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Neighbors say notice, process fell short as multifamily proposal for Backus property draws objection
Summary
Multiple Monte Cristo Circle and nearby residents told the Verona Common Council they were surprised and concerned by a proposed multifamily development on the Backus property, questioning notification timing, visual materials, and compatibility with Envision Verona survey results.
Residents near the Backus property told the Verona Common Council on Oct. 13 they had little notice and raised objections to a proposed multifamily project that would place housing near existing single-family yards.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the timing and content of developer notices and the information the council and plan commission used left affected homeowners without a realistic chance to weigh in on a project they say conflicts with prior expectations and community planning documents.
Bob Cravens, a Monte Cristo Circle resident, told the council he watched plan commission and council discussion in May and concluded that preliminary signals supporting multifamily development came before affected homeowners were notified. "It deeply concerns me that even these preliminary approvals for zoning changes are happening in this manner," Cravens said, adding he reviewed Envision Verona survey results and believed the community showed stronger support for "mid-size starter homes" than apartments.
Dana Berry, who said her house backs onto the Backus site, said the developer's notice arrived Sept. 22 and that homeowners were given two weeks' notice before a scheduled public hearing. "We have the proposal is for 260 units to go in less than 100 feet from our property line," Berry said, and asked council staffers Lucas Severson and Luke Diaz to work with impacted neighbors and the developer to convene meetings. Berry also said she and other neighbors believe materials shown to the plan commission were misleading about sight lines and tree buffers.
Scott Side, another Monte Cristo Circle resident, said he reviewed geotechnical materials in the developer packet and the document indicated the site is suitable for single-family development. He and other speakers said schematics in the developer materials understate the proximity of new buildings to existing homes.
Other neighbors raised related concerns: David Sidmore asked the council to examine traffic impacts tied to construction vehicle access from Highway M; Janet Nordorf, speaking for neighbors on Shady Bend Road, urged a transition area to align future use with adjacent residential character and cited worries about noise, dust, tree removal and potential property devaluation.
Council response and process limits: Mayor Luke Diaz and the city attorney reiterated that zoning changes and properties not on the council agenda cannot be the subject of formal council deliberation that night. The city attorney said prior council discussion in May was conceptual and that "no approvals have been provided for that property at all" and that a formal rezoning process with public notice remains to be conducted.
What happens next: Neighbors asked the city to revisit the proposed zoning change for the Backus property and to engage directly with impacted homeowners. Several asked for a series of meetings with city staff and the developer; the council did not vote on any zoning or development action at the Oct. 13 meeting.
Ending: Residents said they will continue to attend hearings and work with council members and staff as the formal rezoning and public process moves forward.
