Centennial Lakes Park
• Michael and Nicole Cancialosi – $3,200 for a bench at Weber Park
• Paul Peters – $3,200 for a bench at Lewis Park
• Andy Warczak – $2,250 for a Swiss Stone tree at Chowen Park, along with a River Birch and Swamp White Oak at York Park
• Braemar Golf Association – $1,950 toward Braemar Memorial Fund
• Little Memorial Hospice Inc. – $1,750 for Fire Department general use
• Friends of the Edina Library – $1,500 for books for Juneteenth celebration
• Friends of the Edina Library – $1,500 for Senior Center general use
• William Davis – $1,400 toward four trees at Rosland Park
• Cargill – $1,000 toward “Shop with a Cop”
• Dr. J. Patrick and Linda Smith – $1,000 for Police Department general use
• Friends of the Edina Library – $899 for 100 Compost Stew books for the Farmer’s Market
• Tony Giannakakis (TC Homebuilders) – $700 toward trees at Highlands Park
• Rotary Club of Edina – $609 for 100 children’s books for Juneteenth
• Michele and Andy Herring Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation – $500 to the Edina Art Center for general use
Donations to the City of Edina are tax deductible. For more
information on donating to the City, contact City Clerk
Sharon Allison at 952-826-0359.
– Compiled by Reham AlemamFile PhotoThe second-annual Shop with a Cop event took place in
December at Target. Four Edina families received $500 to
purchase gifts and necessities thanks to donations from
Cargill and Pacy Erck.