HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 07-22 Council approves Cargrove's Meadows THE REVIEW Council approves
Carsgrove's Meadows •
By JONATHON CLYDE GLASS
Staff Writer of the project.
"There's nothing in this project that
The Carsgrove's Meadows housing will involve assessments outside the
development,a 43-acre project south of plat," City Manager Barry Evans told
County Road C near Kohlman Lake,won her.
unanimous approval for its preliminary The decision whether to build a
plat and necessary variances at the July pedestrian trail along Leola Road is the
16 Maplewood City Council meeting.At one remaining item of disagreement.The
the same meeting, the council delayed trail,which the city staff recommended
Voya Piletich's development plans far the against, would provide Carsgrdve's
north side of Beam Avenue, north of Meadows residents with direct pedestrian
Kohlman Lake. The council members access to nearby Keller Lake.Permission
refused to give Piletich another ex- from at least three property-owners
cavating permit until he gets approval of would be necessary to build the trail.The
his preliminary plat. council directed the city staff to carefully
Robert's Properties of Roseville made study the matter.
significant changes in its drainage and Construction at Carsgrove's Meadows
road plans at Carsgrove's Meadows to is expected to begin in the immediate
gain the council's approval,after having future,and lots should be ready for sale in
its application rejected at the June 6 September,according to Lund.It will not
meeting. Almost 20 nearby residents be necessary to haul any dirt off the site,
came to the June 6 meeting to protest the Wagner assured the council.
housing plans.The few who came July 16 Lund said, when construction does
were generally pleased with the plan's actually get underway it will end a long
revision calling for two means of access to often frustrating planning process,dating
the development, the retention of all back to the first zoning hearings in 1976.
stormwater runoff within the project and
the elimination of all assessments against TURNING TO THE northern side of
neighboring residents. Kohlman Lake,the council took the ad-
"We went back to redesign and became vice of Marilyn Vars and other Beam
self-contained. We will not impact Avenue residents by refusing to give Voya
surrounding residents or the city,"said Piletich another excavating permit until
engineer Ralph Wagner. he has won approval for the preliminary
"I've come before you often tocom- plat for his entire 40-acre development.
plain,but I'd be negligent not to say that Vars, 1140 Beam Ave., recounted
this developer seems to be doing a good nearby residents' complaints about the
job so far,"Don Christianson, 1111 E. drainage problems and road damage
County Road C,told the council."He has which they attribute to Piletich's ex-
dealt with the assessment and drainage cavation work.She noted that Piletich is
problems,"he continued. required to have a section of his work
When completed,Carsgrove's Meadows done by Aug.1,according to his current
will contain 88 single-family lots,divided excavation permit,and encouraged the
into two distinct sections.On the east side council to withhold another permit until
of Forest Street will be 60 homes priced in Piletich fulfills the conditions of the first
the$70 to$110,000 range,according to Cliff one.
Lund of Robert's Properties. Piletich,2130 Arcade St.,assured the
West of Forest Street,Robert's plans 28 seemingly skeptical council that he has a
expensive homes which will greatly ex- contract with an excavating firm to have
ceed the 10,000 square foot lot minimum, the required portion of the job done by
according to engineer Ralph Wagner. Aug.1.
A number of public improvements are "You only have so much equipment and
necessary to meet the city's conditions for you're spreading yourself too thin,"
approval.Robert's will construct a large council member Earl Nelson told-
ponding-area in the northwest corner of Piletich."You're getting all over hell's
the property,near Palm Court,in order to half-acre out there,"he added.
keep all the drainage within the project.It The council unanimously approved
also is required to install a 12-inch Nelson's motion to withhold the next
watermain from Gervais Avenue to permit until Piletich gets approval for his
County Road C,and to connect Connors preliminary plat.
Avenue to Cypress Street in order to
provide a second means of access. IN OTHER ACTION, the council ap-
Both access roads will be connected to proved a$350,000 industrial development
County Road C,which displeased some bond for the construction of a warehouse
residents in that area."From my point of on the east side of White Bear Avenue,
view, that's a mistake.County Road C south of County Road B.
already is a raceway," said Don The developers, Dick Pearson, 1959
McClellan,961 E.County Road C. White Bear Ave.,and Tom Lindbeck of
More common, however, was the Pine Springs,expect to lease out space in
response of Bonnie Kuslich,2400 Keller the 23,000 square foot,one-story building.
Parkway, who was pleased that there They anticipate the structure will lead the
would be no assessments against her creation of 30 to 50 jobs in the area.The
property.On June 6,her husband, Dr. council approved the bond issue by a four
Steven Kuslich,had told the council he to one vote.Fran Juker objected to the
would face a$100,000 assessment for his metal construction of the building,
Il-acres adjacent to the southwest corner asserting that it could be a fire hazard.