Board approves Hayday townhouse plan and certified survey, requires façade upgrades and maintenance conditions

The Village of Cottage Grove board on Feb. 17 approved a revised precise implementation plan (PIP) and certified survey map (CSM) for the Hayday (also styled “Heyday/Hay Day” in filings) mixed-use project at the northeast corner of West Cottage Grove Road and Bus Road, clearing the way for a 114-unit, build-for-rent townhouse development and a separately platted commercial parcel.

Developer Ryan Swee Gruber of Sierra Devco told trustees the site plan had been redesigned since the initial GDP approval to reduce the unit count from earlier approvals and to convert much of the site to townhouse rental units with two- and three-bedroom floorplans, two-car garages and higher-end interior finishes. He said the change reduces private roadway infrastructure, increases on-site green space and makes the project more feasible in the current financing environment.

The board approved the PIP, subject to staff conditions and a development agreement, after a lengthy discussion that included traffic, stormwater and public-safety concerns and a request from staff and trustees that certain street-facing buildings receive masonry or stone accents. Trustees also required that the developer maintain the commercial outlot as mowed turf until the outlot is developed, and asked for a development agreement to formalize maintenance obligations, facade treatments and coordination of utilities.

Engineer and staff briefings to the board detailed infrastructure commitments by the developer: construction of Fundamental Way (a new private roadway), extension of public water and sanitary mains sized to serve future growth west and north of the site, and left-turn lanes on the main roads to reduce traffic delay. The developer’s contractor estimated the cost to construct Fundamental Way with utilities at roughly $750,000; left-turn lanes were estimated at $30,000–$35,000, a pedestrian crossing at $15,000–$20,000 and burying or relocating a power pole at $35,000–$40,000 — a package the applicant said puts the combined near-term public-utility and roadway investment near $900,000. The developer told trustees the road and utility work will increase the marketability of the adjacent parcel currently owned by the Friends of the Cottage Grove Library because it will bring public utilities and an access roadway to that lot.

Plan commission had split on the PIP recommendation; planning staff and the board conditioned approval on several items including an addressing plan for fire and EMS wayfinding, additional façade material on buildings facing Cottage Grove Road and Bus Road, sanitary and stormwater easement details, and continued coordination with the Friends-of-the-Library parcel. Strand Engineering’s review raised detailed civil and stormwater comments that the developer must address before recording the CSM. The board approved the certified survey map to split the parcel into Lot 1 (residential) and Lot 2 (commercial outlot) with those staff conditions.

Trustees and staff also discussed site layout and public-safety visibility into the central 2-acre green amenity; the developer said additional photometric lighting and minor building realignments could improve sight lines while preserving the interior amenity. The fire department and EMS requested visible addressing on both front and rear building faces and reminded the developer that private-street parking configurations must not obstruct emergency vehicle access.

The motions to approve the PIP and the CSM passed by roll call; trustee votes and conditions are recorded in the actions array below. The developer and staff will complete a development agreement to capture facade, maintenance and timing commitments before final plan recording and before building permits are issued.