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things for the greater good, and this would be one thing I think we can preserve for future generations,” she said. Following upon Nedry was fellow resident John Benz, who also spoke on Cedarhurst.

“I want to thank you for the opportunity to share my and many of my neighbor’s concerns,” he said, acknowledging the Council’s difficult job in balancing the concerns of its constituents with those of the developer.

“However, having had an opportunity to react to a preliminary site plan by the buyer, we have some great concerns,” Benz said. “My neighbors, people in the community at large, and I absolutely believe that we need this council’s help to control the density, ensure that there’s enough buffer between the buildings and our current residences, (along with) the integrity of the historical property…as best as possible to maintain current tranquility, the safety of our kids, and property values.”

As such, Benz said it was the judgement of him and his neighbors that the current density planned for Cedarhurst with several multi-story apartments was just too much.

“And they (developer) have not yet offered anything to us to show that they’re aware of it,” Benz said, referencing a change.org petition “that has yielded close to 500 signatures in less than a week with no money behind it,” Benz shared at the June 16 meeting. A check back on said petition as of July 19 showed that number has since risen to 579 signatures, with the petition itself titled “Influence Cedarhurst Mansion Development.” Benz had more to say on June 16.

“And there is a significant amount of comments there from Cottage Grove families,” he went on, urging the Council to review the comment section “and read the calls for lower density.”

“I want to close my comments with an invitation,” he closed out, inviting Council members to come and see “the peaceful outdoor space that we currently enjoy” and see for themselves what the residents “had worked for so many years for…We need each of you to side with us so that our little corner of the world is not irreparably changed for the worse,” Benz closed out his remarks Following Benz at the June 16 meeting, meanwhile, was Scott Knudson, Benz’ neighbor.

“Well I’m not going to be as eloquent as that gentleman,” Knudson paid tribute to Benz. “That’s a tough act to follow.”

Saying that his wife had started the petition at change. org, Knudson said there were over 500 signatures.

“A lot of my neighbors, like my wife, their address came up saying they’re in Saint Paul. No, they’re in Cottage Grove,” Knudson said of internet-sourced address errors. From there he listed the petition’s requests:

• More green space

• Less high-density development • Reduction in rental properties, with “different cycles of people coming in and out” “I don’t need to sit here and take my full three minutes, but I would like to present the petition,” Knudson said, then approaching the Council seating area and handing the petition off to Mayor Myron Bailey.

“Thank you, and thanks for speaking,” Bailey said of receiving the petition from Knudson.

Answering the same three residents by letter contained in the July 16 Council packet, Senior City Planner Emily Schmitz outlined the process that had to be followed before anything final was decided.

“This letter is in response to your comments at the City Council meeting of June 16th, 2021,” Schmitz wrote to the three in separately mailed replies on Cedarhurst. “An official application has not yet been submitted to the City (and) therefore, the City is not currently reviewing an official planning application at this time and the developer (Three Sixty Real Estate) is in the early stages of designing a redevelopment project for this site.”

As to the general process taken in summary, Schmitz outlined the following in her letter to each of the commenters from June 16:

• A Concept Plan Application would need to be submitted, which would then get the City Advisory Commissions review and comment.

• A public hearing would then be held by the Plan Commission, with notice being published and mailed to property owners within 500 feet.

• The Plan Commission would then provide a recommendation to the Council, “who makes the final determination.”

• Following upon this would be a Preliminary Plat Application, Comprehensive Plan Amendment where and if needed (each development must agree with the Plan), rezoning with another Plan Commission public hearing and mailed notice, the final plat application, and finally the development agreement, for which the “Council makes final determination.”

“While the planning applications mentioned above address many issues in the design and physical layout of the development, the public hearings process outline above also takes into consideration public and resident questions, comments, and concerns as part of that process,” Schmitz closes out her reply on Cedarhurst. In the meantime, bureaucratic red tape could prove a friend to those seeking more input, insofar as it delays the final presentation and approval— who would have thought?

John Benz. Staff photo