Planning commission backs variance to expand pump house at Edina Aquatic Center

The City of Edina Planning Commission on March 26 recommended approval of a variance to allow the expansion and partial relocation of the pump room at the Edina Aquatic Center, 4300 West 60th Street. The commission voted to recommend an 11.5-foot variance from the city code setback requirement to allow the relocated pump house to come as close as about 38.5 feet from the pond’s ordinary high water elevation.

Commission staff and the applicant said the expansion is driven by functional needs: the existing pump room dates to 1958, has low headroom and is corroded and undersized for modern equipment. Planning staff recommended approval, saying the existing structure was built under older setback requirements and that moving the pump house would require rebuilding pool infrastructure and underground utilities.

Staff said the project would remove and rebuild the existing pump room in roughly the same area and add an upper-level amenity deck with cabanas above the service area. The staff report recommended the commission find that the use is consistent with the single‑dwelling district’s permitted uses and the city comprehensive plan, that the request responds to practical difficulties created by the age and configuration of the existing building, and that the addition would not alter the essential character of the locality. Staff’s recommendation included conditions requiring Watershed District approval, conformance with the city engineer’s building permit review, and compliance with the tree protection plan.

Commission discussion focused on alternatives and risks. Commissioners and the project team explained why moving the pump equipment to a new location was economically and technically impractical: existing pool drains and supply piping enter the pump room from beneath the pool structure, and digging deeper under the present room would require undercutting and reconstructing pool walls. Staff and the applicant also described mitigation measures for corrosive gases and ventilation improvements in the rebuilt pump room, and said the new equipment room floor would be set 30 inches above grade to remain above expected flood elevations.

Commissioners asked about the pond that fronts the site (referred to in staff materials as the “Swimming Pool Pond”), proposed infiltration basin sizing and locations, and potential impacts to Bur Oak trees near the planned infiltration area. The project team said the infiltration basin will capture about 5,000 square feet of new drainage area and will be located in the surface parking area; they said tree protection measures are part of the permit review and that tree removal would be avoided where feasible.

Public comment during the hearing produced no outside speakers. At deliberation commissioners cited the public benefit of updating the aging facility and the practical constraints posed by existing utilities and pool structure. Commissioner Nelson announced an abstention because of a prior relationship with a project consultant; the record shows the commission approved the staff‑recommended variance and conditions.

The commission’s recommendation to approve is subject to final technical approvals required by engineering and the Watershed District and adherence to the tree-protection and building-permit conditions noted in staff materials.