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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil_Connection_041911Council recognizes Sergeant Police Sgt. Brian Tholen was recog- nized for his receipt of the Out- standing Lifetime Achievement Award by the Special Operations Training Association (SOTA). Tholen was nominated by his peers to receive the distinguished award for his diligence, perseverance and devotion to duty and time served on the Edina SWAT team. Tholen was part of the SWAT team for 13 years, the last six as one of two team leaders. He responded to 60 SWAT calls, one of which included directing the SWAT team during the 2008 Republican National Conven-tion protests to provide protection to the visiting dignitaries. Formed in 1986, the Edina SWAT team consists of 10 police officers and four paramedics who respond to high risk situations when addi- tional service is needed. Council grants license, permit for Taste of Edina The Council granted a temporary on -sale intoxicating liquor license and special permit to allow for the Taste of Edina at Centennial Lakes Park. The liquor license and special per- mit for the use of City property was granted to the Edina Chamber of Commerce, which holds the annual food-, wine- and micro-brew-sampling event. This year’s event will be held 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12, at the Hughes Pavilion. Tickets to the event, which is a fundraiser for the Chamber of Com- merce, can be purchased at any Edina Liquor location, the Chamber of Commerce office or online. Council OKs tear-down plans The Council approved a conditional- use permit for a new home on Garrison Lane. Jeff Miller and Connie Carrino would like to tear down their home at 4509 Garrison Lane and build a new one. The property is located within a 100-year flood plain area for Nancy Lake. Because the cou- ple has had problems with ground-water on the site, they would like the first-floor elevation of the new home to exceed that of the current one by more than one foot, trigger- ing the requirement for a condition- al-use permit. Specifically, Miller and Carrino would like to raise the first-floor elevation by 2.4 feet. College City Design Builders will construct the new rambler-style home. Council delays action on proposed zoning ordinance amendment The Council tabled action on a zoning ordinance amendment that would allow for more Colonial style homes to be built in Edina’s historic Country Club District. As the result of recent changes to the zoning ordinance to address massing, it became apparent to the City’s Planning staff that those changes compromised the ability for a Colonial sytle home to be constructed in the Country Club District. As a result, the Zoning Ordinance Update Committee sug- gested there be a side yard setback exemption for properties within the Heritage Landmark District. The Heritage Preservation Board agreed to require a Certificate of Appropri- ateness for any addition that uses the setback exemption to ensure compatibility with adjacent homes. Council members indicated they did not see a problem with a lack of Colonials and asked that the mat- ter be tabled until after the State Legislature acts on a proposed bill that would allow Cities to more easily issue variances. Planning Commission takes over Zoning Board responsibilities To simplify the review process for some homeowners and developers, the Council folded the City’s Zoning Board of Appeals into the Planning Commission. The Council approved a zoning ordinance amendment establishing the Planning Commission as the A summary of the April 19 Edina City Council & HRA meeting April 22, 2011 Volume 13, Issue 8 Council Connection Upcoming meetings: • State of the Community, 11:30 a.m. April 27 • Planning Commission, 7 p.m. April 27 • City Council Work Session, 5 p.m. May 3 • City Council & HRA, 7 p.m. May 3 • Public Art Committee, 5 p.m. May 5 City Contacts City Manager Scott Neal 952-826-0401 City Clerk Debra Mangen 952-826-0408 Police Chief Jeff Long 952-826-0491 Public Works Director/City Engineer Wayne Houle 952-826-0443 Planning Director Cary Teague 952-826-0460 We’d like to hear from you … If you have any comments, call Communi- cations & Marketing Director Jennifer Bennerotte at 952-833-9520. The text of this publication will be available online at www.CityofEdina.com. PLEASE RECYCLE. www.CityofEdina.com Zoning Board of Appeals, eliminat-ing a second stop for those seek- ing certain types of variances for projects that don’t meet the City’s zoning standards. As a result of the change, the Plan-ning Commission will need to meet twice per month. The group’s meeting schedule has not yet been determined. Council reviews sketch plan The Council reviewed a local devel- oper’s sketches for a new develop- ment on France Avenue. Ed Noonan of Noonan Construc-tion has ideas for 4528 and 4530 France Ave. He plans to request a rezoning of the two adjoining prop- erties from Planned Commercial District (PCD-1 and PCD-4) to Planned Unit Development. He would like to tear down the existing Rapid Oil Change building at 4530 France and build an addition above the existing garage at 4528 France that would match the build- ing on that lot. The addition would serve as an office building. The properties are within an area the City designated as a “potential area of change” in the 2008 Com- prehensive Plan. According to the Comprehensive Plan, a develop- ment proposal or rezoning within a potential area of change requires a Small Area Plan study, though the authority to initiate one rests with the City Council. Council members asked Noonan to meet with the neighborhood and indicated that such a sketch plan meeting could be an alternative to a Small Area Plan in this instance. Some Council members expressed concerns with the parking configu-ration in his sketches and asked that he discuss the proposed front parking lot with the neighborhood.