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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Connection 09172013Council tables action on Southdale Medical Office expansion The Council reviewed the site plan and held a public hearing on a proposed expansion of the Southdale Medical Office build- ing. Silver Oak Development on be- half of IRET Properties is propos- ing to build a four-story, 60,000- square-foot medical office ex- pansion and parking ramp ex- pansion to the existing 273,000- square-foot Southdale Medical Office building located at 6525- 6545 France Avenue. The new addition would be located on the south side of the existing build- ing and west of the existing park- ing ramp. The expansion would require variances. Two Parking Ramp Setback Variances would be required, as would a Parking Stall Variance from 1,715 spac- es to 1,577 spaces. The Council continued action until Oct. 1. Council sells bonds The City sold $9.39 million in bonds to pay for the new Brae- mar Golf Dome and ongoing street reconstruction projects and to refinance a bond issue for the Public Works and Park Maintenance Facility. Recently reaffirmed triple-A bond ratings helped ensure that the City’s debt came with the lowest possible interest rate. Wells Fargo Bank purchased the ma- jority of the bonds. The City of Edina is one of just a few communities in the state with “triple A” bond ratings from two top agencies. Independent bond-rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service recently affirmed their high bond ratings for Edina. In 2000, Moody’s Investors Ser- vice gave the City of Edina its highest rating, Aaa. In 2002, Standard & Poor’s upgraded Edina’s general obligation bond rating to AAA, its highest rating. The agencies reaffirmed their ratings prior to the bond sale – which is no small feat. Other cities’ bond ratings have recently been downgraded, including the City of Minneapolis’. Council reviews sketch plan The Council reviewed a sketch plan to a proposed redevelop- ment of the Borofka’s Furniture Store site (formerly Wickes Fur- niture) and five single-family homes on Xerxes Avenue. A developer is requesting con- sideration of a proposal to tear down the existing commercial building at 6725 York Ave. and the five single-family homes. The developer would then build a six- story, 273-unit upscale apart- ment building with 22,289 square feet of retail space on the first level. A parking lot is proposed in front of the retail store on York Avenue, with un- derground parking for residents. Surface spaces would be availa- ble along the north and south lot lines for resident guests. The loading area for the supermar- ket or deli on the first floor would be at the rear of the retail building and south side of the apartment building. The redevelopment would re- quire four amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan and rezoning to Planned Unit Devel- opment. Council Members gave the de- veloper non-binding feedback on the proposal. The developer must now decide how to incorpo- rate that feedback into any fu- A summary of the Sept. 17 Edina City Council meetings Sept. 24, 2013 Volume 15, Issue 14 Council Connection Upcoming meetings: Human Rights & Relations Commission, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Arts & Culture Commission, 4 p.m. Sept. 26 City Council, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 Heritage Preservation Board, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Park Board, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Planning Commission, 7 p.m. Oct. 9 City Contacts City Manager Scott Neal 952-826-0401 Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt 952-826-0415 City Clerk Debra Mangen 952-826-0408 Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf 952-826-0407 Community Development Director Cary Teague 952-826-0460 Finance Director John Wallin 952-826-0410 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 ture formal development pro- posal. Council moves forward with eminent domain The City is moving forward with plans to obtain property at 50th & France to expand public park- ing. The 50th & France business district is hampered by a short- age of parking during peak shopping and dining hours. For several years, the City has stud- ied how to provide additional parking for the shared use of the local community, including employees, customers and neighborhoods. A 2011 report from Walker Parking Consult- ants indicates that hundreds of additional parking spaces are needed at 50th & France. The Hooten Cleaners & Laun- derers property at 3944 W. 49 ½ St. is located immediately adjacent to the existing North Parking Ramp, which could be expanded to the west to provide approximately 50 to 75 new spaces. The owners of the dry-cleaners recently retired and closed the business with the intent of re- purposing the building. Despite many conversations since late 2012, the parties have not been able to agree on a purchase price. An updated appraisal was re- cently completed and will be used in another attempt to ne- gotiate a fair purchase price for the site. If that attempt is un-successful, the City intends to move forward with eminent domain. The City expects the negotiation and acquisition process to take several months.