HomeMy WebLinkAboutEdition Edina May 2023Roundabouts, Pedestrian Bridge Coming to Grandview
Summer Projects Will Improve Traffic Flow and Increase Safety for Biking or Walking
BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND
Projects to make the Grandview area
safer and more efficient for people who
bike, drive or walk are underway. They
will kick into high gear this summer as
sections of Eden Avenue and Grange and
Willson roads by City Hall will be closed
to construct two new roundabouts.
Why two roundabouts? Or any?
The area by City Hall, the historic
Cahill School and Grange Hall and the
under-construction Maison Green on
the former Perkins site is a tangle of
on- and off-ramps, driveways and
thoroughfares. Traffic does not move
efficiently, it’s confusing for drivers and
dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Two roundabouts where Eden, Grange
and Willson converge will move traffic
without stop signs or stoplights and
reduce backups at the ramps.
“Today there is a big, wide intersection
and it’s a long distance to cross if you’re
walking,” said Engineering Director Chad
Millner. “After the roundabouts are built,
crossings will be much shorter and have
refuge islands. Pedestrian safety is the
No. 1 priority of this project.”
How will construction affect travel
through the area?
Willson Road south of Eden Avenue will
close in early May. The entire project
area – all the yellow on the map – will be
closed from early June until mid-August.
Detours will be signed.
“The goal is to have this project completed
and open before school resumes in the
fall,” Millner said.
What about access for Police,
the Cahill School or the Fourth
of July Parade?
Police vehicle access will be maintained
during the project. Summer school at
Cahill will go on as planned, with a
special safety plan to get children to and
from the school area, Millner said. The
parade will happen, but details on the
starting area are still being worked out.
What’s the project by the Grandview
Parking Ramp?
A pedestrian bridge is being installed
that will start atop the ramp and slope
down behind Walgreens, turn east over
the railroad tracks and end at Arcadia
Avenue. This ADA-accessible bridge will
provide easy access from the ramp to all
the nearby businesses and services. The
trail will be landscaped, and the bridge will
feature decorative panels of local plants
with the scientific name, common name
and Dakota name, an ode to the people
who first inhabited this area. It should be
ready by August.
How is the City paying for
these projects?
The $2.4 million for the two new
roundabouts will come from the
tax-increment financing (TIF) district
associated with Maison Green. The $1.5
million bridge project comes from the TIF
district associated with the Avidor project.
For more information, visit
bit.ly/GrangeRoundabouts or
contact Millner at cmillner@EdinaMN.gov
or 952-826-0318.
KEY: Roundabouts Streets and driveways Wide multiuse paths Refuge islands
Grange Road
Minnesota Highway 100 exit ramp
Edina City Hall
Cahill School
Eden Avenue
Willson RoadEden Avenue
Edina Country Club
City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1
Edition: Edina
MAY 2023
Volume 10, Issue 5Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City
City Creates Tax-Increment Financing District to Support Redevelopment of 7200 and 7250 France Ave.
New Public Street in Greater Southdale District to be Created
To support redevelopment of five acres
of vacant land in the Greater Southdale
District, the City has established a new
tax-increment financing (TIF) district.
Edina has used TIF as a public finance
tool to initiate community improvements
since the 1980s. TIF Districts and use of
TIF is governed by State law. TIF is used
in Edina to:
•Provide funding for public
improvements without increasing
the tax levy
•Deliver affordably priced housing not
provided by the private market
•Redevelop sites in a way that
increases the tax base and delivers
public improvements and benefits
that would not otherwise be
provided by the private market
The City and Housing & Redevelopment
Authority will provide financial support
using TIF to an affiliate of Orion
Investments to redevelop 7200 and 7250
France Ave. The substandard buildings
on the site were demolished in 2022
to prepare the site for construction. In
February, the City Council rezoned the
site to allow a two-phase project. The
first phase will include an office building
and all site improvements, including
new public realm spaces for circulation,
gathering and landscaping. The second
phase will either be a hotel or multifamily
building with details to be determined in
the future. The project is anticipated to
result in a new street and several trails
and sidewalks that would be accessible to
the public, as well as a new public plaza.
Additional approvals are needed for
the second phase of the overall project.
Details of the hotel or multifamily
building are expected to be considered
later this summer or fall.
In other business last month, the
City Council:
•Gave nonbinding feedback on a
sketch plan for the redevelopment
of the Macy’s furniture store at
7235 France Ave. The proposal is to
tear down the existing building and
construct two 150,000-square-foot
office buildings of 10 or 11 stories
and two seven-story multifamily
residential buildings.
•Approved a plan to get feedback
from the community on a proposed
carryout bag fee. Earlier this year,
the Council directed staff to draft
an ordinance proposal requiring
merchants to charge a fee to
customers for all carryout bags.
Merchants would charge 5 cents
per bag and use the money at their
discretion. Merchants would report
to the City the number and type of
bags purchased and distributed to
customers each year.
To get feedback from the community,
an online survey has been set up
at BetterTogetherEdina.org. Virtual
roundtable discussions will be held
7:30 a.m. May 5 for the business
community, 7 p.m. May 10 for
residents, and 11:30 a.m. May 11 for
anyone interested in the initiative. A
consultant will also conduct 30-minute
phone interviews with 20 businesses
across Edina.
•Approved a conditional-use permit
for US Internet to build a new facility
at 6444 Xerxes Ave. The existing
structure was originally a duplex, but
was remodeled into an audiology
clinic in 2006. That building will
be demolished and replaced by a
1,900-square-foot building featuring
brick on the west and north sides and
cultured stone and synthetic stucco on
the south and east sides.
The Council will next meet 7 p.m.
May 2 and 16. For more information,
visit EdinaMN.gov.
- COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, May 1
Start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian
and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Monday, May 1
Start of Step to It Challenge
Tuesday, May 2, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Wednesday, May 3, 8 a.m.-noon
No Mow May sign pickup, Edina City Hall
Thursday, May 4, 11 a.m.
Storytime with Edina Police Department,
Edinborough Park
Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m.
Vehicle Day, Southdale Center parking lot
Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m.
First Saturday Art Lab, Edina Art Center
Sunday, May 7, 11:30 a.m.
Mother’s Day Tea, Centennial Lakes Park
Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.
Days of Remembrance, “Early Warning
Signs,” Edina City Hall
Sunday, May 7, 6 p.m.
Twin Cities Show Chorus,
Edinborough Park
Monday, May 8, 5:30 p.m.
Advisory Boards & Commissions
Appreciation Event, Braemar Golf Course
Thursday, May 11, 4 p.m.
Mother’s Day Flowerpot Planting,
Centennial Lakes Park
Thursday, May 11, 6 p.m.
Resilient Yards Workshop, Online
Sunday, May 14, 6 p.m.
Northern Winds Concert Band,
Edinborough Park
Monday, May 15
Registration closes for No Mow May
Tuesday, May 16, 7 p.m.
City Council meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, May 18, 7:30 a.m.
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
meeting, Edina City Hall
Thursday, May 18, 6 p.m.
Pollinator Plantings Workshop, Online
Sunday, May 21, 6 p.m.
The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band,
Edinborough Park
Tuesday, May 23, 6 p.m.
Turf Alternatives Workshop, Online
For a complete listing of meetings
and events, visit EdinaMN.gov.
Watch City Council, Housing & Redevelopment Authority and Planning
Commission meetings live:
• Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16)
• Facebook.com/EdinaMN
• “Watch a Meeting” web page at
EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings
2
- COMPILED BY RENEE MOTTET
As the weather warms up, find ways to enjoy getting
outside by visiting Edina’s many parks and outdoor spaces!
The City of Edina offers options for all kinds of activities,
whether it’s reading a book by the water, enjoying time
at the playgrounds with your kids or grandkids, strolling
through the parks on Edina’s walking trails or renting a
space for a special event!
Visit EdinaParks.com to learn more.
BY THE NUMBERS
Outdoor Activities
in City Parks
Parks in Edina,
many of which
include tennis
and basketball courts;
walking, biking or multiuse
trails; picnic tables; restrooms
and picnic shelters
Playgrounds, including
one inclusive option
at Rosland Park
26
Miles of walking trails
in Edina parks
29.56
Arts & Culture Commission
4:30 p.m. fourth Thursday of the month
Kathy Amlaw
Reeya Anand*
Ann Curtin
Jennifer Faeth
Alyssa Fram
Nikhil Konkimalla*
Peter O’Shea
Tim Scully
Brian Stemmler
Laura Westlund (Chair)
Alana Zbaren
Board of Appeal & Equalization
Meets twice in April of each year
Rhonda Bland
Katie Broich
Robert MacPhail
Michael McCauley
Scott Roti
Community Health Commission
6:30 p.m. second Monday of the month
Mary Absolon (Chair)
Matt Giljahn
Andrew Hawkins
Ben Hykes*
Andrea Leszko
Nick Mattison
Tracy Nelson
Andrea Patineau
Julia Selleys
Jay Shapiro
Construction Board of Appeals
Meets as necessary
Alex Conzemius
Wayne Dvorak
Ryan Holten
Chip Howard
Austin Wagner
Energy & Environment Commission
7 p.m. second Thursday of the month
Ukasha Dakane
John Haugen
Teri Hovanec
Bayardo Lanzas
Cory Lukens
Ella Machart*
Hilda Martinez (Chair)
Suryash Rawat*
Stephen Schima
Tom Tessman
LeAnn Weber
Heritage Preservation Commission
7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month
Robert Cundy
Thomas Everson
Theresa Farrell-Straus
Mark Hassenstab
Shawn Jarvinen
Jane Lonnquist (Chair)
Ashwin Maheshwari*
Devon Nickels
Rachel Pollock
Annie Schilling
Sanjana Varadhan*
Human Rights &
Relations Commission
7 p.m. fourth Tuesday of the month
Lily Ahluwalia*
Joni Bennett
Jasmine Brett Stringer Moore (Chair)
Bianca Dawkins
Mark Felton
Fartun Ismail
Dia Jain*
Daisy Khalifa
Jon Rogers
Mamie Segall
Parks & Recreation Commission
7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month
Andrew DeFor*
Matthew Doscotch (Chair)
Brian Haas
William Horsager*
Rick Ites
Joseph Luangrath
Jamie Pfuhl
John Spanhake
Bryce Weaver
Ericka Welsh
Greg Ytterbo
Planning Commission
7 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays
of the month
James Bennett (Chair)
William Bornstein
Ryan Daye
Meriwether Felt
Shayaan Gandhi*
Sarah Hu*
Lou Miranda
Lori Olson
Bonnie Padilla
Quincy Smith
Gerard Strauss
Transportation Commission
6 p.m. third Thursday of the month
Roger Bildsten
Chris Brown
Kirk Johnson
Stephen Kanti Mahanty*
Janet Kitui
Andy Lewis (Chair)
Bruce McCarthy
Jill Plumb-Smith
Tricia Rubenstein
Isaiah Sweeney*
Grant Wright
City of Edina Advisory Boards & Commissions
More than 100 residents volunteer their time to be part of the City of Edina’s 10 advisory
Boards and Commissions. The groups advise the City Council on various projects and, at
times, make recommendations for their consideration. Each of the commissions includes
two student members who are typically high school juniors or seniors.
Below are the City’s Boards and Commissions, along with their typical meeting times and members.
For more information on the City’s boards and commissions, contact Community Engagement Manager MJ Lamon, 952-826-0360
or MLamon@EdinaMN.gov, or visit bit.ly/EdinaBoardsCommissions.
*Student Commissioner
44 Different
neighborhood park
spaces or picnic
shelters that can be rented for
events such as birthday parties,
family reunions, graduations,
neighborhood meetings,
weddings and more
14
3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov
952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4
BY LAUREN SIEBENALER
Making the most of clean energy sources at
home can be confusing to start, but the team
behind Electrify Everything MN is working
to simplify it by connecting residents with
information and resources to lower bills, help
the environment and improve home safety
and comfort.
A series of May workshops will allow residents
to ask questions; explore high-efficiency
equipment and appliances; and learn how to
access grants, tax credits or rebates to help
pay for home energy efficiency projects.
“We will present on the various technologies
for folks to learn what the basic steps are
to electrify their home,” said Katie Jones,
Community Program and Policy Manager for
the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE).
“We have some fun trivia and hands-on activities
and will dispel some myths about electrification.”
In 2021, CEE helped Minnesota residents and
businesses save 56 million kilowatt-hours and
find $22.7 million in energy improvement loans.
They served over 8,000 homes and businesses
through their programs. After finding a lack of
basic knowledge on electrification, CEE and the
cities of Edina, Eden Prairie, Minneapolis and St.
Louis Park teamed up to share information with
residents on the basics and build a foundation.
“We’ve done some surveying and asked
people, ‘Have you thought about electrifying
your home?’ They usually say, ‘I’ve already
electrified; I’ve got plug-ins.’ We’re looking to
help define what electrification is and build
that awareness because it is a newer term,”
said Jones.
So, what exactly is electrification? It means
to replace fossil gas (natural gas) equipment
and appliances with electrically powered
high-efficiency options. It’s a process to start
electrifying a home, but CEE and local cities
are here to help.
“We’re trying to meet people where
they are. Everyone has a different pathway,
depending upon their motivation,” said Jones.
“Whether you’re motivated to save money,
support the climate or to improve health
and safety in your home, there is a path to
transition from gas to high-efficiency electric
appliances to fit your goals.”
Residents of Edina, Eden Prairie and St.
Louis Park can register to attend any of the
workshops. Electrify Everything MN is planning
Learn How to Save Money and the Environment By Switching
from Natural Gas to Electricity
Team Behind Electrify Everything Helps You Understand New Technology and Take First Steps
more workshops in October. The team will
also attend local events this spring and summer
to share information, answer questions and
help residents make the switch to electric.
For more information and resources
and to register for a workshop, visit
ElectrifyEverythingMN.org.
Your Pass to Summer Fun!
Season passes now on sale!
bit.ly/AquaticCenter2023
The Edina Aquatic Center
opens for the season June 8
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
•6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 3
Edina Public Works & Park
Maintenance Facility
7450 Metro Blvd., Edina
•6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 9
St. Louis Park Library
3240 Library Lane,
St. Louis Park
•6-8 p.m. Monday, May 15
Eden Prairie Community Center
16700 Valley View Road,
Eden Prairie