Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Country Club Plan of Treatment
Share Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Country Club Plan of Treatment on FacebookShare Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Country Club Plan of Treatment on TwitterShare Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Country Club Plan of Treatment on LinkedinEmail Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Country Club Plan of Treatment link
This variance was approved at the March 10, 2021 Planning Commission meeting.
The City Council approved Ordinance 2024-06 Amendments concerning the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Edina Heritage Landmarks and and Resolution 2024-77 approving an update to the Country Club Plan of Treatment effective January 1, 2026. See the Ordinance, Resolution and final documents here.
At the direction of City Council, the Heritage Preservation Commission has reviewed and is recommending updates to the existing Heritage Preservation Ordinance and the Country Club Plan of Treatment. The Commission is also recommending an escrow fee for Heritage Landmark properties and Properties within a Heritage Landmark District (Country Club District).
A summary of proposed changes and document highlights include:
New form to be signed by contractor and property owner acknowledging responsibility to maintain the protection of historic resources throughout the construction process and to inform staff of proposed changes to approved plans. Staff may seek HPC approval if changes are significant.
Fee required based on project valuation ($3,000 fee if under $100,000 and $15,000 fee if over) that city may use if needed to keep structures weathertight and protected, to ensure compliance with other ordinances, and for reinspection fees. The balance must be maintained and will be refunded when all permits, including the COA permit, have been closed.
this form also states the ordinance language for Stop Work Orders and Enforcement
New resource to supplement the Country Club Plan of Treatment, which provides photos and lists character-defining features for the seven most prevalent Period Revival architectural styles in the Country Club District. This guide emphasizes that each house is a unique blend of architectural elements – and even of architectural styles – that adds embellishments of local tastes and style.
The City Council approved Ordinance 2024-06 Amendments concerning the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Edina Heritage Landmarks and and Resolution 2024-77 approving an update to the Country Club Plan of Treatment effective January 1, 2026. See the Ordinance, Resolution and final documents here.
At the direction of City Council, the Heritage Preservation Commission has reviewed and is recommending updates to the existing Heritage Preservation Ordinance and the Country Club Plan of Treatment. The Commission is also recommending an escrow fee for Heritage Landmark properties and Properties within a Heritage Landmark District (Country Club District).
A summary of proposed changes and document highlights include:
New form to be signed by contractor and property owner acknowledging responsibility to maintain the protection of historic resources throughout the construction process and to inform staff of proposed changes to approved plans. Staff may seek HPC approval if changes are significant.
Fee required based on project valuation ($3,000 fee if under $100,000 and $15,000 fee if over) that city may use if needed to keep structures weathertight and protected, to ensure compliance with other ordinances, and for reinspection fees. The balance must be maintained and will be refunded when all permits, including the COA permit, have been closed.
this form also states the ordinance language for Stop Work Orders and Enforcement
New resource to supplement the Country Club Plan of Treatment, which provides photos and lists character-defining features for the seven most prevalent Period Revival architectural styles in the Country Club District. This guide emphasizes that each house is a unique blend of architectural elements – and even of architectural styles – that adds embellishments of local tastes and style.
The City of Edina offers several ways for people to provide input on development projects. Regardless of the method, all public input is considered, so people need to use only one method.
Instructions for leaving a public comment below:
Your comment will be available to Planning Commission, City Council, staff and others to review immediately instead of waiting until the public hearing.
Your comment will be posted and publicly viewable as soon as you hit 'Submit'.
You will not be able to edit or remove your comment.
Please introduce yourself, your neighborhood and your thoughts about this project. Example: Barbara Smith, The Heights. The project is two blocks from my home and my children would have to walk past it every day on their way to school. Please consider adding sidewalks to this project.
Other ways to provide comment:
1 - Leave a voicemail with your public input at 952-826-0377. Staff will submit the transcribed voicemail to Better Together Edina. (Available once project application is submitted)
2 - Two public hearings will take place for each development project in the City Hall Council Chambers, 4801 W. 50th St. Attend the meetings in person to give public input or watch the meetings live from home on Edina TV (Comcast Channels 813 or 16) or EdinaMN.gov/LiveMeetings(External link). Call in to provide live testimony at 312-535-8110. Call in access code and password are provided in the meeting agenda which can be found at EdinaMN.gov/Agendas(External link).
Generally, the City Council makes a decision on each development project at the City Council meeting following the second public hearing.
If you have any difficulties with participating, contact Community Engagement Manager, MJ Lamon at MLamon@EdinaMN.gov or 952-826-0360.
This variance was approved at the March 10, 2021 Planning Commission meeting.
Public input closed on September 22, 2024. This item is on the October 1, 2024 City Council agenda.
I am in favor of the DRAFT Plan of Treatment Country Club District, Project Design Criteria, by the Edina Heritage Preservation Commission and in particular favor the escrow fee as a guard against demolition by neglect. I appreciate finally putting some teeth into the heritage preservation rules.
minnejoy
7 months ago
Matt & Kari Norman, Casco Ave (Country Club). I strongly urge the City Council and Planning Commission to add a requirement to the updates for the HPO and CCPT that the City of Edina also must receive a COA before approving any changes to boulevards where it maintains an easement, particularly for utilities. Specifically, a mid-level city engineer was recently able to approve installing an ugly and obtrusive internet utility box measuring 17"33"48" on the boulevard of our property next to Bridge street without any Heritage Preservation authorization. The box diminishes the historical beauty of our neighborhood and additions like these should require COA approval. Thank you for your consideration!
Matt Norman
7 months ago
I am writing in support of the changes to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance & Plan of Treatment. These changes should help to address the problem of prolonged deterioration of properties (e.g. removal of windows, siding, roofing, etc. and then leaving the property exposed to the elements for multiple winters), as well as the extraordinarily long timeframe for completion of a renovation. No homeowner should have to live next to or across from a construction site for 3 1/2 years. Thank you to the HPC and city staff for their work on this issue!
Anne Scoggin
Anne Scoggin
8 months ago
We support the clarifications and updates to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. We encourage the City not only to pass these updates but to be proactive in enforcing them, especially with developers who have a limited personal stake in the long-term benefits that preservation brings to our neighborhood. The changes in the ordinances clarify expectations and address some of the loopholes that seem to have been taken advantage of recently by the builders of the property on our street, Arden Avenue. Blair and Elizabeth Carlson
Elizabeth Carlson
8 months ago
Hello, this is Kevin Collier at 4507 Drexel Avenue and I am calling in regard to the proposed change to making improvements in the Country Club neighborhood where I live. I am opposed to the proposed changes. I understand and respect the desire to maintain the neighborhoods beauty and significance. The proposed set of rules feels like an onerous set of unnecessary hurdles. I think there ‘s already plenty of good protections in place. The neighborhood looks good now and homeowners need to have the ability to make reasonable approved changes to their homes without big upfront fees and things of that nature. So that’s my perspective. Thank you for listening. Goodbye. (Voicemail transcribed by City Staff)
Emily Bodeker
8 months ago
There is no point in having harsh or rules at all if the construction rules can be ignored by developers. If we are going to create more stringent rules, let´s enforce them this time. It is clearly more profitable for developers to ignore the current rules than adhere to them. A house on Arden would not be allowed to decay for 3 years while we watch occasional construction or dumped over portable toilets join our neighborhood.
Obviously no one wants this in their neighborhood and it shouldn´t be up to the residents to confront the developers.
Jack Boyer
8 months ago
I support the revisions to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance & Country ClubPlan of Treatment. There have been too many renovations that have taken too long with no workers on the site, or developers have left the property open to the weather o decay. We live in a beautiful neighborhood where residents take pride in their home. We need developers/new owners to appreciate that.
briggsb
8 months ago
Reasonable regulations are needed to prevent what I and my husband witnessed on our Arden Ave block-- a house was bought by a developer then neglected for 3 years--a boarded up, decaying structure, a gross eyesore. The eventual renovation was also very prolonged, more than a year due to only occasional work at the start, with construction equipment and materials present continuously.
Marjorie
8 months ago
Removed by moderator.
DCDulas
8 months ago
We fully support the Heritage Preservation Commission’s proposed revisions to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Plan of Treatment. We believe that the updates will strengthen, clarify, add context, and implement needed enforcement measures.
Thank you to the HPC for working diligently to safeguard Edina's precious and irreplaceable heritage preservation resources in the Country Club District.
Daniel and Cheryl Dulas
DCDulas
8 months ago
I strongly support strengthening the rules on historic preservation. In particular, good to see forbidding deterioration by neglect and required notification to staff of proposed changes to the approved plan. Vicky Slomiany
Vickyslo
8 months ago
We strongly support the excellent recommendations of the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC). We join our many neighbors in Country Club who have been distressed at a few developers who have not sought to preserve our historic designs, a very few of whom have even tried to game the system. The recommendations sensibly address such issues, while still making it straightforward for all who wish to make substantial changes to their house, as we have done ourselves.
I particularly like three points in the rules the HPC is proposing:
1. Make it very difficult for developers to intentionally allow a property to rot, creating an eyesore, and enabling them to claim that mold or other deterioration enables them to tear down of a large part of the structure. 2. Make any development fit with the general architectural integrity of the neighborhood, not allowing developers, for example, to substitute cheap brick facades or windows that don't fit with the historic look of the neighborhood houses. 3. Provide incentives and disincentives for homeowners and developers to do things right by the neighbors. Those who unduly prolong a project at their neighbors' expense should themselves suffer expense.
Ben Knoll
8 months ago
We fully support the updates and plan outlined here. ~David & Britt Eyngorn
BrittE
8 months ago
We have lived in Country Club for over twenty years. We bought in this neighborhood because of its historical character. We respect the integrity and value that the HPC brings to the area. We are frustrated when others blatantly disregard the standards. When we renovated our home, we treated HPC input as a resource that supported the value of our property. For those who do not see it this way, perhaps they should consider renovating homes where historical significance is not an issue.
We fully support the updates and plan outlined here. Thank you Jen Klise
JenK
8 months ago
In residential design, there are many ways to achieve a good outcome. When the constraints are clear at the start, expectations can be set and good solutions follow. Jean Rehkamp Larson
I am in favor of the DRAFT Plan of Treatment Country Club District, Project Design Criteria, by the Edina Heritage Preservation Commission and in particular favor the escrow fee as a guard against demolition by neglect. I appreciate finally putting some teeth into the heritage preservation rules.
Matt & Kari Norman, Casco Ave (Country Club). I strongly urge the City Council and Planning Commission to add a requirement to the updates for the HPO and CCPT that the City of Edina also must receive a COA before approving any changes to boulevards where it maintains an easement, particularly for utilities. Specifically, a mid-level city engineer was recently able to approve installing an ugly and obtrusive internet utility box measuring 17"33"48" on the boulevard of our property next to Bridge street without any Heritage Preservation authorization. The box diminishes the historical beauty of our neighborhood and additions like these should require COA approval. Thank you for your consideration!
I am writing in support of the changes to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance & Plan of Treatment. These changes should help to address the problem of prolonged deterioration of properties (e.g. removal of windows, siding, roofing, etc. and then leaving the property exposed to the elements for multiple winters), as well as the extraordinarily long timeframe for completion of a renovation. No homeowner should have to live next to or across from a construction site for 3 1/2 years. Thank you to the HPC and city staff for their work on this issue!
Anne Scoggin
We support the clarifications and updates to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. We encourage the City not only to pass these updates but to be proactive in enforcing them, especially with developers who have a limited personal stake in the long-term benefits that preservation brings to our neighborhood. The changes in the ordinances clarify expectations and address some of the loopholes that seem to have been taken advantage of recently by the builders of the property on our street, Arden Avenue.
Blair and Elizabeth Carlson
Hello, this is Kevin Collier at 4507 Drexel Avenue and I am calling in regard to the proposed change to making improvements in the Country Club neighborhood where I live. I am opposed to the proposed changes. I understand and respect the desire to maintain the neighborhoods beauty and significance. The proposed set of rules feels like an onerous set of unnecessary hurdles. I think there ‘s already plenty of good protections in place. The neighborhood looks good now and homeowners need to have the ability to make reasonable approved changes to their homes without big upfront fees and things of that nature. So that’s my perspective. Thank you for listening. Goodbye. (Voicemail transcribed by City Staff)
There is no point in having harsh or rules at all if the construction rules can be ignored by developers. If we are going to create more stringent rules, let´s enforce them this time. It is clearly more profitable for developers to ignore the current rules than adhere to them. A house on Arden would not be allowed to decay for 3 years while we watch occasional construction or dumped over portable toilets join our neighborhood.
Obviously no one wants this in their neighborhood and it shouldn´t be up to the residents to confront the developers.
I support the revisions to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance & Country ClubPlan of Treatment. There have been too many renovations that have taken too long with no workers on the site, or developers have left the property open to the weather o decay. We live in a beautiful neighborhood where residents take pride in their home. We need developers/new owners to appreciate that.
Reasonable regulations are needed to prevent what I and my husband witnessed on our Arden Ave block-- a house was bought by a developer then neglected for 3 years--a boarded up, decaying structure, a gross eyesore. The eventual renovation was also very prolonged, more than a year due to only occasional work at the start, with construction equipment and materials present continuously.
Removed by moderator.
We fully support the Heritage Preservation Commission’s proposed revisions to the Heritage Preservation Ordinance and Plan of Treatment. We believe that the updates will strengthen, clarify, add context, and implement needed enforcement measures.
Thank you to the HPC for working diligently to safeguard Edina's precious and irreplaceable heritage preservation resources in the Country Club District.
Daniel and Cheryl Dulas
I strongly support strengthening the rules on historic preservation. In particular, good to see forbidding deterioration by neglect and required notification to staff of proposed changes to the approved plan.
Vicky Slomiany
We strongly support the excellent recommendations of the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC). We join our many neighbors in Country Club who have been distressed at a few developers who have not sought to preserve our historic designs, a very few of whom have even tried to game the system. The recommendations sensibly address such issues, while still making it straightforward for all who wish to make substantial changes to their house, as we have done ourselves.
I particularly like three points in the rules the HPC is proposing:
1. Make it very difficult for developers to intentionally allow a property to rot, creating an eyesore, and enabling them to claim that mold or other deterioration enables them to tear down of a large part of the structure.
2. Make any development fit with the general architectural integrity of the neighborhood, not allowing developers, for example, to substitute cheap brick facades or windows that don't fit with the historic look of the neighborhood houses.
3. Provide incentives and disincentives for homeowners and developers to do things right by the neighbors. Those who unduly prolong a project at their neighbors' expense should themselves suffer expense.
We fully support the updates and plan outlined here.
~David & Britt Eyngorn
We have lived in Country Club for over twenty years. We bought in this neighborhood because of its historical character. We respect the integrity and value that the HPC brings to the area. We are frustrated when others blatantly disregard the standards. When we renovated our home, we treated HPC input as a resource that supported the value of our property. For those who do not see it this way, perhaps they should consider renovating homes where historical significance is not an issue.
We fully support the updates and plan outlined here.
Thank you
Jen Klise
In residential design, there are many ways to achieve a good outcome. When the constraints are clear at the start, expectations can be set and good solutions follow. Jean Rehkamp Larson