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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdinaApril2019Edition: Edina APRIL 2019 Volume 6, Issue 4 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 | 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov ‘Images of Edina’ Photo Contest Starts It’s time to review your favorite photos from the last year! The City of Edina and Edina Magazine invite those who live, work or go to school in Edina to submit their best photos that tell Edina’s story in the 16th-annual “Images of Edina” photo contest. Shown above is Anupama Puvvula’s entry last year, “Every New Leaf Breaks the Winter Cold.” For a complete list of official rules, contest criteria and to submit your photos, visit EdinaMN.gov/PhotoContest or edinamag.com. Photo by Anupama Puvvula New Houses Provide Slow, Steady Growth for Schools Idea That Apartments Produce Crush of Students Is ‘Myth’ New houses from residential redevelopment are fueling a “revitalization of Edina” that is helping stabilize Edina Public Schools’ enrollment. That may fly in the face of what many people think, but data analyzed by the state’s premier demographer show people moving into those new homes are more likely to have school- age children than those in any other new housing in Edina. “There is a relationship between school enrollment and housing, but it is a very complex relationship. And it is not the relationship that many people assume it to be,” demographer Hazel Reinhardt said March 6 as she made a presentation to the Edina City Council and Edina School Board. She pointed out that 88 percent of Edina Public Schools students live in single-family houses. The higher the market value of the house, the more likely it is to have school-age children. For example, houses valued at $750,000 or more yield about 0.7 students per house. Those valued at less than $300,000 yield just 0.23 students. New houses have the most kids. Of the 191 houses built from Jan. 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, they average 0.75 students per house. Homes that sold during that time also brought students, at 0.62 per house. Houses that stayed under the same ownership produced about 1 child in Edina schools per every 2 houses, a much lower rate. About 10 percent of public school students in Edina live in apartments, primarily in older units in the Parklawn Neighborhood, Reinhardt said. Hundreds of units in the City’s newest apartment buildings have produced only a handful of schoolchildren, she added. She called the concept of new apartments producing a crush of students “a myth,” and not only in Edina. “People get very excited about townhomes and apartments, and let me tell you that in every district we’ve ever worked in, it is single-family detached (houses) that yield school-age children,” she said. With women delaying having children and families having fewer children overall, many school districts are facing decreasing enrollment. That reduces funding, programs and affects the overall health of schools. In Edina, the new houses and the families that come with those are helping drive a modest, manageable growth in school enrollment projections. “To see the slow and steady growth generally is a good thing,” said School Board member Sarah Patzloff. She, Reinhardt and Mayor James Hovland all credited the excellent reputation of Edina Public Schools as one of the main reasons people move to Edina. View the meeting where the presentation was made on the Edina TV channel on YouTube. Council Approves Citywide Organics Collection, Outside Refuse Storage Vierkant Disposal to Begin Weekly Organics Collection in 2020 For years, trash cans and recycling bins have mostly been relegated to dark corners of garages in Edina. Now, residents may store them outside. Under an old local law, refuse containers were to be stored out of view from the street in front of the premises. At its March 19 meeting, the Edina City Council approved an ordinance amendment that allows residents to store containers within five feet of the dwelling unit or garage on the property. The City Council also directed staff to negotiate a contract with Vierkant Disposal for weekly residential organics collection beginning in 2020. With another cart for organics, some residents could have up to four carts, so the change in law regarding their storage creates some flexibility. A recent study by Hennepin County found that 25 percent of trash is made up of organic materials – the largest category within trash that could be diverted from landfills. In an effort to meet Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Hennepin County waste reduction goals, the City of Edina issued a request for proposals for a residential curbside organics collection contract. Four companies responded. The Council selected Vierkant for several reasons, including the company’s existing organics customer base in Edina, pricing, location and commitment to customer service. The Council is also weighing proposals for recycling collection and directed staff to get feedback from the community on collection frequency. A survey is under way. Residents can also weigh in at www.BetterTogetherEdina.org. In other business last month, the Council: • Established an Affordable Housing Fund. Buy-in funds that come to the City from housing developers had been placed into a restricted account with the intent that proceeds are to be used to further affordable housing opportunities. Creating the Trust Fund formalizes the practice. • Approved guidelines for developers who propose projects within the Greater Southdale District. The Design Experience Guidelines are not a substitute for City zoning codes and ordinances, but instead provide substantial background for developers and design teams and a framework from which to approach proposed projects in the district. The guidelines also give the Planning Commission and City Council guidance for evaluating projects in the area. • Approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Lime to provide bike and scooter sharing services in Edina in 2019. • Approved an increase in utility franchise fees to provide additional funding for capital improvements for City property and equipment that further the City’s overall conservation and sustainability goals. The franchise fee will increase 50 cents per month for Xcel Energy customers. • Established the 72nd & France Tax-Increment Financing District to support the construction of affordable housing and public improvements at 7200 and 7250 France Ave. The City Council will next meet April 16. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. Where Do Students Live? Edina School District Housing Type by Edina Public Schools Resident Student Yield Housing Type K-12 Students Single-Family Detached 6,253 Apartments 599 Duplex Units, Split Duplex, Townhomes, Condominium Units 257 *As of June 20, 2018 Edition: Edi na APRIL 2019 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 | 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.gov City of Edina EdinaMN.gov Upcoming Events Recurring Events: Children’s Entertainment at Edinborough Park Noon Thursdays Family Night at Braemar Field 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturdays through April 27 Friday, April 5, 6:30 p.m. Family Movie Night, “Christopher Robin,” Edinborough Park Saturday, April 6, 10 a.m.-noon Town Hall meeting, Braemar Golf Course Tuesday, April 9, 6-8:30 p.m. Creating Your Resilient Yard Workshop, Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility Wednesday, April 10, 2-4 p.m. Energy Efficiency Benchmarking Meeting for Business Owners and Managers, Edina City Hall Thursday, April 11, 6-7:30 p.m. Installing Turf Alternatives Workshop, Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility Thursday, April 11, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting, Edina City Hall Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m. The Author’s Studio: Seize your Life: How to Carpe Diem Every Day with Jasmine Stringer, Edina Art Center Monday, April 15, 5:30 p.m. Community Volunteer Recognition Reception, Braemar Golf Course Wednesday, April 16, 7 p.m. City Council Meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, April 19, 7-8:30 p.m. Edina’s First Refugees: The Irish at Cahill Settlement, Minnehaha Grange Hall Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. Walk With the Mayor, 50th & France, Edina Landmark Theater Tuesday, April 23, 4:30-6 p.m. Edina Master Water Stewards Coffee Klatch, Edina City Hall Thursday, April 25, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, April 25, 5 p.m. Opening Reception: Minnesota Artists Association, Edina Art Center For a complete listing of meetings and events, visit EdinaMN.gov. City Hires New Residential Redevelopment Coordinator Customer Service is Priority for Lewis The City of Edina’s new Residential Redevelopment Coordinator, Addison Lewis, began on March 18, after working as the Planner/Economic Development Specialist for the City of Jordan. “This is a unique position. I think Edina is the only city in the state that has a job like this. I was looking for something with planning, code enforcement and conflict resolution and this role checks off all of those items,” said Lewis. “I view this as a customer service role, so my goal is to provide the best customer service to Edina residents that I can.” Lewis succeeds the City’s first Residential Redevelopment Coordinator, Cindy Larson, who left the City earlier this year for a position in the private sector. The role of Edina’s Residential Redevelopment Coordinator is to ensure compliance with the City’s ordinances and procedures, while also responding to questions and concerns from the public. The Residential Redevelopment Coordinator typically addresses issues stemming from construction of a new home such as parking, dust, noise, stormwater runoff and tree protection. The position does not mitigate architectural design issues. “This City deals with complaints on residential construction for tear-downs and rebuilds, so Addison will be responsible for managing these concerns,” said Chief Building Official David Fisher. “The role also is going to evolve into dealing with commercial properties as well when we have complaints about parking or noise issues, for example.” Lewis has spent his career working in the area of community development. In addition to his time in Jordan, he also worked for over five years with WSB & Associates, Inc., as a Community Planner. Before that, he held a Community Development & Planning internship with the City of Apple Valley. Lewis is currently working to earn a master’s degree at Hamline University. “I want to spend my career in local government and the Hamline Public Administration program really sets you up for leadership positions and management positions in local government, which will be a good fit for this role,” said Lewis. This role is unique, but Lewis brought a diverse skillset and experience that made him a great fit. “Addison was a project manager for a street project on France Avenue when he worked at WSB. I thought he would be a good hire since he already understands customer service and is familiar with Edina,” said Fisher. For more information, contact Lewis at AMLewis@EdinaMN.gov or 952-833-9521. Photo by Michael BraunEdina’s Residential Redevelopment Coordinator, Addison Lewis, began work March 18. BY THE NUMBERS France Avenue Bridge Construction Valley V i ew RdFrance AveW 65th St W 62nd St W 66th St Xerxes AveEDINA 62 62 Project area Closed: April - June Closed: April - July W 62nd St Open tolocal traffic Valley Vi ew RdFrance AveW 65th St W 62nd St W 66th St Xerxes AveEDINA 62 62 Project area Closed: April - June Closed: April - July W 62nd St Open tolocal traffic The Minnesota Department of Transportation is improving the France Avenue bridge over Minnesota Highway 62. As a part of the project, drivers will notice improved pavement, a new traffic signal, accessible sidewalks and a lengthened ramp to eastbound Highway 62. Construction is expected to be complete in mid-July. detours: To northbound France Avenue from Highway 62: Xerxes Avenue to 60th Street To southbound France Avenue from Highway 62: Valley View Road to France Avenue 2 • New bridge deck • Improved traffic flow • Improved access to Highway 62 • Improved accessibility for pedestrians • Smoother ride 5 Benefits: The project will cost approximately $4.3Approximately Million Southdale Library Location Decision Expected this Summer Two Locations Currently Being Explored Hennepin County is exploring two possible locations for the new Southdale Library. These include rebuilding on the current site, 7001 York Ave. S., or building at Southdale Center. “Wherever the new library is, we are committed to continued excellence in library service, and will continue to service our community members and collaborate with them,” said Janet Mills, Interim Library Director for Hennepin County. “With the modernization and refresh that comes with a new space, we’ll take the opportunity to offer flexible seating responsive to the mobile technology that more people are bringing with them, improved spaces for quiet time and collaboration, and create a really welcoming space.” The County sent out an update in February saying public comments and priorities from past community meetings are a part of the discussion to decide which site to pursue. They are also considering the financial impacts, operating costs and access to other services, including public transportation. They said “no matter the physical location, the new library will offer spaces for both focused and collaborative work, technology to bridge the digital divide, a variety of seating options with access to power sources, ample library materials and early learning spaces for school readiness.” With a decision reached this summer, the new library should open by 2022. For more information, visit www.hclib.org/southdale. To receive future updates via email, contact SouthdaleProject@hclib.org to add your email to the list.