Possible uses for Carriage Hills remain broad – for now
Council leaves wiggle room as it crafts ballot question for November land referendum
08/28/2008
by Erin Johnson
Thisweek Newspapers
When Eagan voters go to the polls in November, they will decide whether the land that holds the defunct Carriage Hills golf course is developed as housing or is acquired by the city.
What exactly the city would do with the land, if acquired, remains to be seen.
Rather than name a specific alternative use for the property on the ballot, the Eagan City Council has chosen to list three categories of potential uses: public facility, recreation and open space.
Voters will decide this fall whether the city should purchase the 120-acre property for $10.25 million or whether the land should be developed into mixed-use housing.
The city held two July meetings to gather public input on possible uses for the land, should voters approve the referendum.
Suggestions came from about 70 residents, many of whom wanted to see the property remain some type of park land. Other ideas included a hospital, a cemetery, a nature preserve, a performing arts center and a man-made lake with a sandy beach and a nine-hole golf course.
The lack of consensus prompted council members to avoid painting themselves into a corner with a specific use listed on the ballot.
A specific use would be enforceable by the public, Eagan City Attorney Mike Dougherty said.
“The more restrictive you are, the more you’re going to give the taxpayer the right to force that obligation upon you,” he told council members at an Aug. 26 workshop.
Council members also wanted to avoid being too broad about potential land uses, which could leave it open to interpretation by future councils and possibly result in unwanted uses, such as housing.
Council Member Paul Bakken said he sees the property as a good opportunity to meet the future needs of a growing and changing community.
“We don’t necessarily know what those needs will be,” he said. “It’s a case of making a long-term investment to set the community up for future success.”
The categories of public facility, recreation and open space show a clear intention, but also have a range of optional uses within them.
“That kind of leaves us open, and it gives the citizens the understanding that it isn’t going to be a bait and switch; we aren’t going to redevelop it for housing,” Council Member Cyndee Fields said. “And it also gives us the opportunity to someday possibly use that public facility use if need be.”
Mayor Mike Maguire said he’s fine with being ambiguous on the ballot, but he wants the public to be “as clear as possible” about the menu of potential choices under each of the three categories.
The city will prepare informational materials outlining those choices to send out to the public.
Bakken said he also wanted to make it clear the public would be included in any future decision on what to do with the land should the city acquire it.
“We owe the community the commitment to have that ongoing conversation,” he said. “These decisions will not be made without the opportunity for public input and participation.”
By law, the council must officially adopt the referendum question at its Sept. 2 meeting.
The referendum is part of a settlement agreement reached by the city and Wensmann Homes in March after a three-year legal battle.
Wensmann and Carriage Hills owner Ray Rahn sued the city after it denied a land-use change in 2004 to allow housing on the property, which Rahn has said 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 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 proceed with the housing development.
