Edina City Council — Transcript
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Community Comment: Utility Franchise Fees
Special Recognition: Edina High School Boys Swimming and Diving Team
Special Recognition: "Life on Minnehaha Creek" Book
Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP) Update
Days of Remembrance Proclamation (Holocaust)
Votes (5)
Proclamation: Days of Remembrance
Dissent: None
Moved by Mayor Hufflin [8:02 p.m.] · Seconded by Council Member Risser [8:02 p.m.]
Manager Brooks highlighted the renewal of the proclamation, thanking the council for its continuous recognition of Days of Remembrance, which the city has observed for many years. No specific event was planned for this year.
Public Hearing: Reszoning, Subdivision, Site Plan with Variances at 5100 Eden Avenue (Opus Development)
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Risser [8:21 p.m.] · Seconded by Council Member Agnu [8:21 p.m.]
Opus Development proposed a five-story, 112,000 sq ft office building (potentially their corporate HQ) at 5100 Eden Avenue, replacing an existing 1968 building. This project necessitates reszoning from POD1 to PCD2, subdivision, site plan approval, and eight variances (setbacks, FAR, height, facade materials, utility screening). Staff supported the variances as consistent with the comprehensive plan and recently approved projects in the Grand View District. The applicant presented updated renderings addressing planning commission feedback, including moving the building footprint east for increased Arcadia setback, adding balconies, and using natural stone materials on the ground level. Public comment included a call from Brian Athleman, though his concerns mainly related to the subsequent Lincoln London SAP item.
Public Hearing: Lincoln and London Area Small Area Plan
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Risser [9:00 p.m.] · Seconded by Council Member Agnu [9:00 p.m.]
The Lincoln and London Area Small Area Plan, developed over the past year with consultant Men Collaborative and a community working group, was presented. The plan prioritizes green spaces, safe mobility, and local business growth, with a vision for the area as a 'welcoming gateway to Western Edina.' A significant constraint is current sewage capacity, leading to a bifurcated plan with 'current capability' (short-term) and 'future' (long-term, capacity-dependent) recommendations. Community engagement was extensive, utilizing workshops, surveys, and interactive tools. Public testimony included a resident, Brian Athleman, who expressed concern that many neighbors, especially in Parkwood Nolles, were unaware of the plan's details and believed the process lacked sufficient input from their community.
Resolution 2025-27: Conditional Use Permit, Site Plan, and Building Height Variance for Southdale Library and Arts Center (71 York Avenue South)
Dissent: None
Moved by Mayor Hufflin [9:04 p.m.] · Seconded by Council Member Agnu [9:04 p.m.]
This item followed a public hearing on April 1st, with no new comments received after the feedback period closed on April 6th. The project involves a site plan review and a revised conditional use permit for the library and art center, along with a variance to increase building height from 40 ft to 59 ft. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval (8-0). Liz Verero from Hennepin County was present to answer questions.
Resolutions 2025-25, 2025-34 & Ordinance 2024-05: Final Site Plan and Site Improvement Performance Agreement for 7200 France Avenue South (Orion Investments)
Dissent: N/A
This is a follow-up to the March 18th City Council meeting for the PUD16 development at 7200 and 7250 France Avenue South. The agenda included three action items: final site plan and site improvement agreement for Phase 2 (7200 site, Resolution 2025-25), and a revised landscape plan and site improvement performance agreement for Phase 1 (7250 site, Resolution 2025-34 and Ordinance 2024-05). The revised landscape plan addresses the removal of trees on both the 7200 site and private property during Phase 1 construction, proposing 20 new trees for the 7200 site and ongoing work with landowners for private property plantings. Landscape architect Terry Manaric was present to present the revised plans.
Notable Quotes (8)
I think the biggest comment is just thank you for u recognizing days of remembrance. Um this is essentially a renewed proclamation from many years ago. Um the city's always recognized days of remembrance, but uh we thought we'd bring the proclamation back this year uh to council.
So, PCD2 is kind of the main commercial district that we've used at um at Grand View primarily and and 50th in France. Um it is kind of a a mixeduse district. It allows them to do the uses they're proposing. So office with some kind of possibility for a retail tenant or um a restaurant in this ground floor level. It gives them that flexibility where the current zoning would not have allowed that.
In general, you know, we find that this really advances a lot of goals of the comprehensive plan. Um you know, they've really done a good job to to um improve kind of the pedestrian environment. Um I think injecting, you know, 300 daytime workers into this area is really going to do a lot to support those surrounding businesses.
One, I do love your design. I think it is very very good and um I I like the transparency. I like the dark lines. Um I think it's broken up enough so that there's kind of a pattern and it's not just a you know solid box.
It is both for hearing the residents and businesses and communities, but is also to allow us um as individuals to participate in learning about each other, our city, and how we learn to engage in building our community.
So it's not simply us coming in and developing the area and prescribing exactly what goes in there, but really giving a overall vision and using that to guide us as we go forward.
The um key finding here is that the sewage capacity is nearly fully utilized not just for the Lincoln London area but for all of the area that you see in orange um in that um western part of Edina. So it's a much much larger issue than um just this area.
And I don't think that the neighbors really know what's going on there. And I believe that the um you know, we can all I'm in business. I we all know that we can pick the the crowd that we want to um get the answers from. And I I don't see any negative comments on this. I see all um everybody wants this to go through when in fact I really don't think they do.
Ordinances & Resolutions (27)
City's strategic plan for improving equity within the organization and public service.
Survey for staff and community to assess inclusivity, part of ESAP.
Introduction document grounding the ESAP in mission, vision, values, timeline, and commitments.
Official recognition of Holocaust remembrance days.
Grants approvals for Southdale Library and Arts Center project.
Existing zoning for 5100 Eden Avenue.
Proposed zoning for 5100 Eden Avenue project.
Previous approval for a 7-story, 136-unit apartment building at 5100 Eden Avenue, not moved forward.
Application for zoning change at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Application to consolidate 7 parcels into 1 at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Application for approval of the site plan at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Requests for deviations from setback requirements at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Request to exceed permitted FAR at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Request to exceed permitted building height at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Request for deviation from natural materials use on building facade at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Request for deviation for utility equipment placement at 5100 Eden Avenue.
Guiding document for land use in the Grand View District.
Plan that envisioned a new frontage road for the Grand View District.
Proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan for the Lincoln and London area.
City's overall guiding plan, to be amended by small area plan.
Approval for specific uses at Southdale Library and Arts Center.
Approval for site layout and design at Southdale Library and Arts Center.
Approval for deviation from building height limits at Southdale Library and Arts Center.
Final site plan and site improvement performance agreement for 7200 France Avenue South (Phase 2).
Revised landscape plan and site improvement performance agreement for 7250 France Avenue South (Phase 1).
Associated ordinance for 7200 France Avenue South project (PUD16).
Planned Unit Development for 7200 and 7250 France Avenue South.