Plymouth Approves Single-Family Homes at Former Horse Club Site
The Plymouth City Council approved plans for a developer to build housing on the site of a former horse club on March 12.
The Silver Buckle Saddle Club closed its gates last year citing rising property taxes.
It’s located near the Plymouth border with Maple Grove, just north of Chankahada Trail — also known as Hennepin County Road 47.
A developer proposed to construct 22 single-family homes on the 10-acre site.
There are existing housing developments on either side of the property. Some of the homeowners living near the proposed development told the council they had concerns about how vehicles would access the subdivision.
That is, the homes would be constructed along a new road on the Silver Buckle property, running north-south with dead-end cul-de-sacs on either side. Access to the homes would not come off of the larger Chankahada Trail, but rather through other existing neighborhood streets that intersect with Chankahda.
A developer is planning to build 22 single-family homes on the former Silver Buckle Saddle Club site.
Resident Concerns
Several homeowners requested that the city consider connecting the subdivision directly with Chankahda Trail.
Meanwhile, city staff members said they want to minimize connections with Chankahda Trail.
A new connection would add unexpected project costs related to private property acquisition and the construction of new turn lanes, according to city staff.
Likewise, city staff said that a new access onto an arterial roadway like Chankahda Trail can have detrimental traffic safety impacts.
However, residents living near the project also said they had concerns about traffic through their neighborhood.
“I’m really concerned about 2,500 feet of roadway with a bunch of kids, and right now that’s the only way in, so that makes me nervous,” said Brad Olson, a resident living near the development.
The city council voted 4-1 to approve the project.
Plymouth City Council member Clark Gregor casting the dissenting vote. He said he was concerned about the ability of large trucks and school buses to navigate the neighborhood.
Several prospective property owners in the new subdivision spoke in favor of the project.
