Edina City Council — Transcript
Saturday, March 15, 2025
2025 Budget Adoption
2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan
Station Pizza Restaurant Project at Former Kevin Keys Auto Site
Radon Awareness and Testing
Votes (3)
2025 Budget Adoption and Levy Approval
Dissent: None identified in transcript; council accepted all suggested reductions unanimously.
Moved by Unknown [Timestamp] · Seconded by Unknown [Timestamp]
City Manager Scott Neil presented a revised 2025 budget of $47.3 million with an 8.44% levy increase, reduced from the original proposal of $61.5 million with a 13.14% increase. The finance department identified multiple cost reduction strategies: using cash reserves for zoning ordinance updates and cold storage building design instead of levying; utilizing state Public Safety Aid funding for police equipment; applying equipment replacement levy funds to garage safety improvements at Centennial Lakes; deferring Lewis Park shelter improvements; and delaying paramedic-firefighter hiring until January 2026. The council also reduced the general fund by 1%. Council members emphasized the need to begin planning immediately for 2026 budget reductions to avoid another double-digit levy increase, with discussion of the need for difficult conversations about expense contraction and service level adjustments over the coming year.
2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan Approval
Dissent: None identified.
Moved by Unknown [Timestamp] · Seconded by Unknown [Timestamp]
The City Council approved the multi-year Capital Improvement Plan covering 2025-2030 at its final meeting of 2024. No specific discussion details were provided in the transcript.
Station Pizza Restaurant Project - 6016 Vernon Avenue (Former Kevin Keys Auto Site)
Dissent: Two council members voted in favor of the project; three voted against, citing neighborhood impact concerns.
Moved by Unknown [Timestamp] · Seconded by Unknown [Timestamp]
The owner of Station Pizza proposed remodeling and expanding the auto repair building at 6016 Vernon Avenue into a 20-seat restaurant with takeout and delivery service. The project required comprehensive plan amendment, rezoning, and site plan approval with variances. Public comment included both supporters who valued having a neighborhood restaurant and opponents who preferred housing development consistent with the city's comprehensive plan. The project required four affirmative votes from the five-member council to advance. A council member articulated the decision framework: weighing potential public benefit against potential adverse neighborhood impacts, ultimately determining that neighborhood concerns outweighed broader public benefit. This was the third project proposal for the site to be rejected; previous proposals included a restaurant and a Green Drop donation site.
Notable Quotes (2)
My big concern to make a dent in the 2026 because we can't come back with another double digit increase so then it's all right we got to have the tough conversation and do the work starting now now to contract our expenses and it's hard work we got to make tough decisions but we have to do that with the community um we just we have to do that work and I think that will take us almost a full year to have those conversations so that when we come into August of 2025 we have a really good idea of how um we can um adjust our expenses and service levels and what have you to have a projected Target um that is more reasonable
First of all I ask myself the question does the proposed use have a potential benefit to the public I'd say yeah it probably does uh but then I have to ask myself the question is there a potential adverse impact on the immediate neighborhood and if so does that potential adverse outweigh the potential benefit to the broader public there's only one way I can answer that question I say yes the potential adverse impact on the nearby neighborhood to me is more significant than the overall benefit to the public
Ordinances & Resolutions (4)
City budget of $47.3 million with 8.44% levy increase; includes reductions from original $61.5 million proposal with 13.14% increase.
Multi-year capital infrastructure and project plan approved by City Council at final meeting of 2024.
Zoning ordinance update originally proposed to be funded through levy; revised to be funded through cash reserves in adopted budget.
Failed project proposal requiring comprehensive plan amendment, rezoning, and site plan with variances for restaurant conversion at 6016 Vernon Avenue; voted down 3-2.