6016 Vernon Avenue, Station Pizza-Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning and Site Plan with Variances

I strongly support Station Pizzeria moving into the old Kees Auto site! Remember, businesses help lower our taxes as residents. I also welcome an Edina family business that will employ Edina residents. With regard to the comment about this site being a future marijuana dispensary, I will quote from the Edina City Council newsletter we all received in the mail today, " the zoning ordinance amendment requires cannabis retailers to locate in the same districts as tobacco and liquor stores", therefore it can't happen at this site.

Hello, my name is Lee Azar and I live on Highwood Drive, a few houses from 6016 Vernon Ave. I fully support the rezoning of this site to allow for Station Pizza, the variances proposed are NOT unreasonable or invasive. I believe this small-scale Edina family-owned business is a great solution for this site. The size and scope of the pizzeria proposal is reasonable and would be a great fit and welcome addition to our neighborhood. We are not talking about huge crowds, massive extra cars and trucks to this site! It is as proposed, a small 20 customer spot for neighbors and fellow Edina kids and families to support.
Lastly, I am not in favor of Medium Density residential for this site. Please vote to approve this project. Thank you.
Lee Azar

Our family is super excited about the possibly of Station Pizza coming to Edina. The Minnetonka location is excellent. It's the perfect solution for the old station on Vernon (an eye sore) and a great location, it's a family owned business with exceptional customer service - it would be a welcomed addition to the neighborhood. Please approve this project!

Hello! I live on Vernon Ave and I think that a Station Pizzeria on this lot would bring tons of livelihood to the area. First, Edina lacks food establishments where customers can actually sit down and eat great food like pizza, that isn’t all the way to 50th and France. It is so nice to think of a restaurant where the residents nearby can take a short walk to and eat amazing food! Second, Station Pizzeria is successful family owned business that cares deeply for their customers. As a frequent customer myself their services our outstanding and incredibly welcoming. Lastly, I drive by the old lot every single day and I always wonder what could replace it. Not only has the old lot been there untouched for a long time, but it diminishes the ambiance of the area. This restaurant is a great idea because it will create an upbeat area that people from the neighborhood can enjoy!!!!🍕🍕🍕

Trojan horse for weed sales. Changing zoning to PCD-1 for the restaurant would put it in the same classification as the Cannabis zoning. If you were worried about doors slamming and traffic on Vernon, how about people smoking pot in the parking lot after they made their purchase? Then proceeding on Vernon under the influence. The police won’t be able to stop it, and the condos on Eden Prairie Rd will be able to smell it. I was in favor of pizza, but would rather have it sit vacant for eternity than have a weed shop. This would severely impact property values. This was glossed over at the city council meeting the other night.

Hi, my name is Gretchen Moore, and I'm providing feedback for the Planning Commission about the proposed Station Pizzeria project. I live in the Morningside neighborhood on Alden Drive in Edina, and have lived there since 2006. I think it's a wonderful idea to put a family-owned pizzeria there. The neighborhood will benefit from that in a way that is much better than an auto body shop has ever been. It will make the West side of Edina more walkable for a family eating establishment. And I think it will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Thank you.
(Voicemail transcribed by City Staff. Received 12/5/24 at 8:10AM)

Hi, my name is Erica Campbell. I reside at 5201 Windsor Avenue in Edina and I'd just like to tell you that I'm in support of the variance for the proposal for Station Pizza on Vernon Avenue. It feels like it is the right thing to do for our community. I don't have any concerns about traffic. I believe in the study that has shown it is not going to make further changes. I'm really happy that this proposal is moving forward. Bye bye. (Voicemail transcribed by City Staff. Received 12/4/24 at 12:02PM)

We live in the Birchcrest neighborhood. The food options in West Edina are very limited and this new addition would be very welcome. This plan seems like it has a minimal impact on the existing lot and surrounding neighborhood.

Hello. Our family lives on Eden Prairie Rd., just behind the Kevin Kee's site. The introduction of a business with after-hours traffic will change the currently tranquil atmosphere of our neighborhood and our lives. If the business is successful, there will be overflow traffic and noise on our street late into the evening. If the business is unsuccessful, the next business could have bigger plans - liquor license, outdoor patio overlooking our yard, second-story dining. Please respect the Comprehensive Plan for this site and zone residential. Please value our quality of life over another convenient place to get pizza.

Hello All, I have been an Edina resident 20+ years and have found the importance in supporting local businesses and thus stimulating the local economy as well. Every day i drive past the empty lot and think about what it could be. I think adding a family owned pizza place would not only contribute strongly to the Edina community but also support the economy further while also providing a great place to eat. If there were to be affordable housing added (which if we look around it Edina it’s often) we see much more traffic and less sense of community. I think that adding this restaurant would do great things.

My name is Eloise and I live near Concord Elementary. I pass the lot for this potential establishment everyday, and I think Station Pizza would be a great restaurant to fill this empty space. Edina has a huge lack of food establishments and it would be something great and refreshing for all residents to enjoy. While reading some of these comments I noticed that some residents have wanted to put a children’s park in this lot. This is not a practical idea for all children, having a park next to a busy road is not safe. Whereas a restaurant would be a perfect choice not only because it’s super accessible for people sense it’s on a busy street but also because it would provide a convenient dining option for families and individuals alike. Additionally, a restaurant like Station Pizza would create jobs and contribute to the local economy. I believe it would become a beloved spot for the community to gather and enjoy great food. Station Pizza has my vote!!!! 🍕

My name is Gigi and I live right off of Gleason..and it is very true West Edina has lacked food options for a while now and something new for that area would be great for all residents. I drive on Vernon just about everyday and I see no issue with their being a Station right there because that building has been out of use for years and it would be great for take out and quick dine-in.
Vote yes!!

My name is Leighton and I live near the Birchcrest area. I personally believe that adding a new Station Pizza location to the city of Edina would be a great idea! Considering the space has been vacant for so long, a business that is not only family owned but also local would be a great addition to Vernon. The Schaffer’s have my vote!
VOTE YES TO STATION PIZZA!🍕

I live about a mile away and I feel like there is a lack of family owned food businesses in the area. This project is the best fit for the vacant area and would be a great spot to pick up pizza or casual dine in. Please consider the best opportunity that is available.

i live pretty close to the property and i would personally love to have a station pizza there! it’s very good food for a reasonable price, it would be convenient to have one in edina rather than minnetonka!

We live less than a block from this proposed project and our front door and window on Vernon Ave. looks directly at the building and parking lot. Our concerns with the project are that it was originally take-out only and has now changed to indoor dining for 20. We fear this will lead to the parking lot being full with sit-down diners and pick-up vehicles, and the overflow take-out customers and delivery service vehicles will street-park directly in front of our house (which is less than a block away). The site simply isn't big enough for sit-down dining without having parking spillover in the neighborhood. We haven't heard specifically about alcohol sales, but this would be a problem for us as well. If you proceed with this project (which we would prefer you didn't in its current form), it is very important to maximize the parking in the lot itself. Even then, it probably won't be enough. Thank you, Lyle W

This is Mary Thatcher calling. My address is 6005 Eden Prairie Rd. #110. I’m calling about the proposal to allow a sit down restaurant at the 6016 Vernon Avenue property. I understand that there are involves some changes in governing documents that will enable it. And I just wanted to say that I am not opposed to the proposal for the same reasons that I opposed it previously. I believe it would be likely to create traffic and parking problems on a neighborhood street. We have no sidewalks and pedestrians have to walk on the street. In particular, it's hard to see when there are cars parked here and there and you're trying to stay out of the middle of the street. You're kind of popping in and out. I would think there is reasonable to anticipate some increase in traffic and property of the adjoining property with a restaurant on it. You know, there are children and old people who walk regularly and have to deal with the problems of going in and out because of cars parked, trying to stay out of the middle. I just think that that a restaurant up there, particularly if it became popular, would mean an increase in the traffic and parking on the adjacent 3 streets that have no sidewalks. And I do think it's a safety issue that should be carefully considered. Thank you for your time and attention. Goodbye. (Transcribed by City Staff. Received 12/2/24 at 4:38 PM)

The former Keys Auto site has been vacant for a long time, and the current proposal has been modified at the request of the planning commission. I’m in support of adding this amenity to the area. If housing was a viable option for the site, developers would have jumped at the opportunity years ago.

My name is Christin and we live on Leslee Lane just north of the site and are in favor of the rezoning for the pizza restaurant. I would like to remind you of when The Waters senior living home was being submitted to be built. Many of the neighbors were so worried about all of the traffic and the elderly in the parks and neighborhoods. Clearly these fears were deemed unfounded as The Waters was built and there haven’t been issues. The Planning Commission has done the traffic study and deemed that it won’t cause an issue.

If people are worried about crime, a dilapidated abandoned building is a much bigger magnet for vandalism and other such issues than a restaurant in a good city.

As far as it becoming residential there hasn’t been a builder interested in buying it in over a year on the market. It’s clearly not conducive to that either. Also pinning it on a comprehensive plan that was developed years before many of us current homeowners were even born seems a little far fetched. The city has changed and plans need to grow and change as well. Thank you.

This is the best solution for this space. West Edina is a food desert and the Station Pizza solution is a great compromise that complies with all the concerns of previous proposals - does not require overflow parking, limited seating, restricted hours - no comparison to the other Station Pizza in Hopkins. The public hearing was great example of why this needs to move forward.

We all should invite thriving businesses into our community to offset the high taxes that have been passed to home owners. The owner of Station is a member of this community, gives back to this community, listened to and will be accountable to the community.