HomeMy WebLinkAboutDec. 4 - Chowen Park
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Krystal Caron, Communications Coordinator
Phone 952-826-0347 • kcaron@EdinaMN.gov • www.EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chowen Park Becomes City-Recognized Neighborhood Association
Edina, Minn., Dec. 4, 2014 – The Chowen Park Neighborhood completed the process to become a City
of Edina-recognized neighborhood association on Dec. 1. The City now has a total of seven recognized
neighborhoods, including Chowen Park, Countryside, Concord, Morningside, Normandale Park, Pamela Park
and Strachauer Park.
“We had a neighborhood kick-off meeting in September where we had over 50 families show up and
unanimously people said this was a good idea,” explained Chowen Park Neighborhood resident and
Neighborhood Steering Committee Member Bill Neuendorf. “The reasons [for becoming recognized] were
varied, [but] there's definitely a desire to be connected ... and we thought forming a neighborhood association
would be one way to strengthen already existing bonds and make new ones.”
Edina established a process to recognize neighborhoods within the last two years, so the process is still new for
Edina residents. To become a City-recognized neighborhood association, neighborhoods must establish an
organizing team of interested and involved community members, notify City staff that they are interested in
becoming recognized, host a neighborhood-wide meeting and submit an application to the City.
Recognized neighborhoods often are more involved in the early stages of projects and initiatives happening in
their area and have more opportunities to communicate with the City. Becoming recognized also gives the City
another channel to connect with residents. The City communicates with City-recognized neighborhoods when
significant neighborhood projects are being discussed or proposed, public hearings are held about issues that
could impact a neighborhood, a developer requests a neighborhood meeting for the purpose of reviewing a
sketch plan or when a City department plans to organize a neighborhood group to gather resident input.
“Edina constantly has activity that yields community engagement. Edina’s recognized neighborhood association
program creates a platform for the City not only to share information directly with the neighborhood
associations, but for neighborhood associations to communicate back to the City,” said City of Edina Project
Coordinator MJ Lamon. “Neighbors are recognizing the value of organizing a neighborhood association and
getting involved with the City.”
For more information about establishing a City of Edina-recognized neighborhood association, contact Lamon at
952-826-0360 or neighborhoods@EdinaMN.gov. For more information, visit
www.EdinaMN.gov/Neighborhoods.
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