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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEditionEdina_January-2024_Web-v2Restaurant With Live Music Planned for 50th & France SPARC Fund Will Reimburse Developer for Required ADA Improvements BY DEBBIE TOWNSEND One of the most valuable spaces at 50th & France remains empty, but a new plan would create a bar and restaurant with live music. The space, underneath the recently opened Lululemon at 3914 W. 50th St., has served at times as an office and storage room. “One of the reasons that it’s vacant is that it’s a lower-level space that’s inaccessible. There’s no elevator. There’s no lift,” said Edina Economic Development Manager Bill Neuendorf. “That’s really constrained how that space could be used over the decades.” A new business would need to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. That’s the one roadblock preventing Buhl Investors from pouring $1.1 million in improvements to the space and bringing in that restaurant and music venue. “We’ve had discussions and frankly dreams of a music venue project at 50th & France for many, many years,” Neuendorf said. It was even one of the original plans of what’s now Nolan Mains, said Pete Deanovic, CEO of Buhl Investors, which led development of that. The lift/elevator, bathroom remodel and other accessibility requirements are estimated to cost $225,000, pushing the music venue project beyond what’s financially reasonable. So the Housing & Redevelopment Authority has agreed to reimburse Buhl for those improvements, provided they are completed and the business stays in operation through at least Nov. 30, 2025. The money comes from the Special Projects and Redevelopment Capital (SPARC) Fund. “This is a great opportunity to use the SPARC program that we established to help create jobs in Edina and bring the space to a usable condition,” Neuendorf said. The new business would add to the City’s tax base, and even if the business moved out, the space would be ready to lease again. Deanovic sees the venue as a boon for 50th & France. “This is another way to get people to come in and shop and support those businesses.” The space, which has limitations due to the existing structure, will be divided into three parts: bar seating, restaurant with small stage and a kitchen area. “It’s a small, intimate space, so it’s not a big dance hall or nightclub,” Neuendorf said. “The focus will be on good food, beverages and live music.” Noise will be mitigated by the sound construction of the 1940s-era building, the below-street location and additional deadening materials. If everything comes together, the goal is to open the venue by next summer. To learn more about the loan and project, visit EdinaMN.gov/SPARC. The existing space under Lululemon would undergo extensive renovation, including making it accessible for those with disabilities. (Photo by Bill Neuendorf) The new venue would include a bar area (top) and a space with a small stage and tables for restaurant seating. (Submitted rendering) City of Edina EdinaMN.gov 1 Edition: Edina JANUARY 2024 Volume 11, Issue 1Strong FoundationCITY GOALS:Better TogetherReliable Service Livable City 2024-25 City Budget Prioritizes Public Safety and Quality of City Services Twelve New Public Safety Staff Planned To Be Added Within Two Years BY BRITTANY BADER The City of Edina’s 2024 budget prioritizes public safety and maintaining high-quality City services. “The most important thing about this budget is that it creates the stable foundation for the quality of life and services that residents expect and appreciate. It’s what really sets Edina apart from other cities,” said Finance Director Alisha McAndrews of the $189 million consolidated City budget for 2024. Highlights of the 2024-2025 budget approved last month by the Edina City Council include: •Increasing law enforcement staffing for a robust public safety presence on the street and additional levels of public safety programming through the Multicultural Advisory Committee, neighborhood officers, traffic enforcement and mental health response team. This includes: • Adding four patrol officers, one mental health response officer and one neighborhood engagement officer to the Edina Police Department • Adding six paramedic/firefighters to the Edina Fire Department coinciding with the opening of Fire Station 2 in 2025 •Street lighting replacement to enhance street safety and reduce energy use •Reliable funding to provide competitive compensation to recruit and retain talented staff to provide best-in-class services •$1.4 million for park improvements throughout the city •Adding one Utility Supervisor in Public Works to support the utility system and help with on-call citywide snowplowing and ice removal duties •Adding two Parks & Recreation Facility Coordinators •Updating technology systems to ensure secure and reliable systems that protect against threats and work during emergencies and natural hazards The City administered a Quality of Life survey in 2023 to hear how residents feel about government-provided services and their overall experience living in Edina. One key takeaway was that residents continue to rate the quality of life in the city highly. With this in mind, maintaining the quality of City services was prioritized throughout budget development and discussions with the City Council. Some of the enhanced services provided to Edina residents not always found in other cities include: •Operating a 911 dispatch center for police, fire and medical •Operating Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service •Providing public health services through a contract with Bloomington Public Health •Conducting rental housing inspections •Having an Assessing Division at City Hall that serves only city residents •Owning three municipal liquor stores that contribute about $1 million in revenue each year for Parks & Recreation operations and capital improvement projects •Running the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility jointly with Bloomington, Eden Prairie and the Metropolitan Airports Commission “When you compare our level of service in these areas — the 911 dispatch center that we have, our Fire Department providing advanced life support and our police that we have right here — I think that combination of those services is second to none,” said City Manager Scott Neal during a presentation on the 2024-2025 budget. Another Quality of Life survey finding was that residents generally feel safe in the community, but that feeling has decreased. Like in past years, most of the new City of Edina tax dollars in 2024 are allocated for public safety. “Public safety is a priority within this budget. This budget includes additional public safety personnel who are going to enable some different strategies that police are developing in terms of mental health response in the community,” said McAndrews. For each tax dollar Edina residents pay in 2024, about 23 cents will go to the City of Edina local government. The remaining 77 cents will go to other taxing jurisdictions, like Edina Public Schools and Hennepin County. The breakdown for how the City will spend its tax dollars is 40% for Public Safety, 19% for Debt Service & Capital Outlay, 16% for General Government, 15% for Public Works and 10% for Parks and Recreation. For 2024, the City’s tax levy – the total dollar amount the City collects in property taxes – is $54.4 million, an increase of 9.15% from 2023. Most of this increase comes from salary and benefits costs to maintain staffing levels and from increases in the costs of contracts and supplies. According to McAndrews, the average levy increase for cities in Hennepin County is 10.8%. While the tax levy typically funds about one- third of the budget, in 2024 it will be closer to 28%. McAndrews says this is due to diversification of revenue sources the City is receiving, like the addition of the local option sales tax, more tax-increment financing and funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The approved budget also includes use of one-time revenue of $2 million from the budget stabilization fund. Although the City has a biennial budgeting process, the City Council approves each year’s operating budget and tax levy separately. The proposed 2025 operating budget is $205 million with a tax levy of $61.7 million, increases largely due to debt service beginning on the new fire station. Though budgeting for 2025 in advance is important, the 2025 budget and levy won’t be legally determined by the City Council until the end of 2024. The 2024-25 biennial budget and the City’s most-recent Truth in Taxation document can be found online at EdinaMN.gov/Finance. For more information on the City’s budgets, contact McAndrews at AMcAndrews@EdinaMN.gov. What will my 2024 City property taxes pay for? Debt Service & Capital Outlay19% General Government16% Public Works 15% Parks and Recreation 10% Public Safety 40% Change in Levy on Median Value Home (MVH) 2024 Estimated City Levy Impact 2023 2024 Difference Change MVH $659,900 $696,600 $36,700 5.3% Annual $1,973.23 $2,121.93 $148.71 7.5% Monthly $164.44 $176.83 $12.39 7.5% 2 BY LAUREN SIEBENALER No stranger to Edina, Ari Lenz will start work as Assistant City Manager at the end of January. “In 2012, we started our City Management Fellowship Program. Ari was our number one candidate and was selected for the job,” said City Manager Scott Neal. “She came to work for Edina because she wanted to have a career in city management. We had a great experience with her and she went on to do great things in other cities.” Lenz has a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas. After completing her fellowship in Edina, she worked with the City of Topeka, Kansas, as a consultant as they navigated a financial crisis. Then, Lenz served as the City Administrator of Madison Lake, Minnesota, where she had the opportunity to oversee public works and public safety. She learned a lot about managing infrastructure projects, and visioning and strategic planning with a City Council. In 2016, she became the Assistant City Manager of Hopkins, Minnesota, where she learned a lot about human resources, project management through COVID-19, race and equity and sustainability. “She was one of the most qualified candidates for our Assistant City Manager role by both being a small-town Administrator and a suburban Assistant Manager. She just had the right combination of experiences and academic preparation,” said Neal. “And we know her, so there’s a high degree of comfort with what she’s going to do here.” Lenz will manage Edina’s Administration Department, which includes community engagement, race and equity and the City Clerk’s office. She’ll also oversee most of the City’s support departments, including Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology. She said her focus and priorities coming into the job will be learning what the City Council and community’s vision is and then working on organizational culture within the City. “I’m humbled to have the opportunity to fill the shoes of previous Assistant City Managers Karen Kurt and Lisa Schaefer, and to work directly under City Manager Neal and with the Executive Leadership Team,” said Lenz. “Edina has a great team of well-respected employees, City Council and community. I look forward to getting to know them better and help them accomplish their goals.” “Edina is getting someone who brings her ‘A’ game to work every day,” said Hopkins City Manager Mike Mornson. “Hopkins is a better place today for her efforts to always be looking to move the city forward. We will miss her — especially me!” For more information on the Edina Administration Department, visit EdinaMN.gov/Administration. Ari Lenz’s first day as Edina’s Assistant City Manager will be Jan. 22. (Photo by Jason Heuer) Lenz Named Assistant City Manager Once a Fellow in Edina, Lenz has Worked as Small-Town Administrator and Suburban Assistant Manager UPCOMING EVENTS Monday, Jan. 1 New Year’s Day, City offices closed Tuesday, Jan. 2, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Jan. 11, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m. Movie Night in the Amphitheater, “DC League of Super-Pets,” Edinborough Park Monday, Jan. 15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day, City offices closed Tuesday, Jan. 16 National Day of Racial Healing Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. City Council meeting, Edina City Hall Friday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Candyland Trail, Edinborough Park Thursday, Jan. 25, 7:30 a.m. Housing & Redevelopment Authority meeting, Edina City Hall Thursday, Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m. Family Full Moon Snowshoe, Braemar Golf Course Sunday, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band, Edinborough Park 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” webpage at EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings BY THE NUMBERS As temperatures drop, activities will continue under the inflatable dome at Braemar Field, 7509 Ikola Way, and on the ice at Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way! For more information, visit BraemarArena.com or BraemarField.com. Braemar Arena & Field $5 Entry fee for most drop-in activities at Braemar Field, including Family Night, Open Dome and Tot Time Participants in Snowplow Sam skating classes yearly 700+ 500,000+ Total annual visitors at Braemar Ice Arena Edina residents use the indoor walking track annually 4,200 - COMPILED BY MATT CORDS 3City of Edina EdinaMN.gov Iskaan-garee koodhkan oo ku fiiri soomaali EdinaMN.gov/SomaliEE EdinaMN.gov/SpanishEE Escanee este código para ver en español 952-927-8861 | mail@EdinaMN.govCity of Edina EdinaMN.gov4 Council Approves Street Reconstruction in Two Neighborhoods Concord B&C and Southdale B Neighborhoods To Get New Roads, Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements City of Edina Directory City Council Jim Hovland Mayor 612-874-8551 Kate Agnew Council Member 952-833-9556 Carolyn Jackson Council Member 952-833-9547 James Pierce Council Member 952-833-9548 Julie Risser Council Member 952-833-9557 City Staff Scott Neal City Manager 952-826-0401 Ari Lenz Assistant City 952-826-0416 Manager Jennifer Communications 952-833-9520 Bennerotte Director Ryan Browning I.T. Director 952-826-0434 Kelly Curtin Human Resources 952-826-0402 Director Alisha Finance Director 952-826-0419 McAndrews Todd Milburn Police Chief 952-826-0487 Chad Millner Engineering Director 952-826-0318 Brian Olson Public Works 952-826-0311 Director Andrew Slama Fire Chief 952-826-0332 Cary Teague Community 952-826-0460 Development Director Perry Vetter Parks & 952-826-0430 Recreation Director Call 952-927-8861 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for general information. If you have a situation after hours or on weekends, but do not require immediate response from a paramedic, firefighter, police officer or Public Works crew, call the Police Department’s non- emergency number, 952-826-1610. Streets in the Concord and Southdale neighborhoods will be reconstructed later this year. The City Council approved the Concord B&C and Southdale B neighborhood roadway reconstruction project last month. As part of the Concord B&C project, Ashcroft Avenue, Ashcroft Lane, Concord Avenue, Garrison Lane, Millers Lane, Nancy Lane, Rose Court, St. Johns Avenue, Virginia Lane, Wooddale Avenue, West 62nd Street, West 63rd Street and West 64th Street would be reconstructed. The project also includes some new pedestrian and bicycling facilities, including a concrete sidewalk and on-street bike boulevard on Wooddale, a concrete shared-use path on West 64th that transitions from on- to off-street and a concrete shared- use path on Concord. The estimated project cost is $12.9 million. As part of the $5.1 million Southdale B project, Barrie Road, Heritage Drive and West 65th Street will be reconstructed. Concrete sidewalks would be added on all three streets. Both projects would be paid for with a combination of special assessments, the City’s Utility Fund, Pedestrian and Cycling Safety Fund and property taxes. Construction is expected to begin in the spring following Council approval of the contractor bids. In other business last month, the Council: •Presented the 2023 Tom Oye Human Rights Award to Terrie Rose. •Provided non-binding feedback on initial concepts for a new Southdale Library and Art Center, calling sketch plans both “thoughtful” and “sensitive.” Hennepin County plans to tear down the existing building at 7001 York Ave. to build a new library building, which would include space for the Art Center as a tenant. The library would comprise roughly 45,000 square feet and the Art Center 19,000. The building would be located on the north half of the 7.75-acre site. The south half would include green space that provides outdoor education space and opportunities, a trailhead connector for Nine Mile Creek and Three Rivers Park District, and stormwater treatment. The front of the building would face the green space to the south and York Avenue to the west. Vehicle access would be off of 70th Street and the existing access off of York Avenue would close. Underground parking is planned, along with a surface lot along 70th. The County is expected to file a formal application for the project, which will require a Site Plan Review and conditional- use permit and variance for building height. Another variance might be necessary for parking stalls, as well. If approved, demolition and construction is anticipated for 2025. The new building would likely open in the summer of 2027. •Denied requests for a proposed redevelopment of 6016 Vernon Ave. GreenDrop proposed redeveloping the former Kevin Kee’s Auto Service building for a donation center. •Began discussing legislative priorities for 2024. The Council will continue talking about the priorities at meetings later this month. The Council will next meet 7 p.m. Jan. 2 and 16. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov. – COMPILED BY JENNIFER BENNEROTTE ***ECRWSS***POSTAL PATRONCAR-RT-WS PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGEPAID TWIN CITIES MN Permit No. 3932