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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil_Connection_3_06_2012Council adopts new precinct boundaries The Council adopted new pre- cinct boundaries. Following every decennial census, the legislative bound- aries are reviewed and adjust- ed as necessary to keep bal- ance between Minnesota’s Congressional, State Senate and House districts. In late February, the 2012 redistrict- ing plan was released. In Edi- na, the court followed the school district boundary line when establishing the bound- ary between Districts 49A and 49B east of France Avenue. The 49A/49B boundary splits the buildings at 7200 and 7220 York Avenue. City staff has requested special legisla- tion to correct the problem. So that Hennepin County can complete its redistricting, the City Council adopted new pre- cinct boundaries for the city in early March. Following the enactment of special legisla- tion, the Council may then adopt another resolution ad- justing only the line between precincts 17 and 18 where 7200 and 7220 York Avenue vote. Council continues mulling France Avenue project The Council continued its re- view of a redevelopment on France Avenue. FE 70 has proposed tearing down the gas station at 6996 France Ave. and rebuilding an 8,260-square-foot office and retail building. The building would include a 3,000-square -foot retail space for Vitamin Shop and a 5,260-square-foot office for a financial firm. To move forward with the pro- ject, the property must be rezoned as a Planned Unit Development and the Council must grant final development plan approval. The Council reviewed the de- veloper’s sketch plan for the project in July. The design of the building changed since that time. Because Council members preferred the sketch plan, they tabled action on the matter, asking the developer to revise the building’s eleva- tions to look more like the first drawings they reviewed. The Council is expected to take action on the matter at its March 20 meeting. Council approves reconstruction of Tracy Avenue The Council approved the reconstruction of Tracy Ave- nue from Benton Avenue to Vernon Avenue. The roadway will be widened from 36 to 40 feet to allow for a parking lane on the east side of the street and five-foot bike lanes in either direction. Tracy Avenue was identified as a primary bike route in the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Because the intersection is offset and could present safe- ty issues near Countryside Elementary School, staff pro- posed a roundabout for the intersection of Tracy and Ben- ton. Since no accidents have been reported there and sev- eral residents testified in op- A summary of the March 6 Edina City Council meeting March 13, 2012 Volume 14, Issue 6 Council Connection Upcoming meetings:  Heritage Preservation Board, 7 p.m. March 13  Park Board, 7 p.m. March 13  Neighborhood Identification Steering Committee, 6:30 p.m. March 14  Planning Commission, 7 p.m. March 14  Transportation Commission, 6 p.m. March 15 City Contacts City Manager Scott Neal 952-826-0401 Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt 952-826-0415 City Clerk Debra Mangen 952-826-0408 Community Development Director Cary Teague 952-826-0460 City Engineer Wayne Houle 952-826-0443 Police Chief Jeff Long 952-826-0491 We’d like to hear from you … If you have any comments, call Communications & Technology Services Director Jennifer Bennerotte at 952-833- 9520. The text of this publication will be available online at www.EdinaMN.gov. www.EdinaMN.gov position to it, Council mem- bers did not include it in the project. The overall cost is estimated at nearly $1.3 million. Fund- ing for this project will come from a combination of utility funds, special assessments and State gas tax funds. Along with the rest of the City’s 2012 street reconstruc- tion projects, the reconstruc- tion is expected to begin this spring, with substantial or complete construction by fall. Council grants probationary liquor license The Council approved a pro- bationary liquor license for a restaurant at 50th & France. Local law requires that all establishments holding liquor licenses within the City of Edina maintain a ratio of food -to-alcohol sales of 60 per- cent food to 40 percent alco- hol. At the time Cocina del Barrio submitted its applica- tion for renewal, its ratio was 51:49. The Council fined Cocina del Barrio $500 and granted them a 12-month probation- ary on-sale intoxicating and Sunday sale liquor license, effective April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013. The restaurant owner said he has developed strategies to in- crease food sales and is will- ing to work with City staff in order to do so. City staff will complete a monitoring visit after six months.