City Council - 09/20/2011 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 CITY CENTER
4:30—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOM II
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
PLANNING COMMISSION: Travis Wuttke, Jon Stoltz—Chair, Kevin Schultz, Jerry Pitzrick
—Vice Chair, John Kirk, Jacob Lee, Catherine Lechelt, Matthew Fyten, Michael Franzen—Staff
Liaison/City Planner
GUESTS: Caren Dewar, Gordon Hughes, Cathy Bennett(Urban Land Institute); Dan Cornejo
(Cornejo Consulting); Colleen Carey (The Cornerstone Group); Rusty Fifield (Northland Securities);
John Breitinger (Northmarq)
Workshop - Heritage Room H(4:30 p.m.)
Planning Commissioners Jacob Lee and John Kirk were absent. Fire Chief George Esbensen
was absent.
I. URBAN LAND INSTITUTE—NAVIGATING THE NEW NORMAL
Presentation
Gordon Hughes and Caren Dewar of the Urban Land Institute presented "Navigating the
New Normal," a workshop and discussion about development and redevelopment in our
"down" economy. Changing demographics include a rapidly aging population, a larger
immigrant population and fewer households with children. Research shows that Gen Y-
ers influence as much has half of all spending in the U.S. economy. People under 35
have moved toward rental and multi-family dwellings, while Baby Boomers are seeking
more active and interactive lifestyles. Although there is demand for new housing types
and mixed use development, it is much harder for developers to get financing for these
types of projects than it was a decade ago.
In 2000, 9 percent of Eden Prairie's population was people of color; that number rose to
18 percent in 2010. Twenty-seven percent of Eden Prairie residents pay 30 percent or
more of their income on housing. Bennett said this may indicate that more affordable
options are needed. Currently, 75 percent of residents are living in homes they own and
25 percent rent their homes. Fifty-three percent live in owned single-family-dwellings,
21 percent live in owned multi-family dwellings, 19 percent live in rental apartments, 4
City Council Workshop Minutes
September 20, 2011
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percent in rental multi-family-dwellings, and 3 percent in rental single-family dwellings.
Forty-five percent of Eden Prairie's younger residents live in rental apartments, 22
percent in owned multi-family, and 22 percent in owned single-family. Seventeen percent
of Eden Prairie residents work in Eden Prairie, 16 percent in Minneapolis, 9 percent in
Edina, 9 percent in Bloomington and 9 percent in Minnetonka.
In summary, Dewar said changing demographics and housing preferences will impact the
supply and demand for new housing choices. Future residents are likely to desire
walkability and easy, close access to services. At the same time, difficulty in accessing
private capital adds a layer of complexity to development/redevelopment projects.
Panel Discussion
Colleen Carey, John Breitinger, Rusty Fifield and Dan Cornejo conducted a panel
discussion of how these changing realities will affect communities like Eden Prairie.
Topics they addressed included how access to transit will drive redevelopment,
opportunities or challenges LRT will present for Eden Prairie, how attractive Eden Prairie
is to Gen Y-ers, and how project financing has changed.
Open Podium - Council Chamber (6:30 p.m.)
II. BRINN WITT—REQUEST TO KEEP CHICKENS
Witt said she owns two chickens. She has been told by Animal Control that she must get
rid of them. She asked for more time to find a home for them. Mayor Tyra-Lukens
asked Police Chief Rob Reynolds to work with Witt in resolving this issue.
III. ADJOURNMENT