The city's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 4, rezoning the field from agriculture to residential and also approved the plat for an Eagle Ridge Development project next to Independence Elementary School in an area west of 45th Street and adjacent to 36th Avenue South called Valley View Estates Addition.
It next goes to the Fargo City Commission for final approval.
The project first surfaced publicly last October amidst a fairly intense controversy as concerns were raised by neighbors about density, overcrowding the elementary school, traffic and potentially more apartment buildings that residents said weren't needed.
However, Jon Youness, acquisition and development manager for Eagle Ridge, talked issues out with about 50 neighbors from surrounding areas at two neighborhood gatherings and developed a compromise in additional meetings with a smaller group.
What emerged from the talks was a plan that lowered the number of single-family housing lots, increased many lot sizes and added a zoning condition that prevents any large apartment building from being constructed in the area.
In addition, a 40-foot buffer strip was added with a biking and walking trail that will separate the project from one of the existing neighborhoods, the Sensebaugh Addition, an area from where a majority of the complaints surfaced. Other trail connections were also added in the area.
Thus, only one neighbor showed up at the commission's public hearing on the new plan with only a minor complaint.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, because the Fargo project is in the West Fargo school district, Superintendent Beth Slette and other school officials told commissioners they remain neutral on projects but welcome new students. Despite Independence Elementary School nearing capacity, there are options, they said.
Those options include adjusting school boundaries again in the fast-growing area and possibly adding on to the nearby Brooks Harbor Elementary School.
Independence Elementary, Slette said, has 567 students this year with a capacity of 576, although the preferred number is 528 students.
"We will serve any students," she said, adding that they welcome the additional taxable property the project would bring.
Mark Lemer, temporary school construction coordinator, said the fastest-growing district in the state sometimes calls the southwest Fargo and West Fargo area a "baby machine," but new schools are being built to adjust to the influx of children.
Answering a question from zoning commissioner Rocky Schneider, Lemer said when large apartment buildings are announced it "initially causes panic," but that they have learned multi-family housing doesn't necessarily mean more students. In fact, he said, single-family home developments can produce more students.
Youness told commissioners that the planned 108 single-family lots probably "won't be built out for another five to seven years," which would slow the school enrollment effects.
Construction of the town homes planned for the 13 acres zoned for multifamily units probably wouldn't start for another two years, he said.
The town homes will be multi-family units, although the exact size hasn't been decided, he said. There won't be a "box apartment" building in the development, he emphasized.
If the city commission approves the project, Eagle Ridge could possibly have lots available late this fall, Youness said after the meeting.
They would likely start with about 40 lots on the east side of the open field, although he would have to discuss the plan with the numerous builders that would be involved with the new development.
Commissioner Scott Stofferahn praised Youness for the "great job" of working with the community and city planning department on the compromise plan.
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February 05, 2020 at 08:00AM
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After neighbors, developer reach agreement, zoning board OKs southwest Fargo housing plan - INFORUM
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