Okay, here we go. Well, good evening everybody and welcome to the uh February 4th, 2026 meeting of the Adina City Council. I want to apologize to all of you in the audience for bit of a delayed start. Um we had an extensive conversation upstairs in our work session about immigration enforcement and it um it carried over a little bit uh beyond the start hour here because of the importance of this topic. So um things that we're working on as a city and and we'll be discussing some of those things uh later tonight. uh and some of you may be here to address the council on concerns that you have around immigration enforcement, but uh we'll get there momentarily in terms of the uh time for community comment. Uh and remember, I think um it's always good to be be kind, you know, be be civil, be respectful. Everybody's got different opinions in these in this world and um we want to respect all of them. So, um, when you come up to address the council, whether it's a public hearing or a community comment portion of the agenda, um, do it in a in a real civil way. This is a sanctuary for respect, uh, in the city of Vina, and we want to make sure we keep it that way. Um, you heard Director Benerat say that we are doing these meetings in a hybrid fashion. People are watching remotely. uh we'll be able to call in either during community comment or uh at the time of our I think we have one public hearing tonight. Um and so we have to keep that in mind. We'll address folks in the audience first uh and then take up people that are tuning in virtually second. And having provided information, I'm going to call the meeting to order and ask our clerk Sharon Ellison to call the role. >> Council member Agnu >> here. >> Council member Jackson >> here. Council member Pierce >> here. >> Council member Risser >> here. >> Mayor Hublin >> here. Uh, next is the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thanks everybody for that. And then uh, council members, we've got a form of meeting agenda that's been published. And uh is there anyone on the council from a staff standpoint that wishes to modify the agenda in any form or fashion? >> Major Neil. >> Uh yes, your honor. Uh given the discussion we had upstairs, I I believe the council is interested in two amendments. One uh adoption of a resolution uh affirming community values and stewardship of city resources. A resolution to that effect, not an ordinance. Uh and the second one is a resolution directing the preparation of a letter to governor to the governor uh regarding um the funding additional funding for rental assistance. >> Okay. And is there any particular place in the agenda you want to add those in >> the end of the >> put them at the end of the meeting >> the end of RNRS the >> put them back in under under 11. >> Right. So that would comments >> 9.7 and 9.8 date perhaps to do that too. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Having provided the information, uh, was there anyone else on the council wishing to modify the agenda? Is there a motion to adopt the agenda in its proposed modified form? >> So moved. >> A second. >> Second. Member Jackson moves. Member Agnu seconds the motion to adopt the agenda in its amended form. Uh, adding items 9.7 and 9.8. eight to the agenda uh for discussion tonight. Uh any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of the amended agenda as stated say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. Carried. We have we have an agenda to work from. Uh next is um let's go back here. Now we are going to move to community comment. I'm going to get this phone number up on the screen so folks that are watching remotely can get that call on information firmly in mind. Leave it up there for a second before we start having folks come up. Just a reminder, you'll have three minutes. Uh you'll get a yellow light that'll go on when you've got 30 seconds left to wrap up your comments and uh try to stay right on right on time here and treat everybody equally in terms of time usage. And we've got some folks that uh regularly come to see us and and they know how to manage the clock well, but for others, you're just a reminder that uh uh you need to manage it well, too. So, let's um let's then go to committee comment here. Uh calling on folks in the audience. And remember to give us uh your name. You don't need to give us your address. You filled out one of those cards for Director Benerat. and we want to keep you a little bit uh keep maintain a little bit of privacy uh for you without having your address become public information. So feel free to come on up. >> I just crossed out the address so I don't Mayor Council members, I'm Harry Mlanahan. Tonight I have a couple of simple wafety reminders for you and for my fellow residents, especially seniors like me. Yesterday was Groundhog Day and Punchatani Phil told us to expect six more weeks of winter. With the winter we're experiencing, that rodent delivered pretty harsh harsh punishment even for us motans. And we're never surprised by winter. We expect it. We plan for it. Most of us even have safety kits in our cars that include a tire inflator, flashlight, blanket, insulated water bottle, and hat and gloves. This winter, I've added my cell phone and my papers. The phone is an essential safety tool regardless of the weather, but now it has the additional advantage of allowing me to video anything I witness of potential historical or legal significance. We live in an opportunity envir uh video environment. After all, I'm 83 years old, but I've never experienced a time when in this country I would be asked to produce my papers, but that's changed. So, just in case, I keep them aboard, too. By the way, my papers are the New York Times, Charmin Ultraoft, and Zigzags. I hope they're the right ones. Like I said, this is all new to me. Stay warm. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mlanahan. Good to have you here. Anyone else? >> My name is My name is Arthur Cobb. I've been a resident of Edina since July of 1978 and I'm here very simply to express my long and somewhat overdue appreciation of the governance, management, and staff of the city of Edina. I think it's been exemplary and I look at our developments and I know that there are many past members that have contributed that. I have some special admiration for Mayor Hovland, but this this city to my taste, preferences, and knowledge is extremely well-managed and is a wonderful place to live. >> Thank you, Mr. Cobb. Good evening. >> Hi, Taylor Brushwin. I live in the Challen Park neighborhood. Um, first I just want to say thank you for your work on gun control and also for your ongoing work for keeping our neighbors safe during this time of increased presence of of ICE in the city. So, thank you genuinely for all of that. Um, I'm here to talk about a different safety issue that's not as pressing and it's not as important because how could it be? Um, but I think it's important nonetheless. Uh, and that's safety for all of our users on our local streets. Um, and unlike the other two items, this is one that, um, we might not have full control of those other two, but we have full control of this one um, on our city streets. And I think uh Mayor Hufflin, I think I remember you talking about a TAB meeting where this was brought up that vulnerable users. So anyone outside of a car is becoming more and more disproportionately affected by traffic violence. And that's proving true in our city as well. So, you've either already seen or you'll shortly see a report from our city staff that crashes, the percentage of crashes involving vulnerable users on our streets has more than doubled in the last three years compared to the previous three-year period. So, that's a scary a scary fact, a scary data point. Um especially when you think about who those vulnerable users are on our streets. It's people walking around our neighborhoods. It's kids. It's seniors. It's people walking their dogs. It's families. And it's scary, but it's it's not surprising. And it's not surprising because we haven't funded projects to properly protect those people on our streets to this point. We we made a plan for how to protect those people in 2018, but we've only funded it at a level that it'll take 50 years to complete that plan. So, I'm asking you tonight to please, please find money for the PAX fund to protect our youth, to protect our seniors, and to protect those most vulnerable people on our streets. This one is fully in our or in your hands. So, thank you. >> I have a question for staff, too. Um the what is the funding for packs over the next five years and is that does that raise with inflation or is it effectively being cut and staying at the same dollar amount year on year? >> Good. Thanks. >> Thanks for being here. >> Anyone else? >> Hello. My name is Brook Bartholomew. Um, I've been a resident of Adina for a few years. I've served on one of the city's commissions for the last two years. Um, and I have been since the beginning of Operation Metro Surge. I've been out in the streets trying to help protect my neighbors doing patrols, rapid response, dispatch, mutual aid, all the rest of it. Um, I listened to y'all's discussion earlier in the work session. Um, I am happy that y'all are thinking deeply about this issue. I am a little concerned that y'all appeared to be more uh worried about appearances rather than real action um and maybe protecting yourselves from targeting more than actually protecting the residents here who are being targeted every single day. We are the ones who are out there trying to protect each other and it is a really difficult thing to do. Um, we are looking for more action and yes, we are looking for visible resistance. Uh, so I would like y'all to consider, please do consider banning ICE from staging on city property and putting up signage. I did listen to y'all's discussion on the matter. I know the police were worried about being put in the middle. Residents who are out there protecting their neighbors are being put in the middle every day and we only have whistles. I do applaud you all for uh considering uh writing the letter to the governor about uh rental assistance. I would also really really strongly encourage you all to consider adding back in an eviction moratorum, a call for an eviction moratorum from the governor. Um there are a lot of residents who are rightfully afraid uh afraid to go to work. They've been targeted at their workplaces and are having difficulties making rent and paying their mortgages. They're being currently held afloat by neighbors and our neighbors generosity, giving them food, um, giving them money for their rent and their mortgages. And I believe that y'all have said many times when Adina speaks, the rest of the state listens. I think this is a great time for Adina to speak very loudly to the state and call on them to enact an eviction moratorum. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening. >> Good evening, Mayor Hovland. Good evening, uh, city council members. My name is Janet Kitoule. I am a resident of Adina for the last 10 plus years. I am here today uh to argue motans particularly black motans and immigrants like myself. We demand clarity and courage and collective action during this time across our state. The federal occupation of ICE and CPB agents is underway everywhere in the corner of Minnesota. We black people have been harmed, abducted, and even killed. Black journalists and black leaders have been arrested for telling the truth. Our communities are living under fear, surveillance, and intimidation. And now the federal government is demanding access to Minnesota voting roles and private data connected to food assistance and healthcare. Data that black families rely on and have fought for. This moment is asking all of us for something more, including powerful institutions that profit from our communities. And right now, it's one motans can't afford. The black community is under assault on both sides, front, back, sideways. I am here to ask the city of Vidina to follow along with other cities and pass a separation ordinance. No collaboration with ICE, no staging on city property and also to pressure the governor to enact an eviction moratorum. I do know dear friends who have been afraid to go to work and because they are not able to go to work they can't pay the rent leave alone buy food. I ask that you will consider that and not be performative but be actually taking action. And thank you Mayor Hovland. Thank you uh city council Pierce. Thank you city council Jackson. Thank you city council Julie for the first time when before this craziness took over heavily you all showed up when we came calling. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Trui. >> Good evening. >> Hello. My name is Anna Ley, director of government relations and advocacy for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. Mayor and members of the Adina City Council, I want the public to be crystal clear about what is actually happening in regards to gun control ordinances because it's not what the public thinks is happening. This ordinance package does not meaningfully change public safety. If you think it's banning assault weapons, it's not. If you think it's banning public buildings and spaces, it's not. If you think it's banning high-capacity magazines, it's not. The city simply does not have the authority to do what they're doing. Under Minnesota law, firearms regulation is preempted. >> Miss, um I'm sorry I got distracted by our city manager on this, but this is an item that's on the agenda this evening. You can't speak to an item that's on the agenda this evening in public comment, and it's not a public hearing. The public hearing was held some time ago. So, I've got to ask you to to um to cease your comments and and um and ask you to, you know, just sit down. You're welcome to stay the rest of the meeting, but uh based on our our rules and our policies because something's on the agenda this evening, uh you can't speak to it in public comment. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks. Good evening, Mayor Hovland and council members. My name is Steve Brown. I recently sent you an email asking you to pass a resolution requesting the governor to enact a statewide eviction moratorum and to provide emergency rental assistance to ensure long-term housing stability for those Minnesota residents who are due to the horrendous implementation by ICE, their sheltering in place. I won't repeat my rationale provided in the email tonight. I want to share my experience in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, uh my wife offered to help a friend who was providing food. Take your time, Mr. providing food to people who are sheltering in place who to be more blunt are hiding. Tomorrow morning we will travel to a northern St. small suburb to deliver groceries to six households where the residents are afraid to go to the grocery store. We have been asked to put our phones on airplane mode when we arrive within a mile of their residence just in case there might be a chance that federal agents would be tracing our movements to try to identify the people who are in hiding. I cannot believe we're living in a moment like this. My wife and I are not alone. There are many other people all over Minnesota who are doing the same thing to help their neighbors. This is a statewide issue. These people who are too afraid to go out to the grocery store are clearly not going to work. They're not earning the money needed to pay rent. They need an eviction moratorum and emergency uh rental assistance to ensure they do not lose their last safe place, their home. Please join other Minnesota cities and pass the requested resolution. Be sure to include both the eviction moratorum and emergency rental assistance as one without the other just creates a lot of problems for people. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Brown. >> Hello. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Uh my name is Brett Johnson. Um I am an Edina resident. I live right over by Pamela Park here in Edina. Uh my family also owns the Hilltop right on the other side of Highway 100. Uh nine years ago I opened up a restaurant also in North Dupa Minneapolis uh called Nolo's Kitchen and I have an exciting announcement to make that uh we have officially my partner and I uh Marty Collins also an einer resident have also signed uh the lease at the salute space at 50 in France to um take over. Uh our plan is to open up a family-friendly sports bar and I totally understand the uh circumstances not to speak which I was planning on doing and I will not do. I will just make one announcement that I uh have partnered up with the Edina Ed fund and the Edina boosters to um move forward with that regarding the pull tab um discussion that's being had. So um I'll leave it at that. I want to make myself available at all times if anybody has any questions or concerns. Um but uh thank you for your time and I appreciate all your service. So >> all right, thanks for being here. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Thanks for thinking of a solution for this. >> Yeah, thank you. Salute building. >> Good evening. >> Hi, David Frankle. I just like to get a couple bridge updates. Uh the pedestrian bridge over cross town and Rosland Park bridge. Uh if you look better together Edina it states first paragraph that bridge was supposed to been completed last year. The most recent update from September said uh basically looking at the finances on that. Is there any update when work is going to be completed on or started on that bridge which is being delayed by the artwork that Mindot is has not approved. Can I make a suggestion if the artwork is not approved by late spring that the city moves ahead and replaces that bridge without the artwork? It's been years in discussion to replace that bridge and personally I can't wait to use it on my bicycle instead of biking on freeway on and off ramps on Valley View. Second thing is the pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks ADA issue over there. Uh the city was given an agreement from the US Department of Justice that among other things but last October there were supposed to be the execution of uh several issues dealing with handicap parking. There's been no updates on what the situation is with that. And also, this agreement uh is supposed to be responded to within six months of execution. And I'm not sure what date that is. It's not stated on the agreement from the US Department of Justice, but the city received the agreement last September. So, doing some rough math, uh that agreement is due back to the US Department of Justice in March. And I'm wondering what the status is of all these things because the bridge uh is supposed to be remediated by the end of next year. And so that's pretty tight deadline depending on what the USDOJ agrees to the city's remediation. Like to see some update on this. The city's been awfully quiet on that bridge. There should be something on the city website saying what the status is on both of these and it should be up to date. Yeah. >> Fair points. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening, city council members, Mayor Havland. U my name is Kathy Randleman. I am a resident of EDINA. Um I would just like to say thank you to the community. Um we just finished our community action for kids education fundraiser last week. Um I know council member Jackson was in attendance and thank you to our community who was there and learned more about the DINA education fund. I am the executive director of the United Education Fund and it was a great evening. Um I think we are going to come in around $40,000 raised for our 8,700 students in the Adina public schools that night. Um and much help is needed for our students right now. Um we are looking at our budget right now for mental health therapy in our district that is dwindling down to about $20,000. What does that mean? And it means that I've got about enough money right now to put 10 kids in mental health therapy support. Um, if you missed it, we've got 8700 kiddos in our district. Um, and 10 kids, I'd hate to say no after we hit that 10 that are the lucky 10 that get mental health therapy. So, that's pretty alarming. Um, just going to say it. We've got our website out there, www.edinaedfund.org. If you're interested in donating, we could certainly use the help. In addition to that, um we've heard a lot tonight about what's going on in our community. The Adana Ed Fund is very, very proud to be putting out the Hornet Cares Fund. This is a fund that we've created to help all of our Hornets, be them one of our 8,700 students or 1,600 staff members that need help right now. Um we've got students that are coming to school, we've got staff that are afraid, and we're taking care of everybody we possibly can. We're at about $45,000 raised towards this. Doesn't help a whole lot when you're talking about rent, but it certainly can put groceries in hands. Um, we have done that so far. We've um put out about $15,000 into our community. I'm working really hard to make sure we can do another distribution this week yet. And we can certainly use any donations that people can help us raise for that. the needs are really high and we're hoping we can get more in the hands of our families. Thank you. >> Yeah, thanks Mr. Roman. >> All great points. Anyone else? Have we got anybody uh waiting online? >> I do not. >> Okay. All right. Our practice is that uh when we've had folks come in and express uh concerns to the council that uh those questions get answered by the end of the week on the website and then our city manager follows up with a report at the next city council meeting and he's going to do that now with respect to our last meeting. >> Thank you your honor. These are questions from the January 20th meeting. There were five of them that we answered. Um first question is is there currently less policing in Adina's neighborhoods? And the answer is no. Uh, police chief Todd Milbour confirms there has been no change uh with police resources in Adina and they are are patrolling their districts as as planned. Second question is will the city issue a statement on where it stands on immigration enforcement? Um, yes, the city's issued will issue another statement um most likely tonight. Um, but we have issued previous statements and a list of those is available on our website. Uh third question is does Braar Arena have a digital facilities management system to track maintenance there? Uh Bremar Arena currently uses two maintenance ma management systems. Subzero is used for the ice depth tracking routine Zambon and routine Zamboni maintenance. It will also be used for compressor logs once new updates are implemented by the software company in the first quarter of 2026. RFAM is used for asset management work orders and inspections kind of inhouse. Um, next question is, can the city work to improve communication with housing assist housing association boards uh regarding immigration enforcement and other issues? Uh, we've appointed uh I appointed a task force two weeks ago, last week did most of their work. Uh, city man the task force is is a task force of staff that are looking at operational ideas that we can use to support uh the council's direction on immigration related issues. and and we are looking at all suggestions. So, this is one that we have looked at and will continue to look at. Uh, finally, uh, will the city consider or excuse me, will the city, yes, will the city consider joining the state's lawsuit against the federal government? And we presume this meant, uh, regarding immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. And the answer is that the city of Adina has joined with other suburban communities in signing on to a a friend of the court brief and a mikas brief uh for the existing lawsuit brought by the Minnesota attorney general in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul regarding immigration enforcement. The brief specifically asked the court to issue a temporary injunction against aggressive ICE activity that is closing schools and businesses and reducing access to courts and public services due to fear and apprehension caused by ICE tactics. It argued that ICE operations be limited to acceptable constitutional operations. The court hearing on the lawsuit was held last week. The judge denied a motion for a temporary injunction on Saturday, January 31st. The lawsuit will continue. Cities will submit another this suburban communities that are part of this amicus brief will submit another amicus brief in advance of the next hearing of the lawsuit. The ruling that came January 31st means the judge has ruled that she cannot immediately enjoin ICE operations in Minnesota. She is still considering whether and how she can limit their operations in the future. We will argue in favor of limiting their operations. That's it. Thank you. >> Good. That prompt any uh inquiries from council members? >> Okay. Thanks for that report. Uh next up on the agenda is the consent agenda. And there are several items on the consent agenda. Uh, is there anyone on the council that wishes to remove an item from the consent agenda? Hearing nothing, is there a motion to adopt the items on the consent agenda in a single motion? >> So moved. >> A second. >> Member Jackson moves member Agnu seconds the adoption of the items on the consent agenda in a single motion. Any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of the items on the consent agenda and a single motion say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? Carried. Those items are adopted. And next we are going to a uh I'll call it a really special recognition. It's really a a pleasure to have the Minihaha Creek Wershed District with us and um to uh get this presentation uh about a park that we love before and love even more now and this partnership that we had with uh James Whisker as leader of the Minihow Creek wershed district and our representative Steve Sando. Is Dick Miller here too? Not not Dick's not here this evening. Yeah, Mayor, excuse me, Mayor Havlin, council members. Manager Miller is not here today. He asked me to say a few words on his behalf. >> Okay, good. Well, it's it's great to have you here and we look forward to the presentation and it's become a park that everybody just uh loves more than more than ever, I'd say, and and you you guys held an instrumental role in making it all happen. >> I Well said. I think beloved before and and loved after. So, thank you, Mayor Hovland, council members, and Adina city staff. Um, we're really grateful for the opportunity to be with everybody this evening, especially given the the length of your agenda and the seriousness of it. I'm James Whisker. I'm the administrator for the Minihawk Creek Wershed District. And I'm here tonight on behalf of our board, our Adina board members that Mayor Hlin just acknowledged, Steve Sando here who's joined beside me, uh, neighbor of Ardan Park and big champion for the project before he joined our board. um and everyone at the wershed to express our deep gratitude to the city of Adina for our partnership to reimagine uh this as a vibrant public space and also to congratulate you all as it was recognized as statewide project of the year by Minnesota Watersheds and so we've we wanted to bring uh uh the award to you so you could take a look at it. um your staff was in the audience at the conference and we were able to get a photo op with them and bring them up. But I wanted to say a few brief words even though I'm not known for brevity on behalf of uh manager Miller who is unable to join us this evening and then invite Steve to share his perspective and um if it pleases the council maybe get a photo with with all of you as well. I want to start by saying the recognition here is extremely welld deserved and it reflects much more than just a single project but a consistent commitment by this city council, your staff team and the community to thoughtful planning, public service and excellence. I think one of your residents mentioned that earlier and I share those sentiments. Ardan Park's a powerful example of what's possible when a city approaches water not as a constraint or a limitation, but as a community asset. At its core, the project addressed a failing Lowhead Dam and a degraded section of Minhaha Creek. However, rather than narrowly focusing on replacing aging infrastructure or improving park assets, Adina really stepped back and asked a broader question. How can we solve these water problems in a way that strengthens the park, improves the creek, and enhances how people experience this place? The result is a project that treats over 80 acres of storm water from as far away as 50th in France that previously ran into the creek without treatment. And it makes Minihaha Creek the focal point of the park, remandering it to restore its ecology and increase its visibility as a defining feature both for the park, but also the surrounding neighborhood, creating a renewed space that people actively use and value. As you know, if you've been there, the park's frequently used now by people that are kaying, walking, fishing, tubing, hammocking, which I didn't know was a verb, playing hockey, and enjoying nature. and wildlife. And it was really that holistic approach um for that holistic approach that Ardan Park was not only recognized by Minnesota Watersheds for the statewide project of the year, but has also previously been recognized with a national engineering excellence award by the American Council of Engineering Companies and was profiled just last year in the Army Corps uh International Design with Nature Atlas alongside projects, riverine projects um like the San Antonio Riverwalk and alongside side projects from Seattle to Taiwan. Um, and I'll encourage you to look that up. It's it's pretty neat to see Ardan Park sitting right beside those projects. That said, and all those project outcomes uh noted based on my 20 years with the watershed, what truly sets Ardan Park apart is how the work was done. The project reflects exceptional collaboration among the city departments. Uh the park team's vision for the public space, the engineering team's technical leadership, and the communication team's support to engage the community early and often were essential to the project success. And of course, the results reflect strong and steady leadership from this council uh and a willingness to invest in in long-term outcomes that support integrated solutions to deliver excellence through partnership. from our perspective um and we don't get here that often. So that's why I wanted to spend a few minutes saying this. The city of Adina and we work with 28 other cities has been a model partner. You've brought clear priorities, high expectations, and a collaborative spirit to the table. And that approach that the city embraces closely aligns with what we call a balanced urban ecology. our vision for integrating water, land use, infrastructure and community needs to deliver multiple benefits through single focused investments and as a result despite the project being complex. Your team made the work really easy. Ardan Parks now one of our growing number of case studies that show this balanced urban ecology approach isn't theory. It works and it works because of the leadership and professionalism present in this room and across city staff. So on behalf of the watershed district, we wanted to thank the city council for the vision and commitment. We wanted to thank city leadership and your staff for excellence and teamwork and and thank the community for supporting investments that make the city of Adina an even better place to live, work, and play. Uh we're really proud of the partnership. We hope you are too. And as we embark on creating a shared vision for the future with our 2027 plan, we look forward to continuing great work uh together in the years ahead. And with that, I'll I'll say thank you again and invite Steve to share his perspective as a resident and neighbor. >> Yeah, thanks Mr. Whitaker. Uh yeah, we u I think you know it was people build relationships between them. uh families build relationships between families, but we really organizationally built a great relationship I think between the city and the watershed district particularly over this project and then the participation of the nearby residents in the project so it could reach its potential and Steve Sando was down there uh quite a bit hacking away at Buckthornne and doing all kinds of things with his wife. So, and uh here's a reward. You get to you get to work at night like us, >> right? Yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just want to add to what James comments, but the Art and Park Restoration Project and this award uh could not have been possible without your team, excellent team from the workers and the tree people and everybody uh together. We took a diamond in the rough and we made it shine. And it's kind of a fun statement. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit. So, thank you all. >> Yeah. Thanks, Mr. Stando. Well, how about a photo? You want to do that? Yeah. Let's come down. We'll take the whole council down there. >> You might want to come down. Just this way just a tiny bit. Keep coming. Keep coming. >> All right, everybody angle in towards the pretty black. Keep coming. Keep coming. I've got this monitor I'm trying to keep up. right? You know what's going on. >> Awesome. Council member Jackson has a quick comment and other may others may as well because this is quite an award uh recognizing this beautiful project. So >> well I just want to acknowledge the people who were sitting up here at the time um that the decision made. was a really big project and and there were comments citywide and there was so much patience and so much um hard work that went into this. So, we got to be in the picture, but there were so many others who aren't here tonight um who I want to acknowledge as well and thank them for their hard work, their patience, and their community service. >> And for some a lot of worry, you know, that that uh >> the fear that you were going to screw up something they loved and now you can't find anybody that doesn't love the project. So that's that's a good thing. Thanks for that comment. Um, so that completes the special recognitions and presentations portion of the agenda. We only have uh one public hearing this this evening and uh Carrie Teague has that matter for us and that is the request for the issuance of a conditional use permit with variances at 4201 West 50th Street. council. Uh, this property is located at the intersection of 50th Street in Indianola. It's just west of 50th in France. The proposal is for a conditional use permit and a parking stall variance uh for a daycare and church to move into the existing church building that's located on the site. There is no changes proposed to the exterior of the building or the parking lot. The church here was built in 1955. The daycare, there was a daycare that was started in the 1990s. The church closed in 2023 and has been vacant ever since. Um the city, we don't have any record of a conditional use permit for either the church or the school. So the non-conforming use um goes away after a year. So, they need a conditional use permit to operate the church uh and a daycare. The parking stall variance um is based on the size of the sanctuary in the church and 83 parking stalls are required. There are 71 stalls available uh in the parking lot. And this is a look at an aerial of that parking lot. The 71 stalls includes this area that's highlighted in red. This is a remnant of a alley that was vacated back in 1959. This area was originally platted for all single family homes in the area. And there was an alley that was platted from J place here all the way to Indianola. And in 1959 that alley was vacated. Uh the full alley was vacated from this point to Indianola. And half of it was uh vacated here. And this half remained open. And one of the conditions was that the church was to construct some type of a a path for its own use as well as for the homes that are located here. Um, there's a garage here and here. Uh, this home accesses off of J Place. So, this is not a a um city alley. The city does not maintain it. Um, the church has maintained it uh all these years. In 2023, when the church closed, the city has been plowing uh plowing that out for the neighbors. the applicant this evening would take over that responsibility for the maintenance. So the with in regard to the parking uh a study was done by Stantech Ed Terar is with us uh on the phone if there's any questions in that regard. Uh but they did conclude that there is adequate parking for the daycare. They don't have a church user at this time. They hope to rent out the space in the future, but there's not a specific church user um at this time. They also conducted a traffic study and found that there's no impacts to the roadways for the need of any um roadway improvements. Here's another um look at the at that alley. There's two stalls located here that are labeled as reserved. They're not used uh very often, but the the object is um to pro provide that access for that garage. There's also some handicap stalls here um that are in the way of that garage to the north. But again, there's an agreement with all these property owners and the church to keep that clear so they can maintain that access. In regards to parking for the church, there haven't been any is uh issues uh since the 1950s when the church was in operation as far as staff is aware of. Uh no complaints. We do have a couple of churches in town um that don't have any parking parking provided. Um the St. Stevens Church just down the block, there's zero parking. That seems to work out okay. As well as the Morningside Church has no uh parking lot. So, one of the conditions that the uh consultant is suggesting is um that once they uh establish a church user that they come up with some kind of a parking plan in the event that that lot gets full, whether it's parking elsewhere, they would have to come up with that plan and submit that to to the city. Um once that's established, planning commission was okay with that condition. Um, in terms of circulation for the daycare drop off, it would all take place within the parking area. So there wouldn't be any loading unloading of students on Indianola or 50th. So that can all be accommodated uh within the existing parking. Uh so with that staff and the planning commission are recommending approval of the conditional use permit and the variances. We find that the conditional use permit criteria is all met. The planning commission did add one condition that the city's traffic safety committee review the potential for a crosswalk across 50th street at Ardan Avenue. So that would take place um should the project be approved. Uh the recommendation this evening is for the city to adopt the ordinance that's in front of you or the resolution. This item was delayed at the last city council meeting as we were doing some adjustments to the um to the agenda. So, we would ask that you take action this evening. With that, I can stop there and answer any questions. And the applicant is here for a presentation as well. >> I appreciate all the work that has gone into this. Uh the concern that I have focuses on the parking spaces that are in front of that driveway to the private garage and I have requested some images be shown. I would like to start with the one that shows state statute and um Edina ordinance. Um I the JPEG one that says state statute. >> The third one down. It's I know it's hard. Um I think this project has I don't have the one concern I have is that by having those parking spots there, we appear to be violating state statute. And if you look at state statute prohibitions, a person must not stop, stand, or park a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control device in any of the following places. And then number two is in front of a public or private driveway. If you look at Edina code, we've added language to that. And so it's no longer just in front of a private driveway, but it is um within five feet of the intersection of any public or private driveway or alley with any street or highway. So what that does is create a loophole so that you can have parking spots that block access to a private garage or driveway if it fronts onto a parking lot. And what I would like to see happen is those two spaces um that have the word reserved on them be eliminated and we stripe it so that it's very clear no parking is allowed. And I would like to make that a condition of approval. Then we would be bringing it up to um state statute standards. And I think there's a logic to doing that. Um to be totally transparent, one of the reasons I ran for office is because I saw my neighbor experience um having her access to her garage cut off for nearly a year. And so this is kind of a personal thing to me and I do think it does by not being compliant with state statute, we do kind of open things up for the individual who owns that property to encounter issues. The other thing is I did note in the packet there was a statement from the applicant affirming that they would continue with the status quo and work with the person who lived there, but I didn't see anything from the actual resident who lives there. And I'm not sure that the person who lives there is the actual property owner. So those are my concerns and I don't know if staff could address that. Yeah, I believe that that's a reasonable condition that the council could add. Um, in terms of those stalls in front of those two garages, I think that's a reasonable condition. Um, >> thank you. That would be happy. >> And um, >> there was another question there. Could you remind me? Uh I didn't know if the um actual property owner had been contacted. >> Uh I believe it's not. >> I think it's a a different location. >> It is a rental. Yes. And we have been in contact with the property owners and the main concern there is >> the main concern there is that they would just like to see that continue to be maintained by the church so they continue their access. >> Yes. Thank you. So, looking at what's there now, um, if there's no parking in front of that garage, where would the handicap parking places be? >> They would have to move them closer to the entrance of the building. They need to be as close to the entrance as possible. >> Okay. So, that will be that'll will be guaranteed that that it'll be sufficient legal uh handicap. Legally, they do have to have handicap parking. So, they would have to make those adjustments. >> We don't need to have a condition or anything to make that happen. >> You could add that as part of the condition. Sure. >> I I'd like to make sure that the parking lot's compliant. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> Other questions for staff at this point in time. >> Yeah. Council member Agnu. >> Thank you. Um, we did get um some concerns about traffic kind of coming out. Um, can you kind of motion over here again of like where will be the flow of traffic and where would parents be expecting to park? Um, and just kind of walk me through what what does 7:30 to 8 a.m. look like on those weekdays? >> I'll let the applicant answer in a little more detail. Uh but they would drop off in front of the building and then the whole parking lot would be available for >> How are they getting to the parking lot? >> Oh yes, they come in off of J Place off of 50th to J Place and then in this way. >> Okay. Is there an exit out to Indianola Avenue? >> There is. Yep, there is. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. Yeah, this is another um another way in and out. >> Okay. And so they could go either. There's nothing kind of distinguishing. >> Okay. >> Um that might be something that we want to to look at, but um I'll allow the applicant or I'm great with the applicant coming up. Thank you. >> Any other questions for Director Teague at this point in time? Director Teague, uh you spoke with the applicants, I'm sure, and and indicated to them that they'd have a certain amount of time to make a presentation >> in that 10 to 15 minute range. >> Okay, very good. Let's ask the applicants team to come up that's requesting the conditional use permit. >> Well, you don't need that handheld if you're not going to stand in the middle. >> Um I I did not make a 10 to 15 minute presentation. I I I thought it was this a smaller one. So, I'm just I will introduce myself and be uh here to answer questions. >> Very good. Um, good evening mayor and council members. I my name is Don Reby. I'm the owner and CEO of Misimigo Spanish Immersion Preschool and I've been an Adina resident for the past 16 years. Um, my boys both went to school here and have all the way from Highlands to South View to um, high school. Adina is my home to my family and this project is especially meaningful to me. I've always wanted to have a school in Adina. Uh, Mimigos was founded in 2001 and is one of the country's first Spanish immersion preschools. We serve children from birth to age five during the most formative years of their lives. Every day, our teachers help children feel safe, loved, and confident while they naturally acquire a second language and an appreciation for cultures beyond their own. Families trust us on what matters most to them, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Our request this evening is to approve the conditional use permit that allows us to continue a long-standing community focused use of this property. The site has always been a place of service through worship, education, and care for others. And our proposal honors that history by preserving the building, continuing Sunday worship, and thoughtfully adapting the interior to meet state child care standards. Throughout this process, our goal has been simple. to be a good neighbor and a positive presence in the community. At every Mis Amigos location, we work intentionally to respect surrounding neighborhoods, communicate openly, and build long-term relationships. That same care and accountability will guide us here. I believe that this project adds value to Adina by supporting families, respecting the character of the property, and continuing a legacy of service to the community. and I'm deeply grateful for your consideration and would be honored to bring Mimigos to Adina. >> All right. Thanks, Mr. Rebe. Anyone else on your team that you want to have speak? Uh, you don't have to have them come up now because I think some council members may have questions for you. >> Yeah, they Well, I have a couple people here if I can't answer that. >> Okay. All right. Council member Agnu. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for the the quick introduction. Um, so is this is Mis Amigos and the I think four schools that exist today? Um, do those all report into one company or is it a franchise model? If you can speak towards that. >> Yeah, I know I own all four of them. >> Okay. >> Um, I own two Well, I own one of the properties that we that we operate in. I have a a property in St. fall. And then we have um two of our two of our schools are in churches, one in Excelsier and Plymouth, and then we have a commercial location in Golden Valley. >> Wonderful. And you said birth to 5 years old. Um how many classrooms do you think you'll be able to fit within the church? >> Um the number of classrooms, Greg probably knows the exact number. Um we do hope to get to serve about 150 kids. >> Okay. Okay. So, that's about 10 8 to 10 8 to 10 classrooms. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh I'm just trying to compare it to my children's daycare and I think they're around like the 8 to 10ish classrooms as well. So, that >> pretty standard >> and I was just doing like the parking math in my head because I know how many parking spots we have there. So, that's why I was curious. >> Um but I think that's all the questions I have right now. >> Good. Thanks. Anyone else questions for Mr. Rebe? Uh, anyone else you would like to have speak on behalf of your team at this point in time? Okay. All right. Stand by. There may be some questions that come up here. We're going to This is a public hearing matter. I'm going to open it up now for >> public testimony if there's anyone in the audience uh or remotely that wishes to testify in this matter or feel free to come forward and uh we'll take your testimony. And keep in mind you'll have three minutes and you'll get that yellow light and think about wrapping up your comments. Yeah, good evening. >> Uh, thank you, Mayor, City Council. Uh, my name is Andrew Johnson. I live in Ardan Park. Um, I can attest it is a beautiful park. Well deserving of the award. My I walk my corgi through there uh almost every day. So, love it. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk against the uh conditional use permit. Um, I don't necessarily oppose a daycare operating in that church or a church operating. Um, I'm not even really concerned about the parking uh as much. Uh my concern is the increased traffic that it's going to bring particularly to uh J place. Um under the proposed plan, the traffic would um I actually thought it would enter along Indianola uh because it is uh a one-way alley right now. Um but it seems like uh the traffic flow kind of got changed a little bit. But be that as it may, either way, that is not a sustainable traffic flow in and out of that parking lot, especially with the um number of students that uh they're anticipating putting in that building. I think that um it's going to create frustrations not only for uh the adjacent residents. I think it's going to cause a lot of frustrations with uh parents dropping their children off uh and picking them up. And I think it's going to cause a lot of problems with uh or a lot of frustrations with the staff there, too. Um, JP Place is a narrow functionally oneway alley that cannot handle this increased traffic. Um, during rush hour, vehicles um are going to be queuing along Jace um trying to enter or exit. Um, and anyone who lives or drives through that corridor along 50th Street knows that making a turn uh especially a cross traffic turn onto 50th Street during rush hour is virtually impossible. Even the residents of Ardan Park know better. We drive down to Halifax and turn at the light. Um so um it's not hard to imagine that there's going to be long lines of cars cues forming along Jace. Um and in fact it kind of already happens now with just the small amount of residents that use Jace uh to access their driveway. I am one of those residents. Uh my driveway connects directly to J Place. Um it's the only point of access that I have to my uh garage. And it's only about one car length away from the stop sign along J place and 50th. Um so like I said, even when one or two cars are queued there, um my husband and I are blocked in to our driveway. Um church flow um follows a similar pattern, but um since that is limited to the weekends and usually evenings, uh it's not as much of a problem. But the Monday through Friday, uh, rush hour traffic is going to be a huge problem through there. So, um, if approved, um, it's going to have major access issues to myself and to our driveway. And um as a neighbor who's going to be directly impacted by this uh approval, um I would be open to, you know, revisiting in the future if there's a you know a more substantial traffic impact study completed. But as it stands now, um it it needs to be denied. There's just no way that the traffic flow is going to work through that space even with um the additional parking. So thank you, Mr. Johnson. Good evening. >> Good evening, Mr. Mayor, council members. I'm Steve Spring Rose and I am uh the person who owns the property with the reserved um parking spaces. I thought it was either you get to speak or you get to provide input to the council members. So, I didn't do both. But, uh, like Andrew, I support his comments about the traffic along J Place. Uh, I brought along with me responsive to, uh, council member Agnu's comments, a drawing that talks about a little bit of the way the traffic flow would work under the proposal. And I don't know if that's visible or not visible. Um >> okay. >> Okay. >> So, the subject property is get a pen here. Um and 50th Street is here. And the plan is to have half of the traffic come in through J place and half of the traffic come in through the corridor off Indianola back here on the south side. Um, if you just factor in the students and staff, there would be 73 student vehicles coming in in the morning, parking, bringing their children to drop off and then departing. Uh, this is the evening um plan because there could also be departures then of staff vehicles. So, 73 vehicles would come in and 86 would come out. I got a re receipt of a an email from uh Stantech, the traffic organization that uh uh evaluated the traffic. Uh I received it yesterday and um their numbers are a little bit higher than this because they're factoring in also that there will be visitors and other things that are going on with the site. Uh but J place itself is very narrow. It's um 16 ft wide uh as a driving surface with uh curb on each side of it. Uh but 16 ft of driving surface in the summertime, but when I left today, it's 14 1/2 ft wide because of the snow banks that are there. And so frankly um with the 845 vehicles per day that are being projected by Stantech divided by two because half of them will come in through Indianola. Um it still leaves 425 vehicles a day that are going in and out two-way along J place. And I think that that's going to be quite a load. Um, I can give you an example. Uh, at rush hour at 5:30 when I leave, there's usually either stop traffic or a rolling backup of traffic on 50th Street. And it takes you about five minutes to leave from the stop sign at J place turning left onto 50th. You've got to find a good-hearted driver who's going to stop, let you slide in, and then find an opening looking around the car that's in front of you. And if someone hasn't filled it from Maple Place, you can then slide into the traffic. So, it's a it's a consideration for the low level of traffic. There are six driveways. >> I need to have you wrap up your comments. I see that you're on out of time here. >> I see. Okay. I would like to address also the parking and the corridor. And I'm sorry that I've gone over, but my main concern is >> something. You have something on parking. I guess we're going to probably make a decision tonight, but do you have something you wanted to submit from a written standpoint for the record? There was a description that was given by Carrie tonight that seemed contrary to my understanding of what that alley is. I think it's a city-owned property that is an alley. And for 65 years, people have been parking on that alley because it's been mutually beneficial. And we agree with that. However, I understand that there are uh there's interest in the property next door and they may want to revert that property to alley status and I think that would be an obligation of the city. Uh there's also a corridor that uh the neighbors use on the south side of the subject site um for exit because in the and and um the exit needs to be in such a way that uh the neighbors can go in and out and the city has had that in place since the late 1950s as well. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Sorry to get you to wrap up but to let you drift over there. Thank you. Thanks for that. Thanks for that. >> I'm not used to this, but >> yeah. No, thanks for the additional information. >> Anyone else? Hello. Sorry, I don't have a card for you, Jennifer. Yeah, I know. Okay. So, um anyways, I don't live in the neighborhood, but I am familiar with the property. Um I did get a letter written to all of you with my concerns about uh the Spring Rose property with the driveway that um could potentially be blocked by cars. Um >> why don't you give us your name for the record, too, please? >> Oh, Jane. Janie Weston. >> Thank you. um by cars parking in those reserved spots, especially if there's been snow and it hasn't been plowed. You can't see reserved on the pavement. Um and perhaps I missed something spoken earlier uh before I was able to get here to the meeting. I was at a band concert. Um anyway, um that concerns me and I don't know if there's been um formal documentation of uh that being alley city-owned property that is all those north side of the parking lot parking spaces or not. Um if it's not properly documented, it should be at this time. Um, one thing with a traffic report, it only talks about cars, vehicles, walkers may be walking their children to this location. Um, I used to do that at every opportunity when my kids were little. I would walk to the um, preschool that they went to, and that's part of the experience of them going to preschool is walking there. So, are there any numbers on that that anybody has considered here? Possible walkers and if they're uh from a family on the north side of 50th, how can they most safely get to that location? So, just some other things to think about. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Weston. Anyone else here in the audience wish to testify? Okay. Let's check online to see if there's anybody. All right. Um, yeah, thanks for that. Um, we've got Mr. Terhar on the line. >> Yes, we do have Ed Terar from Stantech and he can address um some of the issues that were brought up this evening. >> Okay. Yeah, please. I think it would be important um with the concerns that have been raised by few of the residents about traffic on J place and access in and out of Indianola. It might be good to understand that a little bit better. Hello, this is Ed Terar. Good evening everyone. >> Good evening Ed. >> What specifically did you want to hear about? Well, I think I think we need an explanation of why you came to the conclusions that you came to that uh uh both with respect to you know I think the ver maybe verify the volumes that you looked at and then talk about what what your conclusions were and why. >> Sure. So, as shown in the traffic study, the actual trip generation for the daycare uh is 60 trips in in the AM peak hour and 54 trips out. Um PM peak hour is 54 trips in and 61 trips out during the peak hour. So, that's over an entire hour. The the trips will be spread out over the hour. A use like this um the trips do not all occur at one time. They are spread out over that that time period. So, if you look at how they're split up, uh it was assumed that there would be two-way traffic on J Street and two-way traffic on Indianola. Depending on which way the um parents are coming to to the site, um it was assumed half of them would use JP place and half of them would use um Indianola. So, that equates to 30 trips coming in on Jace and 30 trips on Indianola in the morning. and um 27 exiting uh J place and 27 exiting Indianola. So that's over in an hour. So you can see that is not all happening at one time. We then looked at the level of service at all the intersections including J place and 50th and J place and Indianola as long as well as Ardan and Wooddale and found that at J place and Indianola um the level of service is acceptable. it will be different than it is today. I acknowledge that there's nothing in the church today. There will be some delay, but it is at an acceptable level. So, that was the conclusion of the study um using standard trip generation data for the um daycare. We also factored in if there was a church, there would be some trips that would occur in the AM and PM as well. Those were factored in. They're they're small. Obviously the church would have a you know just have some staff um during the week and um the the most you know the majority of the church traffic happens on the weekend which you know when there's there's lower traffic volumes on 50th. So that's a quick nutshell of what we what we came up with. Um happy to answer other questions that that you have. >> When you when you say level of service acceptable uh what do you mean by that? the level of service at um at those movements uh at those intersections. The the overall intersection was level service A, which is the best level you can have. The movement coming out of Jace or out of Indianola was level service E, which is acceptable in an urban area. Um it is a larger amount of delay than some other intersections, but it is not failing. >> Okay. All right. I think we should have done I should have done something before we got into Mr. Tar's conversation, but um the staff wants us to deal with this matter tonight. So, I think we've heard testimony from the audience. Nobody online. Uh is there a motion to close the public hearing and then we'll finish with the questions? >> So moved. >> Member Jackson moves. Member Pierce the motion that we close the public hearing in this matter. Any further discussion? All those in favor of closing the public hearing say I. >> I. Opposed. Carried. Uh uh council members uh oh here let me ask one supplemental question of Mr. Rebe. What what are the school hours? >> Uh we're open 7 to 5:30 >> 7 to 5:30 and students are coming off and on during the day or >> generally generally they come we're open for the full day and it's it's um they pay one rate for the full for for the full day and they can choose which hours that they come. Generally, our biggest hours are the arrival time is usually between 7 and 9. Some come a little bit later than that, but that's the general time. And then in the afternoon, the time is 3:45 to 5:30 is when our main pickup times are. So, it is spread out across, you know, a couple of hours. >> Okay. And and Mr. Terar, is that the re is that the basis for you making your calculations the way you did that the that the traffic in and out was spread out over time? >> That is correct. >> Okay. Other council member questions? >> Uh, member Jackson. >> Uh, just really briefly, is the will the daycare be accessible through the at the building for pedestrians off of 50th? >> Um, no. We plan on having all of the parent entrance and exit on the the picture that's up there right now. Now, I don't know if can you guys can still see that. >> Um, it's the the entrance that's off the parking lot. >> It's a it's a red circle there. >> That's where all of our parent entrance and exits will happen. It's all of our staff, everybody will come through that exit. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, member RER, >> given uh, you know, the the testimony we've heard tonight and also the reality of Minnesota and build up on roads and everything, I'm just really thinking if there it it would make a lot of sense to try to have most of the traffic come in off of Indianola, especially since there is so much traffic on 50th and it does really back up quite a bit. And so I I really do empathize with the residents who spoke to that point. I also think it could be a safety issue and it might is there a way it could be redesigned to really limit people trying to come in off of 50th. >> Yeah. And we could even just ask our parents. I mean we have a really good relationship. We have a great community of parents and we can just tell them like the way that we prefer it, the best way for the community, the best way for you to use this is to come in on Indianola and they would do what we asked. >> Okay. Maybe even some official signage or something saying >> entrance. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Council member Pierce, >> I didn't realize my mic was still on. Um so I I actually agree with um member Risser there looking at the traffic patterns. Um but I I did have one question um just for clarification if to see if I'm interpreting this correctly. So the conditional use permit um if there were a tenant for the church and it was operating as a church what type of variance would be needed then >> use it it's the same the same the variance is assuming there is a church in operation there that's that's what's short parked is the church use. >> Yeah. And so when I think about it in those terms, um I I think the focus really should be trying to figure out how to um ease the traffic concerns. Um I am over in that area um quite a bit and it is challenging um to cross those streets. Um, and I say that I don't think that that actually has anything to do with the use of the school in the church. You understand what I'm saying? And so if it was if if the church was opening and there was a, you know, denomination going in there and starting church services, they would still have to do the same thing. Um and so the fact that the the school is increasing traffic, that is true, and the traffic patterns um are now school hours, so it is more consistent, right? It's Monday to Friday, right? I get that. Um but in my opinion, you're actually not asking for anything different than another use for the church, right? And so with the park parking lot there, I do think it's incumbent on us to think about well, how can we ensure that that space can be used and answering some of these questions of um how can we address the resident's concerns about traffic um feels appropriate to me and I was also thinking about right is there a way you can say well for drop off and pickup it's one way in one way out and having signage up to say that. And I I think if you you do that >> and not just put the signs up, but be clear that no, this is it. This is what we mean. It's one way in, one way out, and put those signs up. Um I think that that would go a long way in addressing that challenge. >> High school, get somebody out there. Yeah. >> Um, do any comment? >> I I appreciate all the suggestions. I do think we need to clear up some of that communication. Um, so I I would recommend supporting this if we're including some of those additional stipulations to help from a clarity perspective, um, a signage perspective. And then the other thing that I'll say too is it doesn't need to be like a one-time thing. I think what we can also look at is is this causing an impact and hopefully we can build a really strong relationship where if what we're hearing from neighbors is this is the impact it's a negative impact. Um we work in partnership to say do we need more signage or do we need to iterate on things? Absolutely. >> Um because I do know in our community like it's really hard to find daycare and so I really appreciate additional opportunities. Um maybe my fellow council members haven't had children quite as recently as I have. Um but we were on the wait list for Casad Corzone at like the 51st and France location. Um we got on the wait list when I was 12 weeks pregnant and we got a spot when my daughter was 2 and a half years old. Um, so just to like there is a really strong need in this community and it's just I just wanted to add that little anecdotal evidence of um appreciation for adding more opportunities um for for daycare options. So overall supportive with the enhancements um that my fellow council members have recommended. >> Mr. Rebe, let me ask you, do you have any uh concern about the elimination of those two reserve spots next to those garages? >> No. >> All right. And uh no reservations about moving the required handicap parking closer to the to this building? >> No, that's fine with me. >> Okay. >> I just want to make this happen. Like I know like like you said that this is it is such a necessary service. It's such a ne it's such a need. There is hardly any full-time child care options up here in this northern side of Adina and um we're yeah we just want to make it happen and and continue to be of service. >> Okay. Well, there's been activity of this nature there for since the 50s, right? So, it's a continuation of that. Um so, we've got a motion to adopt resolution 2026-05. The uh planning commission added uh condition. Did we make the motion? >> No, we I was going to say we need a motion, but when we do a motion, >> when we do a motion, I would suggest that whoever makes the motion, thanks for that clarification. Whoever makes the motion should be thinking about uh in section three of 202605. Uh in addition to the uh force condition that the planning commission imposed that the city's traffic safety committee review the potential for a crosswalk across 50th street at Ardan Avenue based upon the uh concerns we've had from council members and the uh acquiescence of those concerns by the applicant that we add conditions five and six. Five would be that the two reserve spots next to the garages be eliminated for parking purposes. And then number six would be that we move the required handicap parking spots uh closer to uh the church building itself to be in compliance with uh state and federal law. Is there someone who cares to make that motion? >> So moved. >> A second. Got a motion and second to adopt uh resolution 202605 with those additional two conditions imposed. Uh any further discussion? >> All those in favor of adoption of resolution 20265 uh with the six conditions imposed on it say I. >> I opposed. Uh carried. >> Thank you everybody. Well, good good luck over there. It be nice to see some life over there. And I know that these neighbors have legitimate concerns. I mean, we those of us that live here know how how narrow Jay Place is. And >> for sure. And we I commit to help to working with the neighbors to to figure out a solution for that. And we will be good neighbors. >> I suspect you'll hear plenty from the parents that are paying tuition, too, about >> Yes. Yeah. >> about it. And so, yeah, you got you got two good neighbors there in in in Steve and uh and Andrew. So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, thank you. >> Take their advice to heart. Okay, >> I will. Thank you. >> Yeah, thanks everybody for being here. >> All right. Um that that completes the uh public hearing portion of the agenda this evening. We're going to move on to reports and recommendations. Uh we've got a resolution accepting donations uh resolution 2026. Is there someone who cares to make that motion for adoption? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Member Jackson moves. member Pierce seconds the adoption of resolution 2026 which accepts donations on behalf of the city of Edina uh made to the city of Vina. Uh any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of resolution 202606 say I. >> I opposed carried. Resolution 2026 is adopted. There's some great gifting going on here at the uh I imagine it was at the end of the year. >> Uh Kowalsski's generous gift to the Adina Arts Center. Adina Park and Recck Department got a wonderful gift from the Daughters of the American Revolution for $3,200 for a bench at Arnison Acres. The Adina Police Department got a number of really substantial gifts. And all those donors names will be posted on the city website. And uh thank you to all you donors whether you're here or uh listening online. We really appreciate your support of the city of Adina. Um so that completes uh 20260 item 9.1 on the agenda. We're going to move to item 9.2 which is a sketch plan review process that we do with uh potential uh development opportunities. And Carrie Teague, our community development director, is going to introduce this matter. And then we've got some presenters here as well to talk about this idea that they have for a piece of property in the south part of our city. >> Director Teague. >> Yes. Thank you, Mayor, members of the council. So, the proposal is to remodel the existing building that's on the site for a 18,000 foot retail space for Salvation Army. It would also include 9,000 square foot warehouse where customers would drive into the warehouse and they could dump off drop off their drop off their goods uh for the Salvation Army. This project is extremely unique. I've never had a request like this before. The use itself is not allowed in any zoning district in the city. We only allow secondhand stores to be 2500 square feet or less. So being this is 1,800 square feet, I would exceed that. In addition, >> 18,000 >> 18,000. Yes. Yes. Um in addition, retail sales is not a permitted use in the industrial district, which this property is located. Um so with any type of a formal application, the zoning ordinance would have to be amended to allow secondhand stores um larger than 2500 square ft. Reszoning uh would be required some type of resoning to a commercial use. Um and a comprehensive plan amendment. The site is guided office and residential retail use as a primary uh is not allowed uh in that district. Staff would support any type of zoning ordinance amendment that would allow secondhand stores like a Goodwill or Salvation Army in our retail zoning districts that not so sure about in an industrial district. Um so with that I will turn it over to the uh applicant team and they will uh make a presentation and provide a little more detail. >> That's an interesting approach you've taken with the council on uh your staff position. Not sure. >> Yeah, we went round and round with planning commission. Is there some type of an option that staff would support and >> just not sure how to get there? Yeah. Well, we'll uh that's the purpose of this sketch plan review too for people that are not sure think about the idea provide some uh education for all of us. >> Good evening. Uh just for the record, my name is Joe Becker with Carlson Partners, uh located in Edina. uh here tonight with the Salvation Army um and ultimately to just present a proposal for 4200 West 76th Street um for a Salvation Army family store. Um I think our goal overall is to kind of walk through just our intent and the planning logic behind the request. Um probably ask a couple clarifying questions of our own and most importantly kind of open up the conversation for, you know, constructive feedback. um and ultimately to address any concerns um that you may have. So, first I'll probably rattle through a couple of points uh and then I think it'll make sense to invite uh Tom Campfield from the Salvation Army up to uh explain a little bit more about the Salvation Army and their mission. So, first and foremost, at its core, the request is about how we can take an underutilized and currently vacant industrial property property and evolve it to meet present-day community needs. Um, this location is along a transitioning corridor that positions it differently from deeper industrial areas within the city. Um, and rather than demolishing the building or leaving it vacant, this proposal avoids new construction impacts and extends the life of a structure that's already embedded in the neighborhood. Um, it's really adaptive reuse at its core. Um, we're matching a building that is no longer fitting the legacy industrial demand with a use that again kind of serves today's realities. Beyond the zoning, uh this is a community serving use, not conventional retail. While the zoning code would classify the use as secondhand retail, the uh family store model is fundamentally different from traditional commercial retail. This location is donationbased and removes goods from the landfill. Um and 100% of the proceeds go to a nonprofit mission. Aside from that, when you look at the demographics in kind of the surrounding area pointed out on that aerial pulled up, um it contains a lot of from a demographic perspective, um higher concentrations of residents who are experiencing economic hardship and transportation hardship. And coupled with its proximity to other affordable housing developments, it's really creating a walkable neighborhood serving resource um for those types of developments. And then finally, from just an economic perspective, uh the project is again activating a vacant building. Um it's creating full-time and part-time employment opportunities. Um it's operating without TIF or city fund fundraising of any kind. Um and ultimately, again, it's expanding affordability in a corridor that is otherwise dominated by higher cost retail. Our goal is to add balance rather than competition within the market. And ultimately in summary, it's not about eroding industrial zoning or opening the door um for unrelated commercial uses. It's about thoughtfully adapting a specific site to serve the community's needs. And I think kind of with that, unless you guys have any questions with that, I'll invite Tom Campfield up. >> All right. You have questions? Yeah. Council member Jackson. >> Yes. Thank you. So, uh, tell us why this building is not suited for industrial use at this time. >> Yeah. So, the site, if you may or may not be familiar, it used to be LVC, which is kind of a a they do a lot of fire protection work. Um, and the site since they vacated has seen very limited interest from an industrial perspective. Um, and so with that in mind, it's kind of seen an evolution. And when you really look at kind of the corridor as a whole, there's a lot of mixed use elements in there. There's an LA Fitness right across the street. Um you have kind of these wellness spas in the area. Um and a bank which really at the core of it are kind of a retail use. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Member RER. >> In a sense though, if I understand this correctly, part of your operation is warehouse. you're bringing in all these clothes that need to be sorted and household goods and all of that to be kind of processed. This came up during the planning commission. And so in a way it seems like there's a warehouse aspect to it and what you're looking to do is add retail. And that is something that we have already done in this area with the drooling moose and with that uh retail is allowed in the industrial zone. However, only inside the building and that's based on the whole idea that you could have a cafeteria for your workers. But with the drooling moose, we granted a variant. The planning commission granted a variance that allowed them to sell directly to the public. So I just I want to underscore yours is not the first proposal coming to us asking that retail be added as a use. >> No question. >> Sorry about that. And my mic is getting all crazy. >> Okay. Yeah, you don't have to worry about responding. >> Welcome. >> Oh, thank you. Good evening, mayor and council members. Uh, my name is Envoy Tom Canfield and I'm with the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center and I serve as the business administrator and we're located in the North Loop of Minneapolis. And the reason why I say that is we operate a long-term residential rehabilitation program for people who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. And we currently serve about 140 clients in our program today. And the thrift store that you're looking at today is how we fund our program. We serve the most vulnerable of people who struggle with uh substance abuse. Uh folks don't have to have insurance, no government funding, people who have run out of options like that are who we we serve. And we self-fund completely through generous gifts of donations from people who want to give up their clothing or their household items. And you're right, we process them on site and then we merchandise them in our store and offer them at a discounted rate to people who enjoy thrifting or people who want to save money. We've attempted to come to Edina in the past and were unable to due to zoning uh challenges of having to be under 2500 square ft. We're also a a 501c3 nonprofit and we can't always get into the areas uh that offer retail um rates or uh many times we look at properties in this area and they're built into the leases. There's language that says they won't allow thrift and that's what makes this location so perfect for us. It has a a large warehouse area where we can create an easy drive-thru that's safe and heated and well lit for people to come and drop off their items and we can take them and um it has ample room for uh show floor. And uh we create a a sustainability project around all of our stores where we uh would have an impact of saving upwards of between 500,000 and a million pounds of items that normally would be sent to a landfill. And so I would like to open up if you have any questions for me about the Salvation Army and how we what we attempt to do. >> Yeah. Thanks, Mr. Canfield. I think we do have some questions. Council member Pierce. Uh thanks, Mr. Mayor, I'm not sure who this question is for, but um the first question is, are you purchasing the building? Are you the owner or a tenant? Just trying to understand the the business construct. >> We are a tenant. We are not the owner of the building. >> Okay. Okay. And then I had a question for um Director Teague. When when I when I look at this building, it it seems to fit the purpose almost perfectly. Like it's like going over to the Salvation Army and Hopkins has the drive up. They have a little warehouse where they sort goods and they've got a retail store out front and it's all in one building kind of similar to this. Um and then to the point member Risser made um I do buy chocolates from uh drooling moose. It's not on this street but same idea. So I'm just curious why the position the staff is of saying no. What's the reason behind that? >> Yeah, the main issue is this would be a retail use as the primary use of the site. This would be 65% of the building where the drool and moose the retail portion is about 5% of that total building size. Um so that's the differences. This is a retail with a as a primary use of the site. And so is that u just from the staff's perspective um I still struggle with what you're suggesting. I understand what you're saying. Uh but is that you're not supportive of um varying away from that? >> Yeah. The reservation that staff would have is let's say we amended the the ordinance to allow secondhand goods sales in the retail or in the industrial district as a primary use. This the retail space really operates no different than any other retailer. So might another retail use want to seek out the industrial district because the land is generally less valuable. So we over time you may lose your industrial uh zone properties to retail uses taking over. >> Thank you. >> Member Risher. >> I have a story and a potential solution that does not involve reasonzoning or a comprehensive plan amendment. And I have some images that I've asked to be made available. the story and actually this is a hundred years ago in 1926 the village of Uklid stood up against Amber Amler realy co and Uklid is in Ohio the realy company was in Cleveland and so they went toeto-toe and um what they were protesting was that they wanted to put Amler wanted to put in industrial right next to the residential and this was at a time where people were really becoming aware of the health concerns that happen when you have industrial right next to residential. So it's the most intense use versus the most least. And so um if we could look at the land use Henipin County JPEG at the bottom, one of the things that I'm really struck by is that in a sense we've advanced 100 years and um because of the way our comprehensive plan had layers in it and there was the office residential, we put office residential over our industrial thereby creating the precise situation. that the Uklitian zoning of long ago sought to eliminate and that was having residential right next to industrial. And if you look above your parcel, you've got more residential. And I do um understand uh we really do want to protect our industrial. I think there is a way to look at our zoning for industrial and say for industrial parcels that have future land use that lowers the intensity of the use which is this area. It's not the Cahill area. Okay. So, we're very specifically only focused on this. We will allow those industrial parcels that have lot lines that are shared with residential to allow retail. And so that would not be a lot of parcels. It would not have the dramatic impact that the four other possible plans have laid out. And I do agree with staff. Those are those are very creative plans, but they do carry consequences that we really don't want to have. And so with this version, what we're doing is we're taking a much more boring path, if you will, and a much more established kind of path and simply looking at the zoning and figuring out how it can respond to increasing demands because, as I noted before, yours is not the first warehouse concept that would like to also add retail. And after watching the planning commission review, I heard that there was a willingness to expand um secondhand store size. So, we've got, you know, that taken care of, but we just need to try to think a little bit more on a basic level, the way, you know, planning when it started was. Again, I do agree in one of the documents you say um this is page three of eight and I don't have the the whole thing, but item six, the zoning code is outdated relative to market and policy conditions. The current code was written for a different era of Edina's growth when single-use office and industrial districts were more active and market viable. I'd also like to add that if you look at what is allowed in our commercial zone, you see things that are also allowed in our industrial zone. Okay? So, you have banks in both. You have the way it's worded for commercial and I can't remember, but it was kind of cute. It was like it it wasn't workout or whatever, but it was a physical fitness kind of thing that was couched in old time. It was raetball and something else. I can't remember but it made me kind of laugh. Um but there is this overlap. So and it was pointed out I thought very well um by one of the commissioner commissioner alky on the planning commission how he was talking about in our industrial zone because we allow office use. It really is a very varied area and I think your slide showed that really clearly. And now um director Benerd I forgot the other things with the land use for the comprehensive plan. If we could look at that um I don't know if that'll but what actually that one just shows that it used to be purely resident. Oh, here we go. Okay, we're looking at this and if we can scoot down to that area um you can really see. Okay. And that big darker pink is commercial and that is our fire station area. And then you can see the industrial use in this area. That's the purple. There really isn't a lot of industrial actual use. Okay. Um so I wanted to bring that in and that's what my other um image showed as well. So, I don't know if I have another image that I haven't shown yet tonight. Um, with the Adina zoning map. Um, yeah. So, here just residential, the purple PUB, there's you and then there's just another industrial, but as shown before, these are very different. And then finally, if we could get to the code um with the planned industrial district, I do want to highlight item um five because it does talk about accessory uses being allowed, but only on the inside of the building. Okay. And so we've already moved beyond that with the drooling moose and the variance granted by the planning commission. And I think you know the idea that retail and you are combining it with warehouse. So it's not like you're completely abandoning the industrial vibe if you will that is very much there. And I think you know again this would not have a huge impact and it would be just dialing it back. We don't have to do a comprehensive plan. We don't have to do resoning. What we need to do is look at the language within that. So that that is and and I do want to just say I think we're tasked one of the things we need to do is figure out how not to generate so much waste and this would be something that would really help. I know a lot of people who um end up driving out of Edina to drop off their goods. I personally went to Ark Value Village yesterday to get this sweater. Ark is my go-to place and we donate there, which is really, you know, a great thing, but I would love to be able to donate closer to home in Edina. Another point that somebody raised is that being across from the fire station where there's this new community room, that might be an opportunity for you to do programming. So, I think that's all I've got, but I really do think, you know, we could celebrate the 100redyear anniversary of Uklitian zoning by applying basic principles to our zoning code. >> Thank you, member. Member Agnum. Any questions for the applicant or the staff? >> No, I don't have any directed questions. Thank you, >> Pierce. Um, Mr. Canfield, let me ask you. Do you have any um photos of any of your existing operations of a same or similar nature? >> I don't in this presentation. >> Not in this presentation. >> I'm sorry. >> We can provide it easily. >> It sounds like member Pierce has been over. Do you have one in Hopkins? It sounds like >> that's a different location, but >> we have a a location in Bloomington, Burnsville, Lakeville, St. Paul, three in Minneapolis. >> Let me write those down. Bloomington. >> Um, Burnsville. >> Yeah. >> Lakeville. >> Okay. >> Um, one in St. Paul and three in Minneapolis. >> So, Bloomington's the closest for us. >> Yes. >> What's the address there? Do you know? >> Uh, it's on 98th and Lindell. >> 98th in Lindell. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Um, what? Oh, Council Member Jackson, go ahead. >> Yeah. I've got a a question. So this is currently zoned planned industrial. It's guided in the comprehensive plan to be residential commercial. So it needs to be reszoned office residential. And so it needs to be reszoned anyways because we're supposed to line everything up. >> Um why is what is the main difference between office use and retail use? Um because I remember at one point 70th in France was going to have a grocery store in it and that was an office building. Um so tell me a little bit about the the theory behind the difference in office and commercial or and retail. >> Yeah, it it's allowing the that retail as a kind of a secondary use, not the primary use on the site. >> So that that's the issue that that staff is wrestling with. And and what's the just not justification but the theory behind the differentiating between retail and office? >> Why do we do that? >> I'm sorry. >> Yeah. No, that's a good question. Um yeah, I the reason behind it I I couldn't exactly say why we don't allow um retail in an office district as a primary use. We allow it as that secondary type use, but >> because I know there's a lot of coming and going from retail, but with an office, there's a very intense at 8 o'clock coming and five o'clock going. Um so in a way it's kind of a wash as far as traffic goes. But I mean it just it it it checks a lot of boxes for the community to do this but the zoning is very complicated. So >> it is as we have been talking about this with the planning commission. It really this these are the kind of issues that we need to sort out on a big picture big scale with the comprehensive plan. you know, do we want to allow these uses not only here but in in similar um areas in town? >> So, I guess it's a question for the developer on the timing of this that this is really um you know I to me a compelling idea, but we're just in next year 20 well two years I guess 2027 will really start the conversation about resoning. Um, is what is your time frame pretty urgent on this? Maybe for either one of you to to ask because this is a conversation I think the community would really like to have. >> We have tenative terms agreed with the landlord um on this. Uh, so Carlson Partners is representing Salvation Army. Um, and then the landlord is on the opposite side of that and we have tentative terms agreed with them. Um I think our preference would be to try to achieve this sooner rather than later. Um we want the Salvation Army wants to be a part of the Udina community. Um and we've been waiting for for a number of years to do that. >> Okay, good. Thank you. You know, candidly, one of the things I worry about is remember several years ago before the Southwest LRT line was built over at Blake Road and Excelsier Boulevard, there was a facility over there that did this. I don't I don't think it was Goodwill. I don't think it was Arc, but I can anyway. >> It's Goodwill. >> Was it Goodwill? >> It was a drive-in. And it always seemed to me like it was really messy. There were there was, you know, clothes that people had just dropped off on a Sunday when they were closed and there was trash blowing around and and uh that's kind of why I wanted to see a photo of one of your operations. I'm going to drive down and look at the one on 98th in Lindale, but uh I don't think you want to see that. We don't want to see that. We turned a project down called Green was it green thumb? Green >> green drop. >> Green drop. Yeah. >> Uh that was kind of the same concept, but nobody there uh to manage it. And you've got a big store operation. Then it looks like what you'd propose would be somebody people would queue up in a line, they'd drive into a garage. You might leave the garage door open, but you could also close it and then uh they'd unload and then open up a garage door and they go out the other side. Is that correct? >> Is that kind of the concept of it? >> Correct. >> And you open the garage door again and somebody else comes in and >> Yep. and you got people taking care of the property and and uh we just we're just we're fussy about how things look and and and everybody should be, you know, we want everything kept neat and tidy. >> Absolutely. Um that's why uh the main reason why we want the indoor drive-thru because the taking of the donations happens behind four walls. We also operate uh between 7:00 in the morning is when employees come to do the production. The retail space will be open until 900 pm and then we have donation attendance there until almost 10 o'clock, 9:45 in all of our stores. So, we're able to capture the traffic of the community and handle the donations appropriately. And if someone does come by and drop off bags outside the door, you know, in the middle of the night, the first thing we do is get those donations inside because that's the lifeblood of our business. If we allow donations to get rained on or snowed on, we're ruining our business. It is imperative that we handle those donations like solid gold because that's what they are. They have to be for us. >> Okay. Brer, >> I I really do think we can amend our zoning for the industrial zone so that this could be doable. And I think that would be a probably the more elegant way to go when we talk about resoning even if we're waiting for our comprehensive plan. Um it gets, you know, is it going to be just this little parcel and the one next to it? And there's such an array of different uses already there that I I think there's just a real I just want to put a final plug in. I I do think this is doable um by amending our industrial district. I think we can do this. I think we can protect the Cahill industrial. We can limit it to, you know, because seriously thinking about us having industrial zone land adjacent to residential um lowincome residential. the most heavy use of land next to the most gentle use of land is something that really we shouldn't be revisiting the past. Okay, we tried to move away from that in 1926 and you know here we are 2026 this I think really could be done in a very elegant way. So I just final plug I think we can do this by amending our zoning I don't think they care how it gets done. >> I think they care about the timing and if it's the Yeah, the right if they have to wait for the comp plan. >> All right. I don't think we Anybody have anything else for the good? Yeah. No. All right. I think >> uh you haven't heard anybody say this is a really bad idea, but uh you'll have to just make some decisions here. So, thanks for coming in. I know you've been talking about this idea for some time and and it's uh I was kind of dragging my feet and I think Mr. Carlson knew that he could just kind of intuitively sense that but I this was really helpful for me tonight to have this conversation. So thanks for being here Mr. Canfield. >> I I do think that um we have to just addressing this to Director Teague I think we do have to kind of figure out how to continue to protect future use of the industrial zone. That's what I heard you say is the the biggest challenge. But then how do we figure out the way to not destroy that for future use? And you do that through a comprehensive plan process. But then how would you structure this today if you will to allow this use? Um and so I think it's not just incumbent on the the client like we have to really partner with them to figure this one out. >> Agreed. >> Okay. Thank you, gentlemen. >> All right. Uh we're going to have Andrew Cypion tell us a little bit about the um citywide speed limit reduction evaluation that's gone on based on uh some speed limits that were changed in our community several years ago now. And it's been a long enough period of time where was able to gather some reliable data and we're going to hear from him now about uh what those findings were. >> Make sure my microphone is on here. There we go. Thank you, mayor, members of council. Um yes. So, I will be providing an update on our city-wide speed limit reduction initiative and providing some data on um on traffics and speeds that we've seen since implementation. Um so, for a little bit of background, uh as a reminder, the city reduced speed limits on most local streets in 2021. Um this was done after state legislation was changed that gave cities the authority to make those reductions. This initiative was intended to improve safety and mobility for all modes of transportation and supports goals within our comprehensive plan, living streets plan, ped and bikem plan, and our active routes to school plan. As part of that implementation, staff committed to evaluating the impact several years after implementation, which is why I'm here tonight. So, what I'll be doing is sharing some speed and crash data, um some community feedback, uh and then some results of our literature review. Uh this project was funded by the pedestrian and cyclist safety fund. Total implementation costs were about $12,000, so slightly above the 10,000 that was estimated. And that money went toward uh about 245 signs um within the city that were either removed, replaced, or added by our public works staff. Uh this engineering and the communications department uh shortly after implementation launched our drive 25 campaign to raise awareness about the change in speed limits. Um we use a number of communication channels including uh addition edina agenda edina. We have advertise advertisements in the suncur. Uh we use social media posts, public service announcements, YouTube ads. Uh and we also uh created promotional uh car coasters that we've handed out at various community events. Uh on the enforcement side, Edina Police Department issues about 14,000 to 16,000 citations per year. uh about 52% of those are speed related. Um police department uses a radar speed trailer that they kind of rotate throughout the city based on uh complaints that they receive from residents or complaints uh issues that we discuss at the traffic safety committee. Um uh EPD also does occasional targeted enforcement in various areas around town. In 2025, the engineering department purchased our own temporary dynamic display speed sign um that our traffic safety coordinator uses uh throughout the city at locations again based on uh where he is getting feedback from residents where there are speed concerns. Um so that sign rotates to a new location approximately every two months. Uh as part of implementation of these reduced speed limits, staff had recommended no additional police enforcement um dedicated to enforcing the new speed limits. Um the rationale behind that was that our traffic data at the time indicated that the majority of drivers on our local streets were traveling at or below the posted speed limit already. Um, in addition, the industry kind of best practice is that physical changes to the roadway are a more effective and sustainable long-term uh strategy to addressing speeds. So, these are the results of our speed analysis. What we did is uh we collected speed data at 60 locations before implementation and 60 locations after implementation and we looked at a three-year window for each. So before implementation is 2018 to 2020, after implementation is 2022 to 2024. Um the results here are broken down based on roadway classification within our living streets plan. So the local streets are generally our lowest traffic streets and then as you go down the list they get higher traffic. So local connectors, collectors and minor arterials. And you can see across uh almost all four categories uh we saw speeds increase um after implementation. These are I should add these are 85th percentile speeds which is typically the speed that is used to set speed limits. Um something interesting to note here is that the minor arterial streets within our city those speed limits were not changed. So those were 30 mph before and 30 m hour after. And even on those streets we saw an increase uh in uh in speed by 2.7% or 2.7 miles per hour or about 7%. So that kind of provides a a control point for us. We also looked at available crash data uh provided through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Um again, we broke it down into that three-year period before implementation and three years after implementation. What we saw was that the average annual number of crashes was comparable for those two periods. Um a significant number a significant number of uh fewer crashes were reported in 2020 and 2021. um which is comparable to a what a lot of other agencies saw as a result of the co 19 pandemic. Um those rates did return to prepandemic levels by 2022. The distribution of crashes by jurisdiction is comparable before and after implementation. So about 20% of crashes occur on our local streets, 36% on our municipal state aid streets and 44% on our county roads within the city. Over the per uh period of this analysis, no fatal crashes were reported on local streets within Edina. Serious injury crashes more than doubled on our municipal state aid and local roads. They're both still below 3%, but again, those pretty significant increase. Uh on county roads, we saw minor and possible injury classes CLA crashes decline, and we saw property damage crashes increase. um on pedestrian and bicycle crashes as a percentage of total crashes, those remain consistent on county roads at about 3%. And then we saw an increase on MSA roads from 2.3% to 6.6% and an increase on local roads from 2.6 to 5.8%. Um if you recall, our uh quality of life survey asks a question of respondents uh how much of an issue do you see as traffic speeding in your neighborhood? Uh the results of that uh question are shown here uh with the percent of respondents who uh reported traffic speeding as either a moderate major or an extreme problem. Um and you can see at 2025 we're at about 41% which is the same rate that we saw in 2017 and 2019 before the pandemic. So you we we dropped a little bit during COVID to 34% but we've slowly come back to uh to precoid levels. We also reviewed available studies that other agencies have conducted on other cities and agencies that have reduced speed limits. Um the first one was a report from the local road research board uh in 2023 looking at the impact of speed limit change on urban streets. This study looked at the city of St. Louis Park who also reduced speed limits in 2021. Uh and they looked uh at a period of a couple months before implementation and a few months after implementation. What they found is a considerable vari variability in speeds between a 7 mph reduction and almost a 2 and a half mile per hour increase. Um this report also found that the changes in posted speed limits overall did not lead to uh decre a speed decreases but that study also suggests that driver behavior may change over a longer period of time. MDOT also produced a study looking at uh a wider range of cities who implemented this change. What they found is that most speeds measured speeds increased from 2019 to 2023 which is consistent what with our local findings. They also found that fatal and serious injury crashes crashes remained consistent and total number of crashes decreased slightly. The local road research board is currently following up on that St. Louis Park study from 2023. Um that work is still in progress and we're tracking it and we'll uh happily share the results once that is available. So overall what we saw was that vehicle speeds tended to increase after implementation across all railroad classifications. And again because this occurred on minor arterials when no changes were made to minor arterials suggest to us that there are uh other factors in play beside just the speed limit reduction itself. Um overall I would say the speed limit reduction did not result in a measure measurable change in overall crash frequency on our local roads. crashes involving vulnerable road users increased on our MSA and our local roads. Um it's important to note that this analysis uh of does not fully account for other compounding factors. The largest of which I believe are the impacts to traffic patterns as a result of the CO 19 pandemic. And based on the quality of life survey results, uh it appears that public perception of speeding on local streets has not changed from preandemic conditions. So, I feel it's important to note and as we stated from the beginning of this initiative, reducing speed limits is one uh strategy and a comprehensive approach to addressing vehicle speeds. We knew that this wasn't going to be a panacea. This is just one uh option in our toolbox. Um so, there are a number of actions that the city is also doing that staff recommends continuing to do to support this effort to improve safety and mobility for all of our users. Those actions include implementing street width reductions as part of our roadway reconstruction projects. We currently allocate about $20,000 a year from the PAX fund to specifically fund traffic safety improvements that occur outside those roadway reconstruction projects. Uh as I mentioned before, we utilize our own dynamic display speed sign to supplement police enforcement efforts. Um, we are going we're continuing the Drive 25 advertising and marketing campaign. Uh, and we're going to continue to monitor traffic and crash data for the next three years again to see if there's a longer term change in driver behavior. Some additional actions that I I would be interested to hear council feedback on. um uh as part of our safe and equitable mobility action plan when that is adopted um we plan to prioritize the safety improvements that are identified at those high-risisk and high priority locations within that plan. U we're also considering uh implementing street width reductions uh not only on our roadway reconstruction projects but also as part of our roadway maintenance projects. So, our batuminous overlays provide us an opportunity to narrow travel widths and or to in some cases reallocate uh public rightway for uh cyclist infrastructure. Um we're also considering p purchasing an additional temporary dynamic display speed sign um just so that we have two in our uh in our rotation. We can uh uh perform more enforcement through more areas of the city. Um, and staff would also uh be interested in increasing the PAX fund revenue for multimmoal uh infrastructure and safety improvements. If you recall, the transportation commission a few years ago had uh completed an initiative where they recommended a doubling of the PAX fund. I don't necessarily recommend that level of funding. Um, but I do think the uh I do want to emphasize how important the PAX fund is to uh making these safety and infrastructure improvements in our community. So with that I will stand for any questions you may have. >> That was quite a piece of work. Um not heartening but uh quite a good piece of work. Questions for Mr. Sepion. Council member Jackson. >> When does the discussion about the allocation of the tax fund come up for discussion? I know we have an annual discussion on that. >> Bud budget time. >> Budget time. Okay. So, and for second half of the year, >> I'd like to spend a little bit more time than we did before. Seemed like it was a a lot of information in a really short period of time when we talked about this before. Um, so thank you. >> Not only allocation, but potential increase too or just everything? >> Yeah, I think you know the the buildout of the sidewalks, we had a comment earlier, 50 years is just too slow. Um, and uh, I I don't know what the solution is, but I'd like to spend a little bit more time than we did last time talking about that. >> Other questions? Government. Member Risser. >> Um, I just want to say thank you for all the work that you put into this and also for emphasizing that the slow slower speed science, it's not causation, that it's probably something else. and I appreciate that we're going to hear more um about this continuing in the next three years and all that. So, thank you. >> Member Risser is like the rest of us kind of worried about that inverse correlation. We lowered the speed limit and the speeds went up. >> Yeah, it is it is alarming. Um, but I think it's also uh we should take some comfort in the fact that that's it's not a result that's unique to Edina. Again, based on that literature review, what what MDOT has been studying, it seems to be consistent across other local agencies, which to me suggests it has more to do with changes in driver behavior coming out of the pandemic than it does necessarily that reduction in speed alone. >> Yeah. Well, I think yeah, that's that's a good point, too. I think we'd like to see a visit with director Benerrod about some communication strategies that we could develop around driver behavior trying to get people to slow down. Okay. All right. Yeah. Council member Agnu, >> do we have any data from cities that didn't decrease their speed limit to 25 to understand if they saw similar increases in speed? That's a good question. I don't have that offhand, but I would be happy to reach out to a few of our neighboring cities who did not change their speed limits to see if they have that data. >> That might be helpful in just understanding to your point like is this just a general trend or gets to the causation correlation point. Thank you. >> Yeah, that's a great question. It also caused me to think that why don't we look other places in the world to see where they've been effective on reducing speed speeds for motor vehicles and how. Okay. Thanks. Thanks for that update and thanks for being with us this evening too. >> Happy to be here >> sitting in for your boss. All right. Uh next we've got a matter that we are dealing with on a second reading basis and that is the um firearms what we call the firearms ordinance and manager Neil I'll turn to you on this one. >> Thank you honor members of council. U the action tonight is second reading of ordinance 2025-17 which amends chapter 22. Uh this is an ordinance that we have been referring to as a firearm safety and safe storage ordinance. It modifies chapter 22 of our city code. You have previously you had a special town hall meeting uh on this matter on Jan on January 6th. We had we think 45 something like that 45 residents that came and and spoke to you that night and talked to you about their concerns. Um, this has had a previous uh unanimous approval on first nope, excuse me, of u not unanimous, but uh four out of the five of you voted for the ordinance on its first uh on his first run, and you're here tonight for second read second and final reading of the ordinance. >> All right. Thank you. Any questions for Major Neil? >> Um, >> no changes have been made from the time you first voted on this ordinance. >> Yeah, we've really got two things to be thinking about, I guess. Uh the second one is predicated on success of the first one. Is there a motion to approve the second reading of ordinance 2025-17 which amends chapter 22 uh miscellaneous offenses to add article 11 firearms uh to our to our city code. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Member Agnu moves member Pierce the adoption of the uh motion as stated. Uh any further discussion? Um I am going to stay with my uh vote to abstain and part of it is the St. Paul case has not been resolved yet to my understanding and I also remain concerned about the implications of lifting the preeemption and having individual cities um set legal rules around um firearms and getting kind of this patchwork that we've talked about before. So I just want to say that thank you. >> Thanks for that comment. Uh all those in favor of adoption of this proposed ordinance on a second reading basis say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Abstensions. >> Abstension. >> All right. We've got uh the eyes have it. Four eyes. One abstension. The motion to approve on a second reading basis. Uh ordinance 2025-17 amending chapter 22 miscellaneous offenses to add article 11 on firearms is approved. Uh, next we need to get that published and uh, I need a motion to approve the summary publication of ordinance 2025-17. >> So moved. >> Ragnar moves. Member Pierce seconds the motion to approve the summary publication of ordinance 2025-17. Any further discussion? >> Member Risser. This came up when we um talked about the parking and I had the ordinance that was in our code that was non-compliant with state statute. And I think it's really important as we move forward and we're adding information to our code that is non-compliant with um state statute that we have a way for residents to know that that is the status of it so that they don't read through the entire ordinance and then at the very bottom they find out that it doesn't really go into effect until something happens. And so I I was just thinking what is a way we can do that? And I just want to toss that out there for people to think about, you know, maybe we have um a highlighted way, you know, we highlight the text that is um out of sync with state statute so that it's it's just clear. Um just a thought and I figured this was a good time to bring it up. >> Sure. Thank you, >> manager Neil. >> Two two things. Um one, Clerk Allison and I and and city attorney can talk about how to do that. Um, second thing is to let you know that this uh new procedure of of adopting the summary ordinance immediately following the ordinance is something you're going to see more of instead of waiting another twoe period to just take that final, you know, somewhat prefuncter action by the time you take it. So, you you'll see this more. >> Okay. >> Um, need a vote on this, don't we? >> Yes, we do. Uh all those in favor of approving uh ordinance 2025-7 for for um publication say I. >> I opposed abstensions. We got it all public. We got all we got all of us. That's a five fifths unanimous. >> Yeah. >> I I I would not say don't put it because you all approved it. So anyway, >> okay. All right. The motion is approved that will be published and we'll work on some clarifying language with respect to that that uh gives people a heads up that it's contingent in nature. Um all right that takes care of 9.4 four on to 9.5 which deals with lawful gambling the commencement of lawful lawful gambling in the city of Edina potentially and um this is ordinance 20260 and I think did you want clerk Allison to take this matter? Yep. Clerk Allison, go ahead. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Mayor, uh, council members, bear with me for a second while I pull up the presentation. I don't have a long presentation for you tonight. Um, it's really to show you the um, recommendations from last time around. Um, and actually just to point out that I or to do a check-in to see if you recall see in the um staff report that explains the questions the responses to the questions that you had last time around. Could multiple um organizations um share charitable uh gambling proceeds? And um attorney Kendall did provide a response to that and the response was that we uh they could do that if it is allowed under by state statute. It's not something that uh council could control. Um that is totally within um state statute. um if it's allowed. Um and also the next question that you had was could um Red River Kitchen um get a premise permit um because Red River Kitchen is located within um a city property. And the answer is yes, they could by amending the lease that they have right now with the city. That would be allowed. Um, with that, um, I just wanted to remind you of the recommendation that was made last time around, and that was to repeal and replace the lawful gambling ordinance, um, and to allow three premise permits. Um and that was initially to allow us to pilot um how this would work for us as staff so that we would be able to um understand the administrative process and workload um that would be required for this new process that we would be um that you would be putting in place. In red, what you're seeing on the screen right now are a couple things that you can consider. Um, and that would be if you wanted to, you could consider um allowing more than three premise permits. You could also consider allowing two permits per location. Um, so for example, Red River Kitchen could um work with two separate um nonprofit organizations to have um to allow premise permit gambling at their location. We don't know if uh Red River Kitchen would find that appealing or if the nonprofit organization would find that appealing or if that would be competitive um to each other. Um you could also limit the number of premise permits for a single organization. So for example, staff is recommending only three premise permits at this time. And if you wanted to, you could um put in the ordinance that um the ED fund, for example, could get one of those three permits. The hockey association could get one of those three, and then there would be another one left over for another um nonprofit organization. Um these would be issued obviously on a first come first- serve basis. But if you were to allow um one premise permit per um single per organization then there wouldn't be a need for um the hockey association to rush to get um all three for example or they uh the ed fund for example. there wouldn't be a competition um to get one of the three premise permits that we have or trying to get all three of the premise permits. And uh continuing on down the list, um as a reminder, we recommend that it would only be available to nonprofit organizations located in Adina. um 70% of the net gambling proceed would be spent in the trade areas and the trade areas again are all cities contiguous to the city of Adina and the 3% of the gambling tax cover the cost of regulating lawful gambling and 10% of net proceed uh would be uh donated to a city administered fund with a council determining um what the fund would be used for. um and eliminating the background checks for exempt gambling. That would be an example of OLG um performing um a raffle uh gambling event. And our process right now is to uh comp complete a background check um on the treasurer and the president of the nonprofit organization. And um by approving this ordinance, you would be eliminating that. um and it would be um overseen by the gambling board. And then of course amending the liquor ordinance to allow lawful gambling within um liquor establishments. And lastly, um, Council Member Agnu had asked for, um, some feedback on the ordinance, and we posted it on Better Together, um, from January 27th until, um, February 3rd. And though we had 23 visitors to the site, we did not have any feedback at all. And with that, I can stand for any questions you may have. questions. Member Jackson and member Risser. >> Um, so I don't know if you know the answer to this because I think it's state under state law, but isn't there a uh some qualifications for the nonprofits that qualify to do this if they have to be of a certain size? >> That I don't know. Um, I >> think they have to be a 501c3, don't they? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I I think my understanding is that they have to have a certain number of board members and um quite a bit of there's quite a bit of background check I think on the nonprofits. So you know I was once a member of a nonprofit that was very small and a lot of fluidity. So it has to have a certain amount of bulk that it's not going to um that would be reliable. Yes, I do recall that um in my research seeing that I believe that there is a minimum of 15 members. Don't quote me on that though, but I do believe that there is um there are some requirements to qualifying for a premise permit. And do we have any and it's okay if you don't know the answer to this, but do we have any feel for how many uh of those type of 501c3s exist in Edina right now? No, I don't. I'm not aware. >> Okay. Um, so I'll just say I'm in favor of allowing more than three. Um, I was initially going to say just get rid of the the limit alto together, but I think um, you know, I'd like to come back in a year. Um, so say maybe six at this time and then um come back in a year and see what the workload is like because my understanding is that several of our neighbors have no limits on the number of um permits that are uh allowed. So um I think like Minnetonka and St. Louis Park and Golden Valley were some of the cities that came to mind um that don't have a limit. So, I don't think we should, but um I also am aware of um staff time is limited and so you we get it started, but I think I'd move it up to six. >> Thank you, member Richer. I um have a question about the 10% of net profit going to a city administered fund and I'm looking out into the audience and I'm wondering if my fellow council people would be open to having somebody who knows so much more than I do from the audience step up and address this issue because I'm just I'm concerned about the amount of profit that will make its way back to the entities that would benefit from the pull tabs. >> You want to first ask Mr. Neil how we came up with those percentages for the city? >> Sure. Yes, please. >> I'm sure. Um, these percentages, I believe, are statutory percentages, right? These are max percentages. And what I was going to propose to you in terms of of what the city would do with its share of this money is to use it for us community events, special community events, Fourth of July, um things like that that that have a have a communitywide appeal. Um, it's one of these things that if you don't take it now, you won't get it ever in the future because in the future you will be taking money out of the pockets of of the people that are receiving it. And so if you set it up like this in the beginning, it's safer and everybody can be on the same playing field. >> Is this something we talked about before or is this new? >> It was in the previous in the previous presentation. >> Is that what is that what you mean? Correct. I'm just wondering if I had a >> I'm just not remembering it. Okay. >> Also, this 10% uh can be used towards other charitable organizations according to state statute. So, other charitable organizations that qualifies for this could benefit from this 10% fund. I uh I'm just I'm concerned about Well, could could we hear from um we don't have public testimony on this? >> Yeah, no public test. But what's the concern? The concern is um I got an email that went through all of the expenses and um the concern I think is that the amount of revenue that will be generated with the 10% coming out will bring it down to about $6,000 a month which may discourage people from actually trying to do this. And so it's a it's a chunk of money. And um I know you know I I understand the rationale of we should take it now otherwise it'll be as if we're taking it from but I think I always thought of this as um something for the booster club and funding them um and other charitable organizations. So I guess that's that's my concern. >> What was it what did we see was the amount of money that was distributed by like in St. was parked by bunnies. I think was it a million dollars a year was going out to charitable purposes? >> I can't speak to that, but from the presentation that was given by the ED fund, they did include the option if given back 10% of uh net profit. So, I believe they're supportive of doing that because that is required by state statute. >> Yeah, that wasn't a question I had though. I'm trying to figure out member's question which is a good one is how much money do we expect to be raised in Edina annually by charitable gaming? >> That is hard to say at this point. Um however again going back to the presentation that the ED fund presented it seemed like it was an enormous amount of money that could be raised based on what is being raised across the state um right now. So, it's hard to say exactly how much would be raised in Adina. Um, I don't know that we can pinpoint that until we start until the ordinance is approved and then we can start collecting some data. >> Yeah, I realize that was fairly speculative, but I was thinking bunnies at least was a an example of sensive amount of money being raised in another community and I just don't remember the amount. >> Yeah, I did not look into that. I'm sorry. Okay. had a question. >> Yeah. And I'll I'll tag on what I was thinking about there. Go ahead. >> Um, so the last time you also talked about the um expenses for the city to manage this and that's what I thought part of this 10% went towards, but I could have that wrong. So then if it's not, then just explain how did we cover the the cost for the city to administer it. It's the 3% uh gambling tax that will be used to cover the cost of regulating the lawful gambling. So, it's a 3% um plus a 10%. So, 13% total is what the nonprofit organization would be um contributing to the city directly. With the 3% it is, according to state law, you can go between 1 to 3%. They made a million. >> We're recommending 3% at this time, but you could very well change that to 1% or 2%. >> The 10% is locked in per state statute. >> Okay. I'm going to go back to member Agnu who I think has continuing. Were you done? Member was did you have some follow? >> I I do want to say I would like to support this. My preference would be that we didn't take the 10% so that there was more revenue flowing to the nonprofit charitable organizations as this gets launched. I think that's important. But that's that is my preference. So just to be clear about that. >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks for that. Uh member, I know those concerns you expressed last meeting continue. >> Have we conducted a like a values assessment on this ordinance? I know we typically have that as a part of our packet of how it aligns to our values as a city. >> We have not. >> Is there a reason we didn't with this? >> No. >> Yeah. >> For like nearly everything >> values we don't generally do that. No. >> In fact, I think >> you're thinking about like the values viewfinder process. >> Yeah. I feel like we we look at like how is what we're doing aligning to what our values are. I can't answer that question. We That's a newer process that we started adding to your packet when we upgraded to the systems. Um I'm not entirely sure why we didn't do it for this specific one, but it's not required. Um it's something that people have gone through training on and this one kind of moved pretty quickly. So I'm guessing that's part of the reason that it didn't get done. But um >> and it is based on um a request right to amend the ordinance to allow this lawful gambling. >> Can I request that we do the values viewfinder exercise to understand >> a little bit more of how this aligns to our values? >> Sure. Um I think the other question that I just had broadly um is kind of the why we want to do this. Um so we've heard it's for the students, it's for mental health, it's for hockey. Um but we're talking about potentially allowing something that is also known to be harmful um for benefits of nonprofits. But the ordinance as we have it in front of us doesn't guarantee that the nonprofit's benefiting will be related to students, related to mental health or related to hockey. Um and so if that is what our ultimate objective is is to directly support the institutions that have come forward with this, I think it's worth giving some analysis to is there a different structure that makes more sense given our extremely limited number of facilities across Edina. Um I do know that when we had our presentation they had some other like cities from a figure of estimates of the revenue. Um, I don't think that we're comparable to White Bear Lake and some of those other ones that they used. Um, but I think that we do have time. There's nothing pressuring us to make this decision right now. And one potential alternative that could better target this to where we as a council would want the funds to go is if we said why don't we create why doesn't someone create a Edina public schools and sports endowment that is directly receiving the funds from all of the institutions or all of the facilities premises um that have charitable gambling. I think if we think a little bit more about the why and balance it out with the known harm that we're potentially creating by allowing this, I think we can better target to meet more of the needs that we have rather than just saying, "Yeah, go ahead and have a free-for-all and maybe Edina Hockey Association will get all three facilities or six facilities, right?" I I just don't really know what it is that we're opening up, nor do I know if it's going to directly result in the outcome that we're hoping for. >> Yeah, it's interesting that you went down that path because I've been thinking about this since we talked about it last time and had a conversation with uh uh the director of executive director Donna Gandgo and asked her to speak with Miss Rendleman about it. Uh because I was struck by that same thing when I left the chambers a couple weeks ago and thinking, well, wait a minute, this is just a race to the bar, you know, and and you think about all of the great nonprofits we have and the pressure they're under now, particularly in this environment that we're in with increased demand for um rental assistance and food security. You know, you got the Ed Fund trying to do the good work they're doing that Miss Reynold got up and talked about. You got IDina give and go. You got the community foundation. Uh and then you've got all these athletic organizations. There's the booster club and the hockey association, the football associate. I mean, it just goes on and on. And so it's made me wonder about that umbrella organization structure as well as to whether those nonprofits in our community ought to get together and set up an umbrella 501c3 and decide how they're going to divide up revenue between them through some formulaic method. And I don't even know what it would be. I don't have any suggestions at the moment. But I I don't I don't feel good right now about this being a race to the bar. And some are going to really uh profit handsomely and use it for good purposes. And others are going to be left out and left to their usual devices of trying to raise funds from uh sources that they otherwise use uh for for donations when there's greater and greater pressure all the time. I mean, this is a source of revenue that's it's a new line of revenue that should be enjoyed by just more than a couple organizations. I think it's my feeling and I don't I don't know how to do it, >> but um I I'm not I'm not comfortable allowing three licenses and have it be a race to the bar to see who gets those licenses first. Jackson, >> so I'm going to take the free market approach. I don't I don't know of cities where multiple organizations have or where multiple one organization has multiple bars that they partner with. I don't I don't know if that's how that works or not. I I'm but to me it's like I I don't want to pick lo winners and losers. I think if we have an umbrella organization, the politics and um fight over that on how that would be allocated will take years to figure out. I don't I don't see that being a an easy negotiation. Um and I don't know uh >> to the question that you're raising, which I think is a good one. Why couldn't an umbrella organization be the sole applicant at all for three different permits? If we decided we were going to go with three permits on this pilot program, why couldn't one organization uh get all three permits and then have those 501c3s underneath that umbrella 501c3? >> I will look to attorney Kendall to answer that. >> I don't know. Um I can only tell you what the state laws allow. They allow 501c3s to apply to be lawfully gambling entities if they meet the requirements like having at least 15 members and being existence for a certain amount of time and having a gambling manager and other requirements. Could someone try to incorporate a 501c3 with the purpose of giving money to other 501c3s? Maybe. I don't know. That would be a question for the legal council for the 501c3. >> I don't think that's a legal question. I think it's just a internal question. I see 501c3s given to 501c3s. >> Yeah, they can. One can give to another. >> Yeah. >> So, if that's the the the question, the answer would be yes. >> Manager Neil, >> I I one of the one of the downsides to that uh arrangement is that it divides the pie up into so many little slices that it may not even be worth it for people to participate. Because when I'm doing the math in my head about how many of these there there could maybe there's a hundred organizations that would fit that bill. >> Yeah. Council member Fierce. So I I don't know what problem we're trying to solve with the the suggestion. if it'd be different if we were saying we're against gambling. Full stop. But that's not what I hear. And and that comment of um unless I misunderstood have an endowment where these funds go and then somebody determines who gets the funds. That was what I believe member Agnu said and then give it to an umbrella 5013C and then they determine where the funds go. And so I'm not sure what problem we're trying to solve if the process. And so the question is what does it mean to apply um in this with this construct if we're saying nonprofit organizations that are located in Edina can apply for this? What does what does that mean? What's the standard that would say one gets selected over another? Or is it you I think you said first come first serve. >> Yeah. Um, and so if the issue is like who's deciding who's worthy is is so I'm that's what I'm saying. What are we trying to solve? Is it who's worthy or what? >> Mayor, if if and I understand the question correctly. If the qu if the concern is that one organization might try to snap up all three premise permits that you would authorize, you could just make it so that an organization could have no more than one premise permit in therefore two other organizations would have to get those two other permits. And I guess correct me if I'm wrong, we can restrict it however we want to. Like, and we could be the umbrella that restricts who gets a license and who doesn't. Or is it state statute? We have no control over who gets it. >> Yeah. If they qualify under state statute and meet the requirements of your ordinance, then you would have to issue it >> up to the maximum. But >> up to the maximum number, >> but to the point you're raising, you could do what uh Dave is suggesting, and that is no more than one permit per nonprofit. >> Yeah. >> I I'm a little more optimistic than manager Neil. I think if they're doing a million dollars in net a year at Bunny's, it's only going to be a matter of time before people are doing well here. And uh but but it might be a downstream thing, you know. So that first year, it could be if we spread it too thin, it could be >> Yeah. >> something to be concerned about. I just it just it just doesn't feel right to me that there's that there's winners and losers as member Jackson says. So >> especially amongst all this I mean I don't think there's a hundred to me I had like there's like a half a dozen of them but oh >> or not >> well there there's a lot involved in being a nonprofit who does this. You have to have a gambling manager and there's a lot of reporting and everything. Um >> you got to be a 501c3 >> and you have to be a 501c3. Um, but we already have one umbrella organization who's come forward and they've offered to uh bring a lot of people in and handle that process. Um, I just I don't I like the idea of one one premise, one nonprofit. Um, we could write that in, but I don't I don't want to pick winners and losers. Um, I just I don't think that that's right. So, >> member Eggno, you >> Yeah, and I just wanted to clarify based off of um member Pierce's um summary. I am not in favor of this, right? I think I made that point clear last time. Um my biggest concerns are the negative impact that it has on lower socioeconomic members of our community. And so the connection that I was trying to make was if I am in a position to have to compromise on those values that I have of impacting that class, why am I doing it and what is the benefit? And so that's where I was trying to get to like what is going to be the benefit so that we can weigh yes there is harm but there's also benefit. How do we quantify what that benefit is? We talk about Bunnies having netting, you know, a million dollars a year. Bunnies is the top grossing site in Minnesota. So, I don't necessarily know that that's our what we will see replicated at every site in Adina. This is also something that I know that we've had conversations on for four or five months, and I don't have a better estimate in front of me of what we actually think we're going to get. Um, and I'm I'm just surprised on on some of these, like we don't know how many nonprofits there are. We don't know if there's a hundred nonprofits that are going to be fighting for these licenses or if there's 12. Um, and so I just I think that it's it feels like we're moving really quick. We have a lot of unknowns. Um, and even I think it's indicative of, you know, I saw the footnote of 23 visitors to the site. I have a feeling that there are a lot more than 23 people in our community that that care about this. And so I'm curious like how did we communicate it? I didn't I mean I don't even think I saw in the paper this week. Um just given coverage. I don't choose the coverage. I know we don't choose the coverage, but there hasn't been much communication on this. Um and so that might be why we we haven't seen as much comments. So that's just kind of where I was why I was getting to if what we're asking us to do is support mental health because we can see the direct correlation of the impact on mental health because of gambling and okay sure let's put that money from the harm into the help benefit but what we're talking about doesn't guarantee that. That's my concern. Um, I so I principally I try to honor my own personal principle that I don't judge other individuals. And so I I don't know that this is causing harm to um people that have a lower economic status. Um so I think it's dangerous when we do that. Um to the question of what's the need man in Dina like so many people think well this is a wealthy community why do what is the need and when you look at the data if the median income is $129,000 25,000 residents are less than that. 25,000 are more than that. And the reason it's skewed is because those that are more than that make five times what the median is. And so when you look at the fact that public schools 20% of our public school students are on free and reduced lunch. When you start to look at the data um and you understand the numbers of scholarships that are granted for uh households who cannot afford to put their kid in hockey because they can't afford the equipment. Um that data is out there and so that's why organizations like Edina give and go exist to try to serve that population. Um, that's what the ed fund tries to do to serve that population. And so we can look at it through what I'm gonna say is a dirty or dingy lens and we can choose to do that. But I asked the question purposefully, what problem are we trying to solve? And I'm a realist, guys. If we say we don't want to try to solve that problem, I'm still on the council and I'll support that, right? We can make that decision that we don't want to solve that problem. But this is a solution that other communities have used to solve the problem. Um, and we can choose not to do it. I think we should. I liked the idea uh that was expressed earlier that we take our time on it. Um that was why you were recommending you didn't recommend the max like let's take our time to understand what this is. Um I think it's great to uh require us to do the valuebased uh view and answer those questions. Well, this is the problem we're trying to solve and this is how we think this solves it. That's a healthy conversation to me. But I'm not going to sit up here and judge somebody who may do a pull tab at whatever restaurant and just say, "Well, they shouldn't be doing that because of their mental health or what have you." I'm just not going to do that. Um, but the other portion of let's take the time, do the analysis to see if this is um, what problem we're trying to solve. Does this do it? And what's the right way to structure it to get to the outcome we want? I'm for that all day. >> Go ahead. Yeah, member. Go ahead. So, one one thing I would be curious and and this is just based off of the example that you gave um member Pierce. How many students in Edina who are on free and reduced lunch don't have equipment to play hockey, right? Like that's a tangible question where if we talk to Dina give and go like they might be able to answer that for us of what is the unmet need that exists within our our community cuz I also heard we had a fundraiser last week we raised $40,000 and that's amazing right because we have very generous people in our community. So that's the that's the part. I'm not questioning that this money would go towards valuable things, >> but I think that a lot of those needs are already being covered. >> I don't think they are. So Edina give and go um 2025 served 95 students. They raised $283,000 to serve 95 students and there were students who still weren't served. And so I it is a generous community for sure. I But that's why the organization exists. And so there are um I think it totally makes sense to get the rest of those numbers to show what problem are we trying to solve and then articulate how this solves it. Again, I'm I'm for that all day, but there is an unmet need in the community. Um, and I and I think this could solve it. >> Some rejection. Yeah, I've got some thoughts if you want. Oh, I'm just I'm just thinking about this. What problem are we trying to solve? I think you express it this way, at least in my opinion, is that we recognize that from just attending these uh events that our nonprofits have uh understanding the mission they have, whether it's the Adina Ed Fund or Adina Give andGo or Adina Community Foundation, uh or ABC for example, that they they can use more income to meet the needs of the people that they're trying to serve. So member Eggnu actually got me thinking about it a minute ago was knowing what the mission of Adina Ed fund is and the mission of Adina give and go uh just by way of example they are helping solve problems for kids in different ways which in a way to me seems different than what you might see from Edina Hockey Association or the booster club which I'm could also use money. >> But it it does make me think as we're trying to find a pathway here that is there any distinction between sports and other kinds of needs that are more immediate with respect to some of the work that the ed fund and give and go are doing for example. So um another another thought food for thought. Oh sorry >> if I may. >> Yes. Yeah. Go ahead. rejection. >> We don't have an aesthetics board in Edina and I don't think we should have a board that says this is the type of nonprofit we're going to support. Um I understand that there are problems associated with gambling. Um again, we are a suburb surrounded by other cities. Every other city around us has pull tabs. Um, the reason we didn't, I assume, is because we didn't have liquor licenses for a long time and you have to have a liquor license to do the pull tabs. Um, so I don't think it was a moralistic decision to not allow it. I think it was just a logistical one um that went with the drinking. Um, I I I don't want to be in the position of picking winners and losers. I I don't feel that that's uh that I my judgment is uh I I think all of the the football, baseball, hockey all bring benefits to kids that are undefinable. Um it's not just kids in need. All kids need to get out and be with other kids doing stuff and learning their limits. And I don't want to pick I don't want my morality uh to pick winners and losers on this. I think that it will work itself out. I forgot to add earlier too that I think there is a need there and that's the reason I'm thinking about this is that this is another source of funds for the needs that exist in our community. Um and you know life's set up with choices and so you can choose to consume alcohol, you can can choose to consume drugs, can choose to consume you know to do gambling but those are personal choices that people make and yeah sometimes it ends up in addiction but uh we don't try to you know control that behavior. We have people make those individual choices. So I I I'm comfortable with the idea of this. It just how to do it and this conversation is helpful. Can we um we call this a pilot program. So what what does that mean? I is after is it a one-year pilot and after a year we're going to look at whether we want to keep doing this or not or >> um actually we have not referred to it as a pilot program. Um the only condition probably that we've put on there if you agree to it is to start out with three premise permits just so that we can understand how the staff uh workload to manage this uh process. But no, not a pilot program. And how if you were to start with three premise permits, you could always um amend the ordinance six months down the road, a year down the road. >> I think we're down to the question really of whether or not we want to issue no more than one license per nonprofit. And maybe we sensing you don't even want to do that. >> No, I think one I don't want one non excuse me. Um I don't want one nonprofit to monopolize. I I I like the idea of limiting, you know, one nonprofit per >> one per >> one per nonprofit. Thank you. >> Yeah. I I think that's a good idea. I just don't want to say these are the three nonprofits because they align with my moral vision to who are going to be able to do this. Um I just think that I don't want to pick winners and losers in that way. So I I would lift the number alto together. Um I the staff has said they want to take some time to learn how this goes. So I think six um would be fine. Um >> six instead of three. >> Six instead of three. And then come back in a year and say this is more work than we thought. Um or it's not not any work at all. The gambling board does it all for us and we could have unlimited. But I'd like a review after a year. what on this three versus six issue we haven't even talked about that any thoughts on that so I I am just very pragmatic I don't have a a specific reason but if staff ever says to me we need to go slow to see what the work effort is so let's do less to start with and then let that judge how fast we go. Probably going to support that almost every time. So I think I would be three versus six and the opposite. If you come back and you say, "Yep, there's more demand or yep, it's not as difficult to manage or whatever, we could do more." Then I would add more. Well, think about it in terms of facilities in Edina where you could >> secure a partnership with somebody and and have your permit in play. Would we want that to be limited to three facilities >> or would we just be comfortable with six? Because I mean there's there's more than three places, >> right? >> You could actually have a have an effective license, I think, for a permit in place. can't tell you who they are, what places they are right now. But >> keep in mind too that um an organization might not be able to be ready for um a premise permit because of the amount of work and all the qualifications that they need to meet. So >> I do sorry >> I think in that way it would be self-limiting. So I don't think the the number that we choose >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I I do go though back to something member Agnu said but there there's there's no rush like we're not on a train right there's no light on a train track that we're walking into. And so I do think I personally think it makes sense for us to gather some of that information. How many establishments are there? Um the even if we were to find out how many nonprofits would be interested. We've only heard from um the ed fund. Um >> we've heard from >> hockey hockey boosters I think too. And so that like it just makes sense to me that maybe we would do a little bit more of that groundwork like member news suggested um before we make a decision on something that I think has a fairly big impact in our community. >> Is there any thoughts on this number? >> Let's do four. No. Um, sorry. But, um, I I do, you know, looking at it from a higher level, we are the only community that does not do pull tabs. And, um, a lot of the things that member Jackson has said really resonate with me. And I think, um, we are at a point where there are organizations, including the ed fund, that need to have more revenue streams. Um, we did talk about this. I think we could gather more information, but I think we could also get mired in um doing that. And so I guess I'm kind of thinking it would make sense to move forward with six and see how it goes. Um I don't know. Or or three. We could always add more. Um, but I I do feel comfortable moving this forward for a vote tonight. >> If we went the six route, people still want to have one per >> Yes. >> organization or >> Yeah. >> Remember, we're testing your limits here on >> No, you're good. You guys can do what you want. So, I >> Yeah, you you're where you want to be. Yeah. >> I would No preference between three or six. Did you come to any epiphany in the last 30 seconds? >> No. No. I You're You're good either way. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm I'm fine either way if you're clerk. Oh. >> Uh well, since you're asking for my opinion, um we chose three because based on the recommendation that we um got from Kathy when she met with us and when she um presented to you. Um in her presentation she talked about the number of premise permits that at least a couple of the questions that we asked were what were the number of permits that other cities were issuing and they were averaging around two or three um none but six that I'm aware of. So um and that's where we came up with three. We thought three would keep us in line with what other cities were doing and then that would be a good starting point and if we do find that there was a a really substantial need um in the community that we could always increase that. >> Yeah. We don't have to wait a year to do that. >> No, we don't have to wait a year. >> Jackson, you've had an epiphany. >> No, it's facts and law. The fact may be that there are only two in a community, but the ordinance doesn't say only two. It says it doesn't have at least the ones that I looked at. I I looked at about six of them and they didn't have any limit at all and they were comparable communities. So, it's it's kind of, you know, that's the way the market went. Only two nonprofits had the wherewithal to do this because it takes a lot. >> Um, but it wasn't at least in Minnetonka and St. Louis Park, White Bear Lake, and there was another one uh that I looked at the couple others. They just didn't limit it. But in fact, they may be limited because it takes a lot to do this. >> But you could put a cap above 26 and it might self-limit as you said. >> As we're talking about it, I think I'd like to have a little more flexibility in case we >> we don't have to come back and revisit this and say, "Okay, we're going from three to five or three to six." I'm okay with that. So that one provision that has the number of licenses up up change that to read up to six. Okay. So with respect to ordinance 202602 amending section 4-9-9 repealing and replacing chapter 6 article 3 lawful gambling of the city code and granting first reading and allowing the issuance up to six permits for charitable gambling in the city of Adina. Is there a motion to adopt that ordinance on a first reading basis? So moved. >> Jackson moves. >> Second. >> Member Pierce seconds the motion as stated. >> Uh any further discussion? >> Yeah. We want to make sure it's just one per organization, right? >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Right. I didn't hear that. Yeah, that's the other part of the motion. Up to six licenses and no more than one license per nonprofit or per location. It's up to six locations. Yeah. Thanks for that catch. Then that'll form the basis of of the new ordinance that we'll bring to you for second reading. >> So that's our first reading and then we'll come back with it cleaned up. >> Any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of the uh ordinance as stated say I. >> I opposed. >> Nay. >> Uh motion carries. The eyes have it on a 4-1 vote. Thanks everybody. That was interesting discussion. Um 2026 legislative platform Neil. >> Yes. Thank you, your honor. Uh this uh item started as it always does with with talking to our staff and and talking to council members to see if you have items that you wish to include in the uh federal and state platforms for the upcoming session. Um we have uh we build this through November. We we share it with you usually in December. uh we come together then in January and we did come together in January on January 20th uh to have this in front of you that night and also to have our joint meeting with our legislative um uh our legislative group that same night. The so the document that you're going to see to that you that was in the included in the packet for tonight was the same as you've seen before with two exceptions. Uh and those two exceptions were that we've added since the January 20th meeting were based on the comments that we heard from Representative Yua who wanted to build a U poolled tiff uh tiff increment financing dollars for affordable housing so that we could use poolled tiff to for our um for our affordable housing trust fund which she has been an advocate of and and was able to get special legislation for uh St. Louis Park, Hopkins, and Minnotonka along those same lines. And the other one was uh an emergency rental assistance financing provision too. All other provisions are the same as you've previously seen them. Uh this the legislation or our platform is is in general conformance with the League of Minnesota Cities, Metro Cities, Municipal Legislative Commission. And we hope that council will act on this uh tonight so that we can get it out to our legislators in time to be considered uh during the February for the February 17th start of the legislative session. Happy to answer any questions. >> Yeah, questions for Manager Neil and the proposed legislative platform. We've been working on this for a while. Anybody have any questions? Okay. Uh you want a motion on that or >> Yep. >> Okay. Is there a motion to adopt the proposed 2026 legislative platform in the uh form shown? >> So move Pierce moves. >> Second. >> Second. >> Member Risser seconds. Discussion. So, the form that I have, there's some comments about lifting the firearm preeemption from my colleagues and I didn't know if people were comfortable with that. >> I am comfortable. I don't really understand why it's there, but I'm fine with it. >> Okay. >> Anything else? Okay. >> Can you repeat that again, Member Z? >> Yeah. So number three on the state lift the firearm preeemption allow local regulation. You had a comment on the on the form that I have that you were uncomfortable with this. >> You're talking about James, right? >> Yeah. Member Pierce. Yeah. >> Sorry. >> And this is the version that I got. Has both you and member Risser put comments on it? >> We wouldn't include those comments in the final document. I think they just >> I know. I I don't want to pass something that my colleagues are uncomfortable with. >> Okay, >> that makes sense. Yeah. >> Anybody else have questions or comments with regard to the proposed legislative agenda beyond that one comment by member Jackson regarding an inquiry regarding item three, lift firearm preeemption and all local regulation. Okay. All those in favor of adoption of the 2026 legislative platform as shown uh as provided by staff say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. >> Carried. Uh legislative platforms approved. We'll get that to our legislators. Um we are at now the um mayor and council comments. Usually we go first with the manager. >> We we have the two items that we added. >> Oh yes. Yeah. Excuse me. 9.7 and 9.8. I'm going to pass uh down. This is something item 9.7 is the resolution affirming community values amidst immigration enforcement operations. It's the resolution that uh we we went over with the council earlier this evening in the work session. This has been I think this has been edited, right? >> Yes. >> Yes, this has been edited per your earlier instructions. We hope it meets your expectations. Yeah. And you're you're comfortable with this language in its form. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's outline there, >> right? Okay. Uh council members, we did some work on this uh in the work session and um want to make sure that this resolution uh especially the uh five items at the end uh that are after the whereas clauses uh and embody the the substance of the resolution in those five paragraphs reflect what uh was intended by us collectively in our meeting. Are folks comfortable with this language as crafted by the city attorney? Yeah, I think that this um represents all the changes that we wanted to see. So, thank you for doing that so swiftly as well. Um but I I think that this covers what I wanted to see. >> Others comfortable. >> Okay. The one question I have is um uh how can we get this out to the the the public and um do we want to it's a lot to read right now, but um the public hasn't seen this. >> Yeah. So that I would assume that once we pass it, it would go on the city website. Yep. >> As soon as possible. >> Every time you've issued a statement, we've we've published it on the website and we've issued a press release. We do the same with this one. >> Okay. Terrific. Thank you. Uh this is resolution 2026. Doesn't have a need another delineator on there. >> We do. Um Eric Allison, what would you Is there a next number in line? >> Um I will assign a number to it. Yes. >> What is it? >> Oh, were you hoping to get that number right now? >> Yes. >> Yeah, I was. Don't can't we do it right after looking at this? >> Uh, not necessarily because there could have been okay um numbers used up already. I'll take a look quickly here and let you know. >> The next one doesn't have a number. So, if we want to consider that, we can, too. >> Well, do we need a number on here? We do need a number on here, but while she's looking for purposes of passage, do we need the number on there? >> I I think we do. >> Okay. Well, let's take up 9.8 then in the mean and while clerk Ellison >> you're going to I think you're going to want to read this one also. And what you what you have is the resolution uh urging state of Minnesota to swiftly approve emergency rental assistance funding and operations uh in response to operation metro surge. The letter on the back is a sample letter based on the based on the letter I believe from the city of Roseville. Uh and we this is just an example of what that letter might say. It's just a simp we would propose just a simple transmission letter that we provide to state government all the time. >> So I do notice that in this letter um it does talk about the eviction moratorum. Um, so I just wanted to call that out. If this is a part of something that we are approving, I know when we talked about it, um, there was pros and cons against it. I know, um, if I can summarize those and not not do a terrible job. Um, there were some learnings from eviction moratoriums, from COVID, um, when the state also enacted one. Um, generally there are concerns of kind of overall upkeep of buildings. I think when that happens and deferred maintenance that is already still being deferred because landlords have not been able to fully catch back up from that happening in COVID. Um and I also think there was another concern of um not necessarily fully directing the support to people who needed it. there might be abuse of a eviction moratorum and if we instead focus solely on the um emergency rental assistance funding and some of that other rental assistance that that could be better targeted. Um, and I only wanted to recap that one because it was a big part of our our conversation. And then we did have some people um, come in and speak tonight and I think reaffirmed their desire to have us as a city support this eviction moratorum. Uh, the speakers that we heard tonight, I would say changed my mind in the sense that I I would like to see that as a part of the letter. Um and in one sense right it's important that we all that we agree right or like we buy into what it is that we are sending a letter and asking our governor to do um and in the other hand I also appreciate the experience and the the purview that our governor has and in his position if he feels that an eviction moratorum isn't the right thing he obviously doesn't need to do it just because heina sent a letter. Um so because of that I do think I like the letter as it is written. >> You like the letter >> as it is written with both um rental assistance and the eviction moratorum included in our ask to the governor. Uh I can tell you all that uh I had breakfast with the uh uh with an Swinson this morning who is head of the Dina Housing Foundation and they've discussed this issue as well and they do not favor an eviction moratorum. They are worried about the things that you expressed as as things that came to fruition actually during during COVID. And while they like the idea of rental support, the notion housing foundation does not support this notion of a eviction moratorum. And um I I think it's I I wouldn't support it either. I do I do support the notion of the rental emergency rental assistance program being created. I think that's really important. >> I Mr. Mayor, members of C, I don't think in paragraph three, I don't think that the letter endorses uh the eviction moratorum. >> Yeah. Well, >> Pierce was just correcting me on that. >> Okay. Okay. >> I >> It expresses concern that unless there's rental assistance that goes with it, a moratorum isn't going to be effective. I think that's how we >> and I kind of read that to mean we need both >> maybe. >> But I I would say the point stands. I want to hear what other people say. If others support the eviction moratorum language, then we should include it. Um, >> go ahead, please. >> My my recollection is with the eviction moratorum that we had some problems here in town with disruptive people um causing public safety concerns in some of our affordable housing um and they weren't able to be evicted because of the eviction moratorum. And so it it caused some discomfort um in people's living facilities. So there's a public safety aspect to the um moratorum that I'm not comfortable with. >> Yeah, I think that close reading by member Pierce was was good, but I'm not sure people will read it as closely as he did to parse that distinction. So um as I looked at this uh when it came to us and we hadn't had a chance to work on this upstairs uh that one two three fourth fifth whereas clause where it talks about eviction moratory I struck that out added language in the next whereas clause where it says provides a balanced approach by stabiliz it doesn't stabilize households it assists in stabilizing households. So I had I interlineated the words approach by assisting and stabilizing households. And then uh in that second to the last be further resolve clause on page one I added after the word effective on the second line interline the word rental assistance to impacted households. And then I think the letter could be modified accordingly by staff and and you know we could we don't have this as a separate document but I suppose I could sign it on behalf of the council. >> You you could I I think we would re we would want to we put restructure it just because if we are going to edit it we can restructure it as well and and try to get it out the door as soon as we can. So, should we just hold off on this one? >> Well, you can. I mean, what >> what are I mean, I know we all I think have the same view that member Agnu had. She expressed well upstairs and that time is of the essence, you know. >> So, I mean, if if we let if we directed staff to fix the letter >> Yeah. and we adopted these changes I made to the resolution. Would people be comfortable with that? You want you want to see this what I did? You can pass it around real quickly. Do you have a number for us? >> I do. >> Okay, let's do that one. This letter gets passed around. >> That one is uh 08 >> 2026-08. >> Okay, let's go back to 9.7 item on the agenda, which is resolution 202608 affirming community values amidst immigration enforcement operations. Um, everybody's had a chance to read that resolution. And is there a motion to adopt that resolution? 20268. >> So move second. >> Uh, member Agnum moves. Member Jackson seconds the adoption of resolution 20268 affirming community values amidst immigration enforcement operations. Any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of the resolution say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. Carried. Resolution 202608 is adopted. I'll sign it right now and send it back to our clerk. She needs to sign it. Did the changes in the U resolution look satisfactory to people? The ones I made. >> We can make that and have it ready tomorrow. Um, what's I lost my document, so I don't Okay, >> I just need to get somebody's header what in terms of what what to move. Um, but you want to call this an amended motion, uh, Mr. Kendall, or is it just a motion? >> Just a motion, is it? >> Yeah. >> Just we just corrected this thing that we hadn't, it hadn't been in front of us. passage. >> It can be the original resolution. >> Uh is there a motion to adopt a resolution urging the state of Minnesota to swiftly approve emergency rental assistance funding uh to the citizens of Minnesota in response to Operation Metro Surge? >> So moved. >> Jackson moves. >> Second. >> Member Pierce uh the motion to adopt the resolution as stated. Any further discussion? All those in favor of adoption of the resolution as stated say I. >> I. >> I. opposed. Carried. Resolutions adopted. I'll pass that back down. >> And for the record, uh, Mr. Mayor, that one is resolution 2607. >> Okay. Thanks. All right. Now, we're back. We're back to the end of the agenda again. Um, usually we'd have the manager make his comments now, but of course uh we've been through a um annual review of the city manager and we have discussed that. We had Chad Weinstein uh do the work for us I think two years in a row now. did a very good job and and um uh when we when we finish that work which is done um in a confidential sort of format pursuant to state law we still have a reporting obligation to the residents of Edina as to as to the outcome of that annual performance review of the city manager and I have uh I'll make that uh statement now uh that um the Adina city council conducted an annual performance review of city manager Scott H. Neil on January 26, 2025 for his uh performance in calendar year 2025. The council assessed Mr. Neil's performance as fully satisfactory, noting particular strengths in his professionalism and leadership of staff and his expertise with respect to all aspects of municipal operations. Council also called for some improvements related to communications and sought Mr. Neil's leadership and continued improvements to the processes for budget planning and large projects, finding ways to better integrate community input into large municipal decisions and projects. So that is the summarization of the review that we conducted with manager Neil uh on January 26, 2025. And um let me go now to uh council comments and well manager Neil I don't know maybe we maybe we want to jump back to you and then we can come back to council comments. >> Yeah. >> I got to tell a little bit of a story here and I know it I know it's late so I'm going to truncate. >> You're doing okay. >> I uh had an epiphany in the spring of 1983 in my polyai 312 class um urban politics. Where else but Ames, Iowa, would you go to an urban politics class? But um we read uh a book in this class that detailed the life of LP Cookingham who was this heroic figure who fought the Kansas City mob and he was the city manager of Kansas City and he's he's really well known in in this profession uh today and the Cookingham School of Management, urban management. What is it? Sorry, it's what something we're looking at, right? Is still at at Kansas University. Um, I got my master's degree in on March or excuse me, May 26, 1988 and I became a city manager a week later in June 1st, 1988 in Norris, Tennessee. And I was there for uh stayed there for two years. And uh then my career led me to Mount Pleasant, Iowa for six years, then to Northfield for six years, and then to Eden Prairie for eight years. And then I was fortunate enough to become your city manager in 2010. And I've been here for 15 years. And I'm going to retire on January, God willing, on January 8th, uh 2027. Um, I probably have more to say about that and I will later as we get a little closer to that date. Um, but I really have uh appreciated the partnership and the support from the council and from all the people I work with here and various consulting teams and partners that we work with, uh, advocacy groups that we work with. It's really been a a pretty good experience for me and uh, I'm I'm happy that I had I got to I got to do it. Um, so I wanted just to leave you with that tonight. Um, I'm plann to give you my best efforts between now and January 8th, 2027. And, uh, we'll work through the process of of we wanted to talk a little bit, uh, tonight uh, and maybe tee up a conversation about how do you get a new one um, when the old city manager goes. And so, we've got some thoughts on that. I think we're going to share at an upcoming uh upcoming city council work session and then possibly even uh at at a retreat um later this spring. So, thank you. >> That time went fast. >> The time went fast. >> Thanks for all that great work. Really so. >> Thanks. Give >> Thank you. A mini sendoff right here. >> Too early. >> Uh yeah, >> too early. >> Yeah. the year early recognition of a job superbly done. Thank you over the years. >> Um I'm going to turn to member Agnu and see if she has anything for the good of the order. Do you have anything else that you wanted to report out on? >> Uh no, that was it. Okay, >> sure. >> He can talk. >> I'm a little confused what I'm supposed to talk about because I wasn't up at the work session. So I have some notes regarding flock. Is that what we wanted to talk about? >> Two things. One is just sort of that the chief is doing some communication around immigration and then specific questions about the flock data. >> Got it. Okay. So, yep. The chief is doing putting out what's called public safety spotlights. He's put two of them out. They're about a minute long. Um the one today covered a bunch of flock information. And I would highly recommend everybody taking a peek at that and um getting to kind of see his perspective on um how we utilize flock in the communities. Um it's he did a really good job with it. So, and he's put out two. The first one because I'm putting on the spot, I can't remember what it was about, but it went out uh a couple days ago. and and the and the expression from people in our community was a question and a worry I think about whether a we were cooperating and letting uh immigration customs enforcement giving them access to our flock technology uh or b were they were they getting to use our flock technology some other way. >> Yeah. No, I mean we understand the privacy concerns, right? And I can assure everyone that we do not use flock for any type of immigration enforcement at all. Um we control the data um and we do not share that data with any outside agency. Um we would we would need to approve any request for the data. We have not approved any and we do not participate in any type of statewide or national lookup um for the flock data. We have audited our data internally to confirm it has not been accessed. And then Flock also confirmed that no outside agencies have access or ever had access to our data. Um and then per our policy um LPR data can only be accessed um on an active criminal investigation. So um you know we own the data. The city attorney reviewed our contract and confirmed that. Um and Flock cannot legally share our data either. Um I will put it you know it has been an incredible resource for us. Um, it gets us in the right place at the right time to address serious public safety concerns. Um, and we want to make we want to maintain that. We want to maintain the public's trust trust in that as well, too. >> Yeah. Good. Thanks for that, Lieutenant. All right. I'm going to go back to member Agnu now. >> Thank you. You gave me some additional time to consider and I still do not have any comments. So, thank you. Okay, >> member Pierce. Uh, thanks, Mr. Mayor. I just um wanted to make a couple of comments. I have I mentioned this upstairs, these um rapid response networks. Um it's really impressive what the community is doing with regards to um to ICE. And so the I don't the whole thing is kind of anonymous. So, I don't know who is who and what they're when they join. Everybody has a different handle and all of that. And so, um, I'm hoping they're they're listening or watching. And so, I just want to say it is it kind of warms your heart when you wake up and you see someone go on that says, "I'm running the rapid response today. Let me know what you want to do to help." And literally you just see ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping all these people going in and um and saying this is what I'm here to do today. And so I I think that that is it's awesome. Um and then I did um participate in the 50th in France um protest I guess. Yeah. Um, and so that was great as well, just out there with um, neighbors. Um, and whoever runs that. I don't know again who does that, but it's the neatest thing if you don't have a sign, they have some there. You just pick up one and you stand and you stand with your neighbors. Um, and so I thought that that was cool. Um, and then the the last thing I'll mention, a friend of mine sent me a post, and I'm sure you guys have probably all seen it. Um, but it said, "If you ever wondered what you would have done during the Holocaust, during civil rights, or what was the third one? I there was a third. Um, you're doing it right now." So, I have encouraged people, don't try to judge what you're doing based on what somebody else is doing. If you want to get involved, just figure out how you feel most comfortable being involved and just do that. Um, and that will be enough. Um, and so I definitely appreciate um what the the community is doing broadly and it is um it definitely warms your heart. So thank you. >> Thank you for that member Jackson. >> Thank you. So I got to do something fun today. I participated in history day at the high school and it's always wonderful to see young minds uh thinking about the past and its relevance to the future. Um, I agree with you, Member Pierce, that we didn't What would you have done during the Holocaust? And here we are. Um, we're doing I think everybody with a good heart is doing all they can. It's not enough. Um, and we're all doing the best that we can. I believe in the dignity of every individual and I believe in the rule of law. And those are the two principles that are guiding me. Um, and I have uh reached out to staff both at the school district and here so in the future we can figure out a structure for these mass outpourings of volunteerism. Um, people don't want to necessarily volunteer every day for the rest of their life for the city of Vina. when these things occur, I'd like to see a structure where we can um channel the energy to where it needs uh to be uh addressed. It's the the courage that people have is very inspiring. It's just absolutely mindboggling what we're living through. And um I really think one of the recommendations that the staff um task force put together is to um start gathering data on 911 calls about ICE in our area. If you feel even remotely unsafe, if you see something happening that makes you feel unsafe, please do call the police. Um if for nothing else, we want to build an evidentiary record of what's been going on. They've changed the label on the back of their uniforms that says Edina Police. They're here to help us and keep us safe. Um, and so we're here as your partners. Um, we wish we could do more. Um, but it's just a horrible situation. But do think of us as we are our police are here to keep you safe. If you don't feel safe, call them. And um, everybody hang in there. >> Good. Thanks for that. Member Russer, >> thank you. I just want to give a shout out to Edina staff who have been working on our website and if you go to our homepage now at the very top there is a banner that you cannot miss there's a red button and immigration help in caps which is very um informative I think as you scroll down on that website and there it is see there's the button and if we click on that uh you can see the latest news and I'm not going to ask that we click on the view the news but encourage people to view the news watch agenda adina and then um moving down you have additional links um if you have questions about police approach to immigration enforcement there's a lot of information right there and I just want people to know about this site because it is being updated regularly true yes And um it does have a lot of information including um immigration and legal help, basic needs, other resources. So um shout out to that and please, you know, if you're not if you have not um visited this site and clicked on the links, please do so. Um we are doing a lot of things and we're hearing from a lot of residents. We're getting some really good feedback and ideas about what we could do. some of the things that are being suggested are things that um pertain to information that we've already posted online. So, please go take a look at that and know that we are very engaged and um working toward helping community as best we can. So, thank you. >> Yeah, thanks for that. Um well I spent uh let's see Tuesday I left Tuesday noon to go to the US Conference of Mayors meeting. Um and then it started Wednesday morning I left Tuesday afternoon uh out in Washington DC the winter meeting and I can give you a quick overview of that meeting Wednesday, Thursday, Friday it was over about uh 2:00. So I was able to get home on Friday night and um just by serendipity ended up coming back on the same plane with uh our two US senators. So that was interesting to have conversations with them uh both at the airport and then when we once we got home to walking to baggage. Um Wednesday we had the plan of recession in the morning and then uh some good conversation around housing. Uh and then towards the end of of the morning on Wednesday they always have a press conference and one of the big topics of course whether it's local or national is housing. And so the president and couple of the other officers talked about housing and some other issues. And then Elizabeth Couts from Mayor Burnsville uh was asked to address the situation in Minnesota and did just an excellent job of kind of setting the stage and talking about issues that we were facing in our state and particularly in her town and business closures and other things that were occurring as a result of uh immigration enforcement activity. Um and then one of the reporters asked u uh the the crowd of mayors or probably 50 mayors at the press conference. Well, is anybody in Minnesota doing anything with any other city? And of course, we had just formed this coalition of about 13 cities that are working together as a result of uh two meetings we had here on a Friday noon in and with our chiefs and our city managers and mayors in Eden Prairie uh was the following week. And then uh our city managers and staff went to work right away just like we had been working internally on this task force. They went to work right away getting a consultant hired. uh that would assist us and then I think a statement's been released uh relative to that uh coalition activity. Uh and so as we were saying there at the press conference and somebody said what about is anybody working on this in Minnesota? Then both Eden Prairie and Burnsville kind of pushed me up said go tell them what we're working on. So I went out and talked for a short period of time and what we were working on and how people in Minnesota were addressing this issue uh on a broad sort of basis and it was a really I thought overall it was really effective press conference and and it's all on C-SPAN if you want to want to see that. Um, Friday afternoon or excuse me, Wednesday afternoon was the meeting I have to chair for transportation standing committee and we had uh US DOT general council there. Uh we had uh NATO, National Association of Counties, uh National Association of uh Municipal Planning Organizations, AMPO, we're all working together, the the local governments, AMPO, Niko on trying to get more surface transportation money on the reauthorization directed to cities in particular and local units of government, which is a not the way it usually goes. Usually the money goes at the state DOS and it dribbles out from there. uh but the the situation with respect to transportation infrastructure has changed so much in our country since co there's so much more emphasis on local road pressures and systems with all these at home deliveries and all the pressure on local streets some of the cities that have big Amazon warehouse distribution operations are their roads that would normally last 50 years are are starting to get torn up and destroyed. So we need more money coming uh to the cities, the counties, the municipal planning organizations directly. Uh and so we've in instituted this concept of localism and I think we're getting some traction around it especially with those three organizations working together. Uh and so that was encouraging and then we had a good conversation with US DOT too and for the for his fellow lawyers the guy he has got 400 lawyers working for him. So a pretty good size law firm and it was a a real pleasant dialogue there as well. Um and then on Thursday we had uh you know a variety of sessions uh climate related uh uh metroeconomies related that was on Wednesday that was the first meeting I went to on Wednesday after the plenary because you always pick up a lot of good information there on on on the national world economy and then the city's reporting out on different kinds of activities. Uh and then on Thursday at noon, the noon plenary, Jacob Fry showed up and was really well received by all the mayors. And the mayors across America are probably I don't 75% Democrat, 25% Republican, and uh got a standing ovation from everybody and and did a great job on his speech talking about what was going on in Minneapolis. Uh, and then at 2:30 he was supposed to be on a panel with me, but he didn't stick around. And I had been asked to, I think it was kind of a backup for him a couple weeks before to be ready to go on this immigration enforcement panel with the mayor of Denver, the mayor of Portland, the mayor of Brownsville, Texas, uh, a public interest law firm that's involved in some of the litigation that's going on around the country, and then and then me from Minnesota. And and and that went well, too. I was pleased with how my prepared mark remarks uh uh came out and so that was and and people were appreciative of what was going on in Minnesota from a mayor's perspective. Um and then just a series of other meetings all all the way again through um Friday uh early afternoon and had you know they had a late lunch and off we went uh back to the airport. So, it was uh three and a half compre or two and a half compressed days of uh a lot of work, not much sleep, but well worth it. And I'd say the primary takeaways are a lot of emphasis you're going to see around housing, housing production, affordability, and then uh concerns all over the country about immigration enforcement and um how to make sure that um immigration and customs uh and border patrol are engaged in constitutional policing and trying to get them to change their policies and go back to policies they used to have about staying away from churches, staying away from schools. s and staying away from medical facilities. So, whether we'll get anywhere on that, but we'll we'll all keep working on it. And um this draw down today helps. Um and uh there are other things happening that I can keep you posted on as we get further along. U including some other litigation matters that are that are brewing, I understand. So, um, so that's a short report from the US Conference of Mayors meeting and, um, I think that's it for me. >> Anybody else have anything that they thought of they wanted to talk about? >> Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Member Jackson, members, member Pierce seconds a motion to adjourn the meeting of the United City Council this 4th day of February, 2026 at 10:57 p.m. All those in favor of adjournment, say, "I." I >> I opposed carried. >> We stand adjourned. >> After watching this, I'd like to reaffirm my comments from