--- author: City of Edina date: D:20250819085809-05'00' --- Page 1 ## MINUTES ## OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL ## WORK SESSION ## COMMUNITY ROOM, CITY HALL ## WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2025 ## 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 rollcall were Members Jackson, Pierce, Risser and Mayor Hovland. Member Agnew was absent. Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Ari Lenz, Assistant City Manager; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; Zoe Johnson, City Management Fellow; Chad Millner, Engineering Director; David Yanagisawa, I.T. Specialist; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk. ## 3.1 2025 QUALITY OF LIFE SURVEY Communications Director Jennifer Bennerotte introduced the discussion, noting that since 2011 the City has conducted the Quality of Life Survey every other year, using the results to inform planning for the next biennium. She provided historical context, explaining that Edina uses a custom survey that changes very little from year to year, allowing consistent tracking of trends. Polco’s Director of Survey Research, Jason Neumeyer, presented the 2025 results. The statistically valid survey randomly selected 2,000 households, with oversampling of multifamily households and households of color to better reflect the community. A total of 451 responses were received — 170 online and the remainder by mail — with a participation rate well above the national average. Responses were weighted using Census data so that the final results matched the community’s demographics. Council emphasized the importance of making clear that the survey’s weighting and measurement methods were determined by the independent survey provider, not the Council, to ensure transparency and public understanding of the methodology. Most residents rated Edina’s quality of life highly and would recommend living here, showing strong residential stability. Ratings for safety, City services, and welcoming atmosphere were strong, with many scores above national and Minnesota benchmarks. Climate change and transportation initiatives saw improved ratings, and new questions on fire response time (seven minutes or less) showed high satisfaction. Top concerns included overdevelopment/wrong type, traffic and infrastructure, a shortage of affordable housing, city government on taxes and planning, etc., and public safety and crime. Six in ten residents said they would support a tax increase to maintain or improve services, while four in ten preferred reducing services to lower taxes. Bennerotte noted that some questions were unique to Edina, including those about the budget and fire response time, as they were asked for the first time this year. Regarding the top concerns, Council expressed concerns about overdevelopment and zoning and suggested the need to examine the drivers of these concerns before starting the next Comprehensive Plan update; it was noted that only one in five residents identified t…

--- title: Agenda Edina-MN (1) ## author: Douglas Shumway date: D:20240501233800Z --- Meeting location: ## Edina City Hall ## Community Room 4801 W. 50th St. ## Edina, MN ## City Council Work Session Meeting Agenda Wednesday, August 6, 2025 ## 5:30 PM ## Accessibility Support: The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. 1. Call to Order ## 2. Roll Call ## 3. Meeting Topics 3.1. 2025 Quality of Life Survey 4. Adjournment