Planning commission recommends rezoning for Lennar’s 46‑home proposal amid neighbor concerns about traffic and land parity

The Lakeville City Planning Commission on Jan. 15 recommended that the City Council approve a comprehensive plan amendment and zoning map change to allow a Lennar‑proposed community of 46 single‑family homes on roughly 20 acres east of Holyoke, west of Highview and north of Heritage Drive.

Steve Trotsky, representing Lennar, said the developer reduced an earlier concept from roughly 71 townhomes or duplexes to a concept plan proposing 46 single‑family homes after reviewing Lakeville’s housing study and local market conditions. Staff described the application as a change in guidance from low‑density residential (up to about 3 units per acre) to low‑medium density (up to about 5 units per acre) and a rezoning from RS‑3 (single family) to RS‑2 (single and two‑family). Staff reported the three parcels total about 20.06 acres with about 12 net developable acres after wetlands are protected, producing a concept‑level density of about 3.88 units per net developable acre.

Staff said a city‑requested sewer capacity study showed the local sewer lines could accommodate the proposed increase. Staff also reported that surrounding road networks and current traffic counts do not trigger a traffic study at this stage and that Holyoke is planned for reconstruction in coming years. Staff recommended approval but proposed an additional stipulation that the comp‑plan and rezoning take effect only after council approval and recording of a final plat, to ensure the rezoning does not automatically vest without subsequent platting and infrastructure review.

Several nearby property owners spoke during public comment. A neighbor said earlier materials had indicated twin homes and asked whether the current request would change adjacent lot zoning; Jerry Jarrett, a property owner to the north, said he feared being "squeezed out" and left as a 12‑acre remainder. James Blair (19841 Highview Ave.) and Jessica Feist described traffic and school‑capacity concerns, noting congested access at nearby church peak times and near‑misses at school bus stops.

Commissioners asked technical questions about the number of lots in the northern section (staff: six), potential road openings, and emphasized that detailed design items — tree preservation, landscaping, lot layout, traffic engineering — are addressed at preliminary plat review if the rezoning and comp‑plan amendment are approved. One commissioner asked whether a traffic study would be conducted; staff replied existing counts and design capacity did not trigger a study at this stage (citing Holyoke capacity versus 2024 counts).

Commissioner Sweeney moved to recommend approval of the comprehensive plan amendment, rezoning to RS‑2, and associated findings of fact. The motion was amended on the floor to incorporate staff’s additional stipulation tying the amendments to final plat recording and was adopted on roll call. The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council, which is scheduled to consider the item at its first meeting in February.