Rooftop Dining Still Possible in Edina

While an original request for a rooftop dining area was voted down by the Edina City Council, that does not mean similar requests in the future will be rejected as well.   

That is the feeling from three members of the City Council as well as one member of the Planning Commission.

Earlier this summer, the Council voted against granting a permit to on France Avenue citing noise issues with nearby residences as well as parking issues.

In fact, the Council said it does not look favorably on locations such as the 50th & France and the Grandview Area (Vernon Avenue west of Highway 100) as future locations for rooftop dining.

For a place such as Southdale of —well, that might be a different matter.

Southdale and Galleria are zoned PCD2 while 50th & France and Grandview are PCD2.

“The issue with a location such as 50th & France is there was not enough separation between the site being considered and nearby residences as well as pressure on the parking situation,” said Jim Hovland, mayor of Edina. “However, that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t be willing to look at other sites.”

Hovland would like to have future discussions with the Planning Commission on the matter.

Kevin Staunton, a member of the Planning Commission, said the request by Cocina Del Barrio was sent to the Council with a recommendation to approve the request.

“Personally, the fact the area is mixed use already was a factor in believing the request should be approved,” Staunton said. “I think someone who lives in a mixed use area has come to grips with the fact there will be more noise and traffic than in a strictly residential neighborhood.”

Josh Sprague, a first-term council member, said he would be open to “a reasonable accommodation.”

“I don’t want to put Edina restaurants and bars at a disadvantage,” Sprague said. “We are in an urban area and with that you will always have noise and parking issues.”

He added there is already patio dining allowed in the 50th & France area.

“Of course, any outdoor dining is only taking place for a small portion of the year because of our weather,” he said.

Council Member Ann Swenson has an open mind regarding future requests.

“Hopefully, we can meet with the Planning Commission on the matter this fall after we get through the budget process which always takes place mid-year," she said. “The previous request was turned down because of location issues, but I want us to take a look at what situations in the future might work out.”