Council approves comprehensive-plan amendment to bring 160-acre 'Accate' site into MUSA; MI Homes, Rachel Development propose ~357 units

The Minnetrista City Council voted to approve a comprehensive-plan amendment that would re-guide roughly 162 acres south of Highway 7 (the property referenced in the meeting as the Accate parcel) from urban reserve to residential low/medium density and add the land to the metropolitan urban service area (MUSA).

David Ael, the city’s community development director, told the council staff finds the requested re-guiding consistent with the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan and Metropolitan Council targets, subject to conditions in the staff report. The planning commission reviewed the request and recommended approval by a 4–1 vote.

Steph Griffin (MI Homes) and Paul Robinson (Rachel Development) presented a concept showing about 357 units netting roughly 3.6 units per acre after removing wetlands, buffers and required outlots. They described constraints — approximately 21 acres of wetlands and a conservation easement that reduced developable acreage — and said they had begun environmental and traffic work, would complete an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) as required, and must coordinate access and safety with MnDOT.

Neighbors raised concerns at the planning commission and to staff about Highway 7 access and rural character; one nearby resident, Mark Segar, described farming operations and asked how new residents would be informed about adjacent agricultural uses. The city attorney noted Minnesota’s right-to-farm protections, and staff said neighborhood meetings and additional technical studies would follow if the Met Council accepts the amendment.

The council approved the amendment unanimously. The action forwards the amendment to the Metropolitan Council for its 60–120 day review and possible adoption. Developers said the earliest infrastructure and home construction would not begin before 2027, and they emphasized the need for further coordination on MnDOT access, stormwater management and neighborhood outreach.

What it means: Approval of the comp-plan amendment is a required early step to enable future rezoning and platting; it does not itself authorize construction. The Met Council review and local rezoning, concept-scheme reviews, neighborhood meetings and permitting all remain before site development could proceed.

Next steps: Staff will transmit the amendment to the Metropolitan Council for review; developers will pursue required environmental, traffic and utility studies and hold a neighborhood meeting ahead of any preliminary plat or rezoning application.