More Homes to be Built in Maple Grove

An area of empty field along Bass Lake Road and County Road 101 is getting closer to being developed.

The Maple Grove City Council unanimously approved a concept stage plan as well as a site plan regarding the development known as The Hamlets of Rush Creek at its Monday, July 18 regular meeting.

The property area, according to a memo to the City Council, is the residential portion of the Hustad Development “between the previously approved Markets at Rush Creek commercial development and the existing residential development to the south and east.”

Developers requested the PUD concept plan approval for the purpose of developing their property into 82 single family detached lots.  According to the memo provided to the Council, the average lot size is 13,995 square feet with the average lot width of 80 feet. However, 15 of the 82 lots are under 10,000 square feet and less than the 80-foot width.

Homes built in The Hamlets of Rush Creek are expected to cost from $350,000 to $550,000, according to the developer.

During the meeting, members of the City Council asked several questions of the developer ranging from roadways, fees and the types of residential property proposed.

Councilmember Karen Jaeger questioned if they site would be a better fit for “affordable housing or townhomes,” to which the developer responded they didn’t think “that type of housing sustainable” and indicated 52 of the 82 lots already have buyers.

Mayor Mark Steffenson questioned the timing of the retail area being developed, known as the Markets at Rush Creek. The developer indicated the possibility of spring 2012 as a start date.