The Blaine City Council on Feb. 20 unanimously approved three items related to a proposed 32-lot single-family development at Lexington Avenue and Flowerfield Road NE.
The approvals included rezoning the 31.92-acre site from Single-Family Residential to Development Flex, a preliminary plat subdividing the property into 32 lots and four outlots, and a conditional use permit allowing construction of the homes.
Community Development Director Sheila Sellman said 18 of the 32 homes will be villas on the west side of the development, offering low-maintenance living with a homeowners association responsible for snow removal and common-area upkeep.
The overall density of 2.56 units per acre meets the city’s low-density residential standards. Lot sizes will range from 6,250 to 20,291 square feet. The four outlots total approximately 20.8 acres.
The landscape plan meets city code requirements, including one front-yard and one rear-yard tree per lot, except for eight lots on the west side of the eastern street. Additional trees will be planted near the Lexington Avenue entrance. While 58 replacement trees are required, 110 trees are planned as part of the project.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously Jan. 13 to recommend approval after receiving two public comments.
Flowerfield Road concerns
Discussion also centered on Flowerfield Road NE, where a homeowners association to the south has raised concerns about traffic volume, speed and pedestrian access.
Director of Engineering Daniel Schluender said Flowerfield currently has capacity to handle both existing and projected traffic from the development. The roadway remains a rural section configuration.
Residents previously raised concerns about traffic and the lack of pedestrian infrastructure when the southern plat was developed in 2015. At that time, the HOA was provided a petition process to request improvements but did not pursue it.
The proposed 2026 plat renewed those efforts, Schluender said. Staff met with HOA board members, along with Council Members Tom Newland and Chris Ford, and prepared concept drawings addressing traffic, speed and pedestrian concerns.
The council formally received a petition from the HOA at its previous meeting and plans to discuss potential options at its April 14 workshop.
Newland said the HOA supports the housing development itself and views the roadway issue as separate.
“They have agreed with the city’s position that the road and the development are separate,” Newland said. “And therein lies why they did come forward with the petition, which we will deal with — they are aware of the timing and everything related to that.”
Because the development borders multiple cities, Newland asked staff to clarify jurisdictional boundaries. Schluender said the eastern edge of the plat borders Circle Pines, and portions north and south of the site also abut neighboring cities, including Lexington.
Ford thanked residents for engaging with the city.
“I’m happy we could all sit down with staff to come to some kind of conclusion on the matter,” Ford said.