At the May 14 St. Michael City Council meeting, the council approved the final site plans for a development called Gonz Lake West with over 300 homes. The council approved the overall plan along with the first portion of the development.
The first addition will be located on the southwest corner of the subdivision off of Jamison Avenue NE and includes 77 single-family lots.
Once all of the phases of the development are completed, Gonz Lake West will have 153 65-foot wide single-family lots, 96 55-foot wide single-family lots, two existing homestead lots, 132 townhome lots, city parkland, trails and private open space. The development will be located south of County Road 35 and 30th Street NE, and east of the Legacy Bay Farms neighborhood.
“In general, the final PUD plan is substantially similar to the original preliminary PUD plan that was approved [in August 2022.] There really weren’t any significant changes, they addressed all the comments that had been made,” Community Development Director Marc Weigle said.
The development will also include a park dedication that will be adjacent to the 40 acres being dedicated to the city as part of the Legacy Bay Farms development, which combined will be for the Jamison Playfield. The developer, Tamarack Land Development, is required to construct a northbound right turn lane and a southbound bypass lane at Jamison Avenue NE and 23rd Street NE. They will also be required to install three signs for the business D Round Barn Berries, which includes two for the approaches to 23rd Street NE on Jamison Avenue NE and one on 23rd Street NE before the entrance to the private driveway.
“Our biggest concern right now is that there is no MOU (memorandum of understanding) between us and the developer for these changes and I think as the result, I would want the city not to go forward with the final until we have an MOU between us,” D Round Barn Berries Owner Dave Dufner said.
Tamarack Land Development Midwest Senior Vice President Dan Willenbring stated that they have been working with the Dufners since early 2022 and have come to a verbal agreement with them. Once the plat is approved and the closing is complete, then Tamarack Land Development will be able to enter into a written agreement with the Dufners.
“We’ve designed the road such that people have direct access off of Jamison directly into the strawberry farm, compared to into the development. We’ve done everything we can to accommodate all their needs,” Willenbring said.
The council approved the final plans for Gonz Lake West.
Other
St. Michael received six bids for the North Uhl Lake Park project, the lowest bid was by Matt Bullock Contracting at $269,042.30, along with the lowest alternate basketball court bid at $42,840.80. The project includes a base site bid and basketball court, and separate costs for the playground, dock, two fabric shelters, six tables/benches, landscaping and more that will cost $675,557.
The city’s budget for the project is $713,000. The council moved forward with the base bid and alternative basketball court bid from Matt Bullock Contracting for $311,883.10 and approved a playground structure by Midwest Playscapes for $199,674.56.
Also during the meeting, Weigle stated that the Economic Development Authority visited Apollo Technology Group, located at 12270 43rd Street NE.
“They’re growing a lot and need more space, and the owner of that building and part-owner of the business is proposing a new facility next door,” Weigle said.
Apollo Technology Group currently has a 55,000-square-foot building. The company is planning on adding another building of the same size that would create a new Tax Increment Financing district, which includes Naber Business Park land and two vacant industrial lots between Apollo Technology Group and the Highwoods townhome neighborhood. The TIF would help offset soil correction costs.
The topic will be discussed at the June 11 city council meeting and a public hearing will be held. Apollo Technology Group hopes to start construction in July.
The building of St. Michael’s new wastewater treatment plant upgrade project is underway, and the city is around six months into phase one of the 2- to 3-year project. The council approved the final design of bid package three, which will include a new building and expanded liquid processing capacity for future development, and make treatment improvements to meet current and anticipated regulations.
Once the city receives approval from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for this phase, then St. Michael can be eligible for possibly receiving Point Source Implementation Grant funding for the project.
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