St. Cloud City Council Rejects Plan for Private Road Through Wooded Area

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud City Council unanimously rejected Monday night Brennan Investment Group’s request to build a private road through an environmentally sensitive area.

The company asked for the road to give easier access to a vacant building behind Bluestem (formerly Fingerhut). The Planned Unit Development (PUD) would have connected the empty building’s northern parking lot to a dozen planned loading docks directly east of Saukview Drive. Officials said the road to the loading docks was essential to attract new tenants for the open spaces or entice buyers.

The council voted 7-0 to postpone the vote so city staff can put together a finding of fact to deny the PUD. The council will approve that document at a future city council meeting, which is standard.

Fourteen people spoke against the road, which would have cut through a wooded area bordering the neighborhood. One of those speaking to the council was Steve Bautch, who was in good spirits as he walked out of city hall. “I feel like they validated a neighborhood. Neighborhoods are put into place for people to live and raise families. And I think they affirmed that.”

Councilmember Dave Masters called for the vote and didn’t feel it was the right place for a road. “I think this isn’t the best spot for that road. And I think that maybe the current owners can go back and look at other options that may work better. But I think after listening to the citizens as well, they had a lot of compelling arguments. And I just feel it was in the best interest of the city and in of the residents.”

Neighbors were worried about excessive noise from trucks, lights shining into windows, loss of property value, pedestrian safety and speeding along the road.

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