Council approves 35-unit Sumus apartment PUD after neighbors secure 9-foot fence and screening commitments

The Hermantown City Council on a split roll call approved Resolution 2025-92, granting final planned unit development approval to Sumus Construction for a three-story, 35-unit apartment building at Arrowhead Road and Stener Road.

The council’s vote followed a staff presentation from Eric Johnson, the city’s community development director, who said the project sits on about 8.9 acres, includes roughly six acres of wetland, will be about 43 feet high and offer one- and two-bedroom units ranging from about 675 to 1,000 square feet. Johnson described site changes made after planning and zoning review, including moving the trash enclosure away from neighbors and additional landscape screening along the western property line.

Neighbors who live closest to the proposed building urged the council to secure screening and other protections. Don Miy told the council he had been in discussion with the developer and said he understood the plan calls for “a 9 ft tall” fence extending about 130 feet and trees planted on his property; Eric Johnson said staff’s discussions with the applicant and engineers support that understanding. Enis Chandler and Debbie Anderson said they appreciated the developer’s willingness to install a taller fence and plant trees to protect privacy. “We just want to like that the fence, the 9 foot fence going to be built for our privacy and trees going to be planted,” Chandler said.

Developer Jesse Sumus told the council he and his family intend to build and manage the property, said he has met with affected neighbors and provided his phone number for ongoing contact. “I promised John I’d put up a 9 foot and I got it engineered,” Sumus said, adding that he had met neighbors “three people call me… I will go 130 ft down on the south side… and then I will be going 300 ft down from the road to the back of Chandler’s property.”

Councilor Lebla cast the only recorded vote against the final PUD; Councilors Peterson, Gisler and Jelly and Mayor Buchet voted in favor. The council’s approval follows planning and zoning review earlier this year and incorporates the applicant’s commitments to fencing, additional landscaping and relocating the trash enclosure away from the nearest residences.

Next steps: the developer may proceed to final engineering and permitting, and staff said the city has not yet recommended final acceptance of associated road work or utilities, leaving additional inspections and formal road acceptance on the schedule before full project completion.