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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdinaFebruary2021Edition: Edina FEBRUARY 2021 Volume 8, Issue 2Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City EDINA COVID-19 RESOURCE HOTLINE 952-826-0370 City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1 BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND A Housing Strategy Task Force of Edina residents has recommended the City aim to promote a variety of housing, remove unnecessary barriers to developing that housing and encourage sustainable design to keep Edina a healthy, thriving and desirable community. The seven members represented a variety of perspectives on housing and Edina’s future. They didn’t always agree during their 45 meetings over 19 months, but they chose to focus on the data as they reviewed studies and reports, interviewed experts and watched presentations. They came together for the final report, “Advanced Housing Priorities for Edina,” that centers on four goals. Goal 1 – Promote Lifecycle Housing. The majority of Edina’s housing is traditional single-family houses, but the average price of $548,500 is too high for most couples looking to raise a family. Demand has been increasing for other housing options, especially for empty- nesters and seniors looking for a home better suited to their lifestyle and needs. Edina actually has a relatively diverse housing stock, including duplexes, triplexes and apartments, said Bernadette Hornig, co-chair of the Task Force. There simply aren’t enough of those options. “I think a lot of people are afraid of ‘tall’ and ‘new’ and ‘small’ and ‘affordable,’ all of these buzzwords. But all of this exists in the city,” Hornig said. “This report confirms more housing units are needed, and we need to make Edina accessible to households that want to move in and raise their families and for seniors who choose to move out of their large house but want to stay in the community,” said Affordable Development Housing Manager Stephanie Hawkinson, who served as a City liaison to the Task Force. Goal 2 – Enable Diverse Housing Stock. To reach the first goal, zoning and other adjustments are needed to accommodate in-demand housing such as courtyard buildings, townhomes, duplexes and fourplexes that are often located along busier streets or are the buffer between houses and areas with retail or tall buildings. The Task Force noted diversifying housing takes very little space: 12 percent of the City’s residential land is multifamily yet holds 47 percent of all housing units. “As the City looks to accommodate future growth, it can do so using only a small fraction of the City’s land,” the report states. Goal 3 – Reduce Housing Development Costs. The task force recommended following existing design guidelines and other rules created with public input rather than layering extra demands on individual proposals. Reducing the number of presentations and making the process more in line with other cities also would encourage ambitious projects. Task Force Proposes Four Housing Goals for Edina Report Is Intended as Start of Conversation on Expanding Options Goal 4 – Encourage Sustainable Design and Technology. As the City strives to be a leader in sustainability, this goal goes beyond “green” features in building to include concepts such as walkability and housing for workers that reduces commute times. Hornig hopes Edina residents will take the time to at least read the report’s executive summary, noting the report is meant to be thought-provoking and the starting place for conversations. “Edina has always been a place that people have been investing in and changing, and we wanted to continue that momentum,” Hornig said. “This isn’t the time to build a fence and close the door to anyone who wants to come in. We want to continue to be a leading community in the metro.” Read the Task Force’s report at EdinaMN.gov/AffordableHousing. Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri Soomaali EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE Escanee este código para ver en español Anticipated Demand for Housing by Type in Edina Between 2020 and 2030 Source: Maxfield Housing Study 109 461 2,165 1,456 1,377 Rental – Affordable 26% Rental – Market 25% 55+ and Other Senior 39% Owned Multi- family - Market 8% Owned Single- family - Market 2% 2 BY THE NUMBERS Police Officers Outfitted with Body-Worn Cameras Percent of uniformed police officers equipped 24/7 100 55 22 Since December, Edina Police officers have been outfitted with body-worn cameras. The new WatchGuard V300 body-worn cameras integrate with the existing in-squad camera systems to document officers’ interactions with members of the public while out in the field. – COMPILED BY DAN REISIG $155,000 Approximate project cost to add body cameras 18 terabytes Anticipated increase of video data collected in the first year of operation 30 seconds The amount of time prior to manual activation that is automatically recorded Body-worn cameras deployed Existing in-squad recording systems Affordable Senior Housing Could Rise Up in 2022 at 70th & France One- and Two-Bedroom Units Planned for Apartment Building BY DAN REISIG In the heart of Edina’s busy Southdale District, a new affordable housing option is being planned for seniors. Near the intersection of 70th Street and France Avenue, the City is working with the Edina Housing Foundation, Lupe Development Partners and Ecumen to build a new 118-unit apartment building for low-income, older-adult residents. The new building, located at 4040 W. 70th St., could feature one- and two- bedroom apartments with rents ranging from $650 to $1,600 per month. Seniors with annual household incomes of $22,000 to $58,000 would be eligible to rent in the building, which will feature several attractive amenities. Included are indoor parking, a fitness center, a community room and business center and outdoor gardening areas. “This will serve Edina residents who wish to age in community who have limited financial means,” said Affordable Housing Development Manager Stephanie Hawkinson. “This is the first 100 percent affordable senior development in recent history in Edina. The architecture will be very sensitive to the Cornelia Neighborhood, intending to serve as a buffer between the neighborhood and the Southdale District.” The project also allows a company with Edina roots to continue to build toward the city’s future. “We are really encouraged by the community interest in the 4040 W. 70th St. development and the enthusiasm for our plan,” said Steve Minn, Lupe Vice President. “The need for affordable housing – especially for seniors – will continue to grow. Lupe Development is a family-owned company and we are longtime Edina residents. Our partnership with Ecumen is an important part of our senior expansion program. We are grateful for the opportunity to build new housing here so seniors can remain connected to their community with access to the services and amenities they need.” The developers are just starting the regulatory approval process. Once the plans are approved, it could still take another two years to raise all the necessary financing. Construction is expected to take 18 months after that. “With affordable housing development, there is a long lead time,” Hawkinson explained. “It can take up to three years to secure the financing. Although we’re very excited about this development, it may not break ground until the third quarter of 2022 at the earliest.” The Edina Housing Foundation contributed the land for a 99-year ground lease, rather than selling it outright, which will enable it to be preserved for affordability for a century. “We are hopeful that if this project is successful, it can serve as a model for future long-term affordability elsewhere,” she added. For more information on affordable housing in Edina, visit OpenDoorsEdina.org. The 118-unit apartment building will feature a number of amenities and is located near Southdale Center at 70th Street and France Avenue. Submitted Illustration 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov City Council Takes Actions to Protect Local Restaurants City Begins Regulating Third-Party Food Delivery, Discounts 2021 Liquor Licenses Third-party food delivery services like DoorDash and Grubhub aren’t able to take as big of a bite out of restaurant profits in Edina. The Edina City Council last month approved an emergency regulation that limits the commissions delivery services can charge. The move is aimed to help the city’s restaurants, already battered by months of pandemic restrictions. While delivery services are convenient for customers, they eat into restaurants’ razor- thin margins, gobbling up as much as 40 percent of a sale price in fees. In Edina, commissions are now limited to 15 percent. Delivery services must also provide customers an itemized receipt showing the commission that is withheld from the restaurant operator. The regulations are identical to a new regulation in Minneapolis. Other cities are considering similar requirements. The City of Edina will enforce the emergency regulation when it receives a formal complaint from a restaurant operator. In other action taken last month to support local restaurants, the City Council cut the cost of its 2021 liquor license fees in half for 2021 renewals. City Manager Scott Neal recommended the action since restaurants were shut down or compromised throughout much of 2020 and did not receive full value for their 2020 liquor licenses. In other business last month, the Council: •Allowed developers to withdraw their rezoning application for a proposed redevelopment of 6600-6800 France Ave. they had dubbed “Commons on France.” Because they withdrew the application before the City Council voted against it, the developers can submit another proposal within the next 12 months. •Tweaked the way it receives public hearing testimony, comments and suggestions. To provide official testimony in a public hearing, residents can participate in a live meeting, leave a voicemail on the public hearing voicemail line or fill out an online form at BetterTogetherEdina.org. Emails sent to the City Council are welcomed, but are not considered official testimony in a public hearing. The Council will next meet virtually 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 17. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. – COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE City of Edina Goals Strong Foundation: Maintain physical assets and infrastructure. Reliable Service: Maintain service levels that best meet the needs of the community. Livable City: Plan for connected and sustainable development. Better Together: Foster an inclusive and engaged community. The City of Edina has four budget goals. Look for the goal icons throughout this publication to read stories about how the City is working to meet these goals. PANDEMIC RECOVERY GETS A SHOT IN THE ARM Police Chief Dave Nelson, who is a trained emergency medical responder like all Edina Police Officers, received his first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in January. Residents can get the latest local information on COVID-19 vaccinations by calling Edina’s Vaccine Hotline at 952- 903-5777 or the Minnesota Helpline at 1-800-657-3504. Photo by Jennifer Bennerotte Share Your Thoughts in a Public Hearing! •Participate in a live meeting. For virtual meetings, call 800-374-0221 with a unique Conference ID located at the top of the meeting agenda to provide testimony over the phone. •Leave a voicemail at 952-826-0377. Staff will transcribe your message for the City Council meeting packet. •Fill out an online public hearing comment form at BetterTogetherEdina.org. Comments are published in the packet for the meeting when the Council is scheduled to make a decision. The public hearing closes at noon the Monday following the live meeting where testimony was collected. Regardless of the method used, you must provide your name, address and comment. You only need to participate in one way; all comments are valued and considered, regardless of the way in which they were submitted. Emails sent to the City Council are welcomed, but are not considered official testimony in a public hearing. 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.gov City of Edina EdinaMN.gov4 BY KAITLIN GAULT The City of Edina has a new service to better assist residents who speak English as a second language or prefer to communicate in their primary language. Last year, the City adopted a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) policy. The City is responsible, not the caller or visitor, to take reasonable steps to ensure that communications between the City and the LEP person are not impaired because of the limited English proficiency of the individual. The LEP Policy helps City staff provide access to programs and services for people who do not speak English as their primary language or have a limited ability to speak, write and/or understand the English language. The Race & Equity Task Force originally recommended the City adopt a LEP Policy. The Communications Department drafted it with feedback from the Human Rights & Relations Commission and Communications Feedback Group, as well as various staff groups. New Policy Aims to Eliminate Language Barriers Translation Services Available for Written, Spoken and Signed Communication One way the City has initiated change as a result of the LEP Policy is offering language interpretation services, like interpretation of telephone calls, using LanguageLine Solutions at no cost to the caller. LanguageLine can provide translations for more than 240 languages in a matter of minutes. Staff has been trained to identify a caller who might benefit from translation services and use the three-way call feature on their phone to contact LanguageLine. Once conferenced in, an interpreter assists City staff in talking with the individual. Edina City Hall Receptionist Lynette Biunno has already used LanguageLine to assist a Spanish-speaking caller. “I really wanted to get the caller to someone who could completely understand the reason for their call,” Biunno said. “It worked well, and I am glad I was able to connect the caller to someone who could help us better assist them.” LanguageLine interpreters may also be used for in-person meetings or situations after City Hall reopens from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The approval of the LEP Policy and the use of LanguageLine is an opportunity for all City staff members to communicate with and understand the needs of community members who may have alternative preferred language other than English,” said City of Edina Race & Equity Coordinator Heidi Lee. “The LEP Policy approval and LanguageLine implementation is one of many actionable items the City is doing to be inclusive and support the growth of diverse people who live, work, visit and go to school in Edina.” The City provides American Sign Language interpretation for in-person meetings, too. For more information on the City’s LEP policy or available interpretation services, contact the Communications Department at 952-826-0359. Please contact the department at least two business days in advance of a meeting for ASL interpretation at an in-person City meeting. Stay Informed About the City’s Response to COVID-19 Edina COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline 952-903-5777 Edina COVID-19 Resource Hotline 952-826-0370 Resources for businesses, residents and seniors can be found at BetterTogetherEdina.org EdinaMN.gov/coronavirus Sign up for City Extra emails at EdinaMN.gov/CityExtra Sign up for text notifications by texting EDINA to 57838 CITY OF EDINA 4801 WEST 50TH STREET EDINA, MN 55424 ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932