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Residents press Edina council for clearer notice as TIF negotiations delay Macy site action
Summary
Residents criticized lack of notice after the 7,200 France Avenue item was removed from the agenda and raised transparency concerns about tax increment financing; city staff said the Macy‑site TIF action was delayed while negotiators finish three contracts and the council continued the matter to Nov. 19.
Residents urged the Edina City Council on Oct. 15 to improve public notice and transparency after a high‑profile development item was pulled from the printed agenda.
Several residents told the council they and their neighbors had shown up expecting discussion of the 7,200 France Avenue project only to find the item removed with no public explanation. Sandy Carlson said the change forced residents who attended in person to wait in the lobby and then scramble to learn a new date. “I would just ask for better communication from the city when things get changed on the agenda so that we can get that word out to residents in a timely manner,” Carlson said.
Why it matters: speakers said the omission undermines residents’ ability to follow and participate in land‑use decisions, especially on projects that carry large public costs. At least two speakers linked agenda handling to broader transparency concerns about the proposed Macy site tax‑increment financing (TIF) district. Resident Ralph Sickert alleged that a TIF figure “ballooned from the initial $23,000,000 to now $80,000,000” and said residents deserved clearer disclosures about levies and the use of reserves for tax relief.
City staff response and next steps: Dr. Teague told the council the 7,200 France item was pulled at the applicant’s request because of travel conflicts. City Manager Neuendorf separately told the council that negotiations over the Macy site have grown complex: instead of a single development agreement the project now involves three separate parcels and three investor groups requiring three related contracts. Neuendorf asked the council to table any financing action and the council voted to continue consideration of Resolution 2024‑78 until a Nov. 19 meeting so staff and developers can finish the agreements and provide additional materials to the public.
What residents asked for: callers and in‑person speakers sought earlier posting of meeting materials, clearer online access to developer handouts and studies, and that significant public hearings not be scheduled late in the evening in ways that limit public participation. Caller Susan Lee asked the council to direct the city manager to avoid placing major public hearings at the tail end of meetings, saying one hearing began at 11:15 p.m. on Oct. 1.
Context and outstanding claims: the council and staff said they will post developer handouts and alternatives discussed with the developer and may present those at an HRA meeting before Nov. 19. Several factual claims made by residents about levy accounting and TIF totals were not verified in the meeting record and remain unresolved; staff said some financial assumptions for projects such as the 7,200 France proposal are based on typical market returns of 6–7.5% and that $23 million in interest‑bearing TIF notes could close a financing gap as modeled by staff and consultants.
The council’s action will be reconsidered on Nov. 19 after additional materials are posted and negotiations conclude.
