Edina and St. Louis Park will have until the end of the year to make a bid on wooded land in both cities that's long been used as an informal dog park and play area.
The undeveloped 15-acre parcel straddles the Edina-St. Louis Park city line on the west side of France Avenue at W. 40th Street. It's owned by the city of Minneapolis, which has long had a water pumping station on the site. Recent improvements to the city's water system have ended the need for the pump station, and Minneapolis wants to sell the woodsy plot.
Minneapolis has made it clear that it won't give its neighboring cities a discount on the land, which Minneapolis says could be worth as much as $1.5 million if developed for single-family housing. A small portion of the land contains part of the ball fields at Minikahda Vista Park in St. Louis Park.
In a recent letter to the mayors of Edina and St. Louis Park, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and City Council President Barbara Johnson set a new deadline of Dec. 31 for a written offer reflecting the "fair market value" of the land.
"Without such an offer, we will proceed to market the property to other interested parties," the letter said.
The city councils of Edina and St. Louis Park have formed a joint subcommittee to explore options for the land. Last week, Edina City Manager Scott Neal led a citizen meeting that drew several dozen supporters of keeping the land undeveloped. Attendees urged Neal to find a way to buy the land, saying that its price tag is minimal compared to the benefits it brings to residents.
"Eighty years ago I played in those woods, and I treasure that experience," said Edina resident Don Wray. "It seems that it's quite an opportunity to present a treasure to our families."
John Reinan • 612-673-7402
