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Commission gives conditional support to Williston Road townhouse concept, urges traffic study and design details
Summary
The Planning Commission signaled that a three‑building, 11‑unit townhouse concept on five parcels near Williston Road has merit to proceed to formal review but asked the applicant to address traffic, fire/emergency access, earthwork, snow storage, parking/service truck access and tree‑protection details before formal submittal.
At a concept‑plan review on April 30, the Minnetonka Planning Commission and staff reviewed an informal proposal from FBC Holdings to replace five existing parcels near the Williston Road/Highway 7 corridor with 11 attached townhome units clustered into three buildings and a large tree‑preservation area.
Staff described the site (approximately 2.84 acres), current R‑1 zoning, and the proposed plan’s intent: to preserve mature trees and concentrate new units near existing development pads. The concept shows two infiltration basins, a single consolidated access point on Williston Road to reduce curb cuts, and a hammerhead turnaround. The applicant, Chris Ballis, said the design seeks a balance between preserving vegetation and adding housing product types that meet local demand.
Neighbors at the meeting urged caution. Multiple residents said turning movements and queuing at the Williston/Highway 7 intersection can be difficult and asked for a traffic study before the project proceeds. They also raised concerns about construction runoff, lot elevations near adjacent backyards, and the functional change from three single‑family homes to 11 households on the site.
Commissioners generally said the concept warrants further development but emphasized several issues to resolve: a traffic‑study to confirm the chosen access point (and whether Lloyd’s Drive is a better alternative), detailed earthwork and retaining‑wall plans given steep contours, confirmation of fire and emergency service access, snow‑storage and maintenance plans, and clear provisions for landscaping and service‑vehicle turning/parking for HOA maintenance.
What’s next: The concept plan will be revised if the applicant proceeds; a formal rezoning and site/building plan review would be needed before approvals. Commissioners recommended the applicant pursue further engineering and traffic analysis before a formal application.
