Minnetonka City Council — Transcript
Thursday, September 18, 2025
City Council Actions and Zoning Update Progress
Interim Use Permit for Portable Classroom
Variance Request for Wall Signage
Shady Oak Station Development Strategy Update
Votes (4)
Report from Staff
Staff reported on two recent City Council meetings. On August 25th, the Council approved the final plat of a two-lot subdivision on Glendale Road and Eden Prairie Road, which required a small lot area variance. On September 8th, a conditional use permit for a columbarium installation at Groveland Cemetery was approved on the consent agenda. The zoning update community workgroup and staff workgroup met last week to discuss potential zoning districts, permitted/conditional/accessory uses, and lot standards. The packet for this meeting is available on minnotonkamatters.com. The next workgroup meeting is October 16th.
Amended interim use permit for portable classroom at Glen Lake Elementary School at 4801 Woodbridge Road
Moved by Commissioner Minion [7:29] · Seconded by Commissioner Hansen [7:34]
This item was on the consent agenda. No commissioner or public member requested that the item be removed for broader discussion.
Variance to allow two wall signs on the north and east wall elevations at 17809 Hutchkins Drive (Anchored Orthodontics)
Dissent: Commissioner Brink voted against the motion.
Moved by Commissioner Waterman [1:12:49] · Seconded by Commissioner Hansen [1:12:56]
Staff presented a variance request for Anchored Orthodontics to have two wall signs. The property is zoned B1 office and is allowed one wall sign. Staff recommended approving a variance for two signs, one on the north and one on the east elevations, but not two on the east. The applicant (Anchored Orthodontics) requested two signs on the east elevation, arguing it has better visibility from main traffic routes and avoids conflict with a neighboring tenant (Dentistry by Design) who has a permitted sign on the east. Commissioners debated the criteria of 'unique circumstances,' 'reasonableness,' and 'character of the neighborhood,' ultimately leaning towards supporting the applicant's request for two signs on the east due to the practical challenges of wayfinding, supporting local business, and the specific visibility from the main road. Concerns were raised about the landlord's long-standing non-compliance regarding other signs on the property.
Shady Oak Station development strategy update
Miss Wishnack provided an update on the Shady Oak Station development strategy, a joint effort between Minnetonka and Hopkins. The 2015 strategy was revised due to shifts in parking demand (less than initially planned) and current office market vacancies. The new vision emphasizes active lifestyles, public art, and interim activations like markets and concerts. Challenges include fragmented property ownership and environmental complexities, making redevelopment a long-term (20+ year) process. The discussion covered the upcoming light rail testing, the role of the 'light rail overlay' zoning, and the city's broader strategy for village centers in its zoning update.
Notable Quotes (8)
Yeah. I'd say the third one is just the character of the neighborhood. So, this is something that could not be replicated at any other property without but for a variance. They those other properties if they had two signs, they would need to be on separate elevations because they have the two frontage which allows them to have those two signs.
We are exhausted from hearing from our patients and prospective patients. They are not sure which door to enter, what suite are we in, or asking when we are going to get a real sign.
the north elevation is not at all visible until you uh like get up to the building. So, the area where mo most of the traffic flows is from 101 and coming west. And so, and coming west down that road, the east elevation is completely visible.
What are we doing here? We have the business owner fighting for themselves and the ten and the landlord. Now, we probably have all rented at one point in our life. Um, and here we have a small business kind of fighting to hang its own shingle. And so I personally want to do whatever is possible to support that.
I'm a big uh supporter of our sign uh codes and and I think that they're important. Um but typically a sign is just a generic word and there's so many different things that are are can be presented and aesthetics mean a lot. How things fit in the neighborhood mean a lot.
We now know um how much open property there is. Uh there was three times as much parking planned at this station than when we did the original document. Um there also wasn't this office issue, this office phenomena that we have today where we have so much vacancy and so there was office envisioned in that original plan but there was also housing in the original plan.
I think the difference here um maybe from our ridged experience is there was no there there I mean these were kind of gritty um industrial semi-industrial properties and no one I mean all of a sudden now light rails popped in the middle of it. So it really does take a lot more effort and a lot more visioning um and leadership to make this happen.
I would just add to that that I think the overlay, as I have always thought of it, is a is like a pause. It's a timeout. It's a think before you redevelop. You could redevelop, but it's just a a pause. Whereas, moving forward with the new zoning ordinance, hopefully, we will build in some of these um some of these visions into actual regulation.
Ordinances & Resolutions (12)
Approved for a two-lot subdivision on Glendale/Eden Prairie Road.
Required for each lot in the Glendale/Eden Prairie Road subdivision.
Approved for columbarium installation at Groveland Cemetery.
Ongoing project with community workgroup meetings to review potential districts, uses, and standards.
City's overall planning document, referenced in the context of balancing individual rights and community responsibilities, and guiding recommendations on land use applications.
City's regulations on land use, referenced in the context of the variance request and comprehensive plan amendments.
City's regulations governing land division.
Approved for Glen Lake Elementary School.
Request by Anchored Orthodontics for signage at 17809 Hutchkins Drive.
Original strategy document being updated.
Existing zoning measure in the Shady Oak Station area to guide light rail friendly redevelopment.
Referenced for its vision of village centers and informing the current zoning update.