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Home My WebLink AboutEditionEdina_Sept20144801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 952-927-8861 mail@EdinaMN.gov www.EdinaMN.gov The City of Edina Speak Up, Edina! SEPTEMBER 2014 Volume 1, Issue 9 Legend: Infrastructure Commercial and Mixed-Use Redevelopment Workforce Communication and Engagement Community Vision Aviation Noise Edi tion: The City of Edina has reached an agreement to purchase property at 50th & France. Earlier this month, the City Council approved a $1.5 million purchase agreement to acquire the former Hooten Cleaners & Launderers property at 3944 W. 49½ Street. “We are pleased that the long-time business owners accepted the City’s purchase offer,” said Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf. Soon and Jenny Park closed Hooten Cleaners in 2013 when they decided to retire and repurpose the building. The City approached them and offered to purchase the property to expand public parking in the 50th & France district. After several rounds of negotiations and offers, the two parties were unable to reach an agreement. In September 2013, the City authorized use of eminent domain, if necessary, to purchase the property. The City rescinded its use of eminent domain in January 2014 at the Parks’ request when they accepted a purchase offer from a private party. The potential sale fell through and the building remains vacant. The Parks approached the City in August 2014 to see if it was still interested in purchasing the property. Following negotiations, the City agreed to honor terms previously offered in 2013, waiving escrow for environmental remediation because of extensive due diligence conducted in 2013. In response to the needs of the current owners, the City was willing to accept the property in “as-is” condition, realizing that a minor amount of contamination needs to be cleaned at the property. The City could close on the property within 30 days. “Now that the City is wrapping up repairs and improvements in the City’s existing parking structures at 50th & France, we can shift focus on how to best expand public parking in the area to better serve the needs of the community,” Neuendorf said. According to a 2011 report from Walker Parking Consultants, 140 to 340 additional parking stalls are needed in the 50th & France District during peak demand. “The study was based on current use, and didn’t account for any future business growth in the area,” Neuendorf noted. The City also purchased and razed the former Edina Realty building, 3930 W. 49½ St., in mid-2013 to expand parking. While this site can accommodate 90 to 135 new parking stalls, the Hooten Cleaners site could add 50 to 75 more new spaces. Having the ability to expand the North Ramp in both directions also provides the City with the ﬂ exibility to possibly add retail space on the ﬁ rst ﬂ oor of the building. Neuendorf said the two properties could total between 140 and 210 additional stalls, getting within the range of the parking recommendation. The district currently has more than 1,000 public parking stalls with hundreds of people employed in the area during business hours. “Adding these additional parking spaces isn’t going to ﬁ x parking congestion completely,” Neuendorf said. “That is a sign of a strong business district, but new stalls will reduce the stress and congestion the ramps have faced.” Existing funds in the Centennial Lakes Tax Increment- Financing District will be used for site acquisition. No debt or tax levy increase is anticipated to purchase the property. For more information, contact Neuendorf at 952-826-0407 or bneuendorf@EdinaMN.gov. City To Purchase Former Hooten Cleaners Building Vision Edina Takes a Step Forward The City’s future visioning planning kicked off earlier this month. On Sept. 9 and 11, the City hosted a two-evening “think tank” session with 110 participants, including City ofﬁ cials and individuals representing key groups, to develop a range of plausible futures for the City. “The think-tank sessions provided an opportunity to identify and narrow the thinking down to a range of possible futures,” said CEO of Future IQ Partners David Beurle, the consultant leading the project. “In October and November, residents will have an opportunity to analyze and provide input on these scenarios. The outcomes from that will ﬂ ow into an overarching vision for the City of Edina and a framework to help shape the next comprehensive plan.” Participants of the think tank ﬁ rst completed a survey to express their concerns and optimism for Edina’s future success. Then, they identiﬁ ed that the key issue shaping the future is redevelopment and, therefore, things like housing, transportation, infrastructure and public amenities. “We looked at macro trends that are shaping the Midwest, important trends that are shaping city living in the United States and Europe [and] we started to look at benchmarking and comparing Edina with other renowned cities across the U.S.,” Beurle said. The four scenarios developed by the participants were labeled as “Reinventing Tradition,” “Nodes & Modes,” “Edina Today – Extended” and “Complete and Connected.” “What an impressive start to the Vision Edina process,” said Connie Carrino, who participated in the think tank. “The workshops were professional and engaging and encouraged us to think differently – a little out of our comfort zone – about what Edina will look like in the future. I would highly encourage other residents to attend the public workshops – deﬁ nitely time well spent.” The coming months will be dedicated to discussing the future options identiﬁ ed at the think tank sessions. The City will hold two community workshops the ﬁ rst week of November. In addition to the community meetings, the City seeks groups that are interested in hosting a workshop. Potential host groups include athletic associations, neighborhood associations, churches, service organizations and clubs. The workshop ideally takes 90 minutes, but can be completed in as little as 30. “If there are 10 or more residents who are willing to come together for the workshop or share part of their meeting time, we will ﬁ nd a facilitator,” said Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt. “We know that Edina residents really value their community and have a deep attachment to it. This is an opportunity to have a discussion about what we think this community should look like 20 years from now.” In addition to attending or hosting a meeting, residents can also join the conversation about the project at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. Information is also available on the City’s website, www.EdinaMN.gov/VisionEdina. If you are interested in hosting a meeting to discuss the project, contact Executive Assistant Heather Branigin, 952-826-0403 or hbranigin@EdinaMN.gov. For more information about the Vision Edina project, contact Kurt, 952-826-0415 or kkurt@EdinaMN.gov. To receive email updates on the project, sign up for “City Extra” at www.EdinaMN.gov/CityExtra. New Ordinance Regulates E-Cigarettes In Edina, e-cigarettes are now regulated by the same regulations as regular cigarettes. The Edina City Council, with guidance from the Community Health Commission (CHC), recently updated the Edina City Code to address electronic nicotine delivery devices (e-cigarettes). The new ordinance treats e-cigarettes like regular cigarettes under the Freedom to Breathe Act. “The CHC views e-cigarettes as a developing issue that has the potential to become problematic if their use in Edina is unrestricted. [This is] primarily because these devices are currently unregulated, the chemicals are unidentiﬁ ed and minimal studies have been done to demonstrate their safety,” explained CHC Chair Alison Pence. “The one thing that we do know about them is that they contain highly addictive nicotine and that with an array of candy-like ﬂ avors, they are clearly being targeted toward children and teens.” Under the new ordinance, e-cigarettes cannot be used in bars and restaurants; ofﬁ ces or workplaces; retail stores; common areas of rental apartments; buildings, hotels or motels; public transportation; work vehicles, if more than one person is present; home ofﬁ ces with one or more employee on site; educational facilities; auditoriums, arenas and meeting rooms; and daycares or healthcare facilities. It does not prohibit smoking outdoors, except in City parks, regardless of distance from a building. “The goal of getting out ahead of this product was to ensure that the City of Edina is a place where it is not a community norm to see adults and teenagers walking around with [e-cigarettes]. By reducing the availability and acceptability of this product within our City, the goal is to reduce the likelihood that a child or teen will try it and become addicted to nicotine,” said Pence. Any enforcement of this ordinance is done on a complaint basis. The CHC and Minnesota Department of Health recommend that employers make efforts to prevent indoor smoking through posting “No Smoking” signs, refraining from providing ashtrays and other smoking equipment and refusing to serve noncompliant customers. For more information, contact Community Health Administrator Jeff Brown at 952-826-0466 or jbrown@EdinaMN.gov. The City’s next online discussion is now available at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. The discussion, which focuses on dog parks, is available until Oct. 31. The City currently has one year-round dog park at Van Valkenburg Park, 4935 Lincoln Drive, and a seasonal dog park at Strachauer Park, 6200 Beard Ave. In the discussion, the City asks whether or not residents use existing dog parks; if more should be added around the community; and where additional parks could be located. This month, the City has been gathering feedback on community events. Questions posed range from whether Edina should have an annual event to celebrate the community, what sort of event it should be and what should be included to entice people to attend. The discussion is open until Tuesday, Sept. 30. Feedback from the discussion will be presented to the City Council Oct. 21. To weigh in on a discussion, visit www.SpeakUpEdina.org. Voters to Elect Two City Council Members Seven candidates are vying for open seats in the race for Edina City Council. Thomas Bliss, Jennifer Janovy, Blake Johnson, Josh Sprague, Kevin Staunton, Keeya Steel and Bob Stewart are campaigning for two open Council Member seats. The two “at large” Council Member seats are currently held by Sprague and Joni Bennett. Sprague seeks a second term. The League of Women Voters of Edina will host a candidate forum 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St. Those who attend will have an opportunity to hear opening remarks, ask questions of the candidates and hear their closing remarks. The forum will be rebroadcast on Edina Community Channels 16 and 813 11 p.m. Mondays, 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 p.m. Thursdays and 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 17. The municipal election will be held Nov. 4, in conjunction with the State General Election. The top vote-getters will begin their four-year terms in January. For more information on the election, visit www.EdinaMN.gov or call the Voter Registration staff at 952-826-0363. SEPTEMBER 2014 Police ‘Focus In’ on School Speed Zones As a part of the 2014 “Focus In” campaign, Edina patrol ofﬁ cers will focus efforts on school speed zones during the month of October. School is in full swing and the outdoor activity around schools has increased. Drivers entering school zones are mandated to reduce their speeds when children are present. Education will include a warning to those who violate the statutes or codes. In extenuating circumstances, a citation may be issued. Each month, patrol ofﬁ cers focus police efforts on a speciﬁ c statutory violation in order to educate the public and gain compliance. The violations the Police Department “Focus In” on have seasonal relevance, affect the quality of life in Edina or pose safety risks to residents. All statutes are enforced year-round, but additional attention is paid to the focus of the month. This year, Police have already focused on obstructed vision, failure to signal, unsafe equipment, failure to display headlights, bike safety and pedestrian safety, child and seatbelt safety, and distracted driving. For the following months, police will “Focus In” on night and winter parking and the “move over” law. For more information, contact the Edina Police Department at 952-826-1610. Upcoming Events 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 Junior Shoot-Out, Braemar Golf Course 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 “Bellbottoms, Birdies and Beers” 50th-Anniversary Golf Tournament, Braemar Golf Course 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 Drive-in movie, “Caddyshack,” Braemar Golf Course 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 Community Health Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 Planning Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 Energy & Environment Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 Heritage Preservation Board Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 Park Board Meeting, Edina City Hall 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 Transportation Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 Planning Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23 Arts & Culture Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 Halloween Party for ages 1 to 12, Edinborough Park 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 Human Rights & Relations Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Finance Department Gains New Leadership Finance Director John Wallin – a City employee for more than 30 years – said goodbye Sept. 4, sparking a string of changes within the Finance Department. Eric Roggeman, formerly the Assistant Finance Director, took Wallin’s place as Finance Director. Accountant Kyle Sawyer will ﬁ ll the position of Assistant Finance Director. “[John] has been a major contributor to building the ﬁ nancial strength of our organization,” said City Manager Scott Neal. Passing along over 30 years of knowledge was not easy, but Wallin did his best to make the transition as easy as possible for Roggeman and Sawyer. “We’ve got a long tradition of really solid ﬁ nancial management in the City,” said Roggeman. “The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone, including residents, Council and City staff. [This process] won’t be without changes, but I hope they will be minor and seen as positive.” Roggeman plans to continue pushing the Department to makes strides in many areas, including public engagement. “We’ve taken some big steps the last couple of years as a department as far as engaging the public in ﬁ nancial processes,” said Roggeman, “through [things like] the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), expanding budget presentations, and improving and continuing a budget workshop hosted by the Citizens League for engagement efforts. [We want to] expand the outreach.” Roggeman joined the City of Edina in 2005 after serving as an Accountant for the City of Burnsville. Prior, he served as a Senior Auditor at the State of Minnesota Ofﬁ ce of the Legislative Auditor and KPMG. Roggeman graduated with a degree in Accounting from St. John’s University. Sawyer graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with degrees in Accounting and Finance. He worked at KDV, a Minnesota-based CPA, wealth management, technology and business advisory ﬁ rm, from 2008 to 2011 as a Governmental Auditor. He began work with the City of Edina in February 2011 as an Accountant and earned his CPA license in July 2011. “There isn’t a more ﬁ tting candidate than Eric,” said Sawyer. “He’s been a great manager and a mentor for me since I’ve been here; he’s gotten me more involved in things. … I have learned a lot from both John and Eric. I’m always excited for a new challenge and the opportunity to increase my learning. [I’m] incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to take on the position [of Assistant Finance Director].” Roggeman and Sawyer began their new duties on Friday, Sept. 5. The City is currently in the process of seeking a new full-time Accountant. For more information, contact the Finance Department, 952-826-0366. Fil e p h o t o Eric Roggeman Kyle Sawyer Fil e p h o t o Adventure Peak Sees Improvements Fond Farewell for The Fred This fall, Edinborough Park’s Adventure Peak will get a facelift. Outdated equipment will be replaced and a few new features for children to enjoy will be added. “We’re very excited about the renovations and improvements,” said Edinborough Park General Manager Patty McGrath. “As new indoor parks spring up in surrounding communities, it is essential that we keep Adventure Peak in tip-top condition.” The triple-wave slide, an original piece to the structure, will be replaced due to the ﬁ berglass wearing out in places and a new entrance panel to the slide will be added. The main entrance to the moonwalk will be also reinforced. Both of these improvements will provide added safety for guests. Two new stationary “pogo hoppers,” a “sit/ stand spin” where children can spin themselves around and a “skywheel” – a hanging wheel that children can suspend and spin from – will be added to the lower level of Adventure Peak. Improvements will start in mid-October and should be completed by the end of November. While certain sections of Adventure Park will be closed during construction, the rest of the structure will remain open. For more information, contact McGrath at 952-833-9542 or pmcgrath@edinaMN.gov. Fred Richards Executive Golf Course will close Sunday, Oct. 5. As the date approaches, many in the community are sharing fond memories of the course. The City purchased Normandale Golf Course in 1992, and quickly got to work redesigning it. Then-Mayor Fred Richards and Council Member Jack Rice were instrumental in the creation of Fred Richards Executive Golf Course, executing the purchase of the land at 7640 Parklawn Ave. that would become “The Fred.” The Fred was designed by Joel Goldstrand. Former Parks & Recreation Director Bob Kojetin was also heavily involved in the early days of The Fred. He cites the land’s distinction as a buffer area – homes to the north, businesses to the south – as vital to the City’s decision to buy the course. “The concern for the City was to keep the transition area between the ofﬁ ce and residential property. This was key to the decision to purchase,” he said. Another component at play was a healthy market for golf in the mid-1990s. In 1993, when the Fred opened, there was plenty of demand for golf. “We had 2,700 patron cardholders at Braemar Golf Course,” said Kojetin. “It got to a point where people were wondering, ‘Why have a patron card if I can’t get on the course?’” So, along came The Fred, a friendlier course compared to Braemar, with its gentler slopes, casual atmosphere and lower intimidation factor. It quickly became a favorite destination for many, notably youth and seniors, who preferred a less taxing, simpler round of golf. Getting a reservation, sneaking in a quick round, adhering less than fully to pure golf etiquette and its requirements all were easier at The Fred. Many golfers got their start there, drawn by a desire to start playing on an easier course, albeit one with its fair share of trees and water. In its two decades, the Fred has garnered thousands of fans of all ages. “It was a family- designed golf course,” said Kojetin. Another draw was the size of the greens – twice as large as typical greens, like those at Braemar. According to Kojetin, upkeep on greens is very expensive, and although well liked, The Fred’s greens led to high costs – a key point among many in the City’s decision to close The Fred. Of course, there were some who were against The Fred’s closing. Many more were saddened by the impending loss of a much beloved resource. Cathleen Olson, a longtime Fred fan, expressed her sentiments, echoed in spirit and tone by many who played and loved the Fred. “The Fred is where my golf league played and was my ﬁ rst introduction to this wonderful course. We love the beauty, the fox that ran across the course and how friendly the play was,” she said. “We often saw Edina kids coming up behind us and having such a great time with this wonderful game.” The Fred will be missed as ﬁ rst golf experience and favorite course for many. It is often described as a jewel and a true gem for the residents of Edina, Richﬁ eld and other nearby areas. Times change, however, and factors such as an overabundant supply of golf, a need to refocus on the Braemar ﬂ agship and a strategy of streamlining golf operations across the board led to the decision to close. “We should all remember the good times at The Fred. They were priceless,” said John Vallerie, former Fred Richards and Braemar Golf Course General Manager. “We had the course for so many wonderful times ... the thousands of rounds played by the youth of Edina and Richﬁ eld; the Edina Senior League playing for their weekly prizes, ‘Now no gimmies, you hear?’; the many men’s and women’s league members who played their ﬁ rst round of golf here; ‘Oh no! Not another water hole!’” “I come here a couple, three times a week,” said Roger Nelson. “There aren’t any hills. It has good variety for a short course; there’s water and other difﬁ cult places.” Betsy Johnson also enjoys a friendly, stress-free round. “People here are not so professional that it makes us feel embarrassed.” Her husband, Roger, agreed. “We’re seniors. There are other golf courses, but none of them are so friendly for seniors and children,” he said. Vallerie reminisced about the entirety of The Fred’s existence. He remembers the redesign of the course. “I recall having to change some of the early holes because of safety issues. The ﬁ rst and second holes were shortened because some of our customers were less than accurate with their tee shots, which found a home in adjacent parked cars. We moved trees forward and planted new trees. The homeowner on Hole 8 used to chide me about starting a ball concession, but he was always nice to us.” Joseph Hulbert warmly recalls The Fred. “It was right in my backyard. I have a lot of fond memories of playing golf there with my son. It’s a fun executive course to play. They were all great to us, very friendly.” While many are sad to see The Fred close, positive changes are on the horizon. The natural space and neighborhood buffer highly valued by residents at The Fred will be preserved as a City park. An improved bottom line for the City’s golf course operation will allow for reinvestment at Braemar Golf Course, including changes to make the course “friendlier” for seniors and beginning golfers. For more information, call 612-915-6606 or visit www.BraemarGolf.com. The popular triple-wave slide at Edinborough Park’s Adventure Peak will be replaced this fall due to wear. Fi l e p h o t o