--- title: Item Attachment Files Item Attachment Files Staff Report 2027/2028 Work Plan Development author: Administrator date: D:20260731133100Z --- ## Strong ## Foundation ## CITY GOALS: ## Better ## Together ## Reliable ## Service ## Livable ## City ## Staff Report ## City of Edina • 4801 W.50th St. • ## Edina, MN 55424 ## Date: ## To: ## From: ## Subject: July 24, 2026 ## Parks & Recreation Commission Members ## Perry Vetter, Parks & Recreation Director ## 2027/2028 Commission Work Plan Development ## Staff Recommendation: The commission has been requested to begin discussions on the 2027/2028 work plan and finalize by the Sept. 8 meeting. Chair Pfuhl will present the plan to the City Council in October. ## Information / Background Background information was provided for the June 9 Parks & Recreation Commission packet for Members to discuss the development of the 2027/2028 Work Plan. The following information was attached and remains available in the board portal for that meeting packet: • Council Charge / Level of Impact: This document is a short description of the levels and roles of the various council charges that each work plan would be defined as. • Prior Year Work Plans: Included are the 2021 – 2026 commission work plan initiatives • Comprehensive Guild Plan Chapter 6: This is the Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources chapter of the comprehensive guide plan. • Park System Strategic Plan: This is linked document due to size https://www.edinamn.gov/1808/Park- ## System-Strategic-Plan • Park System Strategic Plan Appendix A – Implementation Framework: this includes updated progress on the plan’s implementation. ## Process to Set 2027/2028 Work Plan • The work plan initiatives are determined and worked on by the commission themselves. • Each initiative is limited to no more than 4 regular members and up to two student members. ## STAFF REPORT Page 2 • Each initiative should have a designated lead. The lead’s responsibility is to organize the work plan members on the deliverable and communicate with the Chair on when the item is ready for discussion by the full commission for the agenda. Initiative leads do work with staff on guidance and clarity. • The initiatives must fall into one of five City Council Charges of 1. Study & Report, 2. Review & Comment, 3. Review & Recommend, 4. Review & Decide, or 5. Event. • Typically the June and August meetings the commission will discuss ideas and focus areas for the work plan. The September meeting is used for finalizing the initiatives and recommending them by motion for City Council consideration. ## Initiative Overarching Themes The work plan initiatives from the 2021 to 2026 work plans are also included in the June 9 packet for review. Of those initiatives, they fell into the following overarching categories. At the June meeting the commission discussion confirmed these themes are still relevant for development of the 2027/2028 work plan and initiatives should fall under these themes if possible. 1. Master Plan implementation review ## 2. Alternative Funding Strategies ## 3. Community Engagement and Education ## 4. Research, Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis 5. Review of Ordinances and Policies ## 6. Alignment with the Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Questions Commissioners should consider, and action items for the August 10 meeting Please review the background information and discussion results from the June 9 meeting. This information will be included in the meeting packet for Monday August 10. Members of the commission should continue to consider and discussed these points: 1. What emerging issues or opportunities do you believe the Commission should focus on next year? 2. What community topics, concerns, or gaps have you observed that warrant a Commission initiative? 3. What questions or considerations should guide a deeper analysis of these strategies? 4. Which current initiatives should continue into next year, and which should sunset or shift in scope? ## STAFF REPORT Page 3 Ideas generated for consideration during the June 9 meeting and for further discussion and development at the Monday August 10 meeting: 1. Master Plan implementation review a. Yorktown Park (in conjunction with the City of Richfield’s Adams Hill Park) Masterplan will be brought to the commission for review and comment. ## 2. Alternative Funding Strategies a. The commission discussed splitting this initiative into two separate work plan items. Continuation from 2025/2026: Research and if feasible, develop action plan or further research of no more than two Alternative Funding Strategies (2023 Work Plan Item) to progress that initiative. ## i. Focus area: Philanthropic Efforts ## ii. Focus area: Naming Rights/Sponsorships ## 3. Community Engagement and Education a. If the City Council pursues a referendum the commission would play a role in education of the community as it relates to Parks and Recreation needs. ## 4. Research, Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis a. As it relates to the Comprehensive Guide Plan or the Parks Strategic Plan the commission could play a role in analyzing trends for recreational use or athletic use (including potential for school district sites) as it pertains to data analysis. 5. Review of Ordinances and Policies a. Study and Report: (Source: Strategic Plan for Recreation Facilities Tactic 1.1.2) Re-brand the Senior Center as a “community center” or “activity center” to attract other age segments by removing the negative connotation of “senior” label among 55-75 age segment. Consider including in a multi-purpose facility at the Grandview site. b. Staff plans to bring potential updates to the City Code of Ordinances as it relates to parks and will request the commission review and comment on those updates. ## 6. Alignment with the Climate Action Plan and Sustainability a. None currently identified The Commission will discuss initiatives at the Monday August 10 meeting. Members were asked to send work plan ideas for inclusion in the packet to me by end of the day August 3. Those ideas will be included in the meeting packet. ## STAFF REPORT Page 4 ## New Ideas Submitted for Discussion Since June 9 Meeting ## 3. Community Engagement and Education ## Establish Unplug Edina Day This would mimic Unplug Illinois Day, started by the Illinois Park and Recreation Association in 2014 as an annual event—they just celebrated their 8 th event on July 11th, 2026. Unplug Illinois Day was developed to encourage people to “unplug” from their electronic devices and “plug” into play, creativity, friendship, adventure, and family at local parks. The program promotes three core community pillars: environmental sustainability, personal wellness, and the economic impact of local recreational properties. To get families out of the house, Edina Park & Rec can organize unique, free, or low-cost community events (much of which can be hosted at Centennial Lakes): • Pool Discounts: Free or heavily discounted admission to the aquatic center. • Outdoor Concerts & Movies: Evening programming featuring live bands or "Movies in the Park". • Putting Golf: Free or heavily discounted admission to Park Putting. • Croquet: Free croquet. ## • Fishing Contest ## • Paddle Boat Races • Nature Exploration: Guided trail hikes, "Play Passports," scavenger hunts, and overnight stargazing campouts at local preserves. • Interactive Play: Magic shows, Touch-a-Plane or Touch-a-Truck events, balloon artists, and community sports tournaments. Unplug Edina Day can also serve as a push for physical health, highlighting data that less than 5% of American adults get 30 minutes of physical activity daily. From an environmental sustainability perspective, if 90% of the Edina population (roughly 49.000 people) shut off their phones for 2 hours, the power saved is approximately 300 to 450 kilowatt- hours of energy which is roughly equivalent to the electricity needed to power 10 to 15 average homes for a single day, or to drive an electric vehicle about 1,000 to 1,500 miles. ## Real-World Equivalents: To visualize 300–450 kWh of energy, compare it to these daily activities: • Home Energy: It covers the daily electricity usage of 10–15 average U.S. households (which use ~29 kWh/day). ## STAFF REPORT Page 5 • Electric Driving: It is enough energy to drive a Tesla Model 3 from Edina to New York City (approx. 1,200 miles). • Carbon Footprint: In Minnesota, this amount of electricity represents about 300 lbs. of CO₂ emissions—roughly the same as burning 15 gallons of gasoline. 5. Review of Ordinances and Policies Drones as First Responders (DFR) program In light of the recent shooting event at Yancey Park, the City of Edina is considering Ordinance 2026-12. While limiting the number of people allowed to gather at parks without a permit is good policy, community safety is still a concern. To augment safety in parks and public spaces, and to help enforce pending Ordinance 2026-12, Edina should consider establishing a Drones as First Responders (DFR) program. Several communities in MN (Minnetonka, St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, Duluth, & Rochester) have active Drones as First Responders (DFR) programs. In DFR programs, drones are docked on building roofs and self-dispatched to 911 call locations. If a fight, medical emergency, or vandalism is reported at a city park, a drone will fly to the scene to give arriving police officers a real-time visual assessment. State law allows police to fly drones over public property (such as parks and streets) without a warrant if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime just occurred. For example, the Duluth Police Department has used drones to track and locate suspects fleeing through public city corridors. Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras are frequently flown over heavily wooded parks or regional reserves to locate missing children, lost hikers, or individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. ## 4. Research, Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis As Edina continues to implement the Park System Strategic Plan, I think it would be helpful for the Commission to look at how parks are changing and what residents may want in the future. We could research new recreation trends, compare what nearby cities are doing, and identify ideas that could improve Edina's parks over the next 10 years. • New recreation trends • Park amenities in nearby cities • Year-round recreation ## 6. Alignment with the Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Building on the Commission's Climate Action Plan work, I think we should look at ways to better protect and improve Edina's natural areas. We could study what nearby cities are doing and identify ideas that fit Edina's parks and long-term goals. • Native plants and pollinator habitat • Preserving Edina's trees and woodlands • Environmental education