The Wayzata City Council has officially approved the development of “Moments of Wayzata,” a new memory care facility set to replace the aging Meridian Manor building at 163 Wayzata Boulevard West.
The approval came during the council meeting on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.
The approval included a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, Rezoning, a Conditional Use Permit, a Setback Variance, and several Design Deviations.
The new facility will be operated by TMSC of Wayzata LLC, which purchased the property in April 2021.
A previous approval to remodel the existing Meridian Manor structure and operate it as a memory care facility was rejected by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Moments of Wayzata is specifically designed to meet the updated Minnesota construction requirements for memory and dementia care facilities, offering 80 residential units exclusively dedicated to high-acuity assisted living, according to the developer.
One of the distinctive features of the facility is its design, which includes lengthy hallways that allow residents with memory issues to wander freely in a safe environment.
This design element is beneficial for individuals with dementia, as it can help reduce anxiety and provide a sense of freedom within a secure setting.
Additionally, the building will include large communal spaces to encourage social interaction, individualized care stations on each floor, and secure outdoor areas for residents to enjoy.
The project has undergone multiple revisions based on community feedback.
Changes include lowering roof heights and adjusting the exterior color palette to better blend with the neighborhood.
Elizabeth Wright, the Founder of the Moments of Wayzata commented on the project, “The proposed building and site improvement will be an asset to the Wayzata community enhancing lives with the services offered as well as the aesthetics of the area with a new clean building following the new design standards of Wayzata incorporated since the construction of the original building and responding to the surrounding neighborhood.”
Enhanced landscaping will also be incorporated, including the preservation of existing trees and the addition of new deciduous and evergreen trees to screen the building from the street.
In addition to memory care, the facility will offer in-house physical therapy services, a central laundry, and an open-air pavilion within a secured garden.
The design also ensures that parking is primarily located behind the building, preserving the area’s aesthetic appeal.
Neighbor Kris Johnson expressed support for the senior care facility but emphasized the need for strict compliance with the city’s zoning code and design standards. Johnson also voiced concerns about light pollution and called for a more residential-style design, “We are all in favor of the senior care residential use on this site but it must be compliant with the zoning code and design standards.”
Council member Molly MacDonald asked about the zoning given that the elder care facility had already been in place during the last comprehensive plan review, “…the property is guided high density residential in the comp plan… what was the theory about not making it institutional?”
Planning Consultant Erik Zweber answered, “Ultimately I cannot address that question, it was a different community development director.”
During the debate of the comprehensive plan amendment, Mayor pro tem Alex Plechash stated, “It seems to me the neighborhood north of Wayzata Boulevard is not the same as the neighborhood to the south. It’s dramatically different, you have the Country Club, you’ve got a church, and another church, it’s not residential in feeling to me. Having a memory term care unit in Wayzata I think is something that we all want, even the people that have some critcism of some of the design standards. I think it is something that the City needs and can use. So amending the comprehensive plan to institutional, that makes sense to me.”
After much debate of parking and side yard setback variances, ultimately the Council did pass all the required items for the project to move forward.
Stay tuned for more information on the Moments of Wayzata development.
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