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Council approves Prairie Creek Ridge phase and rezoning; residents raise traffic and emergency‑access concerns
Summary
Council adopted a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning to allow 90 single‑family lots at Prairie Creek Ridge Phase 11, approved Final Plat for Phase 10, and discussed a plan‑development overlay that would reduce lot widths and some setbacks; public speakers urged study of traffic and emergency access.
The Common Council held a public hearing and voted to amend the comprehensive plan and rezone 20.71 acres at the southwest corner of County Trunk Highways P and K, clearing the way for Prairie Creek Ridge Number 11, a proposed subdivision of 90 single‑family lots.
City planner Jason Gallo explained the request seeks to change a 20.71‑acre area shown as general commercial on the city’s land‑use map to suburban residential and to rezone the adjacent 15.913 acres (total 36.623 acres) to SR (suburban residential) with a plan‑development (PD) overlay. The PD overlay would permit reduced lot widths (from 70 feet to 65 feet at the building setback line) and reduced corner and side setbacks (corner front yard setback reduced from 25 to 20 feet in specific locations; side yard setback from 10 to 7.5 feet) in exchange for public benefits such as extension of Schumacher Street and additional sidewalk connectivity to the adjacent park.
Gallo said the advisory task force and the spark design workshops (more than 70 public participants) recommended staying at the existing library location for a related issue and that the task force favored an addition and renovation approach rather than a full relocation. He also reported the proposed subdivision’s lot count and density align with the city’s housing-mix goals (approximately 60% single‑family, 35% multifamily and 5% duplex across the broader planned area) once the new lots are added.
Three residents addressed the council during the public hearing. Jason Beaver said he did not object to rezoning but opposed an additional entrance directly to Highway P and urged routing traffic to Highway K. Barbara Babler said she is “very concerned” about traffic on Highway P and asked whether a traffic study had been completed and considered. Chris Forkner said he was “neither for nor against” the plan but expressed concern about reduced side‑yard setbacks and the fire risk in tightly spaced houses, urging review by the fire department and consideration of public‑safety impacts.
Council action: The council approved the final plat for Prairie Creek Ridge Number 10 (a related phase) and then voted to adopt ordinance 25‑01099 amending the comprehensive plan land‑use map (changing 20.71 acres from general commercial to suburban residential). The council then adopted ordinance 25‑01096 to rezone the 20.71 acres from GC (General Commercial) to SR (Suburban Residential). Roll calls for the ordinances showed unanimous aye votes from members present.
Gallo noted the PD overlay request to allow 65‑foot lot widths and slightly reduced setbacks remains under consideration and would be the subject of a developer's agreement spelling out public benefits if approved; the council said traffic, access and fire department implications should be examined as the PD details are finalized.
Ending: With the comprehensive‑plan amendment, rezoning and final plat approved, the developer may proceed with recorded plats and later PD details; staff indicated further review of traffic and emergency‑access details will continue as PD negotiations proceed.
