Monday, December 08, 2014

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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The City of Edina
4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424
mail@EdinaMN.gov 952-927-8861

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