Commission recommends approval of final plats for Vita Ativa at South Creek; Pilot Knob extension planned

The Farmington City Planning Commission on June 10 recommended City Council approval of final plats for the Vita Ativa at South Creek single-family and townhome phases, a package that includes 54 single-family lots in one phase and 16 townhome units in a separate plat.

The plats matter because they authorize street and utility construction, extend Pilot Knob Road to provide a secondary access for the growing subdivision, and implement trail and sidewalk connections the city requires.

Tony, a planning staff member, described the single-family plat as 17.5 acres with a net density of 3.9 dwelling units per acre and lot sizes ranging from 5,367 to 21,693 square feet; the phase contains one stormwater outlot that must be deeded to the city. The townhome plat covers 2.23 acres with a net density of 7.17 dwelling units per acre and will create four townhome buildings with driveways located within common-area lots owned by the homeowners association.

Developer representative John said adjustments to the single-family lots respond to buyer requests for wider lots that can accommodate stall garages; the change reduced the total lot count by nine from the preliminary plat. For townhomes the developer revised building layouts from two connected eight-unit buildings to two four-unit “quad” buildings to increase the number of end units, which the developer said are more popular.

Tony said the plats show extensions of internal streets at a 60-foot right of way and include specific sidewalk locations: 5-foot sidewalks on several street frontages and a 10-foot trail on the east side of Pilot Knob. Pilot Knob will be extended south from County Road 50 and its signalized intersection will be relocated; the redesign will require replacing the existing signals at Highway 50 and Pilot Knob. Tony told the commission that Dakota County reviewed the intersection geometry and access spacing.

John said the contractor Free Gee’s is under contract for site work for both plats and that the developer plans to bid construction this summer to have streets paved and initial houses under permit by winter. “The road construction would happen this summer and be paved and with building houses being able to be built by winter,” one resident asked; staff answered that utility work could begin late June with potential paving in September and initial model permits by mid-August.

The commission voted to recommend approval of the Vita Ativa at South Creek final plats to City Council with standard conditions: satisfaction of engineering comments on grading, utilities and streets; execution of development contract(s) and payment of security fees and costs; and submission of all required documents under the development contract. The vote was recorded by roll call (Berg: yes; Roddy: yes; Snowbeck: yes).

The developer and staff will continue coordinating sidewalk/trail locations, stormwater ponding and final contract details with city engineers and Parks and Recreation staff before the plats are recorded and construction permits are issued.

The plats now move to City Council for final action.