Council gives tentative support to Bittersweet subdivision concept plan, staff seeks sidewalk and trail connections

The Forest Lake City Council reviewed a concept plan July 14 for a proposed single‑family subdivision (the next phase of the Bittersweet area) on roughly 16 acres north/northeast of Forest Lake.

City planning staff said the developer proposes about 20 detached lots roughly one‑half acre each; wetlands and steep slopes would be removed from developable acreage when final plats are prepared. Staff noted the city’s minimum density requirement of 1.5 units per acre and said the proposal will likely meet that requirement once unbuildable areas are excluded.

Staff recommended pedestrian and trail connections, including moving a planned sidewalk along 3230 Second Street North to the north side, adding sidewalks on internal streets and extending a trail from the new cul‑de‑sac to the northeast corner of the property to link with Cooling Camp Park. The Planning Commission had earlier expressed concern about the length of a cul‑de‑sac and emergency access; staff said Chief Newman reviewed the plan and did not object to the longer dead‑end length given modern apparatus capabilities and remote firefighting techniques.

Council members and planning staff generally voiced support for the concept plan while asking for more detail on stormwater, landscaping, tree preservation and park connectivity. Staff said the matter will return in later application phases for plat approval, stormwater review and park commission comment.

No formal vote was required — the council provided high‑level, nonbinding feedback for the developer to include in future formal submissions.