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April 14, 2026 Saint Anthony Council Work Session - 4 Councilmember Elnagdy proposed softening or editing variance restrictions without writing a new ordinance. She also stated they should consult with engineers to determine utility capacity and stormwater impacts. She expressed interest in exploring the option more before jumping straight into an ordinance, but she remains very open to the idea. City Manager Yunker highlighted that ADUs above buildings and separate-structure ADUs are different; above-building ADUs may require less community engagement because they have less impact on a neighborhood's makeup. He proposed focusing solely on above-building ADUs to yield better feedback. Mayor Webster asked City Manager Yunker if Staff could be directed to inquire as to what language can be easily changed in current ordinances to allow for above-building ADUs. City Manager Yunker said a Staff inquiry would be a first step and could be tied to the teardown ordinance. Mayor Webster stated that this would be a good opportunity to begin conversations with the community about moves toward greater density. City Manager Yunker proposed moving the conversation to the teardown ordinance. Councilmember Doolan highlighted a situation in which an individual was selling a home and was interested in converting it to a duplex. City Planner Grittman said converting homes to duplexes would be a zoning question about what should be allowed in single-family districts. City Planner Grittman stated that there has been significant tension in Edina over how single-family homes have been replaced by larger ones. He provided an overview of Edina’s proposed rules to manage small home replacements. Some were operational, such as how you can construct and how you must notify the neighborhood, and some were performative, such as maintaining tree cover and specifying height restrictions. Councilmember Jenson asked City Manager Yunker if there is an immediate issue of people buying homes and tearing them down in St. Anthony. City Manager Yunker stated there is not a large concern, but it is likely preventative to preserve affordable housing. Councilmember Elnagdy asked for clarification on current rules preventing small home teardowns. City Manager Yunker noted that the current regulations in single-family districts allow two-story buildings up to 25 feet in height. The current code does not allow for three stories. Councilmember Doolan wanted to emphasize sustainability. She highlighted that disposing of a home generates significant waste and suggested stronger regulations on disposal. She also stated that pouring concrete and new constructions also have negative environmental impacts. She was interested in seeing restrictions on waste applied to remodels as well. Councilmember Jenson asked how they could prevent undue restrictions on people who wanted to remodel their homes. City Planner Grittman stated that the construction cost relative to the home's sale price could determine what constitutes a teardown under the ordinance. He also said it could be regulated by additional square footage created by the modification. Councilmember Jenson inquired again if there has been an instance of a small home being torn down and replaced with a larger one in the last four years. Councilmember Doolan stated that this has occurred near her home in the last eight years. 6