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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil_Connection_052113May 21 Meeting Council approves plan to restripe Wooddale The Council approved the restriping of Wooddale Ave- nue from Valley View Road to West 50th Street. Last fall, advisory bike lanes were painted on the stretch of Wooddale Avenue. Earlier this year, the Council request- ed that the street be re- striped to remove the adviso- ry lanes and include a center- line. A dedicated bike lane will be added for the south- bound bicycles from 50th Street to Tower Avenue. “Share the Road” sharrows will be placed for the remain- ing southbound bicycle move- ment. The entire northbound bicycle movement will have “Share the Road” sharrows. The existing pavement mark- ings will be removed by hydro -blasting. The removal will result in some “ghosting” of the markings, though hydro- blasting will result in less ghosting than the alternative of grinding. Work is scheduled to begin on the project next month. Council grants new liquor licenses The Council approved liquor licenses for a new restaurant at Southdale Center. Rojo Mexican Grill is expected to open soon at Southdale Center in the space formerly occupied by Ulta. The Council granted the restaurant a new on-sale intoxicating liquor license and a Sunday on-sale liquor license, for the period beginning May 22 and ending March 31, 2014. Council puts more money toward Veterans Memorial To build momentum and en- tice potential in-kind donors, the Council agreed to contrib- ute toward the cost of con- struction drawings for a Vet- erans Memorial in Edina. In 2011, the City Council ap- proved the Veterans Memori- al Committee’s proposal for a V-shaped granite plaza within Utley Park featuring three illuminated flag poles, a gath- ering space for more than 150 people, an area for con- templation with benches, a wall displaying the five mili- tary service emblems and the names of those residents killed in action. The focal point will be a figurative sculpture of an eagle with a wreath. The V-shaped plaza is meant to symbolize “victory.” Fundraising efforts for the $450,000 project have been slow, so the Committee asked the Council to pay for construction drawings to take to companies that might agree to do some of the work pro bono. The Council agreed to give $19,250 – half the cost of the construction draw- ings and plans. The Commit- tee will likely pay for the rest out of a designated fund managed by the Edina Com- munity Foundation. A summary of the May 7 & 21 Edina City Council meetings May 28, 2013 Volume 15, Issue 8 Council Connection Upcoming meetings: Human Rights & Relations Commission, 7 p.m. May 28 City Council, 7 p.m. June 4 Public Art Committee, 4 p.m. June 6 Park Board, 7 p.m. June 11 Heritage Preservation Board, 7 p.m. June 11 Planning Commission, 7 p.m. June 12 City Contacts City Manager Scott Neal 952-826-0401 Assistant City Manager Karen Kurt 952-826-0415 City Clerk Debra Mangen 952-826-0408 Community Development Director Cary Teague 952-826-0460 Director of Engineering Wayne Houle 952-826-0443 Parks & Recreation Director Ann Kattreh 952-826-0430 We’d like to hear from you … If you have any comments, call Communications & Technology Services Director Jennifer Bennerotte at 952-833- 9520. The text of this publication will be available online at www.EdinaMN.gov. www.EdinaMN.gov Council reviews new idea for 6500 France The Council considered a new sketch plan for a rede- velopment at 6500 France Ave. Earlier this year, the Council approved a development plan for the site. The plan was for a five-story, 102,478- square-foot medical office/ retail building with an at- tached four- or five-level parking ramp. The developer is now re- questing consideration of a change in use to 109 units of senior assisted living and 100 units of transitional and memory care. Transitional care would include short- term stays by patients who have had surgery at Fairview Hospital or Twin Cities Ortho- pedics. The building would be similar in style from the previously approved building and still be five stories in height. A pedestrian skyway would connect the building to the hospital parking ramp to the north. The parking ramp would be removed and re- placed with housing. The parking would be provided underground. There would be a 15,000-square-foot reduc- tion in the structure footprint from the previous plan. Council Members provided their respective feedback to the developer. The developer is expected to advance the new plan to the City for for- mal review and approval this week. (Continued on page 2) May 7 Meeting Council establishes Arts & Culture Commission Expanding work beyond the walls of the Edina Art Center, the Council reestab- lished the Edina Art Center Board as the Edina Arts & Culture Commission. The City Council approved an ordinance amendment establishing the Arts & Cul- ture Commission, whose primary duties are to support art and culture in the com- munity, recommend related initiatives and develop and implement public visual arts programs. The Commission replaces the Edina Art Center Board. The Board Members are now Commissioners. To be in alignment with other boards and commissions, the number of commissioners will be reduced by one through attrition in 2014. The Arts & Culture Commission typically meets at 4:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month at Edina City Hall. Council approves Lake Edina Park path To create a safer route to Cornelia Elemen- tary School and the greater Southdale area, the Council approved the construc- tion of a path at Lake Edina Park. Lake Edina Park is currently undeveloped. The 10-foot-wide path will connect Park- lawn Avenue to Kellogg Avenue and will accommodate walkers and bikers. Be- sides giving residents a way to get to the school and the Southdale area, the path will also provide a connection to other bike trails in the City as described in the 2008 Comprehensive Bike Plan. The path will cost approximately $55,000 and will be built by the City’s Public Works Department. It will be complete sometime next month, weather permitting. Council approves preliminary plat The Council granted preliminary plat ap- proval for a property used as a spa at 50th & France. Spalon Montage is requesting to divide its property at 4936 France Ave. into two lots for the purpose of potentially selling the new lot in the future. No new building is proposed at this time. The existing proper- ty and buildings would remain the same. This property was originally platted as two lots. The applicant combined them a few years ago, but is now requesting to divide them back per the original plat. Council gets peek at proposed assisted living facility The Council reviewed a sketch plan for a proposed assisted living facility. A development team would like to build a 76-unit assisted living building attached to the existing Continental Gardens Senior Living apartments at 7151 York Ave. The proposal is to create a “senior campus,” and build the addition to the east side of the building. The building would be four stories tall and be connected by an elevated skyway to the existing 12-story, 264-unit apartment building. The development team describes the units as being “moderately priced.” Council Members provided their respec- tive feedback to the development team, which might make a formal application to the City soon. HRA hires firm to design final phase of Promenade Acting as the Housing & Redevelopment Authority, the Council hired URS Corpora- tion for the concept development of the final phase of the Promenade. The Edina Promenade, located in the heart of the greater Southdale area near Centennial Lakes, is an 80-foot wide greenway that connects the region's vari- ous retail, residential and recreational amenities. The Promenade includes 0.75 mile of pedestrian and bicycle pathways and is designed as an extension of Cen- tennial Lakes Park. Staff will work with URS to develop a plan for the water feature and for the unfin- ished walking path of the Promenade. The final phase of development was trig- gered by the proposed redevelopment of the adjacent Byerly’s site. It is anticipated that the proposed concept plans will be available to coincide with the final devel- opment plan approval of the Byerly’s pro- ject. This study will be funded through the Cen- tennial Lakes TIF District. (Continued from page 1) Council presents Heritage Award The Council on May 7 presented the Edina Heritage Award to Ben Martin, General Manager of Southdale Center. The Heritage Preservation Board chose Southdale for the award after the mall’s owner, Simon Properties, spent near- ly $20 million on a renovation to revitalize the mall and bring back its mid- century design. Martin poses here with Mayor Jim Hovland and Senior Planner Joyce Repya, who serves as staff liaison to the Heritage Preservation Board.