Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Residents give input on Carriage Hills land use - 8/2/2008Carriage Hills/from IA
agreement reached by the
city and Wensmann Homes
in March after a three-year
legal battle.
The settlement came out
of a court-ordered media-
tion prior to trial, which was
scheduled to begin in June.
Wensmann and Carriage
Hills owner Ray Rahn sued
the city after it denied a
land -use change in 2004 to
allow housing on the prop-
erty, which Rahn has said
Residentsgive input on
Carriage Hills land use
Suggestions run the gamut
from open space to energy park
by Erin Johnson
said Dianne Miller, Eagan's
TxtsWEEx NEWSPAPERS
assistant to the city admin -
About 80 Eagan resi-
istrator.
dents recently gave their two
"There were a lot of cre-
cents on what should hap-
ative ideas shared by every -
pen to the former Carriage
one, which was encouraged
Hills golf course should the
by the council," she said.
city acquire it in November.
"They were looking for any
Residents shared their
and all ideas."
'deas at two July meetings
Consultants from the
esigned to gather public
Hoisington Koegler Group
'nput on possible uses for
facilitated the meetings and
,the 120 -acre property.
will present a report to the
Voters will decide this
council at its Aug. 26 work -
fall whether the city should
shop.
purchase the property for
The feedback will assist
$10.25 million or whether
the council in creating the
the land should be _devel-
referendum question that
oped into housing.
will be on the ballot in No -
Suggestions included a
vember. That question must
golf course or disc
be adopted no later than
public
golf course, open space, a
fire station, an energy park
Sept. 2.
The November referen-
and a hospital, "with doz-
dum is part of a settlement
ens of ideas in between,"
See Carriage Hills, 5A i
is no longer viable as a golf
course.
The property, located at
3535 Wescott Woodlands,
was guided parks, open
space and recreation.
As part of the settlements
agreement, the City Council
last month approved a land -
use change to allow 480
units of mixed-use housing
and 30 acres of open space.
Approving the project
allowed a referendum to be
placed on the ballot, letting
voters ultimately decide the
fate of the land.
If the bond referendum
fails, Wensmann will pro-
ceed with the housing devel-
opment.
Erin Johnson is at eagan.
thisweek@ecm-inc. com.