Minnetonka City Council — Transcript
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Story
Minnetonka rejects Hopkins High School scoreboard variance
Zoning Ordinance Update
Sustainability Commission Liaison Appointment
Votes (3)
Maximum height and maximum copy and graphic area variance for a scoreboard at 10700 Cedar Lake Road
Dissent: Commissioner Minion, Commissioner Banks
Moved by Commissioner Brink [1:13:30] · Seconded by Commissioner Johnson [1:13:41]
The Planning Commission reviewed a variance application for a new scoreboard at Hopkins High School, proposed to be 41.5 ft tall and 1,134 sq ft in area, exceeding the 35 ft height and 1,000 sq ft area limits. Staff recommended denial due to potential visual impact on residential properties, inconsistency with the comprehensive plan, and no unique practical difficulty. The applicant clarified that the core video screen is a standard small size, and other parts could be tweaked, also noting the sign's adjustable light intensity. A public commenter expressed concern about the daily visual nuisance from the back of the sign and existing sound issues (though sound was clarified not to be part of this application). Commissioners debated the need for variance, the precedent it would set, and the potential for code-compliant modifications.
Update to the zoning ordinance
Miss Thomas provided an overview of the ongoing zoning ordinance rewrite process, detailing its genesis from a 2024 diagnostic report by Zone Co. that identified misalignments with comprehensive plan goals regarding housing diversity, mixed-use, sustainability, and clarity. She explained the formation and activities of staff and community workgroups, which have met to review diagnostic findings, conduct visual preference surveys, and discuss zoning districts, uses, and lot standards. The presentation outlined future steps including drafting new language, updates to the City Council, public engagement initiatives (educational videos, community events), and a target for final draft presentation and Planning Commission/Council review by December 2026, prioritizing thoroughness over strict deadlines.
Elections (Sustainability Commission Liaison Appointment)
Moved by Commissioner Minion [1:18:23] · Seconded by Commissioner Banks [1:18:31]
The commission proceeded with the appointment of a liaison to the Sustainability Commission, a role previously tabled to ensure full commission participation and allow new members to consider the opportunity. Miss Thomas outlined the Sustainability Commission's role, which involves advising the City Council on environmental resources (air, water, energy, land, recycling) and acting as community ambassadors for sustainability efforts. Commissioner Sher volunteered after some discussion and was subsequently nominated for the position.
Notable Quotes (8)
staff recommends that the planning commission adopt the resolution denying the height and copy and graphic area variance for the scoreboard at Hopkins High School. ...the proposal would result in a greater visual impact to the um adjacent residential properties. ...inconsistent with the comprehensive plan... there is not a practical difficulty in uh meeting the uh city code requirements.
the video screen is exactly the same size. It's just there's ancillary pieces that go around this scoreboard are are larger. So, the video screen really I is is one of the smaller uh uh pieces that they actually make. They make much bigger video screens for uh scoreboard situations. So, we've minimized that component of it.
The concern I have is um it's not the four or five games that it's going to be on during the seasons. It's every day that we drive by, every day that I look out my patio door and I see the back of the existing scoreboard, which is significantly smaller than the one that's being proposed. It's like looking into the backside of an old barn every day, every time I go by.
I do disagree with the city's opinion that there's not a unique circumstance here and and and I'm looking at this at a 180 degree. I'm not looking at the full 360 is that 2200 ft away from the illuminated side is where the city you would see things with your car when you drive by... I'm very much in support of it just as it stands.
my feeling on this is you have to consider the precedent it would set by allowing this variance when you really can't make the findings. The staff report was, I thought, very good on that. And I think there is a possibility to have a reasonable sign there. I mean, you know, cut the lion's head off, do something like that.
I think his testimony here says that there will be an impact to at least one neighbor, which then um does not mean that there's no impact to the residential neighborhood. And I think it has to be no impact, not just small amount of impact. So, for that reason, I um am in favor of the the staff denial.
they noted that we have some misalignment with our goals for housing diversity and density, mixeduse development, sustainability and resilience, and really just simplicity and clarity within our ordinance.
We're hopeful that this work will wrap up um by December of this year, but we don't have a a firm deadline. We want to make sure that we're doing things um slowly, correctly. um and considerately as we as we do all things here in Minnitankka.
Ordinances & Resolutions (6)
Guides the city's development and land use decisions
Regulates land use, development, and building standards
Regulates the division of land into lots
A formal request for an exception to zoning code requirements
A formal document for adopting a decision, in this case, denying a variance
A report evaluating the current zoning ordinance's alignment with comprehensive plan goals