Lakeville planning commission backs Marketplace at Cedar preliminary plat, with conditions

The Lakeville Planning Commission on March moved to recommend city council approval of the Marketplace at Cedar preliminary plat, a proposal to subdivide a property at the southeast corner of 179th Street (County Road 9) and Cedar Avenue into nine commercial lots and five outlots.

Dan Licht, the city’s planning consultant, told the commission the property is guided by the city’s comprehensive plan for corridor mixed‑use development and is zoned Cedar Avenue Corridor 2 (M2). He said the preliminary plat includes three outlots for stormwater basins and two outlots reserved for future development, and that the plat provides right‑of‑way dedication for future Cedar Avenue expansion and an internal Glanshaw Avenue alignment. "The plat complies with the requirements of the zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinance," Licht said, and staff recommended approval subject to the 15 conditions outlined in the Feb. 26 planning report.

During the public hearing, Diane Cunningham, a Cordelia resident, said the project is "right across from me" and voiced concerns about what sorts of commercial uses would locate on the site and the potential traffic impacts on Glacier Way and Glanshaw Avenue. Pete Carbonneau of Optum Investment Company, representing the applicant, said the team is working with CBRE as brokers and is pursuing tenants including a bank, a grocer, a coffee shop, a dental office, quick‑service restaurants (which would require conditional use permits), an oil‑change business, a car wash and a daycare. "We're working with CBRE as our brokers on this," Carbonneau said.

Licht and the applicant said access will rely on a shared internal driveway with two public access points: a right‑in from 179th Street (with no exit to 179th) and a new Glanshaw Way connection to Glacier Way; all exiting traffic would travel south or east on Glanshaw to reach Glacier Way. The developer will submit the required traffic study to Dakota County. Stormwater management includes three basins; two will be privately maintained under a maintenance agreement and one will be deeded to the city to handle runoff from public streets. Park dedication requirements will be satisfied by a cash‑in‑lieu payment at final plat.

A commissioner moved to recommend approval of the preliminary plat and the conditional use permit to allow a lot without public street frontage, subject to the 15 stipulations in the Feb. 26 planning report. The motion was seconded and passed by roll call (all ayes).

The recommendation advances the plat to the Lakeville City Council; final plat approval and any required site‑plan or conditional‑use reviews will occur in subsequent proceedings.