5516 Vernon Ave. Townhomes

Yes, good morning. Scott Rike. I am at 5517 Chantry Road, 55436. So I'm calling.. I'm not happy about the rezoning plan at 5516 Vernon Avenue. I’ve been a resident of Edina for, well basically born and raised here. And I I'm just tired of everything that's going on around here. Everything's gotta be very large, more density. That's a beautiful lot. I get it. Yeah, you can put multiple family housing there, but I just think with the school behind there, I just think it's just gonna change the whole dynamics of the area. So I'm, encouraging you to vote no. This shouldn't be always about money. It should be about the people that actually live in the neighborhood and enjoy their neighborhood as it is. And, I get change. You know, I have a very large house that was built next to me, they increase the height of the of the light lot elevation 4 ft. There's no way that should have been allowed. I did not get involved. But now I'm trying to get involved cause I'm I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the change, and it's unfair. I've lived here for 32 years in this house, and I've got a lot of water in my basement, the last two years since that house has been built. It's changed everything. My house was graded in 1956, and now, I have a lot that's 4 ft higher than my lot. Yeah, I should have had a lawsuit, but I don't walk around trying to sue people. So anyway, there's my deal, but yeah, please vote no. It's not fair. And I think you would probably feel the same thing if you were nearby. Okay, thank you. Bye now. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/16/25 at 9:17 AM)

I'm calling about the rezoning of 5516 Vernon. I'm in favor of the rezoning to make it a multi family housing parcel. My name is Mary Watson. I live at 5417 Doncaster Way, Edina Minnesota, 55436. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/16/25 at 7:40 AM)

This is Barb Baker. My address is 5533 Chantry Road, Edina 55436. And I'm calling regarding the rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue. I'm opposed to it. I think that there is just too much multi family housing. I don't think that our infrastructure supports it. What I've been finding is, with all of the buildings that have been built as multi family, our roadway systems don't support it. Parking doesn't support it, and I am opposed to the rezoning of 5516 Vernon. Thank you. Bye bye. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/15/25 at 6:35 PM)

Tom McDonald at 5537 Chantry Road. As far as putting townhouses in there, there's enough townhouses and multi housing and would just detract from the neighborhood, maybe build a $3 million McMansion there. Looks like the lot is big enough. And we do have enough multiple housing options in the Southdale area. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/15/25 at 6:01 PM)

Hi, this is Carol Conley calling. I live at 5245 Lochloy Drive in Edina Highlands, and I am calling to leave a message telling you I am totally opposed to the rezoning at 5516 Vernon Avenue South. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/15/25 at 1:35 PM)

This is Vicky McDonald. My address is 5537 Chantry Road, and I'm calling to let you know that I'm opposed to the rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue from single family to multi family. I think that our neighborhood, the Highlands neighborhood, is mostly single family and I believe that it should stay single family and not multi family. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/14/25 at 6:21 PM)

Hello, my name is Jessica Cook. I'm at 5408 Glengarry Parkway, and I'm calling about the rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue. I live in the neighborhood behind that rezoning, and I think it's a good idea. We need more different housing options in Edina, and that's a big lot. I'm in support of the rezoning. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/14/25 at 6:27 AM)

Hi, my name is Alexandra Galovich. I live at 5215 Walkway drive. I'm calling in regards to the proposed rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue. I support the proposed rezoning. I understand there are concerns from some in the neighborhood that this is a spot zoning that could create a precedent for other rezoning. I do not have those concerns. Vernon Avenue is a high traffic, you know, arterial road that is suitable for higher density homes. Much of Vernon is higher density although the immediate neighborhood and immediate parcel surrounding this parcel are not. There are higher density homes all the way up and down Vernon. It's wide care, it, you know, given how wide it is and how much traffic is on it, it is appropriate to have a higher density and taller homes. I do not have any concerns about four additional units. I am encouraged by the efforts to bring a more density and more diversity of housing types to this neighborhood as I think it will benefit the city overall. The infrastructure that is here is ample to support this kind of development. This is immediately across the street from the park, so there is lots of open space. I would encourage the city to look at a crosswalk in that area so that people could access the park more easily. But beyond that, I think that this is a very good proposal and I am strongly in support of it. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 6:36 PM)

Yes, my name is Andrew Lasky. I live at 5325 Ayrshire Blvd in the Highlands of the Edina. I am calling about the rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue. I'd like to voice my strong concern against multi unit housing in a neighborhood that is zoned for single unit housing. I am strongly opposed to this and I hope that the city council will take this into consideration. We do not want developers to come in and buy the property next to us and put up multi unit housing in our very nice neighborhood. Thank you for our consideration. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 6:11 PM)

Hi, this is Chris Johnson at 5529 Mirror Lakes Drive. I had heard about a rezoning of 5516 Vernon and just wanted to say that I'm very much against that. I don't feel that a single family dwelling unit should be altered to become a MFDU. It seems like there's way too many of those going on on our city this day these days and just wanted to say that I'm very much strongly against that to change a single family dwelling unit to a different type of a property. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 6:03 PM)

Hi, my name is Tracy Rubovits address 5609 Gate Park Road. I am calling just to support stopping the rezoning of the property 5516 on Vernon. The proposal to change it from a single family residential R-1 to a multi family, we do not want that. I would like to just register not being in agreement of that rezoning. Thank you (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 6:05 PM)

Oh hi, it's Todd Gustine from 5717 Ayrshire Blvd calling to voice my opposition to rezoning the 5516 Vernon Avenue. Again, I’m opposing it. Do not rezone it. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 3:17 PM)

Hi, I'm calling in response to the rezoning of 5516 Vernon Avenue. I live on the corner of Johnson Drive and Warden Avenue. My name is Paul Morrison and I live at 5532 Warden Avenue. I'm very concerned about this rezoning of this property and would be adamantly against it. I think it's gonna create a lot more traffic issues on Vernon Avenue. I appreciate the opportunity to share this. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/13/25 at 1:24 PM)

Hi, my name is Will Murray. I live on 5549 Warden Avenue here in Edina. I'm calling to give my opinion about the rezoning of 5516 Vernon from a sing single family to a multi family townhome complex. I believe it should be maintained as a single family residence or kind of configuration because of that area of Vernon and the how busy the street is, but also because the character of the neighborhood would be changed dramatically. So I just wanna say that I oppose the rezoning of it and, thank you. That's it. Bye. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/12/25 at 1:04 PM)

Hi, Paul Patzloff at 5508 Chantry. I, just wanted to comment and I'm against the 5516 town homes. I just feel like it is way too dense of a project for that property. I listened to complete Planning Commission’s May 28 presentation and I was astonished at the lack of curiosity from the board and the lack of details from the, the contractor and it kind of went both ways. It just felt like there weren't a lot of details figured out. And I also get the sense that the planning commission is so focused on density that they're completely forgetting about neighborhood quality, and lifestyle quality. For everyone around there. That's my big concern about this, that's why I'm against it. I think there can be something suitable in that property, but that's not it. You know, five units in that amount of square feet, it just seems overwhelming. Also, there's no sense of a marketing idea for a perspective buyer. I have no sense of who they think are going to purchase these. I think it's about a million dollars a unit each for those town homes. So I'm I'm really curious cause I don't see downsizing seniors moving into a five bedroom unit. So I'm very curious about that. I just kind of feel like it's half baked. And I think there was some recognition of that during the meeting. Someone had suggested in the comments about offering a transit option, a bus option, a traffic option for highlands. And that is really interesting because. You would just talk about local air quality issues, you know, having a hundred cars idling in the neighborhood is not good air quality. So if that could circumvent and create an interesting option for the in and out there, that would be terrific. Finally I just wanted to say that the public transit options on this property are really not there. There's not been a bus running down Vernon since Covid and the closest bus stop is about a half mile away up at the BP station. So I know it's a nice thing to think about, but currently that's really not part of the plan there. So I'm strongly opposing it. I do think there's something smarter that could go in there and please stop putting density over the quality of neighborhood life. That's my biggest concern about what I heard. Thank you. (Transcribed by City Staff. Voicemail received 6/11/25 at 9:21 PM)

Dan Lew, Highlands. I don't agree with the negativity others have with this change. 5516 is a large lot and seems ideal for a multi-unit setup. I don't think a couple of duplexes will change the quality of the neighborhood. More people need housing; this seems like an appropriate way to increase the supply.

My name is Stephen Walburg and I live on Goya Ln in Edina.I am opposed to this project. It is spot rezoning in the worst way possible. It serves the interest of only one developer( and an incredibly awful design) at the expense of all the surrounding single family residences in the Edina Highlands community. If approved it would be an island of inconsistent zoning completely contrary to Edinas comprehensive plan.

As residents of the Highlands neighborhood, we are against the rezoning, not just because of the impacts of this particular development on the surrounding houses, but also because of the pandora's box it can open with regards to development throughout the neighborhood. Zoning should stay for single family housing, and multi-unit housing should be focused on the areas where it is already approved.

I am vehemently against any rezoning for this type of housing.
I live in the Highlands neighborhood near the project.
Once the neighborhood is rezoned, these types of building will be able to be built anywhere, changing the character of the neighborhood and devaluing homes. The city has made provision for low-income housing elsewhere in Edina. We do not need this or desire this.

Eileen McAwley Highland’s neighborhood
I don’t see any issue with this project. The house is a teardown and the property is big enough to accommodate the project. It’s my understanding the entrance will be on Vernon so it won’t cause traffic in the adjoining neighborhood. It is not incompatible with the neighborhood because we have many townhomes on Vernon and apartment buildings as well. We all know that we need more housing. I received a flyer claiming that this would have a negative impact on natural resources and the environment and be a strain on public services and resources. There was no data to back this up and I consider this claim to be utter nonsense. The flyer also claimed they would decrease property values. Again, we have townhomes and apartment buildings up and down Vernon. They have no impact on my property value. Another point was increased traffic. It’s four units. I don’t agree with it being a problem for traffic. The only thing I would like to see a little change to is the architectural aesthetics. It needs some work in that area.