Nearly 18 months removed from its last vote on a Carriage Hills development proposal, the Eagan Advisory Planning Commission (APC) narrowly reversed itself Dec. 27.

The APC voted 4-3 to recommend approval of a comprehensive guide plan amendment that would clear the way for the development of the golf course.

"No one is up here cheering to develop this parcel," said Commissioner Duey Bendt. "But we also have a responsibility to the people of Eagan that we have some control over what happens with the property."

Commissioners Steve Chavez, Peter Dugan and Carla Heyl joined Bendt in voting for the guide plan change. Commissioners Ted Gladhill, Dana Keeley and Jenifer Matthees voted against the change.

The vote came after nearly three hours of discussion and debate in front of an audience of more than 60 people.

The property's owner, Rahn Family LP, and Eagan developer Wensmann Homes sued the city in October 2004 after the City Council's August 2004 decision not the change the comprehensive guide plan for the parcel from park or recreation to low density.

Eagan lost the suit at the District Court level and was appealing the case to the Minnesota Court of Appeals when it reached a settlement allowing for the reconsideration of the proposal, this time with a request for a Special Area designation.

The Special Area designation is used in areas where unique circumstances exist, said planner Pam Dudziak. It gives the city more control over development in the area by establishing an overall special area plan, she said.

If the City Council approves the new proposal, the suit would be dropped. However, if the council rejects it, the appeal process would continue. The golf course has been closed since last spring.

The biggest change in the proposal this time around is the inclusion of a 30-acre nine-hole golf course that would ring the homes on the southern part of the development. That course would also be covered by a conservation easement that would restrict it from ever being developed.

The original proposal called for about 50 acres of open space and wetlands in place of the newly proposed course.

Mike Haugen, a neighbor of the course and a member of the residents' group Carriage Hills Coalition, questioned why the new proposal includes a golf course when owner Ray Rahn has stated that the land is not profitable as a course.

"The whole application from the start has been that it's a failed business, so why add a golf course now?" Haugen asked. "Why can this be successful but an 18-hole course can't?"

Haugen was one of about 15 residents who spoke against the development during the APC meeting. Other residents raised concerns over density, traffic and the loss of green space, concerns that were also brought up the last time around.

Wensmann Homes President Terry Wensmann said he listened to residents' concerns and called the new proposal a "win-win" situation for everybody involved.

"We've worked to meet the neighbors' concerns regarding traffic, open space, density and education issues," Wensmann said.

The proposal features 480 units of housing, the same number in the rejected proposal. That housing will include a mix of single-family homes, various kinds of townhouses, senior housing and four condominium buildings on the 120-acre parcel along the south side of Yankee Doodle Road, east of Lexington Avenue.

The golf course would be owned and maintained by a homeowner's association and would be open for public play, Wensmann said.

This is not the first time the course has been targeted for development. In 1996, Pulte Homes sought to buy the course and develop it for housing, but the City Council rejected that request and the course was instead sold to Rahn for $3.6 million.

Like Haugen, other residents said they saw little change between the plan previously rejected by both the APC and the Eagan City Council and the new proposal.

"This has been brought before two commissions and two councils over the past eight years without one single vote in support," said Tom Reebok. "If this gets passed tonight, I want to know which of you will be the first to step up and explain what has changed over the past 19 months."

APC Chair Heyl said the new proposal is different because the inclusion of a golf course and the conservation easement reflects a compromise.

"We did not win the lawsuit and it's under appeal, but what if we lose?" Heyl said. "The city as a whole did not want housing with no golf course. The question is what do you get if you lose that appeal?"

The debate that followed the public input was spirited and even those commissioners supporting the change questioned if the development was the right one for Carriage Hills.

"If we lose the appeal we're screwed," Chavez said. "I feel like I'm backed into a corner on this one. I'm not wild about the proposal but I'm going to vote for it."

Gladhill said he didn't think the guide plan change should be granted because the current owner hadn't explored other uses under its current designation.

"The only justification we have so far for the change is that the current owner can't make it work, which I don't think is enough," Gladhill said.

Gladhill said he feels that any housing proposal would be bad for the property, but he especially doesn't like the Wensmann proposal. He added that he hopes the City Council decides instead to continue with the appeal because settling calls into question the whole metropolitan area planning system.

The Eagan City Council will now take up the proposed guide plan amendment at its Tuesday, Jan. 17, meeting. If the council grants the change, detailed planning for the development, including an environmental assessment worksheet, would begin.

What:Eagan City Council meeting to consider guide plan amendment for Carriage Hills development

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17

Where: Eagan City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road

Information: 651-675-5000

"The whole application from the start has been that it's a failed business, so why add a golf course now?" Haugen asked. "Why can this be successful but an 18-hole course can't?"

Haugen was one of about 15 residents who spoke against the development during the APC meeting. Other residents raised concerns over density, traffic and the loss of green space, concerns that were also brought up the last time around.

Wensmann Homes President Terry Wensmann said he listened to residents' concerns and called the new proposal a "win-win" situation for everybody involved.

"We've worked to meet the neighbors' concerns regarding traffic, open space, density and education issues," Wensmann said.

The proposal features 480 units of housing, the same number in the rejected proposal. That housing will include a mix of single-family homes, various kinds of townhouses, senior housing and four condominium buildings on the 120-acre parcel along the south side of Yankee Doodle Road, east of Lexington Avenue.

The golf course would be owned and maintained by a homeowner's association and would be open for public play, Wensmann said.

This is not the first time the course has been targeted for development. In 1996, Pulte Homes sought to buy the course and develop it for housing, but the City Council rejected that request and the course was instead sold to Rahn for $3.6 million.

Like Haugen, other residents said they saw little change between the plan previously rejected by both the APC and the Eagan City Council and the new proposal.

"This has been brought before two commissions and two councils over the past eight years without one single vote in support," said Tom Reebok. "If this gets passed tonight, I want to know which of you will be the first to step up and explain what has changed over the past 19 months."

APC Chair Heyl said the new proposal is different because the inclusion of a golf course and the conservation easement reflects a compromise.

"We did not win the lawsuit and it's under appeal, but what if we lose?" Heyl said. "The city as a whole did not want housing with no golf course. The question is what do you get if you lose that appeal?"

The debate that followed the public input was spirited and even those commissioners supporting the change questioned if the development was the right one for Carriage Hills.

"If we lose the appeal we're screwed," Chavez said. "I feel like I'm backed into a corner on this one. I'm not wild about the proposal but I'm going to vote for it."

Gladhill said he didn't think the guide plan change should be granted because the current owner hadn't explored other uses under its current designation.

"The only justification we have so far for the change is that the current owner can't make it work, which I don't think is enough," Gladhill said.

Gladhill said he feels that any housing proposal would be bad for the property, but he especially doesn't like the Wensmann proposal. He added that he hopes the City Council decides instead to continue with the appeal because settling calls into question the whole metropolitan area planning system.

The Eagan City Council will now take up the proposed guide plan amendment at its Tuesday, Jan. 17, meeting. If the council grants the change, detailed planning for the development, including an environmental assessment worksheet, would begin.

What:Eagan City Council meeting to consider guide plan amendment for Carriage Hills development

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17

Where: Eagan City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road

Information: 651-675-5000