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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_November 2015Public Art Edina recently oversaw installation of Edina’s second utility box art wrap at 50th Street and Wooddale Avenue. The selected artwork, “Winter Dream,” is by Edina resident Shelley Holl, who has been working with mixed media art for more than 50 years. Holl used a photograph of trees at Bredesen Park and her own watercolor artwork to create the image. Public Art Edina selected the piece out of 25 entries received from Edina residents and artists. Another utility box at Metro and Industrial boulevards will be wrapped in the spring using a design from the submission pool. 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 952-927-8861 mail@EdinaMN.gov www.EdinaMN.gov The City of Edina Speak Up, Edina! NOVEMBER 2015 Volume 2, Issue 11 Legend: Infrastructure Commercial and Mixed-Use Redevelopment Workforce Communication and Engagement Community Vision Aviation Noise Edi tion: The City’s next online discussion is now available at www.SpeakUpEdina.org. The discussion, which focuses on winter parking, is available until Jan. 4, 2016. The City of Edina restricts on-street parking from Nov. 1 to March 31. During this time, vehicles are not allowed to park on a City street, highway or alley under the following conditions: when 1.5 inches of show has fallen, until it has been plowed to the curbline; for six hours after the snowfall stops, unless traffic signs specifically allow you to do so or if you are engaged in certain job-related activities as described in the City Code; and from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. regardless of wintery conditions. Cars parked on streets make snow removal difficult and prevent a street from being thoroughly plowed. Not only can vehicles be buried or plowed in, causing visibility and safety issues, the driver could also be subject to a ticket and/or tow. In the discussion, the City asks whether the restrictions have an effect on their parking decisions; whether a different restriction system, such as even-odd parking or snow emergencies, would be preferred; and if residents think the penalty for a parking restriction violation is fair. Feedback from this discussion will be compiled and presented to the City Council Jan. 19, 2016. This month, the City has been gathering feedback on public safety. Questions asked include whether residents feel safe living in and visiting different areas of the city, what areas of Edina could benefit from enhanced police presence, and how they describe their biggest safety concern. The feedback from this discussion will be compiled and presented to the City Council Dec. 15. To weigh in on a discussion, visit www.SpeakUpEdina.org. As the 2015 “Focus In” campaign comes to an end, Edina patrol officers are focusing efforts on the “Move Over” law in December. Each year, hundreds of accidents and injuries occur while police officers conduct roadside traffic stops. Following the tragic death of State Trooper Ted Foss, who was killed on the shoulder of Interstate Highway 90 in Winona, Minnesota, in 2000, the Minnesota Legislature enacted the “Move Over” law, requiring drivers to move to the furthest possible lane away from an emergency vehicle. If a driver is unable to move over, the law requires him or her to reduce the vehicle’s speed while passing the officer. “Since the Ted Foss Law was enacted, I have felt a better sense of safety,” said Lt. Brian Tholen. “Our officers are able to focus more attention on the driver and the vehicle’s occupants.” “Focus In” is a campaign aimed to educate the public and gain compliance with various state statutes and ordinances. The violations the Police Department focuses 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. Education will include a warning to those who violate the statutes or codes. In extenuating circumstances, a citation may be issued. This year, Police focused on obstructed vision, failure to signal, unsafe equipment and failure to display headlights, bike safety, following too closely, pedestrian safety, child safety and seat belts, distracted driving and school speed zones. From January through October, officers made 912 stops for “Focus In” violations. For more information, contact the Edina Police Department at 952-826-1610. Police ‘Focus In’ on the ‘Move Over’ law Utility Box Art Wrap Graces Utley Park Taprooms, brewpubs and cocktail rooms will soon be allowed in Edina. A new liquor ordinance, which includes provisions for them, goes into effect Jan. 1. “Our ordinance has been around for decades. [Local laws] were amended, tweaked, adjusted and modified a little bit on a regular basis,” said Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf. “But after 30 years of doing this, it’s difficult for business owners to understand the laws and it could be challenging for City staff to interpret and enforce those laws.” Edina was a mostly “dry” city until voters approved a referendum to allow wine to be served in restaurants in 1985. Throughout the years, regulations were also passed requiring strict training for restaurant staff, limiting seating in a bar area to no more than 15 percent of a restaurant’s seating, and adhering to the “60/40 rule,” meaning that no more than 40 percent of a restaurant’s gross sales could be from beer or wine. Liquor wasn’t allowed to be served until 1999 and “happy hour” specials weren’t allowed until 2012. The new ordinance removes local definitions and provisions that conflict with State law, uses industry standard and State law-defined definitions and clarified language regarding outdoor consumption. The ordinance also retains the City’s municipal liquor stores, Edina Liquor, which serve as a revenue generator for the City. Most notable of the new ordinance is the elimination of the “60/40 rule” and the addition of licenses to allow brewpubs, taprooms and cocktail rooms. “The outdated rules make it difficult [for Edina businesses] to be as competitive as our neighbors in Minneapolis,” said Rachel Thelemann, Director of the 50th & France Business & Professional Association. “The expectation is to have regulations that are understandable, competitive and enforceable,” Neuendorf said. “It was time to rewrite the laws to reflect the community’s desires.” In online discussions about Edina’s liquor laws and the 60/40 rule on the City’s civic engagement site, www.SpeakUpEdina.org, the majority of participants favored relaxing local laws and expressed a desire for taprooms. In the ordinance, taprooms and cocktail rooms are only allowed in industrial-zoned areas. Brewpubs are allowed in areas zoned “commercial” and “mixed- development,” because they have a restaurant component. Examples of brewpubs are Granite City or The Urban Growler. Taprooms are only allowed to serve beers brewed on-site, but could have a non-permanent food truck outside. For more information, contact Neuendorf at 952-826-0407 or bneuendorf@EdinaMN.gov. Bringing her passion for clean water, Jessica Van Der Werff joined the City of Edina’s Engineering Department earlier this year. As Water Resources Coordinator, Van Der Werff primarily works with the Engineering and Public Works departments to improve and help manage Edina’s groundwater, surface water and drinking water. “I was first exposed to water resources when I was in high school,” Van Der Werff explained. “I always liked the science-y side of things.” Van Der Werff attended the University of Wisconsin – Stout where she received a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science – Biotechnology. There, she worked for an aquatic ecology lab where she retrieved and analyzed water samples for metrics like organic content and nutrients. She expanded her interest in water to the University of Minnesota – Duluth where she got her master’s degree in Water Resources Science. It was there that she realized what she wanted her career to be. “I took an environmental literature class and I loved reading about data,” she said. “We would take technical data and plans with complicated systems and put them into a form that people would understand, so that we could build social capital and move forward with the plans.” Her first two jobs post-grad were with the Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) and the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, where she focused on research-based work. At CRWP, a nonprofit, her main task involved researching watershed properties and trying to get people involved. At the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, she worked to improve the soil and water in the area by assessing and grading water bodies and writing implementation plans to improve the area’s water resources. “You can view water resources in three steps: observing a problem, monitoring and assessing, and then implementing [a solution],” explained Van Der Werff. Van Der Werff’s position as Water Resources Coordinator entails reviewing building projects, writing plans and implementing updates and improvements to the City’s water resources. She also manages storm water permits and reviews water resource plans to help manage and develop those plans for groundwater, surface water and drinking water. “It’s much more satisfying working here because I am able to do something about the water issues,” she said. “It’s been interesting seeing the strategic side and facing complicated problems and figuring out how to create both short- and long-term visions. We work on development now so that the community is more resilient in the future.” Van Der Werff also serves as the City’s main contact for inquiries related to lakes and ponds. In addition to her full-time position with the City, Van Der Werff teaches a five-credit biology class at Century College in White Bear Lake. She has been teaching there for almost four years and finds it rewarding knowing that she is able to teach others about something she is passionate about. “I like translating and communicating technical stuff [regarding water resources] to residents and others, so that people understand what we’re doing and the importance of it,” said Van Der Werff. “At its core, my jobs are pretty similar.” For more information, contact Van Der Werff at 952-826-0445 or jvanderwerff@EdinaMN.gov. Taprooms, Brewpubs Allowed in Edina City Welcomes Water Resources Coordinator Ph o t o b y D a w n W i l l s Fi l e P h o t o Jessican Van Der Werff, City of Edina’s new Water Resources Coodinator NOVEMBER 2015 December Edina 16 Broadcast Schedule Edina City Council (shown until the next scheduled meeting) • Sundays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. • Tuesdays – 7 p.m. (live broadcast on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month) • Wednesdays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. • Saturdays – 7 p.m. Planning Commission (shown until the next scheduled meeting) • Wednesdays – 7 p.m. (live broadcast on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month) • Thursdays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. • Fridays – 7 p.m. • Saturdays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. Park Board (shown through Dec. 9) • Mondays – 7 p.m. • Tuesdays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. • Thursdays – 10 p.m. • Fridays – 6 a.m., 2 p.m. Human Rights & Relations Commission (shown Dec. 11 through Jan. 7) • Mondays – 10 p.m. • Tuesdays – 6 a.m., 2 p.m. • Thursdays – 7 p.m. • Fridays – 3 a.m., 11 a.m. Agenda: Edina (new episode on the 1st and 15th of each month) • Daily at 2:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Beyond the Badge (new episode on the 1st of each month) • Daily at 2 a.m., 10 a.m., 6 p.m. Enterprise Edina • Daily at 2:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 6:15 p.m. Rotary Club of Edina Meetings (new episode weekly) • Daily at 1 a.m., 9 a.m., 5 p.m. Upcoming Events Tuesday, Dec. 1 Application period begins for open seats on advisory boards and commissions. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 4 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 or 10 a.m. Santa’s Breakfast at the Peak, Edinborough Park Monday, Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. Community Health Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Tuesday, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. Park Board Meeting, Braemar Golf Course Tuesday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m. Heritage Preservation Board, Edina City Hall Wednesday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. Energy & Environment Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m. Human Rights & Relations Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m. Breakfast with Santa, Braemar Golf Course Tuesday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Dec. 17, 4:30 p.m. Arts & Culture Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Transportation Commission Meeting, Edina City Hall Saturday, Dec. 19, 9 a.m. Walk with the Mayor, Bredesen Park Thursday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve, City Hall Closed Friday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day, City Hall Closed Construction on the Braemar Golf Course driving range and par 3 course is nearly complete. After the major overhaul, staff are now looking toward the next project in Braemar’s evolution. Braemar Golf Course General Manager Joseph Abood explained that the goal of the expanded driving range was to create a bigger teeing surface and a farther, longer driving range. The grass area of the driving range almost doubled with the upgrades and is about 300 yards long, accommodating up to 58 golfers at a time with added target greens. Combined, the driving range and par 3 course construction cost $1.8 million. Work began July 7, and the last details are being finalized now. “The construction crew is finishing up some final detail work and beginning their cleanup procedure. The new sidewalk, cart path and driving range patio around the range services building were finished earlier this month,” said Braemar Golf Course Maintenance Technician Brian Sanford. “The bent grass greens are starting to germinate and are growing at a rapid rate.” “We were really fortunate to have had a good October. We got a substantial amount of seed germination, so it kind of helped us out going into the spring of next year and got us a little ahead of the game,” said Abood. Braemar held a course walk-through with Driving Range and Par 3 Course Architect Kevin Norby in late October with about 25 interested members of the public in attendance. Earlier this month, a master plan design update meeting was held with Golf Course Architect Richard Mandell. The event drew over 40 attendees to review and provide public input on the reconfiguration of the regulation course. “[The meeting gave attendees a chance to see] where are we now in the master plan and what the regulation 18 holes are going to look like. Richard [Mandell] did a good job; he gave an overview and went into more details about the holes and why he configured things the way he did,” explained Braemar Golf Course Business Manager Amy Smith. “The public had very good questions and comments. There really was a good amount of public input.” The next steps of implementing the master plan will be to obtain the necessary permits from the watershed district and begin the bidding process for the course redesign. For more information, contact Abood at 952-903-5754 or jabood@EdinaMN.gov. For those working in the service industry or those who are in the beginnings of their careers, finding an affordable place to live in Edina can be difficult, especially as land values continue to rise. The average rent for a three-bedroom apartment in Edina is about $2,280 per month. The City Council in October approved an affordable housing policy that applies to all new multi-family housing developments of 20 or more units that also require a rezoning. According to the policy, 10 percent of new rental and for-sale multi-unit developments that are the result of a rezoning must be affordable. Rental units must remain affordable for at least 15 years. “Affordable” housing is not “subsidized” housing. Housing is considered affordable if it can be paid for by a person whose income is 60 percent or less of the area’s median gross income – $51,960 for a family of four in 2015. Such a family qualifying for an affordable unit would pay 60 percent of the average market rental rate – about $1,351 on a three-bedroom apartment. “The goal … is to make living in Edina more affordable for those who work here and those in the service industry,” said Community Development Directory Cary Teague. “We’ve never had an [affordable housing] policy, just a goal.” Since 2008, the City Council has approved 168 affordable housing units. The Metropolitan Council and City have set a goal for Edina to establish 212 new affordable units by 2020. “Every project is different,” Teague said. “The policy focuses on those projects that are asking for something from the City.” Changes such as higher-than-allowed density or land use changes would require affordable housing be provided. In some cases, Teague said, providing affordable units may not be economically feasible. In those cases, the developer may opt to dedicate funds to establish affordable units elsewhere in the community. The funds could be used as incentives for developers who want to make affordable housing work. Incentives could include density bonuses, parking reductions, tax-increment financing and/or deferred low-interest loans from the Edina Housing Foundation. “We’re not asking for just one or two units – we’re asking for 10 percent. That can be very expensive,” said Jeff Hugget of the Edina Housing Foundation. “The amount of funds in lieu of providing affordable units would be negotiated project-by-project,” Teague said. “It could actually mean a combination of several options to make affordable housing happen in some way.” Construction Concludes on Braemar Driving Range, Par 3 Course City Adopts Affordable Housing Policy 54th Street Bridge Reopens to Traffic Su b m i t t e d p h o t o Ph o t o b y J o r d a n G i l g e n b a c h With construction on the Braemar Golf Course driving range and par 3 course nearly complete, staff are focusing on getting the grass grow-in process off to a good start before the snow flies. After several months of construction, West 54th Street has reopened to traffic. The street had been closed to replace the bridge spanning Minnehaha Creek, causing drivers and local residents to find alternate routes around the closure. Many issues plagued the old roadway and bridge, including age, pedestrian access and roadway width. The new bridge is wider, includes sidewalks and bicycle facilities and is more aesthetically pleasing. • Report problems to be fixed • Quickly find City information and news • Easily connect with City officials Download Edina To Go from the app store today!