Public Hearing: Rezoning from PCD-3 to PUD, Subdivision and Consideration of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) at 70th & France

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CLOSED: This item was approved 4-1 on the December 15 City Council meeting.

Comments

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CLOSED: This item was approved 4-1 on the December 15 City Council meeting.

This item is on the December 15 City Council agenda.

I have complete dissatisfaction regarding the proposed development on the corner of 70th/France Ave.
There is absolutely no need for a structure of that height in a City like Edina.
I can’t believe one who sits on the council and represents the people of Edina would agree to 20-24 stories! Or even 16!
I have lived in Edina for all my life outside of college years and just wish we could maintain some charm Edina is known for!
We are getting away from that and turning it into a smaller downtown Minneapolis. It is so unfortunate!
I feel that there is absolutely NO reason to exceed the height of the Westin (at the most!!!) this proposal is way too much for those who live in the neighborhoods just to the West of this site. It’s a shame that many of these people who bought their homes and love their homes need to see those types of structures in their backyards. Let’s make this a pleasant community not one with skyscrapers!!!
One that is pleasing to the neighborhoods and eyes like Centennial Lakes area is.
Thank you! It would mean a lot to many who love this city to be heard! This development needs to be scaled down.
Thanks again!

Kristi Nasby
Edina resident

Kristi over 3 years ago

Gregg Swedberg - Lifetime resident of Edina here. We live in the Lake Cornelia area, fairly close to this project.

I fully support increasing affordable housing in the city. I would like to see it spread out better than it currently is. Would like to see other sites looked at instead of just Southdale. However, the affordable housing in this plan looks great. I am opposed to a 24-story ANYTHING in Edina, except within 2 blocks of 494 or 169. We already have a couple very tall buildings coming to Southdale. Why are there no plans for 24 stories in Grandview, or in the Industrial area? Why no 24 stories at 50th and France? Before we turn Southdale into downtown Minneapolis, why not do the right thing and spread the growth around the city? I believe the city can accomplish its stated goals without having to build 24 stories tall, all in the Southdale area. I would prefer to see the city find a different solution here. At the very least, put it to some sort of public vote.

Gregg Swedberg over 3 years ago

I support development of additional affordable housing in the Southdale area where I visit often to shop. I was an advocate for the development of 66 West, and am pleased that the property has been welcomed in our community.

Jackie Sullivan

Jackie Sullivan over 3 years ago

Ronald Scholder
Interested Resident of Edina
As an Edina resident and an advocate of growth and development I am impressed by the scope and style of the project. I have been to many cities that have become as popular and important as the large city they are a part of and this development will enhance that appearance. It is the perfect layout for a neighbor to the Galleria shopping center, and the Westin hotel. Great location for so many people to experience the wonders of Edina!

Ron S over 3 years ago

As an Edina Resident and active member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church's Affordable Housing Ministries Team who actively supported the successful launch of 66 West affordable, supportive housing for teens in Edina, please know that I support further affordable housing alternatives within Edina such as the proposed 110 unit apartment building on the corner of 70th and France. This area allows renters the access to public transportation for jobs, a safe neighborhood and school system for any children that might live there. Both our adult children were successfully launched with a solid educational background from Edina Public Schools, allowing them to complete master degree programs for their current professions in special education and health care administration. I would like those opportunities for families who need affordable housing.
Sincerely,
Cathleen Godsall
5601 Johnson Drive
Edina, MN 55436

Cathleen Godsall over 3 years ago

Bob and Linda Carlson 5250 grandview square Edina This development is a terrific mixed use with affordable housing, lots of concealed parking, beautiful stylish buildings ,pedestrian friendly with a second to none site plan. We are in our 70's so lets get this done. The entire city will be proud of this showcase dev. The development team is as good as it gets, in the entire region. Reliable, honest , well funded, with plenty of regional success on their resumes.

old timer over 3 years ago

Totally supportive of this mixed use dev. affordable housing, pedestrian friendly, beautiful, stylish buldings lots of parking, use of bikes is great also. This will reinforce the objectives of our city. The developers/builders are of the finest, most reliable, trustworthy character in the USA. My wife and I are in our 70's so it can not be completed any too soon. Lets get after it now!!

old timer over 3 years ago

Lonni Skrentner... The area is my prime destination for shopping. I fully support this plan for development. I see it as part of the overall plan for the Greater Southdale area. It is part of the acknowledge that as a first ring suburb we can no longer remain "a village".

This development will create a new, multifaceted city center (not necessarily replacing 50th and France which may remain a piece of our past village status) with public transit, housing, promenades, diverse business locations, etc. Adding height and higher density is key to providing affordable housing (lowers land cost per capita), leaving more green space, and supporting public transit. The expanded public transit it supports also reduces traffic, emissions, and addresses climate change. All of these goals, especially affordble workforce housing, will position Edina for success for the future.

lonskrentner over 3 years ago

Hope Melton, Coordinator, Edina Neighbors for Affordable Housing.
I write in support of the 70th & France development project that requires a Rezoning from PCD-3 to PUD, Subdivision and consideration of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), and the PUD Ordinance to vary from existing setback, height, and floor area ratio (FAR) requirements.

This project will fit well in to the Greater Southdale Plan. The proposed building height and housing density will hopefully enable more green space and support expanded public transit that will reduce car traffic and carbon emissions. In addition there is a great need for more affordable housing in Edina and although we don't know the specifics of that housing at this point, this is a suitable location with easy access to service businesses, health care facilities, restaurants and entertainment venues.

I would prefer that affordable housing be integrated with market rate buildings but am aware that this complicates the financing and may raise costs.

Hope Melton over 3 years ago

Thomas Koon
I visit the area often for shopping. I support the proposed project. It will help to meet the needs and goals for future housing as identified in the recent Comprehensive plan adopted by the city council. There is a great need for additional affordable workforce housing which this project proposal includes. The development is well suited for the site which is near rapid bus/public transportation routes, highways, and easy walking distance to grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and general retail stores. All factors that should minimize the impact on street traffic. The project would offer another alternative housing option for current residents of Edina including those who no longer wish to maintain a single family home. It will further expand the tax base for the City of Edina taking pressure off of current property owners. While the height is a change in the traditional view of Edina, using land to its optimal use will reduce urban sprawl and have a positive impact on the environment.

Grimesguy over 3 years ago

I am Barry Rosenthal. While I live along Gleason Road, I shop in the Southdale area and would like to live in a walking-friendly area in Edina. The France Avenue corridor in the Southdale area is certainly not walking-friendly now, but developments like this one could make the area much more so. This development would also support better public transportation options, be better for the environment than expanding sprawl, improve the city's tax base and keep taxes on single family homes lower, and provide more affordable housing options for Edina residents. Areas like Centennial Lakes are wonderful but this site is not suitable for townhouse or low-rise development. Mid-rise or high-rise development is the best fit for this site.

Barry over 3 years ago

My name is Daniel Baron and I live on Larkspur Lane, about a mile from this project. I am very opposed to a 24 story building in Edina. The Westin is already ridiculously out of place in our skyline. Please do not allow another building as tall as the Westin, let alone one considerably taller!

Daniel Baron over 3 years ago

Kirsten Gullickson, South Cornelia resident, life-long Edina resident, consistently visit the 70th & France Ave. S. area for Galleria shopping and Target.

I am writing to the Edina Planning Commission, and the Edina City Council to strongly oppose the current recommended redevelopment plans for the corner of 70th St. and France Ave. S.

I strongly oppose authorizing PUD rezoning for this redevelopment. I strongly oppose allowing any change to existing city development codes that determine the building's existing setback, height, and floor area ratio. Our existing codes are approved, and in place, for a reason. Edina absolutely does NOT need, nor do South Cornelia residents desire, yet another 20+ story, high- density building that is devoid of green space between the sidewalk, streets and the structure, and that has more residents crammed into apartments or condos with less square footage than our current city planning codes dictate.

Bigger is NOT better in Edina. We already have excessive high-density construction surrounding Southdale, and now rising between Target and the Ethan Allen building, along with all of the recently completed apartment buildings adjacent to Lund's-Byerly's.

The Planning Commission and the Edina City Council seem to ignore the time and commitment that Edina residents have invested in assessing the best comprehensive planning models for various areas of Edina. Instead, the Planning Commission and Edina City Council seem laser-focused on building as many high-density apartment/condo buildings as possible with ever-increasing heights, and as little green space as possible. Their vision for the future of Edina is in direct opposition to a majority of Edina residents' vision for our lovely city.

The idea that people are going to walk everywhere from their apartment buildings is a fallacy. It isn't happening now, and it won't happen in the future. We have six months of winter in MN. People take cars to go six blocks to the grocery store, the pharmacy, Target, and to get coffee. Those who have children take their cars everywhere. We are not going to become Amsterdam with everyone hopping on bikes in January towing children from behind, with another cart attached to that for groceries.

These high-denisty buildings will create insane increases in traffic. France Avenue S. and W. 70th St. traffic is already problematic, despite the city's best efforts to reign it in. Traffic in-and-out of Target, Barnes & Noble, even Byerly's will become a nightmareif this proposed high-density, 26-story building is contructed. The businesses in that area will become a place to avoid, rather than to seek out.

We must cease constructing tall, high-density, multi-use buildings in Edina. The Westin is already too tall. We are a residential community, not a corporate downtown. We are not a sub-division located off of a highway with massive apartment complexes. Edina CANNOT become that, yet the City Council seems unbending in their view that we should become that very thing.

We also do not require more retail, either. The pandemic has illustrated that:
a) people want MORE green space, not less
b) people want MORE recreation space, particularly for dogs and children
c) people want MORE space in their living areas, now that we are all working from home, and at least 50% of the workforce will continue to work from home once it is safe for personnel to return to office buildings. Thus, people are looking for townhomes, larger apartments, larger condos, access from their living space to immediate outdoor space without standing in elevators.
* people will continue ordering clothing, home goods, and food online even after the pandemic is contained through vaccine distribution.

The Planning Commission's focus and/or the Edina City Council's focus, must NOT be calculating the tax base. Revenue for the city should NOT be the priority with these areas of redevelopment. We need more multi-family housing similar to housing in place near Centennial Lakes: townhomes, no more than 2-or-3-story condos with small yards that are accessible to each living space with walking paths nearby.

Besides traffic, there is the consideration of throwing whole neighborhoods into shade. The proposal to allow a variance for the W. 70th St. & France Ave. S. development of 26 stories is absurd!! A building that high has no place in Edina! No one wants to look at that, or find that their neighborhood is in the shade of a building most of the day.

We live in Edina because of areas like 50th & France, Centennial Lakes, Wooddale Ave. & Valley View Ave. , Grandview area. The Southdale area should not become an eyesore of high-rise next to high-rise with single family homes just two blocks away.

Again, I strongly oppose the rezoning of the current U.S. Bank site at W. 70th St. & France Ave. S. for Planned Unit Development (PUD). I strongly oppose granting the developer any variance or change to building height, existing setback from the street and sidewalk, and to floor area ratio. We need to adhere to existing construction and redevelopment city codes for building height, size, setbacks from streets and sidewalks, and exisiting floor area ration codes.

Edina needs thoughtful, creative, careful planning and redevelopment that is moderate and reasonable. Looking to the future, medical experts have said that our planet will endure another pandemic in the not-too-distant future. The appropriate planning model to accomodate that future is:
*More green space and outdoor recreation area
*More space in each apartment/condo with two offices ideally
*Pet friendly living spaces, and immediate access to outdoors from each living space without use of elevators
*Sidewalks everywhere with reduced traffic areas
Sincerely,
Kirsten Gullickson

Kgully over 3 years ago