Forgive developer Martin Harstad if he thought he was in Potterville and not Woodbury when the city told him he had to pay nearly $1.4 million in “road assessments” as a condition of approval for his “Bailey Park” residential development. Harstad sued Woodbury to challenge its authority to demand the road assessments and won
Local Government
Are you Prepared for the Public Development Application Process?
Many of us are familiar with the scenario of presenting a development application before a public body, such as a city council, that appears to be going well until the wheels come off for some unexpected reason. This happens most frequently when one or more residents who have “only just heard” about the project being…
A St. Paul Neighborhood Continues to Struggle to Balance Reinvestment with Preservation
Stretching from the Cathedral of St. Paul to the Mississippi River, St. Paul’s Summit Avenue is one of the premier stretches of Victorian homes in the United States. Throughout the last four decades, the neighborhood has been the target of investment and restoration that has solidified Summit Avenue as an iconic part of Minnesota’s Capitol…
Concerns with Density Remain as Plans for St. Paul’s Ford Plant Advance
On July 28, the St. Paul Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend a redevelopment plan for the 135-acre Ford Motor Company property in the Highland Park Neighborhood of St. Paul. Nearly a decade in the making, the plan would provide the zoning and land use guidance necessary for any master developer seeking to redevelop the…
All Politics are Local When it Comes to Development Moratoria
Ownership of real property is a protected constitutional right. Yet when a local government enacts a development moratorium depriving a landowner of the use of their land for potentially a year or more, the response from public officials is often deafening silence. To make matters worse, cities, counties and townships can enact development moratoria with…
How Tall Is Too Tall? A St. Paul Neighborhood Ponders Zoning Changes
As new housing options and a variety of transit oriented developments pop up throughout the Twin Cities, many communities are struggling to balance their desire for walkable neighborhoods and easy access to amenities with the increased density and population growth that usually comes as part of such development. A primary example of that back-and-forth struggle…
Metropolitan Council Comprehensive Plan Amendments can Contribute to Highest and Best Use of Property
What happens if you are a commercial property owner located in the metropolitan area and you haven’t had a bite on your vacant land for months, maybe even years. Along comes a multifamily buyer who offers you a good price for your property. You might consider multifamily the highest and best use of your property…