Resident raises concern about cluster of rental townhomes near Ritter Meadows

Bob Erickson, a Lakeville City resident, told the council during public comment that plans approved for the Ritter Meadows project have changed since the original hearings. "I'm Bob Erickson, 19081 Indale Drive," Erickson said, adding that the original Planning Commission hearing represented 127 attached townhomes "for sale."

Erickson said the developer later received approval for 135 rental townhomes and listed several nearby rental or subsidized projects within about one square mile, including what he identified as Aesthentix ("252 affordable rental town homes") and Dakota County Community Development Agency's Keystone Crossing (36 units). Erickson said the cluster of rental and subsidized units departs from past city policy that favored scattered-site rental and mixed housing.

Erickson also said that much of the adjoining property could permit more than 300 apartment units under the comprehensive plan and that a recent purchase by a national home builder could change previously proposed single-family or for-sale townhome plans. He questioned whether the Ritter Meadows exterior finishes matched what was approved, saying the project "is exclusively, siding." Erickson summarized his concern: "So we're talking 7 over 700 rental units, within 1 square mile of each other."

The remark was made during the public comment portion of the meeting; no council member responded on the record during that period. The transcript does not show any formal action, staff report, or application amendment taken at the meeting in response to Erickson's comments, nor does it specify any next steps for city review.