Edina Council Rejects Townhouse Proposal, Approves New Restaurants
The Edina City Council unanimously denied a request to replace two single-family homes with townhouses on Hankerson Avenue, while approving liquor licenses for two new businesses coming to the city.
In a 5-0 vote, the council rejected both a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning request that would have allowed developer to build four townhouse units at 5120-5124 Hankerson Avenue. Despite a 6-3 recommendation for approval from the Planning Commission, council members expressed concerns about inadequate setbacks, reduced yard space, and the lack of a comprehensive neighborhood plan.
Council Member Risser led the opposition, arguing that the proposed buildings would cover 40% of the lot compared to the 25% allowed by code. Council Member Pierce said he preferred strategic area-wide rezoning rather than approving projects site-by-site. While Council Member Jackson initially supported the project, stating cities must "rebuild themselves," colleagues' arguments ultimately persuaded him to vote no. The mayor suggested the applicant consider alternative sites.
The council did approve liquor licenses for two new businesses. Hope Breakfast Bar, an elevated brunch restaurant opening at 7585 France Avenue by the end of May, received unanimous approval. Owner Jeff Bourman highlighted the restaurant's charitable mission, including serving 400,000 meals during the pandemic. Pack Mini Golf, a tech-infused venue opening on Southdale Center's third-floor rooftop in September with approximately 200 employees, also received approval.
MnDOT officials briefed the council on the $377 million Highway 494 corridor project, which will add high-occupancy toll lanes from Highway 169 to Highway 77 and reconstruct the Interstate 35W interchange. The project involves moving 880,000 truckloads of dirt and installing 14 miles of storm sewer, with significant ramp closures expected from mid-June through September.
In other business, the council recognized the state championship women's hockey team, proclaimed May as Heritage Preservation Month, and received an update on climate action efforts showing a 15% reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions since 2019. The city also approved a dental office development at 7300 Metro Boulevard and accepted over $10,000 in donations for parks and city programs.
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Votes (12)
Consent Agenda - Multiple Items with Exception of 6C
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Agu [Timestamp not specified]
Council approved consent agenda items with exception of item 6C (Adina Historical Society Service Agreement), which was removed for separate discussion.
Adina Historical Society Service Agreement (Item 6C)
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Risser [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified]
Council Member Risser expressed concerns about limited metrics in the service agreement, requesting information on collection policies, deaccessioning procedures, and financial management. City Manager Neil acknowledged the need for stronger oversight and proposed Council Member Risser serve on the Historical Society board to strengthen the relationship. The agreement was approved with understanding that more substantive reporting would be provided going forward.
State Championship Hockey Team Recognition
Dissent: None
Moved by Not specified · Seconded by Not specified
The council recognized the state championship women's hockey team with a proclamation and gifts (car coasters). Team captains spoke about overcoming adversity during the season, facing significant losses but ultimately winning the state championship. The Mayor highlighted the team's legislative visit and noted the city's desire to recognize all state championship teams before the school year ends.
National Emergency Medical Services Week Proclamation
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Jackson [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Agu [Timestamp not specified]
The council adopted a proclamation designating May 19-25, 2024 as Emergency Medical Services Week, honoring the 50th anniversary of EMS Week. Fire Marshal Dave Miller accepted the proclamation on behalf of emergency responders, emphasizing the critical roles of dispatchers, police officers, and firefighter-paramedics in emergency response.
MnDOT Highway 494 Corridor Project Update
Dissent: None
Moved by Not applicable (informational presentation) · Seconded by Not applicable
MnDOT West Area Manager Ryan Wilson presented a comprehensive update on the $377 million Highway 494 corridor project, including construction of an EasyPass high-occupancy toll lane from Highway 169 to 77, reconstruction of the 35W interchange, and anticipated phase two work. The project involves 880,000 truckloads of dirt movement, 14 miles of storm sewer, and significant ramp closures beginning mid-June through September. Council Member Jackson raised concerns about coordination with the pedestrian bridge project on 64th Street and potential impacts to newly reconstructed city streets. Wilson acknowledged the tight coordination needed and noted that the shoulder workspace may reduce impacts to 64th Street. The council also discussed the Highway 62 auxiliary lane expansion, noise wall process, and future Highway 100 bridge reconstruction over Highway 62 planned for 2029.
Heritage Preservation Month Proclamation and House Novel Award
Dissent: None
Moved by Not specified · Seconded by Not specified
The council proclaimed May 2024 as Heritage Preservation Month and presented the annual Edina Heritage Preservation Award to Amanda Zelski and Dave Decker, founders of House Novel, a national crowdsourced home history platform with over 600 Edina properties documented and 24,000 home records nationally. The platform aims to preserve home history as communities experience demographic transitions and downsizing. Co-founder Amanda Zelski noted that House Novel is 'if Zillow plus ancestry.com had a baby' and emphasized the importance of capturing family moments and home history. The founders indicated 90% of website users are interested in learning about their own homes, with particular interest in historical narratives and potential hauntings in the country club neighborhood.
Climate Action Plan Progress Report and Conservation Sustainability Fund Update
Dissent: None
Moved by Not applicable (informational presentation) · Seconded by Not applicable
Sustainability Manager Marissa Bear reported that the city has achieved a 15% reduction in community-wide greenhouse gas emissions from the 2019 baseline (targeting 45% by 2030), with progress driven primarily by grid decarbonization and reduced natural gas consumption. The Conservation and Sustainability (CAST) Fund had a $22.37 million balance at the start of 2023, with $1.668 million spent in 2023 (76% on municipal vehicle and building electrification). Nearly 50% of the 218 climate action plan strategies have been started or completed. Transportation and buildings represent 97% of required emissions reductions by 2030 (56% transportation, 41% buildings, 3% waste/water). Implementation challenges include limited staff capacity, delays in federal IRA funding, long-term nature of individual actions, and difficulty influencing behavior change. Council Member Jackson asked about electric vehicle measurement methodology and expressed interest in EV registration data. Council Member Pierce requested information about the new ice rink's energy baseline and efficiency improvements. Council Member Agu raised climate anxiety concerns and requested information about immediate vs. long-term impact actions. Bear recommended three immediate actions: home energy audits (50% city-subsidized), renewable energy subscriptions, and transportation mode shifts.
Hope Breakfast Bar - On-Sale Intoxicating and Sunday Sale Liquor License
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Jackson [Timestamp not specified]
The council approved an on-sale intoxicating and Sunday sale liquor license for Hope Breakfast Bar (Hope Edina LLC), a new elevated brunch restaurant opening by end of May at 7585 France Avenue in Centeno Lakes Plaza. Owner Jeff Bourman emphasized the restaurant's mission-driven approach through parent company Purpose Restaurants, which dedicates portions of sales to hospitality worker support and community relief efforts. The restaurant serves elevated breakfast and brunch items from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with specialty items including cake batter pancakes and breakfast sandwiches with eggs. Bourman noted the company's history of charitable work including hunger relief during the Turkey earthquakes, fire relief in Maui, and serving 400,000 meals during the pandemic. City Clerk Allison recommended approval after background checks and application review. No public testimony was received.
Pack Mini Golf - On-Sale Intoxicating and Sunday Sale Liquor License
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Agu [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified]
The council approved an on-sale intoxicating and Sunday sale liquor license for Pack (Pack Minneapolis Southdale LLC), a tech-infused self-scoring mini golf venue with globally inspired menu opening in early September 2024 on the third floor rooftop terrace of Southdale Center (above the new Kowalski grocery store). Regional Director Josh St. Pierre indicated the venue will employ approximately 200 associates and emphasized the company's pride in training processes. The menu features items ranging from burgers to wood-fired octopus. City Clerk Allison recommended approval after background checks and application review. No public testimony was received.
Resolution 2024-39 - Accepting Various Donations
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Jackson [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified]
The council accepted donations totaling approximately $10,000+ to various city facilities and programs. Donations included memorial bench contributions to Centennial Lakes ($3,200 from Renee Chang, $4,200 from Katherine Landman), a $200 gift to Braemar Golf Course memorial fund, in-kind donations to the senior center from Games by James, Home Instead, and Betty Gusterson, and a $2,587 donation to the police department's Community Impact Fund from the Edina Community Foundation. Donor names will be posted on the city website.
Hankerson Avenue Rezoning and PUD Request (5120-5124 Hankerson Avenue) - DENIED
Dissent: Council Member Jackson initially supported the project but was persuaded by colleagues' arguments and voted to deny.
Moved by Council Member Risser [Timestamp not specified] · Seconded by Council Member Pierce [Timestamp not specified]
The council unanimously denied both a comprehensive plan amendment (Resolution 2024-33) and preliminary rezoning request (Resolution 2024-30) for two single-family homes proposed to be replaced with four townhouse units (two duplexes). The Planning Commission recommended approval 6-3, but the council voted unanimously to deny. Council Member Jackson initially supported the project as a living city that must rebuild itself, but was persuaded by colleagues' arguments. Council Member Risser opposed the PUD, citing inadequate setbacks (40% building coverage vs. 25% code requirement), loss of rear yard space (less than required 20-25 feet), and concerns about spot zoning. She argued that architects could design compliant double-dwelling units within code requirements. Council Member Pierce opposed the PUD approach, preferring strategic area rezoning to R2 rather than site-by-site PUD approvals. He suggested the city should develop policies to incentivize small builders and affordable townhouse development. Council Member Agu opposed the project, expressing concerns about lack of a comprehensive kill district plan for the area and the need for strategic, community-engaged planning. Council Member Risser opposed the project to protect the integrity of the single-family neighborhood. The Mayor suggested the applicant consider alternative sites including the Public Works site and the new Fire Station site, and recommended consulting with a housing foundation. The council expressed support for townhouse development in the area but requested a comprehensive zoning approach rather than site-by-site PUD approvals.
Edodontics Dental Office - Site Plan Review and Variances (7300 Metro Boulevard) - APPROVED
Dissent: Council Member Agu expressed concerns about lack of comprehensive planning but did not vote against the project.
Moved by Not specified · Seconded by Not specified
The council approved a site plan review and variances for a 6,000 square-foot dental office in the Planned Office District at 7300 Metro Boulevard. The project required two variances: floor height from 20 to 10 feet and side yard setback from 20 to 10 feet. The building was shifted south to bring it closer to the street and avoid parking in the front, improving pedestrian connectivity and traffic flow. The Planning Commission recommended approval 8-0. Council Member Jackson praised the applicant's responsiveness to feedback regarding patient privacy, traffic flow, and zoning compliance. Council Member Agu expressed concerns about the lack of a comprehensive kill district plan for the area but did not vote against the project, acknowledging that market timing and conditions sometimes require site-by-site decisions. The Mayor noted that while the project may not align with a future comprehensive plan, it represents a reasonable use of the property and will not preclude future area development.
Notable Quotes (26)
I think the service agreement is very good about providing us information regarding process and standards it's very um Limited in terms of actual metrics and I'm thinking it would be so helpful because this is a visible entity that we support in the city of Edina um if we were to get information that perhaps is presented to the board on an annual basis
I think um council member Risser raises some very good questions that we don't really have answers for a lot of those kinds of questions we just haven't had the kind of tight relationship with the Historical Society over the years um it would be nice if we were going to be a bigger Financial booster and contributor to the site that we get some kind of presence on their board of directors
I was a senior Captain this year and uh yeah Winning State this year was definitely the best feeling um just being with these girls so fun and I wouldn't have asked for a better team with A better ending
this year was definitely very different because we faced a lot of adversity just throughout this season and we weren't even sure if we were going to make it out of sections just because BSM was such a great team so that made the whole experience of winning State just so that much better
I think this year uh the state championship was pretty special to everyone on the team as Taylor said we faced some adversity and um had the most losses in in any d a season in a really long time so I think a lot of PE we were The Underdogs going into the tournament and I think um the state champ made the state championship that much worth it because we had to work harder than everybody else and prove everybody else wrong
on behalf of our uh emergency responders uh we appreciate uh your recognition of National Emergency uh or national EMS week uh and all the work that our emergency responders do our emergency response starts with our emergency dispatchers who are often giving critical advice to uh the caller during an emergency as they are dispatching our police officers who are First Responders and then our firefighter paramedics
we're talking about 880,000 truckloads of dirt that are going to be moved around on the project 14 miles of storm sewer um not all of that was ours some of it is uh local municipalities they're working with but uh that's a big number as well 4,000 truckloads 80,000 tons of pinous Paving Paving and 50 football field fields of concrete Paving which is really significant for an urban area
you mentioned 64th Street and when we talked with residents in that area about redoing the streets they were very concerned about the coordination and also making sure that our brand new streets when additional work is done don't get damaged so can you talk a little bit about the care that you're going to take with our brand new 64th Street when you put in the sound wall and the bridge
we're really at the early stages of our work we're in I guess I would call it the early design kind of pre post scoping phase and so we're really kind of putting major lines on the map I think the most important thing right now is to make sure we're not we're doing things in cooperation with the pedestrian bridge project um and where our noise wall might be and that they're supportive of each other
if Zillow plus ancestry.com had a baby it would be a house novel so it's been a really fun ride and it's a great way to preserve all the real moments that make a house a home and so this summer when you're having fun on the 4th of July or whatever holidays coming forth make sure to capture all those magical moments with your family and upload them to house.com
we have 24,000 home records in the nation so far and continually growing and so we're excited to keep partnering with the Heritage society as well as other public resources to grow it as much as possible and hopefully become the Nations go to home history resource
as we look across this there is limited staff capacity to tackle 200 plus actions that's a lot to do between 2021 and 2030 I I do want a knowledge you know 50% is already underway that's a lot of low hanging fruit those are a lot of easy actions and so there's there's bigger lifts on the horizon here as we look to our 2030 goals
as we think about really where do we want to be putting our staff time future resources potential policies to achieve our our climate goals we really need to focus on those transportation and building sector to really truly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
folks can go to our website and we have uh actions you can take organized by homeowners by renters um and kind of as you think about yourself as an individual in how might that apply um but briefly I think three immediate things folks can be thinking about is first get a home energy Squad visit is a home energy audit that they will come to your home um home owners and renters in one to four units can participate and the City of V din covers 50% of the cost so it's only $50 for ad Diner residents to participate
we saw a lot of things that we really didn't feel were healthy in the restaurant space um and so unfortunately there's a lot of alcohol abuse there's a lot of drug abuse there's a lot of things when you have people working in close proximity with a lot of uh Temptations let us say so we really decided to make it our mission in this business to do things differently um so we dedicate uh a portion of our sales really uh mainly focused in helping out Hospitality workers in need
Brian always says when you take money out of a community you need to be willing to give it back and that's really our mission not just uh our Hospitality community that we're a part of but the greater communities we go into
we're super excited um to open up our southa location is Tech infused mini golf so it's the first self-scoring mini golf um it's a globally inspired menu we've got everything from Burgers to Wood Fired octopus um ready to offer the the citizens of a dino we're just we're really excited to to get this one open
right now we're looking at um early September we should have significant completion of the of the venue by uh early um Ju July but it's going to take we we take a lot of pride in our training process um we should be employing around uh 200 Associates at this location um so it takes us a little bit of time to get them up to speed and we like to do that in a finished venue
a city is a living entity and if a home was built in 1950 when a person's born in 1950 they're they're new and shiny and a home is new and shiny and that's almost 75 years ago now and over time we all age and buildings age and cities age and the wonderful thing about cities is that they can rebuild themselves
I do not see this PUD ask as reasonable I also feel that we are at a point where we need to really be more purposeful and mindful about what we're losing when we abandon our code um these sites are not large enough to um accommodate the proposed development and retain the required setback variances and that means we are going to end up with structures that will occupy 40% of the land and if you look at our code for R2 um double dwelling units can only occupy 25%
I don't like using PUD to do that um and I I a couple weeks ago I I used the term spot zoning and you answered my question that it's technically not spot zoning uh but what we would end up doing is if there's another the another house another development opportunity to do the same thing we'd have to apply for a PUD again um and so I like to kind of step back and think strategically about an area
I just really dislike pey for this use case um I I think especially hearing from members of the community after watching the Planning Commission meeting after this dialogue it just doesn't feel like the right application and I I say all that because I'm not a against PUD like I I really like PUD and I'm I'm not necessarily thinking that we need to use it less I like that it's a tool in our toolbox but I think we we need to be really intentional of when we use it and how we use it
I think about what if we had applied that kind of philosophy to accessory dwelling units and um did not go down a real thoughtful careful plan that made it possible for us to move forward in a way that will protect neighbor ing properties um what if we had just said oh you know well we don't have a Adu ordinance let's just consider this another garage
I remember when we um thought U comprehensively about the uh demolition of that apartment building where the eight town houses are presently located and I can distinctly remember thinking okay you got the uh you got this apartment building I think there was one house to the north that was included in the building pad we will for the eight cond or eight town houses and I I remember thinking at the time all right uh this is okay this this makes sense get rid of this tired old apartment building it looks like it's from uh Miami Beach from 1954 and and put up these beautiful tow houses but I also remember thinking I don't want to see anybody come back and try to encroach further into the neighborhood
I just want to say thank you for listening to our comments at sketch plan I so impressed with how you were able to accommodate the privacy of your patients and their convenience and our zoning requirements is was really kind of when you came back I was really surprised and pleased I just wanted to say thank you for that and traffic flow and traffic flow yes yes much safer
I remember early on when I was I think I just got to be a mayor and um we were doing a plan for the southill district and the Weston project came up before we were done with the plan so was it going to fit the plan or not fit the plan I don't know but we had to take it on because he didn't want to wait because market conditions and we took it on and approved the the Weston project and and then the saltdale plan kind of followed suit but I don't I don't personally feel like taking you know I think you would describe it well uh making use of an area of a of a surface parking lot to create something that's really beneficial to our community and will be an enhancement is something that ties us to a certain standard it will exist there but what can exist around it over time will maybe be something more akin to what you're thinking about
Ordinances & Resolutions (13)
Accepting various donations to city facilities including memorial benches and community impact fund contributions
Denying comprehensive plan amendment for 5120-5124 Hankerson Avenue from low-density residential to medium-density residential
Denying preliminary rezoning from R1 single-family district to PUD and subdivision for 5120-5124 Hankerson Avenue
Approving site plan review and variances for Edodontics dental office at 7300 Metro Boulevard
Service agreement approved with conditions for enhanced reporting on collection policies, deaccessioning, and financial metrics
Eight-sector, 36-strategy, 218-action plan targeting 45% community-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050
Utility franchise fee-funded program with $22.37 million balance (2023 start), supporting municipal electrification and community sustainability initiatives
$377 million project with nine identified elements; currently constructing elements 3-5 and 7, including EasyPass toll lanes and 35W interchange reconstruction
Permanent addition of auxiliary lane from Valley View to Highway 100; includes noise wall analysis and resident voting process; estimated cost $12-15 million
MnDOT-funded project with $3 million state contribution; design advancement planned with coordination to Highway 62 auxiliary lane project
Designating May 19-25, 2024 as EMS Week, honoring 50th anniversary with theme 'Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future'
Designating May 2024 as Heritage Preservation Month in the City of Edina
Annual award presented to Amanda Zelski and Dave Decker for House Novel platform documenting 600+ Edina properties
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Other Topics from This Document
Community Comments - Tree Ordinance and Development Compliance
Amazon Green Restaurant Parking and Traffic Management
State Championship Hockey Team Recognition
National Emergency Medical Services Week Proclamation
MnDOT Highway 494 Corridor Project Update
Heritage Preservation Month and House Novel Award
Climate Action Plan Progress and Conservation Sustainability Fund
Adina Historical Society Service Agreement
Hope Breakfast Bar - Liquor License Approval
Pack Mini Golf - Liquor License Approval
Donations to City Facilities
Hankerson Avenue Rezoning and PUD Request (5120-5124 Hankerson Avenue)
Edodontics Dental Office - Site Plan and Variances (7300 Metro Boulevard)
Also from this meeting
Planning Commission delays decision on 153-unit France Avenue apartment project
7200 France Avenue Site Plan Review and Zoning Ordinance AmendmentJun 25, 2026Edina Council directs staff to draft cannabis retail rules
Cannabis Retail Ordinance DevelopmentJun 25, 2026Edina Police Department Unveils New K9 Team
Introduction of Edina Police Department's New K9 TeamJun 20, 2026Edina breaks ground on new fire station with integrated public health services
Miniwawa Avenue Right-of-Way Easement VacationJun 20, 2026Edina Council approves land purchase to preserve oak trees
City Council's Representative Role and At-Large SystemJun 19, 2026Edina Council Delays Housing Decision, Approves Street Projects
Community Concerns and Follow-upJun 19, 2026
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