--- ## title: April 21 Work Session Minutes author: SAllison date: D:20260312140000Z --- ## MINUTES ## OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL ## WORK SESSION ## COMMUNITY ROOM, CITY HALL ## TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2026 ## 5:30 P.M. ## 1.0 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. ## 2.0 ROLL CALL Answering roll call were Members Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser, and Mayor Hovland. Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Cary Teague, Community Development Director; ## Addison Lewis, Community Development Coordinator; Chad Millner, Public Works Director/City ## Engineer; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; Bill Neunedorf, Economic Development Manager; Jake Miller, I.T. Specialist; Asad Masood, City Management Fellow; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk. ## 3.0 MEETING TOPICS ## 3.1 PREPARING FOR THE 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ## Community Development Coordinator Lewis introduced the required 2050 Comprehensive Plan update, noting that cities in the seven-county metropolitan area must adopt and submit updated plans to the Metropolitan Council by December 31, 2028, with an RFP anticipated in summer 2026 and consultant work beginning in early 2027. The discussion focused on gathering preliminary City Council input to help shape the RFP, including feedback on the planning process, community engagement, key focus areas, and overall strengths and weaknesses of the current plan. Lewis also reviewed the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan as a long-range policy document that establishes community vision, growth areas, and implementation strategies, clarifying that while it guides future decisions, it does not guarantee specific development outcomes or project details. Lewis said update will be required to align with regional policies in Imagine 2050 and include elements such as land use, housing, transportation, water resources, parks and trails, climate, natural systems, and implementation, with Council feedback to be incorporated into the RFP. Council expressed interest in exploring the use of AI to assist with drafting in a cost-effective way, provided all content is human-verified, and emphasized the importance of making the final plan ADA accessible and easy to navigate, potentially through search or chat-style functionality. Staff shared the chat box was removed from the website due to budgetary constraints. Council indicated a desire to be involved in drafting the RFP. There was support for a refresh approach rather than a complete overhaul, with acknowledgment that substantive changes would require Metropolitan Council review and approval. Council discussed technology as an important consideration and potentially a standalone chapter and staff shared it was integrated throughout the plan. Council asked whether additional existing plans (e.g., bike or climate plans) should be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. ## 4. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:33 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ## Sharon Allison, City Clerk ## James B. Hovland, Mayor Minutes approved by Edina City Council, May 5, 2026. Audio copy of the work session available.