Council approves growth-management, comp-plan changes and 120-acre annexation for Pulte’s Del Webb site; residents press flood and traffic concerns
Loading...
Summary
Rochester approved a growth-management map amendment, a comprehensive-plan amendment and a 120-acre annexation for a Del Webb (Pulte Homes) age‑restricted development on Sept. 8; neighbors raised repeated concerns about floodplain, stormwater, traffic and notification. Staff said environmental, traffic and flood permits remain to be completed.
The Rochester City Council on Sept. 8 adopted a growth-management map amendment, a comprehensive-plan amendment and an annexation petition that will allow Pulte Homes to begin development of a Del Webb 55+ community on land southwest of the intersection of Country Club Road and 40 Fifth Avenue Southwest.
Why it matters: the package the council approved will change roughly 175 acres from “urban reserve” to “low-density residential” on the city’s growth map, and allow the city to annex 120 acres now (Pulte may petition for the remaining portion in a later phase; state statute limits annexations to 120 acres per calendar year). The council approved the growth-management amendment, the comprehensive-plan amendment (supermajority required), and the annexation petition in separate votes.
Resident concerns: more than a dozen residents and nearby property owners spoke in public hearings, citing flooding history on July 7, 2019 and heavy runoff from Cascade Creek, wildlife impacts, construction-traffic impacts through Berkshire and Eighth Street, and safety at a neighborhood bus stop for children. “These little streams can blow up in a hurry,” said Larry Dolphin, who displayed photos he said showed flooding across the site. Dr. Sunanda Kane, a Mayo Clinic physician, said Mayo staff do not see the site as appropriate for large retirement development and urged housing closer to allied-health staff and assisted-care needs.
Staff and developer response: City planning staff said environmental review steps remain: an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), a floodplain development permit, a shoreland protection permit and a major land subdivision application (which will include a traffic study). Elliot Mueller of Community Development told the council the 41-acre floodway on the site will remain open space and that compensatory storage is planned; staff estimated “about 550,000 to 600,000 cubic yards” of compensatory storage will be required to mitigate floodplain impacts. Dean Lauder of Pulte said north-of-floodway portions could close in 2026 with home sales starting in 2027 and that Del Webb communities typically generate less peak-hour traffic because they are age‑restricted.
Council action and conditions: Council members said they weighed housing demand against neighbors’ concerns and relied on future review phases to address traffic and flood issues. The council record shows motions to adopt the growth-management map amendment (moved by Council member Keane), the comprehensive-plan amendment (moved by Council member Doring) and the annexation (moved by Council member Fredericks); all three motions passed. Staff noted further neighborhood information meetings and required regulatory reviews will occur before final plat approvals.
What remains: the EAW, detailed engineered stormwater designs, a traffic study, floodplain modeling and compensatory-storage plans and any required permits will be reviewed by staff and the planning commission in future steps. Residents asked that construction traffic be directed to Country Club Road and 40 Fifth and not routed through existing neighborhood streets; the transcript records those requests for future mitigation.
