Plymouth Prepares for More Residential, Traffic Growth

The housing boom in northwestern Plymouth is officially on, with high-end developments recently approved to bring hundreds of new single-family homes to the area. And while city leaders are excited about the continued transformation, many current homeowners are concerned.

According to the Star Tribune, developments such as Creekside Hills, Cedar Hollow and Creek Ridge will join 10 other major single-family residential developments Plymouth has approved since 2010. Since May 15, the Plymouth Planning Commission has approved plats for six projects that will bring more than 300 new homes to the area.

Council Member Judy Johnson told the Star Tribune the city has been planning on growing for the last 15 years, saying the developments are in line with the city's comprehensive plan. She also recognized current residents were likely struggling with the changes.

“People that are moving into [northwest Plymouth] right now are probably dealing with some growing pains around them,” Johnson told the Star Tribune. “They have to deal with construction traffic as they are settling into their new homes, they have to deal with infrastructure upgrades … but once it gets all built and done, it will be beautiful.”

Accordign to the Strib, residents have expressed concerns regarding increasing traffic, pending infrastructure upgrades and preservation of green space:

“The traffic flow from [the Cedar Hollow development] is not going to work … We’ve got the biggest high school in Minnesota right down the road, and consequently with regular traffic, we’re just not going to be able to sustain it; and until they do something different for traffic flow, it’s a mess,” said local resident Tony Jakubiak at the June 5 Planning Commission meeting.

As far as traffic goes, the city is confident that the extension of Peony Lane next summer and the upgrade of Vicksburg Lane planned for 2015-2016 will provide two major arteries to handle increased traffic, the newspaper reported. As for green space, two developments presented this year include neighborhood parks in the design plans. In addition, Plymouth has acquired 75 percent of the land it needs for the Northwest Greenway, which is a network of trails and green space that someday will run from Wayzata High School to Lake Camelot.

Are you excited to see Plymouth grow? Do you have concerns about increased traffic? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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• Housing Developments Brings Nearly 2,000 New Homes to Plymouth
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