Maple Grove Approves 235-Unit Single-Family Housing Development
The Maple Grove City Council approved on Monday a new single-family housing development in the far northwest portion of the city.
Plymouth-based Lennar is proposing about 235 homes west of the Hindu Temple of Minnesota, east of Brockton Lane, north of 101st Avenue and south of Rush Creek. Some of the homes are near the KOA campground property.
The new housing community called Bella Woods features several different lot sizes.
Lennar is proposing homes on lots with widths of 55, 65 and 80 feet.
Maple Grove City Council Member Mike Ostaffe raised concern that 85 percent of the lots are smaller than what is typical in Maple Grove, which is the 80-foot width.
“There’s just not enough standard lots in this,” said Ostaffe. “We’re setting precedence every time we allow much smaller lots than the 80 [feet] that’s currently standard and 10,000-square-foot [lots] that’s currently standard.”
The vote in favor of the development was 4-1. Ostaffe voted against.
Price Points for Lennar Homes
Council Member Kristy Janigo, who supported the project, said the smaller lots could help increase affordability.
“The price points are the reason why I’m generally open to smaller lot sizes,” said Janigo. “Five-hundred-thousand, it’s pretty expensive for a home, but it’s going to be a lot more accessible to residents than a home starting at $720,000-plus.”
According to Josh Metzer, land entitlement manager with Lennar, the 55-foot-wide lot homes would start in the low to mid $500,000 range. The 65-foot-wide lot homes would start low $600,000 and the 80-foot-wide lots starting at roughly $720,000.
“We like to offer different mix of products, not only for price points, for different demographics,” said Metzer.
The Maple Grove City Council did opt to change some 55-foot-wide lots to the 65-foot size in the southerly portion of the development near land that is ghost platted to be another future subdivision.
A previous iteration of the project called for even smaller 40- and 45-foot lot widths. That version was no longer considered.
The Bella Woods project will also include a 5-acre public park and a regional trail managed by the Three Rivers Park District.
