HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 Parks Chapter 12-31-19Edina Comprehensive Plan
Park, Recreation and Open Space Chapter Draft
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6. Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources
Chapter Highlights
The following six points guided the development
programs, goals and policies presented in this chapter
of the Comprehensive Plan Update.
1. Edina has committed to a minimum of 15 percent
of its land area to be used as parks and green
space. (As of the most recent census, we are right
at this threshold.) Future standards will need
consider “hardscape” environments as
represented in the Greater Southdale District
Plan.
2. All Community and Special Use parks will have an
updated Master Plan to guide use, growth and
future development. Every Park MP will include an
approach to best maintain, improve and promote
its natural resources.
3. Connecting our neighborhoods via a Grand
Rounds concept and in coordination with the
Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.
4. Be intentional on the use of benchmarking to assess progress against strategic objectives.
5. Explore alternative funding models to support future growth and accomplishment of our Mission.
6. Establish a goal to have park facilities within a maximum distance of one mile from each Edina
resident
Edina Parks and Recreation Department Vision and Mission
The Parks and Recreation Department’s vision and mission are stated in the 2015 Parks and Recreation
Strategic Plan. This policy plan document can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlink below.
https://www.edinamn.gov/315/Park-System-Strategic-Plan
The Major Challenge
Like many communities, Edina is witnessing
demographic changes. Changes that
occurred between 2008, when the last
comprehensive plan was written, and now
are only a glimpse of what is expected to
occur over the next 10 years. In order to
ensure that the City’s park system will
continue to meet the needs of residents,
the City will need to continually provide
sensitive and appropriate responses to
changes in social, demographic,
technological, economic, political and
environmental trends. The magnitude of
these changes will demand flexibility in
planning practices to appropriately respond
to rapidly changing needs.
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Introduction
The City of Edina operates one of the most well-regarded parks and recreation systems in the
metropolitan Twin Cities. Edina is a fully developed first ring suburb of Minneapolis with a park system
that continues to be improved with targeted additions and innovative operations. The park system,
comprising the City’s physical park lands, recreation areas, and trails, along with numerous programs
and collaborations with local youth sports associations, greatly contribute to a high quality of life.
The Vision of the Edina Park and Recreation Department (EPRD) is “To strive for excellence in our
parks, recreation and trails system to provide Edina a high quality of life by nurturing the health and well-
being of our people, our community, our environment and our economy.” In fulfillment of that vision,
the EPRD’s Mission Statement is “To create parks, facilities, and programs to foster a healthy and
inclusive community. We accomplish this through creative leadership, collaborations, environmentally
sustainable practices and the responsible use of available resources.”
Inventory and Current Conditions
The National Park and Recreation Association (NRPA)
periodically publishes “Park and Open Space Standards and
Guidelines” for municipal park and recreation agencies to
assist in comprehensive planning. The NRPA suggests that
the “national standards” be used only as a benchmark
guideline, because each community has its own unique
profile in regards to demographics, total acreage, terrain,
climate and a host of other affecting factors. Nonetheless,
Edina currently exceeds the national standard guideline for
acres per 1,000 residents.
The NRPA suggests a national standards guideline of 25 acres per 1,000 residents. This standard would
include all local, county, and state-owned property within the community. There are currently no county,
state or federal park lands in Edina. All 1,565 acres of park land and open space are owned and
maintained by the City of Edina. The City’s 1,565 total park and open space acreage computes to 30.2
acres per 1,000 residents (based on the 2016 Census population of 51,804). Currently, the EPRD oversees
43 parks and open spaces totaling more than 1,565 acres and operates nine facilities, which include:
• Edina Aquatic Center
• Edina Art Center
• Braemar Ice Arena and Sports Dome
• Braemar Golf Courses
• Braemar Golf Dome
• Centennial Lakes Park
• Edinborough Park
• Arneson Acres Park
• Edina Senior Center
Figure 6.1: City of Edina Parks
and Facilities Map
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Park amenities at these facilities include baseball and soft ball diamonds; football, soccer, and lacrosse fields;
basketball, tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts; outdoor skating rinks; playground equipment for young
children, including an adaptive playground; a community garden; and both winter warming houses and
summer picnic shelters. The Department also maintains over eight miles of scenic pathways for bicycling,
walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and mountain biking.
Regional Parks and Trails and the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan
As stated in the Goals and Policies and section of this chapter, it is a goal to make connections to parks
and trails to ensure that Edina residents have convenient access to recreational facilities and services.
These include regional park and trail facilities both outside and within the City.
The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan adopted by the Metropolitan Council in February 2015 is the
metropolitan system plan for regional recreation open space, and there are regional public parks and
facilities in the Twin Cities area that serve Edina residents. For example, Three Rivers Park District
owns and maintains regional parks and trails throughout suburban Hennepin County, such as the Nine
Mile Creek Regional Trail in addition to seven park reserves, 12 regional parks, five special recreation
features, and 15 other regional trails. The Minneapolis Park Board’s Grand Rounds trail system
(including the Chain of Lakes Trail) and the Three Rivers Park District’s Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail
are regional facilities that are outside the City of Edina but can be accessed by Edina residents.
These regional parks offer a variety of recreation opportunities. For example, Three Rivers Park
District parks offer snowmobiling, horseback riding, boating, archery, camping, canoeing, downhill
skiing, nature centers and historic farm facilities.
The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan does not identify
regional park and recreation facilities directly in the
City of Edina, with the following two exceptions:
Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail – Nine Mile Creek
Regional Trail is a 15-mile multi-use trail that spans the
Cities of Hopkins, Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield, and
Bloomington. It also connects to the Lake Minnetonka
LRT, Minnesota River Bluffs LRT, Cedar Lake LRT,
North Cedar Lake, and Nokomis-Minnesota River
Regional Trails as well as the planned Minnesota River
State Trail, Dakota County Big Rivers Regional Trail,
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Bloomington
Visitor Center, and Fort Snelling State Park. Much of
the trail was completed and opened for use in 2017.
The Edina segment of the trail was completed in spring
2018.
From the west, it currently enters the City of Edina
from Hopkins over the Bren Road/Londonderry Road
Bridge Interchange at TH-169. From the east, it enters
the City from Richfield at the cul-de-sac of Xerxes
Avenue just south behind Fire Station 2. In 2020 the
Park District anticipates it will construct a safer and
more direct connection under TH-169 that will pass
through the Nine Mile Creek watershed.
Figure 6.2: Alternative Alignments for
the CP Rail Regional Trail
Source: Three Rivers Park District
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Canadian Pacific Rail Regional Trail (CP Rail Regional Trail) – This proposed regional trail was first
identified in the 2030 Regional Parks Policy Plan (adopted in June 2005 as the Southwest Hennepin
Regional Trail West). The regional trail generally follows the existing north/south, Canadian Pacific
Railroad alignment in the City of Edina. Once constructed, it will link the Hyland-Bush-Anderson Park
Reserve in Bloomington to the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail in Edina. From Edina, the future trail
will connect regional trails in Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, and Crystal.
In 2019, Three Rivers Park District completed a regional trail study and master plan for the south
Edina portion of the CP Rail Regional Trail. Figure 6-2, on the previous page, shows the preferred
alignment through this area along Bush Lake Road, Dewey Hill Road, and Cahill Road.
City Park Inventory
The following are individual park locations and acreage totals.
Mini-Parks - 12 Parks – 21.12 Acres
A Mini park is characterized by a size of approximately 2 acres or less and is designed to serve
primarily the needs of pre-school age children, although it may provide facilities designed to serve the
recreation needs of other age groups. Edina’s Mini-Parks typically do not have scheduled athletic
facilities. Mini parks are typically used to address limited or isolated recreational needs. Service Area -
¼ Square Mile.
Table 6.1: Mini Parks
Park Address Size Quadrant
Birchcrest 6016 Hansen Road 1.61 Acres NW
Browndale 4510 Browndale Avenue .82 Acre NE
Chowen 5700 Chowen Avenue .93 Acre NE
Grandview Square 5213 Grandview Square .60 Acre NW
Kojetin 4201 W. 44th Street 2.69 Acres NE
Lake Edina 4400 Parklawn Avenue 3.10 Acres SE
McGuire W. 69th & McGuire Road 2.00 Acres SW
Melody Lake
Sherwood
5501 Melody Lake Drive
Sherwood Rd. & Edenmoor
4.18 Acres
1.53 Acres
NW
NW
St. Johns W. 60th & St.Johns Avenue .94 Acre NE
Tingdale W. 59th & Tingdale Avenue .67 Acre NW
York Park 5448 York Avenue 2.05 Acres NE
Neighborhood Parks - 12 Parks -112.85 Acres
Neighborhood parks are designed to serve primarily the needs of children six to fourteen years of age.
Tennis courts, softball diamonds, basketball and ice skating facilities are commonly provided in
neighborhood parks. Some of Edina’s neighborhood parks have one or more scheduled athletic
facilities, such as outdoor hockey rinks and/or fields for soccer, football, baseball and softball.
Neighborhood parks typically range in size from approximately two acres to twenty acres. Service
Area = 1 Square Mile.
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Community Playfields – 8 Parks - 253.68 Acres
Community playfields typically range in size from approximately 20 to 60 acres. These parks are
designed to provide facilities for diverse recreational activities for young people and adults, although a
section is also typically set aside for smaller neighborhood children. All of Edina’s Community Playfields
have one or more scheduled athletic facilities, such as outdoor hockey rinks and fields for soccer,
football, baseball and softball. Service area - 9-16 square miles.
Table 6.2: Neighborhood Parks
Park Address Size Quadrant
Alden 6750 Belmore Lane 5.12 Acres NW
Arden 5230 Minnehaha Boulevard 17.75 Acres NE
Cornelia School 7124 Cornelia Drive 10.75 Acres SE
Countryside 6240 Tracy Avenue 9.01 Acres NW
Fox Meadow Blake Rd. & Fox Meadow Lane 3.84 Acres NW
Heights 5520 W. 66th Street 4.00 Acres SW
Normandale 6501 Warren Avenue 10.06 Acres SW
Strachauer 6200 Beard Avenue 4.50 Acres NE
Utley 50th & Wooddale Avenue 5.73 Acres NE
Wooddale W. 50th & Wooddale Avenue 4.70 Acres NE
Yorktown W. 73rd & York Avenue 3.42 Acres SE
Todd Park 4429 Vandervork Avenue 33.97 Acres NW
Table 6.3: Community Playfields
Park Address Size Quadrant
Creek Valley W. 64th & Gleason Road 10.00 Acres SW
Garden 5520 Hansen Road 18.74 Acres NW
Highlands 5200 Doncaster Way 44.05 Acres NW
Lewis Dewey Hill & Cahill Road 21.04 Acres SW
Pamela 5900 Park Place 62.00 Acres NE
Van Valkenburg 4935 Lincoln Drive 41.76 Acres NW
Walnut Ridge 5801 Londonderry Road 44.24 Acres NW
Weber 4115 Grimes Avenue 11.85 Acres NE
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Community Parks - 4 Parks - 549.05 Acres
The community park is usually a large park of more than 100 acres, or a smaller park containing special
community facilities.
Table 6.4: Community Parks
Park Address Size Quadrant
Braemar SW Corner of Edina 500.00 Acres SW
Centennial Lakes 7495 France Avenue 25.00 Acres SE
Kenneth Rosland 4300 West 66th Street 22.05 Acres SE
Edinborough 7700 York Avenue South 2.00 Acres SE
Special Purpose Parks - 7 Parks - 287.11 Acres
The special purpose park provides a single or specific form of recreation. Service Area is citywide.
Table 6.5: Special Purpose Parks
Park Address Size Quadrant
Arneson Acres 4711 West 70th Street 15.00 Acres SE
Bredesen Vernon Ave. & Olinger Boulevard 206.00 Acres NW
Richards 7640 Parklawn Avenue 39.65 Acres SE
Southdale Gateway SE Corner of Edina 9.97 Acres SE
Tupa 4918 Eden Avenue 1.00 Acre NE
Williams West 50th & Browndale .34 Acre NE
Grandview Square/
Senior Citizen Center
5280 Grandview Square 5.15 Acres NW
Weber Woods 40th Street & France 10.0 Acres NE
Summary of Parks and Natural Resource Parks - 7 Parks – 1,575.94 Acres
Table 6.6: Park Summary
Park Type Acres
Natural Resource Areas (19 areas) 352.13
Mini-Parks (12) 21.12
Neighborhood Parks ( 12) 112.85
Community Playfields ( 8) 253.68
Community Parks (4) 549.05
Special Purpose Parks (7) 287.11
Total Parklands & Natural Resource Areas 1,575.94
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The following are parkland acreage totals per park classification.
Table 6.7: Total Acreage by Number of Park Facilities
Component Character SVC Area # of
Parks
Total
Acreage
Natural Resource
Areas
Vary in size Varies 19 352.13
Mini-Parks Less than 2 acres ¼ sq.mi. 12 21.12
Neighborhood Parks Serve children (ages 6 to 14) 1 sq.mi. 11 78.88
Community Playfields Serve recreational needs of
young people and adults
9-16 sq.mi. 9 287.65
Community Parks Large parks in excess 100
acres. Serve pre-school-adult
active and passive recreational
pursuits
4-16 sq.mi. 4 549.05
Special Purpose Parks Provide a special form of
recreation
City Wide 7 287.11
Total Parkland & Natural Resource Areas 62 1,575.94
Natural Resource Open Space Areas
The NRPA defines Natural Resource Areas as lands set aside for preservation of significant natural
resources, remnant landscapes, open space, and visual aesthetics/buffering. These lands consist of:
• Individual sites exhibiting natural resources.
• Land that is unsuitable for development but offers natural resource potential. (Examples
include parcels with steep slopes, and natural vegetation, drainage-ways and ravines, surface
water management areas (man-made pond areas, and utility easements).
• Protected lands, such as wetlands/lowlands and shorelines along waterways, lakes, and ponds.
All natural resource open space areas were inventoried and categorized as follows. The City’s
quadrants were determined by the two dividing highways in Edina: TH 62 and TH 100. Table 6.8,
below, presents results of the inventory.
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Table 6.8: Natural Resource Open Space Areas
Northwest Quadrant Acreage
Nine Mile Creek Right of Way 148.15
Lincoln Drive Floodplain 17.16
Division Street Storm Water Drainage 18.14
Moore Property (Melody Lake) 4.96
Normandale Rd. (NW Benton & Hwy 100) 2.14
Garden Park Addition 6.70
Glenbrae & Ayrshire 4.30
Krahl Hill 7.75
Pine Grove Road (S and E of dead-end) 4.39
Northeast Quadrant Acreage
Littel & Lynn Avenue .46
W. 41st Street and Lynn Avenue 3.10
Minnehaha Creek Right of Way 22.88
Townes Road 1.00
Southwest Quadrant Acreage
Nine Mile Creek Right of Way 9.75
Cahill School Backlot 11.05
NE of High School & S of Crosstown 37.29
Dewey Hill Ponds 48.00
Limerick Dr. (dead end W of RR) 3.90
Southeast Quadrant Acreage
Bristol & Mavelle 1.01
Total Natural Resource Acres 352.13
Other Maintained Grass Areas
Table 6.9: Maintained Grass Areas
Park Type Acres
Plazas, Triangles, and Circles 5.00
Storm Water and Drainage Areas 60.00
Total Maintained Grass Areas 65.00
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Trends and Challenges
There are numbers of trends that should be considered in the park and recreation planning process. In
this post-industrial age of rapid change, constant monitoring will be required to ensure awareness of
trends that have a bearing on park programming, utilization, and sustainability. In the case of Edina, the
City will need to continually provide sensitive and appropriate responses to changes in social,
demographic, technological, economic, political and environmental trends. The magnitude of these
changes will demand flexibility in planning practices to appropriately respond to rapidly changing needs.
In 2015, the EPR completed a Strategic Plan to guide decision-making, priorities, and plans over the next
10+ years. This chapter of the 2018 Comprehensive Plan is structured around five “Key Development
Areas” that were identified and discussed in the 2015 Strategic Plan. With the “Key Development
Area” as a foundation, content in the Comprehensive Plan has been structured as goals, policy
statements, and action items applicable to policies.
Goals and Policies
The Goals and Policies section is organized around five sections: 1) Parks, Open Space, and Trails; 2)
Natural Resources and Sustainable Parks; 3) Recreational Facilities; 4) Recreational Programs; and 5)
Finance and Management.
Parks, Open Spaces and Trails
Goal 1: Ensure that parks, recreational facilities, and trails are a source
of community pride by providing a balance of well connected, active and
passive spaces that reflect high quality design principles and maintenance
standards and appreciation of the arts; that allow residents to engage in
healthy activities and engage in enriching experiences.
Policy 1-A: The City will devote a minimum of 15 percent of Edina’s
land area to parkland and open spaces.
Policy 1-B: The City will work to meet NRPA guidelines indicating a
need for 15-20 miles of additional trails in Edina.
Edina: A Community of Learning. Edina has a prized education system of high-
quality public schools. The Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources chapter of the
Comprehensive Plan recognizes the importance of extending the benefits of education to the
entire community through parks-related policies and programming and building on both obvious
and not so obvious linkages between the City’s parks, public schools, Public Works projects,
heritage resources, arts and culture, community health, etc.
For example, the parks can be used as classrooms by the public schools to expose students (and
their parents) to the importance of pollinator gardens and rain gardens. Moreover, informational
kiosks can be installed in the City’s parks that explain how recreational trails and paths are
constructed and how stormwater is filtered in retention ponds.
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Policy 1-C: It is the intent of the City to maintain and, when feasible, increase its current park and
open space property The City, on a case by case basis, will consider the sale, swap, or
disposal of park property, as deemed in the best interest of the City.
Goal 2: Encourage and support active lifestyles through use of City Parks and participation in City
sponsored recreational programs.
Policy 2: The City will, through the EPRD, develop promotional and educational materials about
the benefits of an active lifestyle and the relationship between health and parks and
recreation.
Goal 3: Develop plans based on research and analysis of current trends, input from community
members, input from City departments and Commissions, state-of-the art approaches, and best
practices to ensure: a) that parks, recreation, and trail needs are documented, b) plans are developed
with broad participation from the community, and c) capital expenditures for future investments in
parks and recreational facilities and services are justifiable.
Policy 3-A: The City will follow recommendations outlined in the 2015 Comprehensive Parks and
Recreation Strategic Plan, Vision Edina 2015 and the 2017/2018 Big Idea Workshops as
one of its guides for investments in parks, recreational facilities and trails.
Policy 3-B: The City will update its Parks Master Plan every ten years (or less) to guide use, growth,
improvements, developments, and capital expenditures for all Community and Special
Use parks, recreational facilities, and trails.
Policy 3-C: The City of Edina has utilized Small Area Plans to provide long-range vision for land use
and development in specific areas of the city. The ERPD and PARC will support the
successful development and execution of these plans through a proactive engagement
process in planning how parks and green spaces fit in these development plans.
Natural Resources and Sustainable Parks
Goal 1: Protect, enhance, engage, and restore our urban forests, natural areas, and water resources to
sustain a healthy, diverse, and balanced natural environment for all to enjoy and understand. Wildlife will
be nurtured and protected. Animal and bird populations that are considered a threat to public health or
safety, or may be considered hazardous to the environment or infrastructure within Edina, will be
proactively managed.
Policy 1-A: The City will include a section on how to best promote, improve, or maintain our
natural resources in each new Master Park Plan.
Policy 1-B: The City will exhibit leadership in the area of sustainability in our park system to
support the health of our parks and open spaces.
Policy 1-C: The City will develop a wild life management program to reduce wild life migration away
from their primary habitat.
Recreation Facilities
Goal 1: Provide safe, clean, and reliable facilities and program spaces that provide users the highest
level of value, which supports their health and wellness, while supporting financial sustainability for the
City in the future.
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Policy 1-A: The City, through EPRD, will maximize the use of enterprise facilities primarily, but not
exclusively, for Edina residents.
Policy 1-B: The City will manage enterprise assets as fee-based revenue generating facilities that
support programs and collectively cover all expenses including capital investments, land
purchases, and all operating expenses.
Policy 1-C: The City will exhibit leadership in matching facility space and utilization with the future
needs of our community.
Recreation Programs
Goal 1: Develop, provide, and manage recreation programs to support the community’s need for
health and wellness, individual skill development, and community connectivity in a safe and enjoyable
environment.
Policy 1-A: The City will develop recreation programs that emphasize Edina as a learning
community.
Policy 1-B: The City will develop recreation programs that exhibit a balance of inclusion across
generations, skills, economic conditions and seasons.
Policy 1-C: The City will develop recreation programs will include aspects of art, culture, health,
sustainability and also support unstructured recreation.
Policy 1-D: The City will prioritize program development that focuses on enhancing health and
activity for all ages, while providing special consideration for our youth population.
Finance and Management
Goal 1: Provide and encourage use of parks, trails, facilities, and programs that deliver on the
community’s expectations for a safe and enjoyable experience while keeping the infrastructure of the
system in a quality state.
Policy 1-A: The City, through EPRD, will provide a high level of park maintenance to achieve
all aspects of our EPRD vision.
Policy 1-B: The City, through EPRD, will form partnerships when appropriate to provide new
services or facilities to Edina residents.
Policy 1-C: The City will remain open to unique ideas and opportunities to enhance financial
leverage to capitalize and operate the park system.
Policy 1-D: The City, through EPRD, will demonstrate its commitment to inclusion and
diversity across a broad range of the Edina community.
Policy 1-E: When planning and making improvements, EPRD will consider impact to the brands
of both the City of Edina and its park system.
Policy 1-F: EPRD will build strong connections with established neighborhood organizations to
best understand and serve specific needs in those areas (nodes).
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Policy 1-G: To ensure transparency, accountability and sustainability of Edina assets, ERPD
staff will work with the City Manager to renew long term business plans for the
park system’s our Enterprise facilities every third year. The structure, content,
and oversight of these plans will be at the sole direction of the City Council in
coordination with the Edina City Manager.
Policy 1-H: The EPRD will use benchmarking to assess progress against our Vision.
Policy 1-I: EPRD will maintain a focus on its Comprehensive Plan by including a 2018 Comp
Plan self-audit in its work plan every third year.
1995 Revised Inventory Guidance
In 1995, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the Academy of Park and Recreation
Administration (APRA) revised the suggested classifications for parks, recreation areas and open spaces.
The key changes were the inclusion of park-school sites, athletic fields, private park/recreation facilities,
natural resource areas/preserves and greenway classifications. This new classification system states that
there are essentially two types of park and recreation land:
• Privately owned land that contributes to the public’s park and recreation system.
• Publicly owned land.
Examples of privately owned land that contribute to the public’s park and recreation system would include:
• Edina Country Club
• Interlachen Country Club
• Church-owned properties
• Southdale YMCA
• The meadows in White Oaks neighborhood
• Power line easements
• Other miscellaneous privately owned vacant space
These privately-owned spaces and facilities provide the public with valued park and recreation services and
benefits.