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Woodland Cove homeowners ask Minnetrista to rethink water‑plant access road; staff says plan can be adjusted
Summary
Homeowners near Woodland Cove urged the council to pause a road alignment tied to a new water treatment/well house, saying the road would cut through park land and reduce property value; staff said bids are out but that the city can explore an alternative ingress point and will meet with residents and the developer.
Homeowners in the Woodland Cove area told Minnetrista council members on July 21 they were surprised by a recently posted plan showing a contractor access road and urged the city to pause or reroute the road to preserve park access and screening.
Jeff Parnell, speaking as a representative of Stonegate and Downey Homes, said residents only learned about the proposed road days earlier and asked the council to “push the pause button” and conduct more in‑depth staff discussion with homeowners and the developer. “We have built substantial homes; the park behind our neighborhood is a major amenity,” Parnell said.
Staff and the developer representative explained the project is moving forward because the water‑treatment facility itself is needed, designs and specifications have been prepared and the project has been put out for bid. City staff said some adjustments to the road alignment may still be feasible. City Administrator Jasper Krugo and Community Development Director David Abel described an alternate ingress option that had been considered earlier; Krugo said staff were willing to meet with homeowners and developer representatives to look for feasible pivots such as using an alternate trail alignment and adding screening berms or trees.
A planning and design explanation from staff noted the original driveway location had been chosen because of truck size and chemical delivery safety concerns; recent design changes reducing the size of chemical cylinders may allow a smaller delivery truck and therefore permit an alternate access point that traverses a different, less intrusive path.
The council directed staff to meet with the homeowners and the developer, examine potential alternate alignments including the previously considered Wolfberry connection, and report back with options. Staff said bids are scheduled to open in early August and that awarding the contract could happen later in the month depending on bid results.
What happens next: Staff will arrange a meeting with neighborhood representatives, the developer and city engineers as soon as possible to explore alternatives; the council will consider any proposed changes before bid award, where timing allows.
