Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Welcome to Agenda Edina, a program summarizing the actions taken at City Hall that affect you most. I'm your host, Dorothea Marty. The City Council is taking more time to consider proposed updates to Edina's park ordinance following this summer's concerns about large, unplanned gatherings in city parks. The proposed changes are intended to give the City additional tools to help manage large gatherings and protect public spaces. Among the proposed updates are requiring advance permits for groups of 25 or more using reservable park buildings, picnic shelters, and athletic fields. clarifying that permit holders have priority use of reserved spaces and establishing additional rules for activities at Arneson Acres Park. The ordinance also outlines how permits would be issued, denied, and appealed, and when parks could be temporarily closed in the interest of public safety.

clearly our main focus is to ensure that our parks are safe and comfortable for all of our users and guests and this is part of a three-tiered approach that we are studying around enforcement engagement and policy work and this is the policy work of that and the city council is having deliberate and thoughtful discussions around issues that we've seen arise which is large group gatherings excessive noise and commercial use within our park system so We're hoping by working on this policy aspect of this, we can ensure that our parks are safe and comfortable, inviting to all that want to enjoy them.

Last month, the City Council asked the Park and Recreation Commission to review the proposal and to gather public feedback. Commissioners generally supported giving staff and police additional tools to manage large gatherings, while also emphasizing the need for clear and forcible language, public education, adequate staffing, and safeguards to ensure the ordinance is applied fairly and without discrimination. After discussion, the City Council voted to table the ordinance until its September 1 meeting to allow additional time to review the proposal and consider public input.