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

We support the development of a restaurant (Station Pizza) in the old Kevin Kees location. We have lived on Killarney Lane for 15 years, and plan to for many more decades.

This part of Edina is essentially a food desert with a large demand for walkable dining options, which is also evidenced by the developer's willingness to invest capital in our city and neighborhood. Allowing for a small, locally owned business to invest in our city, providing job opportunities and additional taxes should outweigh the small number of individuals in opposition.

My name is Adam and I live on Kaymar Dr. I support the rezoning to the Station Pizza restaurant. Our neighborhood could use something like it within walking distance. Perhaps it should come with some kind of restriction on delivery drivers using Eden Prairie Rd. and Kaymar Dr.

This is dragging on for way too long and the building is an eyesore. If the council can’t agree on something, the town should buy the lot and convert it to a public playground.

Please vote NO. Again.

I live barely a block away from this proposed development, and I want the city council, the planning commission and the Mayor to say NO to any non-residential building on this property.
Edina already has in place long-term city plans and zoning regulations for a reason: public safety, road safety and traffic flow, neighborhood density, appropriateness of developments according to the particular location’s existing zoning, setback requirements, etc..
I hope you will follow the existing, and I presume well thought out guidelines.

It appears as though the majority of neighbors that live in close proximity to this property spoke quite clearly about the prior development proposal a year or so ago to develop this property into a restaurant (overwhelmingly disapproved) and the current Pizzeria proposal has practically all of the same issues.
We have literally dozens of food options within a 3 mile radius of Bredeson Park. We don’t need a pizzeria or café in the middle of our neighborhood, right next to our neighbor’s homes.

Please build a single family residence on this parcel of land.

Respectfully, Kelly Edwards
Blake Ridge Rd Edina

My name is Amanda and I live on Leslee Ln. I strongly support the proposal to build a Station Pizza at the former Kee's site. Having access to a family restaurant within walking distance would be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Many of the highest-valued homes and most desirable neighborhoods in Edina and the surrounding area have restaurants and coffee shops near residential areas. Having moved to Edina from a neighborhood where my family could walk to a small grocery store, restaurant and parks, I am confident that having a pizza restaurant on Vernon will not drastically increase traffic, put our children in danger, or create issues for the neighborhood.

My name is Emily Bierman and I live at 6112 Kaymar Drive. I strongly support the rezoning of the former Kevin Kee's location to allow for the Station Pizza development. Having young kids, I would love to have a restaurant within walking distance and think it would be a wonderful amenity for the neighborhood.

My name is Todd and I live 3 blocks away in the Countryside neighborhood. This restaurant is a fantastic idea. The community will highly benefit from a local walkable restaurant and a gathering place.
Suggestions:
Slow down the traffic on Vernon to 30 mph. It is used too often for people who are looking for a shortcut from 62 to 100. Make adequate turn lanes as there is a 6 foot wide sidewalk for walkers and bikers.
Close the shop at 9PM.
Open early for coffee and bagels.
Thank you for your consideration!

My name is Krin Reid and I live at 6012 Eden Prairie Road, 4 houses down from the proposed Station Pizza development. I strongly urge you to vote NO to rezone and extend setback variances . The reasons for turning down the previously proposed Westside Café development continue to pertain to this project.
1. The increased traffic and unsafe entry and exit from the parking lot to Vernon Avenue is a recipe for problems.
2. Inadequate designated parking would likely spill overflow parking onto our currently quiet residential street.
3. The property is neither part of a business district nor a node and has previously been earmarked for residential zoning in our Comprehensive Plan.
4. The property is not within a business district and does not constitute a node. Changing its zoning would set a precedent that the council previously decided not to make.
5. If zoned for business use, this property could change hands in a way that would further change the character of our neighborhood and decrease the value of our home.
I support rezoning this property to residential. Given the 2024 property tax value of $655,000 this should be feasible price for a developer to purchase and build a small multiunit housing project that would align with the existing Comprehensive Plan.

Thank you!

Mary Kenealy-Bredice
6020 Kaymar Drive,
Dear Mayor Hovland and city councill members,
I am a longtime Edina resident and have lived on Kaymar drive for 20 years. would like to encourage you to vote no to rezoning the former Kevin Kee’s property to PCD1 to allow for Station Pizza, but to continue to support returning the property to residential per the comprehensive plan. All the issues that city employees brought to light last year regarding the Westside Cafe are still major concerns. This proposal isn’t different in a positive way and yet at the planning commission meeting I attended, any concerns were discounted and did not seem to play into their discussion or recommendation.
This site is not appropriate for a restaurant. It is the only commercial piece of property in the area. It is 100% surrounded by single homes and condos that are in very close proximity to the property in question. At the planning meeting I attended, the site was compared to other commercial areas like Town Hall Station at Valley View and Wooddale, and to Station Pizza, currently in Minnetonka. Those businesses are part of a larger commercial area and not right next door to homes, so very different from this site. Allowing the variances needed that are part of the plan will bring the restaurant even closer to its surrounding neighbors.
The added traffic, both on Vernon as well as on Eden Prairie Road and Kaymar Drive will still be a major problem. The traffic consultant on the video presenting at the meeting was vague on his statistics and did not appear to include the issues surrounding the in and out traffic created by the take-out option. The added traffic on Vernon, particularly at rush hour, which is already very congested, will be a problem. The former Westside Cafe proposal that was voted down did not include take-a way as a major part of the plan, so the traffic surrounding this proposal, particularly in the evening, when the traffic is already heavy, is more concerning.
There will certainly be parking/extra traffic that spills over into our neighborhood. The neighborhood is filled with a lot of children of all ages. More traffic present safety concerns. We also have multiple school bus routes that include Eden Prairie Road and Kaymar Drive. Snow build-up in the winter makes parking and bus traffic even more difficult.
At the meeting, the statement was made that this property has always been commercial, comparing this project to Kevin Kee’s. The repair shop had very little in or out traffic. The hours of operation were daytime only and none on the weekends. That makes this proposal extremely different. Another comment by one of the planning commission members said that no one has come forward to purchase the property for housing in 30 years. The property hasn’t been for sale, so that comment holds no significance, yet seemed to resound with the planning commission.
The issues surrounding a liquor license and what dangers that brings to a neighborhood as well as hours of operation are also concerns and were not really addressed at the meeting.
I fully support returning this property to residential and giving potential developers the variances needed to make this happen. Perhaps the city could offer some kind of incentive to make this a more desirable property for developers to create housing. PLEASE VOTE NO!
Thank you.

I am a 20 year resident of Edina, currently living in Parkwood Knolls. Vernon was a four lane road. It was converted to two lanes and two bike lanes. The bike lanes appear to be rarely used by people riding bikes. As it is now configured, there is no left turn lane except at traffic controlled intersections. Half of the drivers on Vernon drive ten miles per hour below the speed limit on clear, dry, sunny days. Adding a restaurant at 6016 Vernon Ave will make the area less safe because cars will pass turning vehicles on the right, in the bike lane, when eastbound cars turn into the restaurant. Traffic westbound will have to slow further to allow right turning vehicles to turn into the restaurant. The impact of these traffic changes on the broader public for the benefit of a developer is unjustifiable.
Promises are made to lull a community into accepting a business that doesn't fit. There was a time I moved from Edina to Minneapolis. A new restaurant was built in that neighborhood that promised there would be no street parking issues in the neighborhood around the restaurant because they would provide valet parking that would move cars away from the neighboring streets. Why would a restaurant patron bother with valet parking when they can park a block away in front of someone's house? They don't care if a driveway is blocked, or if your previously quiet street is overrun by patrons just trying to pickup their pizza order or patronize a commercial establishment in a residential zoned neighborhood.
I moved back to Edina, in part, because I was fed up with the density and activity. I wanted to live in a suburban, residential area. People wanting to walk to businesses can move to a city with that ability built in. It's unreasonable to think that a suburban, residential neighborhood should change its zoning laws to develop the feel of a city because some residents would like to walk to a restaurant nearby their home or because a developer believed that they could acquire property and convince local government to change the character of the neighborhood and zoning laws so that they could profit from the development.
Edina was a first ring suburban community that had a desirable small town feel. The western part of the city seems to be about to lose that culture and join the over developed, high density east side with its attendant problems. The current residents most likely chose this community for its characteristics. It feels deceptive to have the City Council change the culture against the wishes of the community affected.

Jeremie Kass, 6016 Kaymar Drive. We are opposed to the new Station Pizza plan. When we had our community meeting it was only supposed to be a takeout and delivery spot. This has changed to include seating and more parking spots in the lot. We are worried about increased truck traffic on Vernon Ave, Eden Prairie Rd, and Kaymar Dr from delivery drivers, food service deliveries. We are also worried about overflow traffic & parking from customers. Rezoning to PCD-1 will give limited options to the city to manage future uses.

This space should be rezoned residential as guided by the comprehensive plan.

Station Pizza will be a wonderful amenity for our neighborhood. I have talked with several neighbors and nearly all are looking forward to having a place within walking distance to grab a bite to eat, and maybe a beer. A wonderful community builder.
Additionally, because I can see this property from my home, I am grateful for the prospect of cleaning up this long blighted property.
Kind Regards,
Tony Kamp
6036 Berne Circle

Hello, my name is Lucy Peterson and I live at 5600 Highwood Drive. I want to leave my voice of opposition to the Station Pizzeria proposal at the end of this block on Vernon. I’m concerned about traffic and potential expansion and alternative long-term alternative uses. I'm very much for just maintaining a residential permit for that area. Thank you very much. Bye. (Transcribed by City Staff. Received 12/1/24 at 9:58 AM)

My wife and I reside at 6005 Eden Prairie Road, the property immediately to the west of 6015 Vernon Ave. We oppose the requested change of zoning to permit the development of that property as a pizza parlor. We went down this road not so long ago and the Planning Commission and the City Council correctly rejected the previous proposal. The current owners created the situation by paying way too much for the property and not making their acquisition contingent on a zoning change. In my opinion, if the zoning is to be changed, it should be brought into line with the current Met Council Comprehensive Plan, to wit, Multi-unit Residential zoning. Because of the shape and size of the site, developing the property with multi-unit residential housing is challenging. If the City were inclined to assist such development, they should consider making the right of way of the unopened portion of Eden Prairie Road to the immediate north of the property available to the developer. The Council should adhere to

I live on 6000 Kaymer Dr & my property is the closes to 6016 Vernon Avenue. Now this idea about a Pizzeria is the 3rd idea that has been presented in the past few years. This seem to be the same thing as the first idea of the Westside Cafe but with different food. I am concerned about the street parking that would happen near my home if the Pizzeria would have in a dining room with seating. At the first meeting about the possibility of a Pizzeria I was told it would be "takeout only". Why did the original plans change from, takeout only to dining room seating? I "do not support" the development of 6016 Vernon Avenue to a pizzeria because I was told it would be takeout only & now changes have been made.
Thank You

I live on Highwood Dr, a few blocks away from the property, and am opposed to rezoning.  I love the idea of a local restaurant, but this is just not the spot.  The traffic and parking would be too disruptive for the current neighbors in this residential neighborhood.  I noticed many people commenting who are in favor of rezoning mention they would like a "gathering place"; however, the current plan is to make this a take out restaurant with seating only for up to 20.  I don't believe this will offer enough room for the gathering place people are hoping for.  Anything bigger would be even more disruptive to the neighbors currently living there.  I agree that something needs to be done with the current building but a restaurant is not the answer.

Dear Mayor Hovland and City Council Members,

My name is Rick Bredice and I live at 6020 Kaymar Drive. I oppose this rezoning request for the same reasons I opposed the rezoniing request that was submitted two years ago. Those of us opposed to the first request and the current request see the same potential for disruptions to traffic, parking and the rezoning impacts that resulted in the City Planning Commission's recommendation to deny the first request and the City Commission's decision to vote against approving the initial request. I am not aware of any significant differences between the first request and the current rezoning request.
I don't believe that any restaurant should be permitted in this neighborhood simply because it would be a "nice to have" addition. As a resident of the neighborhood who would be directly impacted if this rezoning request is approved I believe that a restaurant or any future business that might use this location should be located in an area that is currently zoned for such businesses. Keep in mind too that there are no sidewalks in this neighborhood so walkability is not as easy as one might think, especially in the wintertime.
Thank you for hearing my concerns.

Dear Mayor Hovland and City Council members,

My wife Gayle and I live at 6004 Kaymar Drive, within a lob wedge of the Kevin Keyes site. This site is currently proposed for a major zoning change and multiple variances to allow a new 20+ seat pizza restaurant in an otherwise totally residential neighborhood that already has two other pizza restaurants within two miles. Several Planning Commission members said in their November meeting that they thought this would be a "nice gathering site for our local neighborhood" despite having 10+ nearby neighbors attend to urge them to make a no vote and having NO neighbors attend to request approval or even provide supporting comments on the meeting phone line.

This tiny site, just 1/3 the size of the city's commercial zone requirement, is not suited to any commercial use nor the proposed new "Neighborhood Commercial" zoning status...too much traffic on Vernon, not enough site parking, and guaranteed disruption to the current neighborhood tranquility. Worse yet, if/when this enterprise would close or sell in the future, there's no limitation in this proposed new zoning status on what type of commercial enterprise could then come in.

The Planning Commission appears to want to grant this request so they can get it off their plate and focus on other matters. Hearing them state in the November meeting that "change is always hard and that we'll likely get used to it over time" seemed to deliberately ignore our public input that was made in their meeting. In response to the 2nd proposal (Green Drop), the Mayor stated that this site would NOT be a site for Commercial development.

I therefore implore the City Council to overrule the Planning Commission's recommendation and deny this proposal.

Sincerely,
Tom Kohlbry

This site is guided Residential. Previous attempts to squeeze other uses onto it have failed because the site is too small to effectively handle a popular gathering space use. Even this attempt which has 8 stools, and a conference room and no access from the neighborhood side will not achieve "gathering space status" because it is simply too small. It is completely surrounded and land locked by residential and it is 1.7 miles from the nearest commercial business. Just imagine your commute home at rush hour sitting on Vernon waiting behind the cars waiting to turn into to this tiny site to pick up their dinner. It works in Minnetonka because the site has a much better parking to seat ratio, and the parking still flows up the side streets. Vote No.

Hello City Planners
My name is John Gester, I’m writing to the city because I’m in opposition of the Pizza Restaurant Idea . We live in Parkwood Manor Condo. With a few of my windows looking Directly at the proposed property.. The last thing this neighborhood needs are cars parking off Eden Prairie Road to go to the restaurant, with no sidewalks on our road. It would be dangerous for us pedestrians with the added traffic in our neighborhood… not to mention the traffic that flows down Vernon, has gotten worse over the 17 years we have lived here .. the proposed property would be best used for residential… Trust me if any of you city council members lived in our area you would be against it … it will be a mess , like the Red Cow restaurant effecting the parking in the neighborhood…. It’s an accident waiting to happen !! From the Parkwood Manor people please DO NOT APPROVE THIS ,,, put residential property there …
Thanks
John.

We live one house away from the 20 seat proposed pizza restaurant with take out, and will be directly affected by impacts of increased traffic, parking, lights, sounds and smells. It is concerning to think of all the many exceptions being considered to make this business happen - change from housing in the Comprehensive Plan (since 1980), permanent change to Commercial zoning which would allow for any future business use (including marijuana), creation of a new zoning designation (Neighborhood Commercial) which could impact future use of contiguous spaces, and forgiveness to the required property square footage of Edina restaurants. Please support housing on this site!