Edina City Council Regular Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Edina City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM in City Hall. All five members were present. The meeting featured community comments on tax levies, school district boundaries, and public safety; approval of a consent agenda; introductions and proclamations; and in-depth discussions on the Rosland Park Pedestrian Bridge, the France Avenue Pedestrian Underpass, and a proposed senior housing development at 7600 Parklawn.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the April 7, 2026, work session and regular meeting.
• Approved claims for payment totaling $95,236.47, $66.62, $1,906,002.34, and $1,999,375.38.
• Accepted Traffic Safety Report of February 24, 2026.
• Approved purchase requests for: Ouster LiDAR Vehicle Detection System ($41,750 to Traffic Control Corp.); Natural Areas Long-Term Maintenance 2026–2028 ($634,694.86 to Landbridge Ecological); 2026 Commodity Quotes ($3,844.03 to various low bidders); Edinborough Park Fire Alarm Emergency Repairs ($60,630 to LVC Companies & Corporate Mechanical); Prospect Knolls & Parklawn Ct Reconstruction Materials Testing ($71,697 to Braun Intertec); France Avenue Sidewalk Phase 4 Construction ($528,729.75 to New Look Contracting) and Construction Services ($97,500 to Bolton & Menk); Parks & Recreation Annual Software Renewal ($47,821.05 to Civic Plus); Aquatic Center Cleaning Services ($36,500 to Covas Cleaning Services LLC); Aquatic Center Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment ($196,809.60 to Henricksen); Helpdesk Software Subscription ($31,609.20 to HappyFox).
• Waived permit fees for Fred Richards Park Master Plan Implementation.
• Approved on-sale intoxicating liquor license for Cielito Lindo Southdale LLP dba Cielito Lindo. All items passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ralph Zickert criticized the 2026 general levy reduction from 17% to 7.94%, asserting it was achieved not by spending cuts but by deferring $1.8 million in capital/equipment spending, transferring $1 million to utility bills, and transferring $586,000 to Hennepin County. He asked the Council to acknowledge this and to include the schedule shared with Member Agnew in manager comments.
• Taylor Bruhschwein expressed support for safety, affordability, land use, and sustainability, arguing that transportation fixes enable these broader goals and that street safety is a city-level responsibility.
• Makebal Ayele, a student, stated he feels excluded from Edina High School because district lines assign him to Richfield High School despite living in Edina. He asked for help transferring.
• Lori Grotz questioned the tax treatment of the old Public Works site (in a TIF district). Noting the developer is not using TIF, she asked whether the Council would carve out the property so that incremental property taxes go to the general fund rather than the HRA.
• Nadia A. described a family living in Edina but unable to enroll in Edina Public Schools due to redistricting policies, and asked the Council to reconsider redistricting.
• City Manager Neal responded to prior community comments about his consulting practice (stating no city resources were used), Lake Cornelia buffer tree planting (re-review planned), and a crosswalk request (under traffic safety review).

Recognitions and Presentations

• Jessica Nikunen introduced as the new Human Resources Director (started three weeks earlier).
• Building Safety Month (May 2026) proclamation approved; accepted by Assistant Building Official Rick Chase, who noted the department conducts 18,000 inspections annually.
• Arbor Day (April 24, 2026) proclamation approved; City Forester Luther Overholt invited everyone to the planting of 70 new trees at Creek Valley School Park with 593 students.
• I-494 Corridor Update – Melissa Madison, I-494 Corridor Commission President, presented annual results: Edina pays $33,000 in dues (4% of budget), the commission assisted 884 Edina residents/commuters, and 19% of assisted drive-alone commuters converted to sustainable modes. Member Pierce commended the commission’s work in changing commuting behavior.

Discussion Items

1. Rosland Park Pedestrian Bridge Bid Results City Engineer Chad Millner presented bid results for the replacement bridge over Highway 62. Three options were considered: no cladding ($7.6 million total), partial cladding on bridge only ($8.0 million), and full cladding ($8.4 million). MnDOT had provided $6.2 million (original $3 million plus $200,000 inflationary increase), leaving a gap of $1.4 million to $2.2 million. Staff recommended no cladding to avoid delaying other infrastructure projects. After discussion, a majority of Council favored partial cladding, with Mayor Hovland proposing use of $300,000–400,000 from the Centennial Lakes TIF fund to cover the additional cost without impacting other projects. Councilmembers Risser and Jackson expressed safety and privacy concerns with cladding; Councilmembers Pierce and Agnew supported partial cladding as a compromise. The contract award is expected at the May 5, 2026, meeting.

2. France Avenue Pedestrian Underpass – Suspension of Study Mayor Hovland moved to suspend all current and future spending on studying the feasibility and design of the France Avenue proposed underpass, and instead direct staff to engage with Hennepin County to study at-grade safe crossing alternatives between 66th and 77th Avenue South, with a report due June 30, 2027. The underpass was estimated at $20 million and would serve about 300 trail users per day. Councilmember Risser noted the area is not a high-injury corridor based on recent data and emphasized using limited resources effectively. Councilmember Agnew opposed the suspension, arguing it overcorrects and that the underpass could connect Centennial Lakes. The motion passed 4-1 (Agnew nay).

3. Sketch Plan Review – 7600 Parklawn (Senior Housing) Josh Brandsted (Greco) presented two concepts for redeveloping an existing office building into 55+ apartments: a two-building, 7-story option (270 units total) and a 12-story tower with more open space. Rents are projected at $2,000/month for one-bedrooms and $3,000–$5,000/month for two/three-bedrooms. Council feedback favored the 7-story concept due to concerns about the 12-story tower’s shade impact on Fred Richards Park and neighbors. Members emphasized park connectivity, a boulevard/promenade, and high-quality design. Member Agnew expressed concern about the trend toward all-residential development and a preference for owner-occupied or general housing; Member Risser cautioned that TIF financing delays property tax revenue for city services. The project is valued at over $100 million.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously.
• Proclamations for Building Safety Month and Arbor Day approved unanimously.
• Resolution 2026-20 accepting donations adopted unanimously.
• Rosland Park Bridge: Council directed staff to proceed with partial cladding, funding gap covered by Centennial Lakes TIF funds. Contract for approval expected May 5, 2026.
• France Avenue Underpass: Study and design spending suspended; staff to work with Hennepin County on at-grade alternatives; report due June 30, 2027. Motion carried 4-1.
• 7600 Parklawn Senior Housing: Sketch plan discussion concluded; applicant to refine 7-story concept with attention to park connectivity, boulevard design, and financing. Formal application to follow.
• Manager’s Comments: Noted testimony on local sales tax bill seeking $53–56 million in additional spending authority; 911 service outage caused by upstream fiber issue; no calls lost.
• Council Comments: Member Agnew raised potential restriction of electronic charitable gambling; Member Jackson thanked staff for 911 response; Mayor announced Earth Day celebration at Weber Park on April 26. The meeting adjourned at 9:56 p.m.