Planning Commission - 10/25/2021APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE PLANNING COMMISSION
MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2021 7:00 PM—CITY CENTER
Council Chambers
8080 Mitchell Road
COMMISSION MEMBERS: John Kirk, Ann Higgins, Andrew Pieper, Ed Farr,
Michael DeSanctis, Rachel Markos, Carole Mette,
William Gooding, Robert Taylor
CITY STAFF: Julie Klima, Community Development Director; Matt
Bourne, Manager of Parks and Natural Resources; Rod
Rue, City Engineer; Kristin Harley, Recording
Secretary
I. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
Vice Chair Farr called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – ROLL CALL
Absent were commission members Pieper, DeSanctis, and Taylor.
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Mette to approve the agenda. MOTION
CARRIED 6-0.
IV. MINUTES
MOTION: Kirk moved, seconded by Gooding to approve the minutes of September 27,
2021. MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
V. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. ONE SOUTHWEST CROSSING WALL SIGN (BOA2021-04))
Request for:
• A variance to allow two (2) wall signs of up to 50 square feet each on the
south building wall.
Commissioner Markos recused herself from the discussion.
Max Minea, of Eagle Ridge Partners, presented a PowerPoint and detailed the
application. Eagle Ridge Partners was a local owner and developer founded in
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
October 25, 2021
Page 2
1996 with over 20 years of experience and 975,000 square feet of holdings in
Eden Prairie. The site was an 8.3-acre site north of I-494 and south of Lake
Smetana. The property was purchased in December of 2020 and had an
occupancy rate of 25 percent. Eagle Ridge Partners began a $3.5 million
restoration and at present 50 percent of the building was renovated. Minea
displayed images of the improvements.
The proposed signage would replace the existing monument signage and display
new signage on the west, south, and east facades. The variance sought tonight
would relocate the north building identification sign to the south façade (along I-
494) for increased visibility. The building was split into east and west wings and
the south side was highly visible facing commercial properties. Minea explained
the neighboring properties (Lifetouch Building to the east and Fairfield Marriot
and Pizza Luce to the west).
Klima presented the staff report. The variance request was to relocate a sign from
the north wall to the south wall. Staff recommended approval of the application.
MOTION: Gooding moved, seconded by Higgins to close the public hearing.
Motion carried 6-0.
Mette commended the reinvestment in this property. She found the request to be
appropriate and supported the application. Higgins stated she thought the
applicant had described the site and signage need accurately and supported the
application. Kirk agreed, and Gooding concurred. Farr commended the signage
application as appropriate and in proportion to what is allowed for the building.
MOTION: Gooding moved, seconded by Kirk to approve the Variance Request
#2021-04 based on information outlined in the staff report dated October 25, 2021
and the findings in the Final Order #2021-04. Motion carried 5-0 with one
abstention (Markos).
PLANNERS’ REPORT
MEMBERS’ REPORTS
VI. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Markos moved, seconded by Gooding to adjourn. Motion carried 6-
0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:14 p.m.