Dawson comment after public hearing-Amber Meadows104 Outlook
RE: Request to Maintain Current Cul-de-Sac Termination on 72nd St in Martin Farms
From D. DANIEL LICHT <ddl@planningco.com>
Date Tue 4/22/2025 3:37 PM
To Kacey Dawson <kaceykoll@gmail.com>
Cc Ryan Dunlap <RDunlap@otsegomn.gov>; Katie Kalland <KKalland@otsegomn.gov>; Ron Wagner
<RonW@HAA-inc.com>
Ms. Dawson:
This office serves as the City Planner for the City of Otsego
Thank you for submitting your comments, which we will keep on file. The public hearing was held by the Planning
Commission on Monday, April 21 and was closed.
The City requires connected streets between neighborhoods to distribute traffic accessing arterial or collector
streets such as 70th Street (CSAH 38) and Maclver Avenue, respectively, and for circulation by residents,
emergency vehicles, and service vehicles such as USPS, UPS, FeclEx, Amazon and school buses. The City also seeks
to minimize cul-de-sacs to the extent possible for maintenance reasons allowing them only when natural
conditions or physical barriers warrant them.
Comments similar to yours were noted by those speaking at the public hearing. City staff noted and the Planning
Commission discussed that the developer will be required to improve McAllister Avenue on the east side of their
subdivision to provide paved access between the new plat and 70th Street (CSAH 38), which will minimize the
need for traffic from the new subdivision to travel west through Martin Farms to reach destinations beyond the
neighborhood.
The cul-de-sacs at 72nd Street, 73rd Street, and 76th Street were always intended from the time Martin Farms was
submitted to be temporary and the streets extended into the adjacent parcels when subdivided. Signs stating
that the cul-de-sacs are temporary and the streets will be extended were posted at the terminus end to notify
area residents of this eventuality. You can see in the GIS aerial map that the existing temporary cul-de-sacs are not
platted in public right-of-way with the paved surfaces within front yards by easement. The houses fronting the
temporary cul-de-sacs do not, as a result, comply with setback requirements or have full-length driveways.
72nd Street:
73rd Street:
76th Street:
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An . i
Example Permanent cul-de-sac:
Again, thank you for submitting your comments. If you have additional questions or would like to discuss further,
please do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
D. Daniel Licht
THE PLANNING COMPANY LLC
3601 Thurston Avenue, Suite 101
Anoka, MN 55303
612.991.2230
DDL@PlanningCo.com
From: Kacey Dawson <kaceyl<oll@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 2:45 PM
To: D. DANIEL LICHT <ddl@planningco.com>; rdunlap@otsegomn.gov
Subject: Request to Maintain Current Cul-de-Sac Termination on 72nd St in Martin Farms
Dear City Planning Department,
We, the residents of the Martin Farms community — specifically those living on 72nd st/73rd st
— are writing to express our strong concerns regarding the proposed extension of our cul-de-
sac into a through street as part of the adjacent farmland development (Amber Meadows).
Our street has been a safe, quiet, and community -oriented environment for over a decade. As
families with young children, we rely on the reduced traffic and calm atmosphere that a cul-de-
sac provides. The current design encourages outdoor play, neighborhood connection, and
peace of mind for residents — all of which are fundamental to our quality of life.
We are not opposed to the development of the adjacent land, and we support thoughtful growth
in our city. However, we strongly believe that connecting our street to the new development with
a vehicular through -street is unnecessary and potentially harmful to our existing neighborhood.
Instead, we propose a design in which the new neighborhood mirrors our cul-de-sac layout and
is connected to ours by a bike and pedestrian path only.
Why Maintaining the Cul-de-Sac Benefits Everyone:
1. Safety and Increased Traffic Risk
Cul-de-sacs inherently limit traffic flow, which significantly increases safety for children and
pedestrians. Opening our street to through traffic would introduce unnecessary vehicle volume
and speed, increasing the risk of accidents and decreasing the livability of the area.
2. No Negative Impact on the Developer's Housing Plan
Maintaining our cul-de-sac would have no impact on the number of homes the developer is
planning to build. The proposed neighborhood layout can remain fully intact without the need for
vehicular connection to our street. In fact, the new homes that would then border our cul-de-sac
may be more attractive to buyers, as homes on cul-de-sacs tend to sell faster and often at
higher values due to their privacy and reduced traffic.
3. Preserving Community Boundaries and Responsibilities
Martin Farms is a self -sustained HOA community with amenities — including pools, open
spaces, playgrounds, and a basketball court — that are funded and maintained solely by our
residents. The new development will not be contributing to these resources, so it is both fair and
appropriate that vehicular traffic into our neighborhood be limited.
4. Property Value and Neighborhood Identity
Through streets between distinctly separate neighborhoods can blur community identity,
increase congestion, and potentially impact property values. Preserving our cul-de-sac helps
maintain the integrity and desirability of both communities.
5. Support for Pedestrian Connectivity
We fully support a bike path or pedestrian walkway that would connect the new development to
Martin Farms. This would encourage community interaction and accessibility without
compromising safety or traffic control.
Anticipating and Addressing Potential Concerns
We understand that cities and developers often prioritize connectivity and efficiency in
neighborhood planning. However, we believe the configuration we propose offers the best of
both worlds. Below are several common concerns and our responses:
• Emergency Access / Fire Safety
Concern: Through streets improve emergency vehicle access.
Response: Many communities use wide pedestrian paths with removable bollards or reinforced
pavement that allow fire and emergency vehicles access only when necessary. This approach
balances safety with the desire to reduce regular traffic. Our proposed configuration can easily
accommodate this design.
• Traffic Flow and Connectivity
Concern: Connecting streets reduces traffic bottlenecks and improves neighborhood flow.
Response: This is a small-scale development that can be designed with multiple entry points
that don't require cutting through an existing, well -established residential street. Increased traffic
would create disproportionate risk for current residents while offering limited benefit to others.
• Utility Access and Infrastructure Costs
Concern: Cul-de-sacs might increase the cost or complexity of installing utilities.
Response: Developers regularly install infrastructure to service cul-de-sacs and curved streets.
Modern utility systems are highly adaptable, and a mirrored cul-de-sac design is common in
suburban development. The difference in cost is minimal and outweighed by the long-term
value of community safety and appeal.
• Snow Removal and Maintenance
Concern: Dead-end streets are harder to plow or maintain.
Response: The city already maintains numerous cul-de-sacs within Martin Farms and
surrounding neighborhoods. One additional cul-de-sac would have no meaningful impact on
plowing efficiency and is a standard part of suburban public works.
• Maximizing Lot Value and Marketability
Concern: A through street may be seen as more efficient for lot layouts.
Response: Homes on cul-de-sacs often command a premium because of their privacy and
reduced traffic. In fact, this change could benefit the developer — the new homes bordering the
pedestrian connection could become highly desirable for families looking for a quiet, safe
environment.
We are asking for a solution that benefits both communities — maintaining our cul-de-sac will
have no negative consequences for the new development and would protect the safety,
investment, and lifestyle of current residents. We hope the city and developer will recognize this
as a thoughtful and community -centered approach.
Thank you for your time, attention, and willingness to consider the best interests of everyone
involved.
Sincerely,
Kacey Dawson
12416 72nd St NE
OTSEGO, MN 55330
Member of Martin Farms