Plans for a proposed affordable housing project in Shakopee will move forward after the city’s Planning Commission unanimously agreed to withdraw a vote on the rezoning request.
The decision reached Sept. 7 leaves in place a preliminary zoning plan for the Prairie Pointe apartment project that was approved more than three years ago by both the City Council and Planning Commission.
The provision has been floated for months after city officials recommended rezoning the property to its previous classification, claiming that the nonprofit behind the project — Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative — did not meet specific requirements, including holding a neighborhood meeting.
The project has also come under scrutiny from residents concerned about the size of the building and about allegations of mismanagement of Beacon properties in other communities.
According to the Beacon, the city informed the organization in writing that an alternative process for obtaining comments via mail and online communications would replace the need for a neighborhood meeting, as the ability for public gatherings has been impacted by coronavirus closures.
Beacon held an in-person neighborhood meeting at the end of July.
“Although there is no legal need for Beacon to hold a neighborhood meeting, as that procedure has already been superseded by the city process, we held an informational meeting with the neighborhood in July as an expression of good faith,” Beacon said in an email to Southwest News Media.
At the Planning Commission meeting, Michael Kierske, Shakopee’s director of planning and development, praised the Beacon neighborhood meeting. “That was the only thing missing, and it covered a much larger area than the code required,” he said.
A memo to the city from Kerski said Beacon reached out to residents within 1,000 feet by mail — twice the city’s required distance of 500 feet — and used door hangers throughout the neighborhood.
“Beacon has made numerous commitments to neighbors and the city to ensure the development is a success for all,” the memo said.
Dan Gregory, a Beacon spokesman, called the rezoning proposal “illegal.”
“While it is unfortunate that this proposal was brought forward in the first place, despite meeting all requirements — including soliciting neighborhood input in a process proposed and implemented by the city — in 2020, we look forward to moving forward with the City of Shakopee in the process,” he said. Our shared goal is to build affordable housing for this community.
The complex is being planned for the intersection of Fourth Avenue East and Sarazin Street.
