Forest Lake council approves Chestnut Creek Phase 2 preliminary plat, directs developer to work on parkland plan

Forest Lake — The City Council on Oct. 13 approved the preliminary plat and amended planned-unit development (PUD) for Chestnut Creek Phase 2, a 58-acre second phase that would add about 116 lots to the neighborhood, and directed the developer to work with city staff and residents to provide a combination of land dedication and fees that will be used at least in part to build a park.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment from neighborhood residents and a staff presentation that summarized the project history, wetland-buffer requirements and traffic and drainage concerns. "There was no park approved," said Abby, Community Development staff, describing the differences between the 2016 PUD approval and what nearby residents say they were told. Still, staff recommended moving the amended PUD forward while negotiating park provisions.

Residents urged action. Terry Steenblock, former chair of the Parks, Trails and Lakes Commission, told the council he had reviewed earlier records and video and said the commission had long expected a park in Phase 2. "I would…