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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil_Connection_030111Council meets with Commission to discuss work At a work session prior to its regular meeting, the Council met with the Transportation Commis- sion to discuss the scope of the advisory body’s work. The Edina Transportation Com- mission Policy was developed several years ago as a supple- ment to the City of Edina’s 1999 Transportation Plan. The pur- pose of the policy is to guide the Transportation Commission in the identification and evaluation of traffic and transportation issues in the community and the prioritization of projects and improvements to the transporta- tion system. The Council asked staff and Commission members to review the Neighborhood Traffic Management Process to determine why it has been used so infrequently since the policy was adopted. Also during the meeting, Com- missioners suggested requests denied by the Traffic Safety Committee, a committee of staff members, go to the Commission for consideration of alternatives. Finally, the group suggested that a “complete streets” policy be developed. Council approves Grandview plan process The Council approved a commu- nity-led small area plan process for the Grandview area. In 2010, a Community Advisory Team (CAT) led a process to determine the future of the old Public Works site on Eden Ave- nue and the area surrounding it. The CAT met several times and developed seven guiding princi- ples for the area, which were adopted by the Council in late 2010. At that time, the Council also agreed to embark on a small area planning process for the area, retaining ownership of the City’s Public Works property until after the study is complete. A Livable Communities Demon- stration Account grant will defray the costs of the study. Planning Commissioner and CAT Leader Kevin Staunton present- ed the proposed process, which was built around the following concepts: • Organize first, engage con- sultants later. • Strike the proper balance between deliberation and completion. • Ensure participation and productivity. Organizers suggested a year- long process, broken into four three-month stages. Organizing and framing the work plan would be completed before the end of June. Consultants would be re- tained and a development framework and implementation plan drafted between July and September. The public would be asked to react to the plan for refinement from October through December. The final plan would be drafted in early 2012. Council agrees to additional downtown parking permits To keep premium parking spac- es available for patrons, the City Council approved a recommen- dation to require all employees of Edina businesses at 50th & France to hold parking permits in order to park in the ramps. Vehicles can park in the ramps for a maximum of five hours. However, employees working on the Edina side of the commercial area may purchase parking per- mits to park in designated areas for more than five hours. Approx- imately 200 employees buy parking permits from the City. A summary of the March 1 Edina City Council & HRA meeting March 7, 2011 Volume 13, Issue 5 Council Connection Upcoming meetings: • Heritage Preservation Board, 7 p.m. March 8 • Park Board, 7 p.m. March 8 • Energy & Environment Com- mission, 7 p.m. March 10 • City Council and Planning Commission, 5 p.m. March 15 • Community Health Committee, 6:30 p.m. March 15 City Contacts City Manager Scott Neal 952-826-0401 City Clerk Debra Mangen 952-826-0408 Assistant to the City Manager Ceil Smith 952-826-0402 Planning Director Cary Teague 952-826-0460 Public Works Director/City Engineer Wayne Houle 952-826-0443 We’d like to hear from you … If you have any comments, call Communi-cations & Marketing Director Jennifer Bennerotte at 952-833-9520. The text of this publication will be available online at www.CityofEdina.com. www.CityofEdina.com If part-time employees work less than five hours, they do not need to buy a parking pass or even park in areas intended for employee parking. Association staff members have observed employees parking in all sec- tions of the ramps, not neces- sarily in the permit-only areas, taking premium spots away from patrons of the shops and restaurants in the area. Association staff recommended that all employees of Edina businesses at 50th & France be required to purchase parking passes, regardless of full- or part-time employment sta- tus. They argued that it would allow the Police Department to more easily provide enforce- ment to those who violate the parking requirements in the three ramps. The Council agreed to the park-ing permit rule change, but en-couraged the Association to continue to look for commuter options and off-site parking locations for employees of area businesses. 2011 permits must be pur- chased before April 1 by those employees who park in the ramps. Kostuch appointed to Commission The Council made an appoint- ment to the Energy & Environ- ment Commission. A recent ordinance change elim- inated a dual membership be- tween the Planning and Energy & Environment commissions, thereby creating an opening. Kevin Kostuch was appointed to the Energy & Environment Com- mission for a term expiring Feb. 1, 2013.