The Edina City Council took a cautious approach to gun regulation at its work session Tuesday, scheduling a public hearing rather than immediately moving forward with a drafted ordinance. City Manager Scott Neil explained that Minnesota's state preemption law—which gives the state authority over gun regulations—severely limits what cities can do. "The preemption by the state government is pretty pervasive," Neil said. "It doesn't leave a lot of options for cities."

The council had drafted an ordinance similar to one St. Paul approved, but city staff recommended against moving forward because any local gun rules would be unenforceable under current state law. Rather than abandon the effort entirely, council members decided to prioritize community engagement. The January 6th public hearing will allow Edina residents to weigh in on gun violence prevention before the council takes further action.

In other business, the council unanimously awarded a contract to HNU Construction for early earthwork on the Fred Richards Park wetland preserve project. The 43-acre park will be transformed into a high-quality wetland habitat at a cost of $17.7 million. The city previously pursued a formal wetland banking process—a program that creates restored wetlands to offset environmental damage elsewhere—but withdrew after multiple applications were denied due to evolving park designs.

Despite that setback, the city remains committed to the project. Staff emphasized the ecological approach: the preserve will feature native, climate-resilient plantings including wildflowers in upland areas and cattails, sedges, and rushes in wetter zones. Workers will also remove invasive species from existing vegetation. The early earthwork contract marks a significant step forward in creating what city officials describe as a diverse, sustainable habitat.