The Edina Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan Tuesday for a proposed four-unit townhome development at 5516 Vernon Avenue that would replace a single-family home with two duplex buildings.

Abundance Properties presented plans to demolish the existing house on the 38,000-square-foot property and construct four townhomes, each approximately 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The project would require amending the city's comprehensive plan from low-density residential to low-density attached housing and rezoning the property from R1 to PRD2 (Planned Residential District 2).

Commissioners provided generally positive feedback while discussing concerns about the proposal's relationship to surrounding single-family properties. Several commissioners suggested the project would work better if it included the adjacent property at 5508 Vernon Avenue, though that property owner has not committed to selling.

"This is what we say we want - missing middle housing," said Commissioner Aly, noting the project aligns with city goals for increased density along transit corridors. Other commissioners suggested design modifications including adding front porches, flipping garage orientations to reduce impermeable surface coverage, and potentially increasing the number of units.

The applicant team, led by Jordan Crockett and Rashad Kennedy, said they plan to submit a formal application following the feedback session. The townhomes would be owner-occupied and priced between $800,000 and $900,000, according to the presentation.