HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-21 Work Session Meeting MinutesMINUTES
OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
COMMUNITY ROOM, CITY HALL
TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024
5:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Answering rollcall were Members Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser, and Mayor Hovland.
Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Ari Lenz, Assistant City Manager; Addison Lewis,
Community Development Coordinator; Perry Vetter, Parks & Recreation Director; Luther Overholt,
Tree Forester; Laura Beres, Assistant City Forester; Tom Swenson, Assistant Director Parks and Natural
Resources; Chad Millner, Director of Engineering; Zuleyka Marquez, Facilities Project Manager; Marisa
Bayer, Sustainability Manger; Cary Teague, Community Development Director; Emily Dalrymple,
Assistant City Planner; Stephanie Hawkinson, Affordable Housing Development Manager; Bill Neuendorf,
Economic Development Manager; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; David Yanagisawa,
IT Specialist; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk.
FACILITY REUSE DISCUSSION
City Manager Neal noted that the intent of this item was to show the Council what staff was working
on related to possible facility reuse ideas. He explained that they were not necessarily looking for a
response or a decision from the Council, but would like to get their feedback on some of the options.
Community Development Coordinator Addison Lewis gave an overview of possible repurposing uses
for the existing Fire Station 2, Art Center, and the excess land at Fire Station 2. He reviewed
background information of the three sites including: the site size, zoning, guided land use, existing
conditions, surrounding uses, potential site issues, timeline/transition notes, potential site uses, and costs.
Chad Millner, Director of Engineering reviewed the City's need for a water treatment plant and the
positive aspects associated with providing additional water quality to the residents, and reviewed some of
the details that would need to be examined before a decision to move forward could be made.
The Council asked questions of staff and discussed possible options for the water treatment plant;
additional capacity that a water treatment plant may provide; housing; whether there was a need for
additional space for the public at the water treatment plant; current use of the skate park area; the
importance of doing due diligence on the Art Center site and possible title restrictions; options for mixed
use on the Fire Station 2 site; importance of housing variety, including ownership options rather than
additional rental properties.
The Council reached consensus on Yorktown Park being the water treatment plant site; directed staff
to work on a study related to what residents may want to see the Art Center site used for; and use of the
Fire Station site for housing with possible mixed usage.
ACTION STEP SUMMARY FOR AMENDING THE TREE PROTECTION AND
PRESERVATION ORDINANCE
City Manager Neal explained that the intent of this item was to reflect back what staff felt they heard
from the Council at the last work session on this topic.
Parks and Recreation Director Vetter stated that at the last work session they covered a lot of ground in
a short period of time and explained that staff wanted to touch base with the Council and make sure
that everyone was on the same page regarding the direction that should be taken with the Tree
Protection and Preservation Ordinance. He reviewed the factors that were discussed at the May 7, 2024
Work Session that
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Minutes approved by Edina City Council414, 2024.
Minutes/Edina City Council Work Session/May 21. 2024
were identified for immediate change and those that required additional analysis and follow-up. He explained
that the ultimate goal was to pull everything together and have them within one section of City code, so the
requirements would be clear to the applicants.
Mr. Millner noted that the Energy and Environment Commission (EEC), along with staff, had drafted a
residential ordinance but wanted to wait to present it to the Council until this conversation had taken place.
The Council asked questions of staff and discussed how the City would use an arborist; the tree canopy;
tree capacity for various sites; concerns about only targeting single-family lots; the review process for the
criteria for deviation; frustrations residents have had with not being able to get clarity surrounding escrow
calculation details; whether the escrow follows the person or the property; examples of how the escrow
would be effected when someone sold their home; the City tree sale; the somewhat punitive feel of the
ordinance and the possibility that it may be unfair to residents; the thought process behind the 3-year time
period; ways to protect the City's tree canopy without making the process seem onerous; the inability to
replace a 100-year-old oak tree, and ways to disincentivize cutting down those trees.
get
AtIL
aron Ilison, City Clerk
aures B. Hovland, ayor
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