Edina planning commission recommends rezoning Southdale Office Center to PCD 3 and grants conditional-use status for offices

The Edina Planning Commission voted unanimously April 8 to recommend that the City Council rescind Planned Unit Development 11 (PUD 11) for the Southdale Office Center at 666–868 France Avenue and rezone the 22-acre site to Planned Commercial District 3 (PCD 3). The commission also recommended approval of a conditional-use permit to recognize office as a lawful existing use on the property.

The recommendation, made at a public hearing and supported by staff, would allow the property owner to remodel two middle office buildings and add small entryways and accessibility improvements without the site-specific restrictions contained in PUD 11. Director Kerry Teague told the commission the change would restore the site to a zoning category that predated the PUD and that the request is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan guidance for office and residential uses in the Southdale district.

Why it matters: rescinding the PUD removes the precise, codified site plan that previously prevented any alterations and replaces it with a standard zoning district. That gives the property owner more flexibility to pursue modest renovations (including handicap-accessible entries) and future uses allowed under PCD 3 without the PUD's strict requirements. Teague said the PUD allowed a 1.0 floor-area ratio (FAR) while PCD 3 would reduce the site's allowable FAR to 0.75; staff also concluded the site is "well over parked" by code and the proposed small changes would not generate traffic changes.

Applicant representatives said their immediate aim is to reuse and remodel the existing buildings rather than demolish them. Della Culpean of Olympus Ventures and Sean Smith of Southdale Office Partners told the commission they have hosted neighborhood meetings and adjusted plans in the past to account for resident concerns. "We're here to just answer any questions," Culpean said during the hearing.

Public comment was limited. Nora Davis, a Southdale-area resident, told the commission she supported reusing existing buildings and said remodeling avoids demolition waste. "They're not going to tear down those buildings and create a lot of waste," Davis said. She also reiterated neighborhood concerns about oak trees on the site.

Commission discussion centered on the tradeoffs between the PUD's protective, site-specific controls and the flexibility a standard zoning district provides. Commissioners asked whether the rezoning would permit new buildings without returning to the commission; staff said larger new buildings or changes that increase required parking would still trigger site-plan review and return to the commission. Commissioners also asked about tree protections; Teague said the city is planning changes to the tree-preservation ordinance to consider commercial sites beyond single-family districts.

Action taken: a commissioner moved to recommend that the City Council approve rezoning from PUD 11 to PCD 3, an ordinance amendment, and a conditional-use permit to allow office uses on the site. The motion carried unanimously. The commission's recommendation now goes to the City Council for final action.

Background: The site has been subject to multiple proposals since a PUD was established in 2017. A prior large redevelopment proposal was denied; a more recent request was withdrawn. The only new stand-alone project that developed on the site since the PUD was approved was a Bank of America. Under the PUD the plan included retail along France Avenue, a tavern on France, a hotel, and medical office uses; the applicant's current proposal keeps the two central office buildings in place and focuses on interior remodels and accessibility upgrades rather than a full redevelopment.

What this decision does not do: the commission's vote was a recommendation only and did not approve any specific site plan or building permit. Larger redevelopment that increases parking demand or adds new freestanding buildings would require site-plan review and a return to the planning commission and council.

The City Council will consider the commission's recommendation at a future meeting; staff did not give a specific council date at the hearing.