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Planning commission approves replat creating city-owned conservation outlot after debate over precedent and financing
Summary
The commission approved a replat of three lots to create an unbuildable conservation outlot that the city will acquire and place under a 99-year conservation easement; commissioners and public commenters debated whether city financing and lack of formal criteria for conservation easements set a problematic precedent.
The Edina Planning Commission on Jan. 15 recommended approval of a subdivision (replat) that will convert three existing residential lots on Highwood Drive and Pine Grove into two enlarged residential lots and a city-owned outlot protected by a conservation easement.
City staff said the replat formalizes a plan the City Council approved in concept in April 2024 and that the council directed staff to proceed through the subdivision process. Staff described the outlot as unbuildable because steep slopes and mature trees make construction impractical; the city would acquire the land up front and recover the cost over time through assessments on nearby properties. According to staff and the applicant, the city acquisition price for the outlot was set at $150,000 and the cost will be repaid over time by neighboring property owners; staff said seven neighbors on…
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