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We strongly disagree with the proposed PUD town home development for the Highway 3/Connemara intersection for the following reasons:
1. Poor use of land - The City of Rosemount has a goal of diverse housing throughout the community. Evermoor is a high density housing development, with two condominium buildings, numerous attached and detached town homes and single family homes. That portion of Rosemount is full. There is no need to add any more units. The initial land-use plat for Evermoor boasted of green space and well-used land. There was never any talk of changing the abutting rural land to moderate density. This option should have been put on the table prior to families purchasing homes in Evermoor; and it is misleading to have failed to mention it until now. This land should be left as rural residential, or turned into parkland, as was in the initial plat. The PUD development would be better placed in the new downtown area, or closer to the technical college, so that the residents have walking access to shops and/or higher education. If this development is in the new downtown, the residents will also be within walking distance of the Family Resource Center on 145th Street.
2. Safety - Because there is so much traffic on Highway 3 and Connemara, there has been a traffic signal installed. Although this signal helps, it does not assist with the traffic on Connemara between Dodd and Hwy. 3. This high level of traffic will only increase with the completion of the second Bard's Crossing building, as well as all of the development on the east side of Highway 3. To add another 30 rental units, which easily means at least 60 more vehicles, will only create more congestion and traffic accidents. Also, since the "working poor" are anticipated to be living in this development, will there be additional bus traffic running through the residential streets of Evermoor to accommodate these people and get them to work?
3. Property Values - Many of the people who have purchased homes in Evermoor have put forth a significant investment, thus paying hefty property taxes to the City of Rosemount. Homes in areas with parks and green space are valued significantly higher than homes with high density and subsidized housing. Since this PUD project was not in the plat when we made our investment in Evermoor, our homes are valued under the assumption that the parcel of land in question is "green." We have paid a premium both times relative to comparable, neighboring communities (Lakeville, Apple Valley and Burnsville) in Dakota County. The obvious reason for this premium is that land values in Rosemount are higher. Given that higher cost of land in Rosemount (and subsequent higher property taxes), it would make much more sense to put this affordable housing on more affordable land. Placing these town homes on the Connemara/Hwy. 3 land is not fair to us, or to any other homeowner in Evermoor who has paid the stiff premium to live here. If the PUD development goes in, will all the residents of Evermoor receive an annual reduction in their property taxes?
4. Covenants - Evermoor is a planned community with covenants in place designed to protect our investment and the integrity of the development. These covenants include property maintenance and improvements, association dues and that cars, trailers, campers, waste receptacles, etc…be stored in garages. All of the homes built in Rosemount have two or more garage stalls, as required by the City of Rosemount. This development shows one car garage stalls. This is a concern, given the lack of on-street and development designated parking. Why are there different rules and expectations for this property? Because this PUD project will be a "part" of the Evermoor area, will it also follow the association covenants and contribute to the association dues and maintenance of Evermoor?
5. Long-term benefits - Although it may at first appear to the Planning Commission that putting this PUD project next to the Evermoor development in Rosemount is a good idea, it is not a good long-term solution. Since this development is targeted at the "working poor," wouldn't it be wiser to place this project in an area where these people could move on from being "working poor," to being “working,” period? These families need homes in locations that have resources for them, such as Head Start, technical and skilled labor training and appropriate childcare. None of these programs are available in this area of Rosemount. If the Planning Commission and City Council members look at the big picture, rather than a quick fix that will make a fast buck for the developer, they will realize that their reputations (and that of the City of Rosemount) and re-election will depend upon their decisions regarding appropriate land use for the future of Rosemount, as well as its current and future residents.
This petition will be sent to the Planning Commision and Rosemount City Council. |
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This petition is sponsored by concerned citizens of Evermoor. |
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