Hennepin County’s Southdale library and Edina Arts Center design advances; council keeps public comment open and continues hearing to April 16

Hennepin County and its design team presented a revised plan for a new regional library and an Edina Arts Center at 7001 York Avenue South and the Edina City Council agreed to leave public comment open until noon April 6 and to continue action on the conditional use permit, site plan and a building-height variance to the council meeting on April 16.

City staff said the county proposes to demolish the existing regional library and associated service center and replace them with a smaller, more compact facility on the north half of the 7.75-acre site: a proposed 43,000-square-foot library and a 16,000-square-foot Edina Arts Center as a tenant, for a total of roughly 59,000 square feet compared with the current combined footprint on site. Assistant City Planner Emily Dalrymple told the council the proposed use is conditionally permitted in the R-1 zoning district and that staff believes the project meets the conditional-use standards, with the exception of building-height requirements.

The main land-use variance needed is for building height. The R-1 district allows three stories or 40 feet; the new building is designed as a two-story structure measured at about 59 feet above average existing grade. Dalrymple said staff finds the variance justified because the site is located in the city’s Community Activity Center (Southdale) and is surrounded by commercial and multi-story buildings. She noted the current library structure on the site is approximately 60 feet tall.

Design and construction representatives from Hennepin County and MSR Design described a site plan that shifts most parking underground, converts much surface area to green space, and adds trails and wetland-based stormwater management. The site plan shows 184 parking spaces total (about 109 surface stalls and 75 below-grade stalls). MSR Design’s principal architect Matthew Kuntrod and project manager Liz Vederico emphasized sustainable measures: native-plant restorations, on-site stormwater retention beyond code minimums, photovoltaics on the roof and geothermal heat pumps, and bird-safe glazing and daylighting strategies.

Staff and the design team acknowledged outstanding tree-replacement requirements: the city forester has identified options (preserve or transplant additional on-site trees, provide escrow or letter of credit, or plant off-site within the city). Dalrymple recommended as a condition of approval that the applicant work with the city forester so the tree-replacement ordinance is met prior to issuance of building permits.

The planning commission held a public hearing March 12 and unanimously recommended council approval of the conditional use permit, site plan and building-height variance, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report. During council discussion, members asked about distance to nearby residential properties, the proposed parking count and whether trees associated with the project could be planted within the Southdale neighborhood to make up for lost canopy. County representatives said the project team intends to plant several hundred new trees and that many of the design choices intentionally reduce impervious surface and create public green space.

Because additional public input opportunities were still requested, the council voted to keep the public input period open through noon on Sunday, April 6, and to continue the council action to the April 16 meeting. Member Jackson moved the continuance; Member Agnew seconded. The motion carried.

Why it matters: the project replaces an older, multi-level library and service center with a smaller, single-campus facility designed to function as both a regional library and an arts center tenant. The design changes will reduce surface parking, add green space and alter building scale along York Avenue; a building-height variance and tree-mitigation plan are the principal land-use issues the council must resolve.

What’s next: public comments will be accepted through noon April 6; the City Council will consider formal action on the conditional use permit, site plan and building-height variance at its April 16 meeting. Staff recommended conditions include meeting the tree-replacement ordinance before issuance of building permits and continued coordination on pedestrian and trail connections to Adams Hill Park and the 9-Mile Creek trail system.