Townhome project gets narrow OK in Wayzata.

Byline: Matt M. Johnson

A proposed set of luxury downtown Wayzata townhomes has won narrow approval after bogging down on potential objections from City Council members last month.

Eight townhomes proposed for two lots at 545 Indian Mound St. E. and 215 Walker Ave S. would replace an existing real estate office about one block north of the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The project, undertaken by Wayzata-based Walker Partners LP and property owner, RE Clark Land Invest LLC, won unanimous Planning Commission approval on July 1, but faced opposition from some City Council members in an Aug. 7 meeting.

The council approved a planned unit development application for the two-story townhomes Aug. 20 on a 3-1 vote after consideration of the project was continued to that meeting. That approval came over the objections of Mayor Ken Wilcox, who said the project lacks a commercial component called for in the city's current and future comprehensive plans. He also took issue with the size of the townhomes, which would have tuck-under garages that could accommodate up to four cars.

"This is a monolithic block of housing," he said in the Aug. 20 meeting. "This is just giving us more million-dollar units."

Downtown Wayzata has seen high-end condominium projects proliferate over the past several years. Currently under construction is the 18-unit Wayzata Blu mixed-use condominium and retail building at 259 Lake St. E., while the three-story, 16-unit Ventana Condos is under development at 253 Lake St. E.Completed condo projects include the 31-unit Landing next to the Hotel Landing at 925 Lake St. and the 58-unit Regatta Wayzata Bay condominiums next door.

But the city also recently blocked one downtown condo project, a five-story, 33-unit proposal that would have...