Edina City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Story
Edina Planning Commission approves garage variance, debates major mall redevelopment
7235 France Avenue Redevelopment (Macy's Furniture Site)
Community Comment on Planning and Data Use
Votes (2)
Front yard setback variance for 4619 Town Circle
Dissent: None
Moved by Commissioner [26:54] · Seconded by Unknown [27:06]
The property has a 30-foot grade change from front to back, creating a 'practical difficulty' for garage placement. Neighbors provided positive feedback through the 'Better Together' portal, supporting the design's seamless integration with the existing 1939 home.
Preliminary rezoning and site plan for 7235 France Avenue
Dissent: Commissioner Pilla and Commissioner Fel voiced concerns regarding traffic level 'D' service and logistical 'street room' clutter.
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
The project includes 572 residential units, office space, and retail. Key concerns included the 11-story building's shadow on the promenade, traffic queuing at Gallagher Drive, and the logistics of trash/moving trucks in a 'pedestrian-first' street room.
Notable Quotes (3)
The biggest reason is the further we push this into the hill the more Excavating that has to happen on the backside and the more we impact the trees that are kind of the great big old growth trees.
The objective is to maximize pedestrian activity throughout the district with the public realm as the connective tissue that gives the district its unique identity.
Affordable housing is a huge component... it's many many many many many millions of dollars impact to cash flow... that's a big piece of the Tiff ask.
Ordinances & Resolutions (4)
Guidelines used to evaluate the 7235 France Avenue project's pedestrian activity and public realm design.
City policy requiring 5% EV charging and solar capabilities, which the France Avenue applicant committed to meeting.
Zoning code governing building height setbacks relative to R1 residential districts.
Financial tool criticized by a resident and requested by the Enclave Development team for the France Avenue project.