The HERO Center will soon have foam furniture for scenario- based training, thanks to a $29,000 donation from Marathon Petroleum approved in the July 21, 2021 regular Council meeting’s Consent Agenda. In addition as of the approval of the consent agenda, Kyle Knop is now on the Economic Development Authority board with a five-year term that expires July 21, 2026, while readers can look forward to a fall festival at St. Rita’s, the permits for which, were approved as well.

Looming especially large on the agenda, however, were new residential developments near the Cottage Grove border with Woodbury and Newport.

“Next on our agenda is 11, which is the regular agenda,” Mayor Bailey said. “’A’ is the Rolling Meadows zoning amendment and preliminary plat. Giving the Council an update on the development near Woodbury was Senior City Planner Mike Mrosla, who took the Council through the details.

“Tonight we’re going to discussing Rolling Meadows,” Mrosla said, “which is an application submitted by KLC of Willmar.”

Last touched on at a June 28 Cottage Grove Plan Commission meeting, the Rolling Meadows development had been approved and was now at the next step on its way to fruition: approval by the Council of what it had previously sought from the City Plan Commission; a rezoning of the 41-residential lot development from AG-1 or Agricultural Preservation, to R-3, or Single Family Development.

“The applicant is requesting preliminary plat approval to create 41 residential lots to be known as Rolling Meadows, and to rezone from AG-1, Agricultural Preservation, to R-3 Single Family Development, with a Planned Used Development,” or PUD. “The project is located at the Cottage Grove Woodbury border,” Mrosla went on to inform the Council, the site in question a tilled field just to the east of the Parkview Pointe Development and to the west of the South Washington County Watershed District.” The preliminary plat and zone change, which Mrosla said was consistent with the City’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, was approved by the Council with a unanimous vote, motion for the zoning amendment approval made by Council Member LaRae Mills, and seconded by Council Member Justin Olsen.

The Council then followed this up with approval of the preliminary plat by another unanimous vote, motion being made by Council Member Olsen and seconded by Council Vice President Steve Dennis.

Earlier in the meeting under the Consent agenda, another development cleared the next hurdle to its own fruition. That development, was Hawthorne Pines, located at the Cottage Grove-Newport border due east on 65th Street South, to the north.

Contained in the Council Packet for approval with the consent agenda was an “Irrigation Encroachment Agreement” that would allow Pulte Homes to install an irrigation line within a City-owned out lot at the site.

Having nearly completed preliminary grading at the site, the Irrigation Encroachment Agreement would allow the Developer to install a line to water a sign announcing the development. So what’s the agreement say?

Glad you asked!

First up in the super abbreviated dictionary of legal terms, “Landowner!”

“Landowner means Pulte Homes of Minnesota LLC , a Minnesota limited liability company, and its assigns and successors in interest, with respect to the Landowner Property. “Landowner Property,” meanwhile, refers to “Outlot G, HAWTHORNE PINES, according to the recorded plat thereof.”

Outlot G as recorded on the plat meanwhile, is a triangular portion of land at the intersection of 65th Street South and Goodview Avenue South, in the northeast corner. After installing the line comes more detail: The City is not Responsible for Landowner Improvements (3.2); although the line is allowed the City retains a continuing right to the encroachment area (3.3.); the Landowner Improvements are subordinate (“ranked under”) the City’s rights with regards to the Encroachment Area (3.4); and (3.5) should the City’s use of the area adversely affect the Landowner Improvements, the City shall not be held responsible, nor is the City’s engineer required to give notice if it is determined that an emergency exists in the Encroachment area.

Not to be outdone, also in the Council consent agenda for July 21 was a Public Water Utility Crossing License costing $293, and allowing the City to lay a trunk sewer extension over a DNR designated ‘public stream.’ Effective as of July 1, 2021, the effective 50-year license expiring on June 30, 2071 will allow for “construction, maintenance and operation of a liquids pipeline under water under the covenants and agreements of the Licensee” to use the following plat map coordinates: “That part of the NE ¼ SE ¼ in Section 28, Township 27 North, Range 21 West in Washington County,” with the relevant stipulation that to protect fish spawning (reproductive) activities, “the State may prohibit work in the public water or within a specified distance of the public water during the spawning season.”

In addition, the 50-year license costing all of $293 includes detailed stipulations on erosion and revegetation, use of herbicides and pesticides, and inspection for invasive species.

Acting in a motion to approve the consent agenda by Council member J Olsen that was seconded by Council Member Mills, the Cottage Grove Common approved the above consent agenda items, alongside those which were stated at the beginning of the article.

For those who are house shopping now and may find townhomes to their liking, the High Pointe development just across from Hawthorne Pines on 65th Street South near the Oltman Middle School is somewhat more developed at present, with a stormwater retention pond just down the hill and construction in progress. Photo by Joseph Back.

Located in Cottage Grove near the city’s border with Newport, the Hawthorne Pines development by Pulte Homes was due to have an irrigation encroachment agreement approved for an irrigation line to cross city-owned property and help make a nice green area when development is done. Currently the lot has been graded, with an on-site sign inviting drivers-by to “join the interest list” of potential future residents. Staff photo.