Sauk Rapids City Council Denies Apartment Project at ‘Villages of Creekside’

SAUK RAPIDS - The residents of an up-and-coming Sauk Rapids neighborhood have spoken, and the city council heard their concerns. The council denied a request this (Monday) evening to amend the Planned Unit Development for the "Villages of Creekside", which would have allowed for two apartment buildings to be built.

Villages of Creekside is along Mayhew Lake Road, at the intersection with County Road 29.

Kevin Smith has lived in the neighborhood since 2007. He says he's relieved with the council's decision. He says, "Going into this they didn't hear our side of the story before and were about ready to go the other way, if we wouldn't have come out as a community.  They heard us. It was great to see the political process at work."

The public hearing this evening was a continuation from a city council meeting last month. The council wanted more time before taking action.

The pieces of property where the apartments would have been built is zoned for commercial development. Smith says the residents might take matters into their own hands. He says, "I think there's a couple of neighbors talking now if we should buy that commercial lot, so that we can control it and put something there that fits our neighborhood. It's wonderful to be in a neighborhood that cares that much."

There is one piece of property in the southwest corner of the Villages of Creekside that's already zoned for an apartment building. The developer does plan to move forward with construction of that 65 unit building either this fall or next spring.