Abby Nadeau
Staff Writer

The new Duffy Development-HSI housing site plan will have a better ìsense of place,î according to Forest Lake Council member Rick Ashbach.

In a city workshop on Thursday, March 2, John Duffy of Duffy Development, Inc. of Minnetonka, presented a new layout for the Forest Ridge affordable housing project on the old District Memorial Hospital grounds on SE 11th Avenue.

The site plan has changed again from a 48-uunit apartment building to multiple townhome buildings.

The proposed plan has seven different buildings over 5.31 acres with 43 total units. One unit is considered a ìprogram unitî to serve the people in the buildings.

Of the 42 units 38 will be owned and managed by Duffy as affordable housing, Human Services Incorporated of Oakdale will specifically manage seven units and four will be owner-occupied townhomes.

The seven units that HSI will manage will house members from the community who are recovering from chemical dependency.

Each two and three bedroom townhome will only be two stories high to blend in with the surrounding neighborhood.

ìWe decided to work with the city and thought this might be a better fit on the site,î John Duffy said. ìWe want to be good neighbors in this community.î

As the discussion continued council members agreed that they preferred the new layout to the old.

ìIt is your business and you build what you have to build,î Ashbach said. ìI do believe this does bring more of a sense of place. It isnít just one large building.î

Mayor Terry Smith agreed.

ìWeíre not looking at a three story high building anymore,î Smith said. ìI can support this concept myself.î

Park Dedication

Since the layout of the site has moved further south, a possible park has been created.

The cityís community development department looked at the site and decided a spot between the Lakes International Language Academy and the Grace Alliance Church parking lot would be a prime location.

The 18,590 square foot green space has ìusable upland, extremely visible and has easy access for the general public and adjacent uses.î

The proposed townhome plan will move on to the city planning commission for a public hearing on Wednesday, March 22.

The city council will look at the plans again at its Monday, March 27 meeting, with hopes of a possible decision.

City Administrator Chip Robinson said this week the review of the new Duffy-HSI plan comes as the city and the developer continue to complete terms of a consent decree that is expected to bring to a close a legal action filed by the developer after the city initially rejected permits for the project.

The city council last month voted to reverse those decision and grant permits to the project.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
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