HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.a. Land Use & HousingRosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-1
CHAPTER 3: LAND USE
LAND USE SUMMARY
ROSEMOUNT LAND USE PLANNING
Introductory Statements:
Rosemount last completed a major update to its Comprehensive Plan in 2009. This plan was
preceded by planning efforts to plan for continued growth and development within the City,
especially for areas north of Bonaire Path and east of Akron Avenue. Since this plan was adopted,
the City has seen significant residential growth in the Akron Avenue and Highway 42 area and
northeast of downtown Rosemount. Prior to development of these areas, the City initiated major
planning efforts for these growth areas (the 42-52 Plan and Akron Avenue Area AUAR), which
served as a basis for a significant portion of the land use changes that were adopted as part of the
2030 Compressive Plan Update.
New commercial development in the nine years since the last major plan revision has been focused
on the downtown area or the commercial corridor south and southeast of the downtown. The City
continues to plan for new commercial growth along the Highway 42 corridor at key intersections
around South Robert Trail and Akron Avenue, with the expectation that new residential
development in these areas will increase demand for goods and services on a local and regional level.
Industrial land uses make up large amount of the City’s developed areas, with heavy industrial users
such as Flint Hills Resources and CF Industries occupying large areas in the eastern portion of the
City. The City’s current and updated land use plan continues to recognize these areas as important
regional economic forces, but does not call for further expansion of heavy industrial uses into new
areas. The City is planning for new business park and light industrial uses east of Akron Avenue to
help serve as a transition between the heavy industrial users and planned commercial and residential
areas.
The economic downturn of the late 2000’s has had a significant impact on the pace and demand for
new development over the past decade, which has altered the expected timing of development in
certain areas within Rosemount. The City has seen a fairly consistent level of development over the
past decade; however, mostly in the form of new single family housing while the available supply of
developable land has steadily diminished over this time frame. Two new growth areas are expected
to help accommodate new development, including the University of Minnesota’s UMore Park
property and the larger underdeveloped southeast portion of the City. While most of the City’s
growth between 2020 and 2040 is expected to occur east of Highway 52, the timing of such growth
could be impacted if the University of Minnesota proceeds with development of its Rosemount
land.
Starting in early 2016, the City began making preparations for updating the 2030 Comprehensive
Plan, and started the process with a community meeting in February of 2016. In addition to
updating the background socioeconomic and demographic information for the land use plan, the
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-2
City elected to focus on three specific planning areas. The areas chosen for further review are areas
within the community expected to experience pressure for change or development over the time
frame of the Comprehensive Plan. The City identified these specific planning areas as follows: the
North Central Rural Area, Southeast Planning Area, and Downtown Rosemount. Each will present
different planning challenges in the future and warrant special consideration as the City updates its
land use plan. To help provide opportunities for more intensive public feedback related to each of
the smaller planning areas, the City established a task force comprised of Planning Commissioners
and affected stakeholders that met on a regular basis to discuss issues for each area. A brief
summary of these area planning efforts is as follows (ADD MAPS):
• North Central Rural Area . The potential for extension of urban services into this area was
considered as part of a review of the City’s transitional residential land use category and
potential expansion of this category east of South Robert Trail and north of 130th Street
West. The City ultimately decided to keep the rural residential land use designation in this
area. The City of Rosemount recognizes the unique rural and natural qualities of this land
located between the urbanized portions of Rosemount and the cities located further north.
Areas that were previously guided to transitional residential uses will keep this designation,
with a slight expansion of this area further north along the west side of Bacardi Avenue.
• Southeast Planning Area . A significant portion of the City’s future growth areas out to
2040 and beyond lie to the east of Highway 52 and south of Highway 42. There are roughly
4,000 acres of predominately undeveloped/agricultural land in this part of the City, and the
future land plan allocates a large portion of the City’s growth to 2040 and beyond to the
area. The updated land use plan pushes residential development up to Highway 42, with a
mixture of regional commercial, business park, and light industrial uses north of the
highway. Extending exiting services across Highway 52 will play a key role in determining
when development will occur in this area. Keeping this land within the urban reserve while
allowing reasonable uses of land prior to the extension of services will be a key issue for this
planning area.
• Downtown Rosemount. In advance of the Comprehensive Plan update, the City formed a
task force comprised of Planning Commissioners, City Council Members, Port Authority
Members, and downtown stakeholders to update the 2004 Downtown Framework Plan.
The updated plan will help establish the City’s preferences for future growth and
redevelopment in the downtown, while providing a common vision for those interesting in
investing in the downtown. The study builds on the City’s successful redevelopment efforts,
including the South Robert Trail Library, Steeple Center, Waterford mixed use project, and
senior housing projects that have helped revitalize down town. The plan ultimately supports
the continued use of a downtown mixed used classification that will encourage a mix of
commercial, residential, and pubic uses in the downtown.
Perhaps the most significant departure from the City’s previous land use plans is the inclusion of
larger areas of UMore Park (University of Minnesota) within MUSA boundary and removal of the
Agricultural Research designation for most of the university property outside of the interim use
mining areas. The updated land use plan recognizes that portions of the University property will
likely be developed within the time frame of the Plan. The overall plan for land uses within the
UMore Park property is the result of many years of planning discussions between the City of
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-3
Rosemount and University of Minnesota, which culminated in the preparation of AUAR for the
entire property. The AUAR for UMore was completed in 2013 and anticipates a wide mix of uses
and activities through the site. The City’s future land use map provides a more generalized
allocation of lands uses than the AUAR, with a predominately business park land use pattern east of
the Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) and residential land uses east of the college. Large
Scale Mineral Extraction was approved as a 40-year interim use on large portions of the property. All
mining and reclamation in the northern area must be completed by the end of 2028.
Purpose of Land Use Plan
The Land Use Chapter serves as the guiding document concerning the use and development of land
within the City of Rosemount. This chapter has been drafted to comply with the City’s obligations
under the Minnesota Land Use Planning Act and plans for growth and development of the City out
to 2040 (with specific system plans using projections that extend beyond this date). The overarching
purpose of the plan is to:
• Plan for provision of efficient and cost-effective public services for Rosemount residents
and businesses.
• Accommodate anticipated future growth according to 2040 Met Council Regional
Framework.
• Provide an overall guide for the other plan elements associated with the 2040 Rosemount
Comprehensive Plan.
Land Use Goals and Policies
Early in the process of updating its land use plan, the City of Rosemount established a series of goals
and policies to help guide this work and to clearly state the primary objectives for the plan. These
goals and policies are listed as follows in no particular order of importance:
1) Manage the rate of development that occurs within the City.
a. Discourage the development of property that would require the extension of urban
service through undeveloped properties.
b. Deny the subdivision or rezoning of land that lacks adequate infrastructures, such as
collector streets, public utilities, parks, or public safety services.
2) Ensure that Interim Uses allow for productive use of land before development occurs but
does not prevent or inhibit the orderly development of land.
a. Gravel mining operations shall be required to have an approved reclamation plan
that allows development to occur per the Land Use, Transportation, Utilities, and
Parks and Open Space Elements.
b. Asphalt plants and similar potentially incompatible interim uses shall be adequately
screened, buffered, and/or located as far from residential property as possible and
may be required to relocate when residential property is developed per the Land Use
Plan.
c. Discourage Interim Uses from locating within the 2030 MUSA.
3) Create specific neighborhood plans to guide the development expected in unique areas of
the City.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-4
a. Implement the Development Framework for Downtown Rosemount updated in
2017.
b. Work with the University of Minnesota and its consultants and/or development
partners to create a plan for the potential mixed used redevelopment of the UMore
Park property, adhering to the development scenarios included in the 2013 AUAR.
c. Create a specific area plan for the development of the area surrounding the
intersection of US Highway 52 and County Road 42.
d. Consider the development of additional specific area plans as opportunities with
large land owners become available or if residential development is imminent east of
US Highway 52.
e. Encourage the preparation of environmental review documents to evaluate large
land areas for environment and infrastructural impacts and find a solution before
development occurs.
4) Provide appropriate land uses to create a diversified economy.
a. Encourage the development of office buildings within the Business Park and
Community Commercial designations to provide a high intensity of employees and
tax base per acre.
b. The four Heavy Industrial businesses within the City shall submit Planned Unit
Developments to the City that illustrate the development plans of their businesses.
c. The Heavy Industrial zoning district shall only be expanded when a Heavy Industrial
business expands in conformance with adopted Planned Unit Development.
5) Expand opportunities for shopping and jobs for Rosemount residents.
a. Guide land for commercial development at key nodes along Highway 42, including
intersections at Business Parkway, Biscayne Avenue, 145th Street, Akron Avenue, and
Emery Avenue.
b. Promote regional commercial uses at the intersection of Highway 52 and Highway
42 to take advantage of the significant traffic volumes and high visibility at this
intersection.
6) Maintain Downtown as the commercial and social center of the community.
a. Promote opportunities for redevelopment of existing downtown sites for
commercial, office, retail, and mixed use projects consistent with the 2017
Development Framework for Downtown
b. Provide improvements to encourage pedestrian access and connections to adjacent
neighborhoods and develop connections between Central Park and the rest of
downtown.
c. Require new development and redevelopment to adhere to design standards to help
maintain a sense of community while proving flexibility to encourage variety.
d. Consider improvements that enhance the sense of place and recognize the unique
qualities of the City’s historic commercial center.
7) Provide appropriate transitions between land uses.
a. General Industrial land uses should not be located next to residential development.
Topography, landscaping, less intense land uses, or other forms buffering shall be
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-5
used to transition between General Industrial land and residential, recreational, or
institutional land uses.
b. The area north of Bonaire Path West west of Bacardi Avenue, and south of 130th
Street West will be allowed to develop as urban low density residential with the
expectation that the densities in this area will transition from higher to lower
between the southeast to northwest part of this area.
c. The transitional residential area may receive a Municipal Urban Service Area
expansion if the residents request the expansion or if there are septic system failures
that create health concerns.
d. Landscaping, topography, additional setbacks, or other forms of buffering shall be
used between conflicted land uses and along major collector or arterial street
frontages.
8) Encourage connections between different portions of the community and promote a unified
vision for Rosemount.
a. Create a trail connection across Highway 52 that ties into the regional and local trail
system east and west of this road.
b. Incorporate design elements into streets and boulevards that provide a unified theme
throughout the community.
9) Identify areas for preservation of rural land uses outside of urban growth areas and provide a
reasonable transition from rural to urban uses within the City’s growth areas.
a. Existing rural residential areas in the northwest portion of the City will retain this
classification, and the City will not plan to extend public water and sewer services
into this area. An existing area of transitional residential between Dodd Boulevard
nad South Robert Trail and in the vicinity of 128th Street West will remain due to the
small size of the lots in this area.
b. Land that has been acquired by Flint Hills resources as a buffer area north of
Bonaire Path and east of Akron Avenue will be guided for Agricultural uses, with
larger areas within the buffer used for farming or left as open space.
10) Encourage the redevelopment of blighted, nuisance, contaminated, or underdeveloped
property.
a. Work with Dakota County Environmental Management, Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency, Metropolitan Council, Department of Employment and Economic
Development, or other applicable agencies to leverage funds, resources, and
expertise to redevelop property with environmental concerns.
b. Work with the University of Minnesota, the Department of the Army, Dakota
County Environmental Management, and other applicable agencies to ensure that
UMore Park and the former Gopher Ordnance Works have their environmental
issues addressed during any potential UMore Park development.
c. Use the resources available to the City through its City Council and Port Authority to
redevelop blighted, nuisance, contaminated, or underdeveloped property.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-6
d. Encourage the creation of Development Response Action Plans (DRAP) per the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency guidelines for former dumps and other
properties with environmental concerns.
11) Encourage and promote sustainable development, green building, and resource
conservation.
a. Consider requiring green building standards or energy conservation practices for
developments that receive public funding and/or assistance.
b. Provide education and resources to residents and businesses about available energy
conservation and resource management measures.
c. Encourage the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED),
Minnesota GreenStar, Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines, EnergyStar, or
other sustainable building practices during development.
LAND USE FORECASTS
MET COUNCIL COMMUNITY DESIGNATION
Rosemount Designation
The Met Council updates its 30-year forecasts for the Twin Cities metropolitan area at least once
every decade, which is part of the Council’s regional development plan known as Thrive MSP 2040.
With this forecasting work, each community in the area is given a general community designation.
Community designations group jurisdictions with similar characteristics for the application of
regional policies. The Council uses community designations to guide regional growth and
development; establish land use expectations including overall development densities and patterns;
and outline the respective roles of the Council and individual communities, along with strategies for
planning for forecasted growth.
All of Rosemount is designated as “Emerging Suburban Edge” under the regional development
plan. Emerging Suburban Edge communities include cities, townships and portions of both that are
in the early stages of transitioning into urbanized levels of development. Emerging Suburban Edge
communities are expected to plan for forecasted population and household growth at average
densities of at least 3-5 units per acre for new development and redevelopment. In addition,
Emerging Suburban Edge communities are expected to target opportunities for more intensive
development near regional transit investments at densities and in a manner articulated in the Met
Council’s 2040 Transportation Policy Plan. This designation represents a change from the 2030
framework when Rosemount was split between “developing area” and “agricultural area”.
Some of the major planning and policy considerations associated with this designation that are
carried forward throughout the land use plan include the following:
• Plan and stage development for forecasted growth through 2040 and beyond at overall
average net densities of at least 3-5 dwelling units per acre. The future land use table
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-7
documents that the City is projected to achieve a net density of 3.82 units per acre for
projected growth between 2020 and 2030 and 3.12 units per acre in the subsequent decade.
• Target higher-intensity developments in areas with better access to regional sewer and
transportation infrastructure, connections to local commercial activity centers, transit
facilities, and recreational amenities. The land use plan update provides opportunities for
commercial, medium, and high density residential development at various nodes along the
Highway 42 and Highway 46 corridors that align with the intersection of collector roads.
• Identify and protect an adequate supply of land to accommodate growth for future
development up to and beyond 2040. The City’s MUSA boundary has been staged to
accommodate all growth projected in each 10 year planning period based on the low end of
the density range in the Plan. Development areas beyond 2040 has been included in the
City’s plans to account for the ultimate building out of all land included within the
Metropolitan Council’s urban reserve area.
• Plan for infrastructure needed to support growth. The City’s system plans have been
developed using the land use plan for guidance to establish the timing and location of future
growth.
[ MAP 3.1: Thrive MSP 2040 Community Designations ]
General Implications of Met Council Designation
The City has planned for new residential development to meet or exceed a minimum of three units
per acre. This density is achieved through a mix of residential land use classifications that are
intended to provide a high degree of flexibility for the City and developers. While future residential
development is Rosemount is expected to maintain the historical pattern of predominately single
family homes on individual lots, the City has incorporated several areas of medium and high density
residential land uses in strategic locations with the expectation that on average the City’s overall
residential growth will exceed three units per acre.
Under the previous land use plan, the City provided a detailed analysis of the amount of vacant land
that was guided for urban development as part of the 2020 Plan that has yet been developed. This
land was then removed from the City’s overall density calculations because the Met Council had not
established minimum density requirements up to that point in time. The City therefore
demonstrated that all residential development subsequent the 2020 plan would conform to the
expected range of 3-5 units per acre. In order to simplify this analysis for the 2040 Plan, the City is
estimating that 450 acres of land guided for urban residential land uses in 2020 has been developed
as of 2018, leaving 570 acres yet to be developed and subject to minimum density standards. The
vacant land and household projections found later in this chapter will account for this area of land.
The City amended its 2030 land use plan in 2015 to update the density ranges for the low, medium,
and high density residential land uses in order to better align with the classifications used by the Met
Council. These changes are carried forward into the current plan. Specifically, the City increased
the medium density residential category from 5-10 units per acre to 6-12 units per acre. The high
density category was revised from 10-24 units per acre to 12-30 units per acre. The low density
residential category was not amended at that time; however, the 2040 land use plan adjusts the high
end of the density range for this category from 5 to 6 units per acre. The City has further adjusted
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-8
the low end of the LDR classification from 1 to 1.5 units per acre to better match the current market
conditions and historical densities seen in Rosemount while still proving some flexibility for new
single family neighborhoods in the community.
The overall housing projections will be further evaluated in the housing chapter in order to
demonstrate compliance with the City’s affordable housing requirements.
Historically, the City has provided both an overall net density for all residential development, and a
density that is projected out in five year increments based on estimates developed by the Planning
Department. The updated plan will provide projections in ten-year increments using a similar
methodology to that used in the previous plan. These projections illustrate that the City will meet or
exceed its household and population projections in Rosemount’s 2015 System Statement.
Regional Issues
The type of development, and mix of development types, that is expected to occur in Rosemount
between now and 2040 is consistent for a community at the edge of the Twin Cities metropolitan
area. A large number of Rosemount residents are connected to shopping and job opportunities west
of the City. As Rosemount continues to grow, the City would like to see more of these commercial
services and job centers located within the City. Connectivity to the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul
area is important for Rosemount, and will be an important issue as the City expands further to the
east of south.
The transition from rural to urban is an important planning consideration for Rosemount, especially
as new growth occurs east of Highway 52 in areas that are far removed from existing development
patterns. Locally, maintaining the small town feel people enjoy will be harder as the community
continues to expand eastward. The City will continue to pursue opportunities to address this issue
when considering the future development and community planning.
2040 FORECAST
General Observations
According to the 2010 Census, the City of Rosemount had a population of 21,874 people within
7,587 households. This represents an increase of 7,255 people and 2,845 households from the 2000
census. Using data from the City of Rosemount Building Division, the City created an additional
669 housing units between 2000 and 2006, resulting in a January 1, 2016 household count of 8,256
and an estimated population of 23,244.
Since the 2010 Census the City of Rosemount has experienced an increase of 1,370 people with a
corresponding increase of 669 households over that time span (through 2016). While these numbers
represents a fairly steady rate of growth, it is slower than previous decades. Population growth has
been impacted by the recession and also by gradual reductions in the average household size. Due
to these and other factors, Rosemount remains around 1,000 units short of the Met Council’s 2020
projections for households, although development in the intervening years will help close this gap.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-9
The City’s updated population, household, and employment forecast are found in Table 3.1.
Households and population are expected to increase on a linear basis after 2020; employment
growth is expected to occur as new development areas are open up and will therefore coincide with
the projected residential growth.
TABLE 3.1: Metropolitan Council Forecasts
2010 2018 2020 2030 2040
Population 21,874 24,295 25,900 31,700 38,000
Households 7,587 8,615 9,300 11,600 14,000
Employment 6,721 6,678* 9,900 11,500 13,100
Sources: Met Council, Rosemount Planning, *Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
*Note – employment numbers will be subject to further review. The numbers from the QCEW do not match those
from the most recent American Community Survey numbers. The Planning Department will likely perform its own
estimates to determine the current employment number.
UMore Projections
Although the City is guiding larger portions of land within the UMore Park area for urban
development and including these areas within the 2040 MUSA boundary, these areas are being
tracked separately for purposes of documenting the City’s future population, household, and
employment forecasts. The above forecast table therefore does not include any projections for
growth and development within the UMore area. If development occurs within UMore over the
next decade, it is expected to reduce demand for development east of Highway 52 which would
likely delay growth in this part of the City. If the City experiences demand for service extensions
and development east of Highway 52 in conjunction with construction within UMore, the City will
revisit its growth forecasts and request modifications to the regional forecast at that time.
Taking into account all of the UMore land included within the 2040 MUSA, the City is estimating
that there is the capacity to accommodate 2,350 additional households and an additional 2,500 jobs
above the 2040 regional forecast consistent with the areas identified for residential and non-
residential development on the Future Land Use Map.
The proposed MUSA boundaries and future development areas indicate that the City has sufficient
land guided to accommodate its share of the regional growth as dictated by the Met Council’s
regional forecasts.
Other Observations – Implications of Regional Forecast
In comparing the City’s 2040 projections to the previous Land Use Plan, the overall population and
household numbers have been moderately decreased from the 2030 Plan. This reduction accounts
for the economic downturn at the start of the previous decade that significantly reduced demand for
new housing units throughout the metropolitan region. The updated forecast essentially delays the
projected growth under the previous plan out an additional ten years (the 2020 MUSA boundary
becomes the 2030 MUSA). The City will need to accommodate an additional 5,385 households
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-10
between now and 2040 as part of its Land Use Plan. This amount is in line with projections from
the 2030 Plan, but now pushes this growth out to 2040.
In order to determine the amount of land needed for new growth and development, the City will be
focusing on land within the 2030 MUSA boundary that is either vacant or undeveloped at present in
addition to areas within the 2040 MUSA boundary (which are predominately vacant agricultural
lands). The City does not need to add a large amount of new residential land to accommodate the
household projections through 2040 because the forecasts are somewhat lower than under the
previous Plan.
Projected growth between 2018 and 2040 is consistent with the City’s historical growth trends dating
back to the 1980’s (with a moderate leveling-off in the 2010’s) as illustrated in the following chart.
CHART 3.1: Historic and Projected Population and Household Growth:
Under the previous plan, the City presented an analysis that examined projections using the low end
of each type of residential land use in addition to numbers that were derived from actual platting and
development data for the City. This approach was needed to help document that the City would be
able to meet the Met Council’s minimum density requirements for Rosemount. The present plan
continues to adapt this methodology by using the low end of the density range to project future
housing growth while removing land that was guided for residential development prior to 2020 from
these calculations. In order to ensure the City complies with the minimum density requirement, the
City has raised the low end of the LDR category from 1 to 1.5 units per acre while adding additional
areas to accommodate medium and high density development. With these revisions, the City
projects overall residential densities will exceed 3 units per area between 2020 and 2040.
As a community at the edge of the metropolitan area’s urban growth boundary, Rosemount’s
municipal boundary incuses a large area that is part of urban reserve – areas that are planned for
future urban services and development but outside of the time frame of the 2040 Plan. To help plan
for this long-range growth, the City has developed an ultimate build out map that will be used for
planning purposes. This map includes all future development areas beyond the 2040 scope of the
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-11
official future land use map. This map is included as an exhibit in the Water Resources section of
this Plan.
Socioeconomics/General Demographic Issues
The Community Context Chapter of this Plan identifies several significant trends that will influence
the City’s land use plan, highlighted by the following general themes:
• As the City’s population continues to age, the demand for alternatives to detached single-
family housing units that allow for “aging in place” is expected to increase. Differing
housing styles and densities will allow residents to stay within Rosemount rather than
looking elsewhere for their housing needs.
• While the population continues to get older, the City has seen a loss of younger residents in
the 18-30 age bracket. Housing affordability is a key component of retaining and attracting
this age group within the community, which at present is hampered by a relatively small
supply of housing that is affordable at lower income levels.
• The majority of workers commute out of the City to find employment; the City would like to
retain more of these worked with the City by increasing the supply of locally available jobs.
• As land development opportunities continue to diminish in shrouding communities, the
demand for vacant land in Rosemount is expected to increase. The pace growth within the
City is expected to increase as growth moves further out from the central part of the region.
The plan update will reflect the need for additional medium density and high density residential
development opportunities to provide for alternative hosing arrangements for a changing population
and to provide more opportunities for housing that is affordable for residents. The higher densities
will also be necessary to maintain the City’s overall residential densities within the 3-5 units per acre
range, to accommodate the expected demand for different housing types, and to meet the City’s
obligations to plan for affordable housing.
Finding areas for high density residential development has proven challenging for the City if
property is not already guided for such use in existing developed areas. To ensure there are
opportunities for lifecycle and affordable housing, additional areas of high and medium density
residential land will be set aside in specific areas in the Land Use Plan
EXISTING LAND USE
EXISTING LAND USES
Existing land uses within Rosemount generally fall within three major geographic areas: the western
urbanized area, eastern industrial area, and southern agricultural area. The urban area includes a
range of different residential densities, retail commercial and businesses, and the public and
institutional uses that form the fabric of the community. The industrial east side is concentrated
north of County Road 42 and on both sides of US Highway 52. The agricultural area is
predominately located south of County Road 42 and east of Biscayne Avenue or north of County
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-12
Road 42 between Akron Avenue and Rich Valley Boulevard and includes all of the land owned by
the University of Minnesota within UMore Park.
The 2016 generalized land uses are shown on Table 3.2 along with a comparison to the amount of
land devoted to each land use category in 2005. The table includes data from the Met Council and
Metro GIS that is used to track land uses throughout the metro area. This information is
generalized across the entire City, but individual categories are broken down on a more specific level
than the City’s land use plan. Large urban lots and underutilized commercial and industrial lots are
considered undeveloped land. The City does not classify land that cannot be developed under
current zoning requirements to be undeveloped, hence the difference in reporting between this and
the future land use section.
TABLE 3.2: Existing Land Use – Met Council and Metro GIS
2016 2005
Land Use Acres Percent Acres Percent
Change
Single Family Detached 2,936 13.0% 2,555 14.9%
Multifamily/SF Attached 415 1.8% 320 29.7%
Farmstead 94 0.4% 160 -41.3%
Office, Retail, Commercial 157 0.7% 140 12.1%
Mixed Use 44 0.2% 35 25.7%
Industrial and Utility 1,802 8.0% 1,700 6.0%
Extractive 393 1.7% 180 188.3%
Institutional 417 1.9% 375 11.2%
Park, Recreational or Preserve 1,088 4.8% 910 19.6%
Major Highway 323 1.4% 335 -3.6%
Railway 50 0.2% 50 0%
Open Water 1,158 5.1% 1,155 0.3%
Agriculture 8,312 36.9% 9,270 -10.3%
Undeveloped Land 5,342 23.7% 5,365 -0.4%
Total 22,531 100.0% 22,550 -
[ MAP 3.2: Existing Land Use 2016 – Met Council and Metro GIS ]
Land Available for Development
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-13
Part of the City’s analysis of existing land uses includes a review of land that is available for
development. The purpose of this work is twofold: 1) to develop an accurate projection of land
currently available for development in order to identify the amount of new land that will be needed
to accommodate the City’s growth projections and 2) to provide a baseline to use in determining
compliance with the Met Council’s minimum density requirements. In terms of the latter, the City is
expected to guide future residential land at a minimum average density of 3 units per acre across the
entire City, however, land that was guided for residential development as part of the 2020 or earlier
plans is exempt from this requirement. To simplify this analysis, the City is estimating the amount
of all undeveloped/vacant land within the 2030 MUSA to determine the projected density across
these undeveloped areas between now a 2030. All 2040 growth areas are included as part of this
calculation.
The primary difference between the 2020 and 2030/2040 land use plans is the addition of new
residential areas east of Highway 52 and the creation of a Transitional Residential land use category.
By adding the post-2020 residential development east of Highway 52 with the undeveloped pre-2020
residential areas, the City will be able to document that all planned for residential growth after the
2020 Plan complies with the minimum density requirements. This methodology address the fact
that some of the pre-2020 land that was guided for medium density residential was changed to low
density residential in the last 10 years. The City has added new areas of medium and high density
residential to off-set these previous reductions.
The following chart examines the amount of land within the City that is developed or undeveloped
at present (generally defined as land available to accommodate future growth or that has been re-
guided from the current land use) that is also located within the 2040 MUSA boundary. The chart
uses the City’s future land use designations (as opposed to the Met Council/Metro GIS current land
use classification system) in order to provide a better frame of reference for an analysis of the City’s
future land use plan.
Nearly all of the land conversion from vacant/agricultural land to developed land since 2009 has
occurred in the area east of Bacardi Avenue, North of 145th Street, West of Akron Avenue, and
south of Bonaire Path. This is within the area that was guided for residential development in the
2020 plan and prior to the establishment of minimum density levels.
TABLE 3.3: Current Land Use Areas for Developed and Undeveloped Land
Land Use Designation Land Use
Abbreviation
Developed
Land Area
(Acres)
Undeveloped
Land Area*
(Acres)
Total Land
Area (Acres)
Agriculture AG 0 3,811 3,811
Agricultural Research AGR 0 3,177 3,177
Rural Residential RR 0 1,198 1,198
Transitional Residential TR 1,371 30 1,401
Low Density Residential LDR 2,705 1,408 4,113
Medium Density Residential MDR 253 350 603
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-14
High Density Residential HDR 65 90 152
Commercial C 198 759 957
Business Park BP 228 1,267 1,495
Light Industrial LI 45 460 505
General Industrial GI 2,485 370 2,855
Waste Management WM 238 0 238
Public/Institutional PI 342 0 342
Parks and Open Space PO 0 694 694
Floodplain (and River) FP 990 0 990
Total Land Uses 8,920 13,614 22,531
* Land that was guided for development but has not yet developed since the plan adoption.
Development Trends
The growth and development within Rosemount over the past decade has occurred in residential
areas, with corresponding losses in agricultural land. There were modest increases across the
commercial, industrial, and institutional categories, and significant increases in extractive uses both
in terms of total land devoted to and the overall percentage increase of these uses.
Looking forward, the City expects to see a continued transition of agricultural areas and vacant land
to residential uses, but also anticipates that there will be a much greater level of commercial and
industrial development focused on the Highway 42 corridor, UMrore business park area, and the
Highway 42/52 intersection.
EXISTING REGIONAL PARKS, PARK PRESERVES AND SPECIAL RECREATION FEATURES
Regional Park Acknowledgment
The City’s Land Use Plan acknowledges that there are several regional parks and greenway areas
either located within or near the City boundary as follows:
• A portion of Spring Lake Park is located within the eastern portion of Rosemount along the
Mississippi River. The park is guided for Parks/Open Space on the City’s future land use
map.
• Lebanon Hills Regional Park is located immediately north of the City’s boundary with Eagan
in the northwest part of the City. No portion of the park extends into Rosemount.
• Whitetail Woods Regional Park is located approximately two miles south of the City in
Empire Township.
• The Rosemount Greenway, Vermillion Highlands, and Mississippi River regional trails all
wind through Rosemount. The City’s Parks, Trails, and Open Space Plan incorporates the
regional trails as part the City’s plans.
Map 3.3 identifies these recreation and greenway features. Those portions of the regional park
system that are located within the City boundaries have been guided as part and open space on the
Future Land Use Map. The trails and greenway corridors are included in the City’s Park and Open
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-15
Space Plan. The City will continue to work with land owners and developers to address regional
trail alignments with new development proposals.
[ MAP 3.3: Regional Parks, Park Preserves and Special Recreation Features ]
FUTURE LAND USE
FUTURE LAND USE
Planned Land Uses 2040
The Land Use Plan shows two MUSA boundaries: a 2030 MUSA that is expected before 2030 and a
2040 MUSA which is expected to develop between 2031 and 2040. The 2030 MUSA includes the
currently developed areas of Rosemount; the developable land north of County Road 42 and west of
US Highway 52; the general industrial land south of Minnesota Highway 55; and the land
surrounding the intersection of County Road 42 and US Highway 52. The 2040 MUSA includes the
general industrial land between Minnesota Highway 55 and Pine Bend Trail; the industrial and
commercial land south along US Highway 52 and east along County Road 42; and residential
property located approximately one mile east of US Highway 52 and three quarters of a mile south
of County Road 42.
In order to accommodate the City’s projected land use needs out to 2030, the land use plan increases
the amount of land for development in the southeast portion of the City by moving the 2030 MUSA
line outward from the 2020 boundary depicted on previous Plans. The boundary of the 2040
MUSA has been left in the same location as earlier plans since the City’s expected residential growth
up to the year 2040 can be accommodated within this area.
Compared to previous plans, the updated Future Land Use Map reduces the amount of land that has
been guided for business park development primarily by extending residential development in the
southeast part of the City to Highway 42. The City is planning on a transition from High and
Medium Density Residential areas adjacent to Highway 42 to areas of Low Density Residential
further to the south. The general arrangement of uses in the southeast part of the City is consistent
with the 2030 Land Use Plan and the 42-52 Corridor Plan prior to this.
Other major highlights of the Future Land Use Map include the following:
• Continued implementation of the master development plans for the Akron
Avenue/Highway 42 area, including commercial development along the highway corridor
and additional townhouse and multi-family development east of Akron Avenue.
• Establishment of a regional commercial node at the intersection of Highways 42 and 52 and
a community commercial center at the Highways 55 and 42 intersection.
• The guiding of land east of Akron Avenue to the north and south of Highway 42 for
Business Park development.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-16
• Preservation of the north central and northwest portion of the City for Rural Residential
development.
The City of Rosemont will continue to plan for transition land uses around the heavy industrial and
manufacturing areas in the eastern portion of the City, and specifically around large businesses such
as Flint Hills Resources, CF Industrials, Spectro Alloys, and other larger users in this area. The City
is not planning any further expansion of land guided for general industrial uses, and within these
areas, Heavy Industrial zoning is limited to the developed areas of the four heavy industrial
businesses.
Since 2009, Flint Hills has been acquiring parcels around its facilities in order to preserve a buffer
between the plant and future development within the City of Rosemount. These parcels are still
guided for future development similar to the 2030 Plan, but these areas have not been included in
the City’s calculations concerning land available for development. Specifically parcels owned by
Flint Hills Resources have been excluded from the vacant land table in the preceding section. The
City will continue to work with Flint Hills on potential uses within these buffer zones, but does not
intend to consider uses incompatible with the land use guidance as depicted on Map 3.4. Some of
the demand for land that will not be developed near Flint Hills is expected to be accommodated
within the UMore property.
MAP 3.4: 2040 Future Land Use Map
TABLE 3.4: PLANNING LAND USE TABLE
Land
Use
Res
Min
(upa)
Res
Max
(upa)
2020 % of
land
2030 % of
land
2040 % of
land
Full
Build-
out
% of
land
Agriculture n/a 0.02
5
4,992 22.1% 4,992 22.1% 3,811 16.9% 2,281 10.1%
Agriculture
Research*
n/a 0.02
5
3,177 14.1% 3,177 14.1% 3,177 14.1% 1,079 4.8%
Rural Residential n/a 0.2 1,828 8.1% 1,828 8.1% 1,828 8.1% 1,828 8.1%
Transitional
Residential
n/a .2 or
.33
741 3.3% 771 3.4% 771 3.4% 771
3.4%
Low Density
Residential
1.5 6 2,705 12.0% 3,725 16.5% 4,113 18.2% 6,185 27.4%
Medium Density
Residential
6 12 253 1.1% 466 2.1% 601 2.7% 999 4.4%
High Density
Residential
12 30 65 0.3% 127 0.6% 154 0.7% 209 0.9%
Downtown* 20 40 64 0.3% 64 0.3% 64 0.3% 64 0.3%
Neighborhood
Commercial
11 0.0% 11 0.0% 11 0.0% 54 0.2%
Community
Commercial
166 0.7% 370 1.6% 588 2.6% 659 2.9%
Regional 21 0.1% 358 1.6% 358 1.6% 358 1.6%
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-17
Commercial
Business Park 218 1.0% 1,060 4.7% 1,472 6.5% 2,393 10.6%
Light Industrial 45 0.2% 505 2.2% 505 2.2% 505 2.2%
General
Industrial
2,485 11.0% 2,855 12.6% 2,855 12.6% 2,855 12.6%
Waste
Management
238 1.1% 238 1.1% 238 1.1% 238 1.1%
Public/
Institutional
342 1.5% 342 1.5% 342 1.5% 384 1.7%
Parks and Open
Space
694 3.1% 694 3.1% 694 3.1% 721 3.2%
Floodplain 990 4.4% 990 4.4% 990 4.4% 990 4.4%
Vacant Land 3,538 15.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
TOTALS 22,573 100.0% 22,573 100.0% 22,573 100.0% 22,573 100.0%
Notes:
* The City’s future land use table and projections do not include land with the UMore area. This area is tracked
under a separate table in the subsequent section.
* The vacant land use category in 2020 is based on City estimates for land within the 2030 MUSA that has not yet
been developed. All other land use changes are deducted from the supply of AG land.
* The City is assuming 20% of land in downtown category will redevelop for residential purposes by 2030.
* Full build-out out is listed for planning purposes only and includes developing areas within UMore (please note
corresponding decrease in AG category at full build-out).
In order to help track changes from the previous plan, the City has prepared a map highlighting the
major changes.
[ MAP 3.5: Land Use Changes 2020-2040 ]
UMore Future Land Use
The University of Minnesota has recently begun taking steps to develop its property (UMore Park).
In anticipation of development occurring within the time frame of this Plan, the City is including a
large portion of the UMore property within its 2040 growth area. The overall layout and
arrangement of uses has been designed to be consistent with the 2013 UMore AUAR and with the
University’s overall development and management plan for the property. The City’s previous plans
kept all of the UMore property within the Agricultural Research category created specifically for the
3,000+ acres owned by the University, in anticipation of future amendments to the plan. This
category will now be applied only to areas outside of the 2040 growth boundary within UMore.
Because the ultimate time frame for build out within UMore is unknown at this point in time, the
City is tracking potential impacts to the City’s overall future land use table and population,
household, and employment growth projections separate from the overall totals found elsewhere in
this Plan. The City is also taking this course of action because any development activity within
UMore is expected to alter the time frame for development in other portions of the City.
Furthermore, some of the Flint Hills land is still included in the City’s land use plans, but will not be
developed within the next decade. The City is proposing to continue monitoring the pace of
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-18
development over the next several years, but does not expect to make any adjustments to its
population, household, and employment forecasts until the next decennial update.
[ Map 3.6 UMore Boundary and Future Land Uses ]
The general configuration of land uses within UMore depicts Business Park development east of the
Dakota County Technical College with predominately residential uses to the west of the college. A
mix of medium and high density residential and commercial activities is planned for various nodes
along major roadways and road intersections along both Highway 42 and Highway 46.
Development will be staged so that the areas adjacent to Highway 42 and immediately southwest of
the technical college will be the first to develop (and depicted within the 2030 MUSA) with the 2040
MUSA boundary approximately ½ mile further to the south. The City has previously approved a
40-year interim use permit for a large scale mineral extraction operation in the southwest portion of
the UMore property. Because this permit is expected to expire after sometime after 2040, it is not
included in the City’s future development areas. Other portions of the UMore site that are not
expected to develop within the timeframe of the plan have been left in the AG land use category.
Table 3.5 includes a tabular summary of the UMore land uses. These areas have not been included
in determining the land needed to accommodate the City’s growth projections, but are included here
for informational purposes. Land uses that are not found within UMore are not included in this
table.
Table 3.5 – UMore Future Land Uses
Land
Use
Res
Min
(upa)
Res
Max
(upa)
2020 % of
land
2030 % of
land
2040 % of
land
Full
Build-
out
% of
land
Agriculture
Research
n/a 0.02
5
3,177 100.0% 2,253 70.9% 1,518 47.8% 1,130 35.6%
Low Density
Residential
1.5 6 0 0.0% 334 10.5% 723 22.8% 765 24.1%
Medium Density
Residential
6 12 0 0.0% 98 3.1% 172 5.4% 231 7.3%
High Density
Residential
12 30 0 0.0% 20 0.6% 20 0.6% 42 1.3%
Community
Commercial
0 0.0% 38 1.2% 38 1.2% 71 2.2%
Business Park 0 0.0% 434 13.7% 706 22.2% 938 29.5%
TOTALS 3,177 100% 3,177 100% 3,177 100% 3,177 100%
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MUSA IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES
Residential Densities
The projections for development of the City’s future residential areas demonstrate compliance with
the Met Council’s density standard of 3-5 units per acre for Rosemount. Using the methodology
described earlier in this Chapter, the City is able to document that at the minimum density range for
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-19
each residential land use category, the average residential density across all 2020-2040 growth areas
will exceed 3 units per acre as demonstrated in the chart below. These calculations take into account
all land that has been guided differently than the 2020 plan or that has been undeveloped as of 2018.
The City has previously requested credit for units that were platted prior to 2007 and that were
platted in excess of 3 units per acre. With the density ranges included in this plan, and the amount
of undeveloped land remaining, the City does not need to request credit for past developments in
order to achieve the required minimum density. New calculations have been made for all land that
was guided differently than the 2020 plan or is newly planned in the 2040 plan.
[ Table 3.6 – 2020-2040 Minimum Density Calculations ]
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 2018-2040 [POTENTIALLY REMOVE]
Residential Growth in 10-year Increments
• The 2030 Plan included a section that broke down future residential development into five
year increments.
• This was done to help describe the timing and location of future development and to also
demonstrate compliance with the Met Council’s minimum density requirements.
• The City used actual plat reporting data in this section to provide a better estimate
concerning the number of expected new households planned for the City.
• This section will need to be updated once the future land use table and area changes have
been completed, however, it may be eliminated if the City’s overall density numbers are
within the required range.
• Potential to move under “Staged Development and Redevelopment” Section
FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
This section of the Land Use chapter establishes the City’s official land use categories depicted on
the official Future Land Use Map (Map 3.4). The map assigns planned land use types to all parcels
within the community to guide current and future planning and development through the year 2040,
and is the official land use designation map for the City. The assigned land use designations are
intended to shape the character, type and density of future development in manner consistent with
the overall goals and objectives identified in this plan. Any new development, redevelopment,
change in land use or change in zoning is required to be consistent with the official land use
guidance for each parcel. The official land use plan categories are listed below.
Agriculture (AG)
Purpose This land use designation is intended for the majority of the land that is located
outside the MUSA. Rosemount has a long history of agriculture but the community is
rapidly urbanizing. The City must balance the needs of the continued farming
operations with the expansion of the urban landscape.
Location Criteria Outside the MUSA.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-20
Min. Requirements
for Development
Development is discouraged in the agricultural land use designations. Construction
activities should be limited to expansions of farming operations and housing for farm
families.
Utilities Private wells and septic systems are required.
Typical Uses Crop and livestock farming; farmstead housing; churches; recreational open spaces;
parks; and public buildings.
Density One (1) unit per forty (40) acres
Appropriate Zoning AG - Agricultural
Limited Secondary
Zoning
AGP – Agricultural Preserve for property enrolled in the agricultural preserve
program; P – Public and Institutional for churches, parks, or open space.
There are a number of agricultural properties within the City that are enrolled in the Agricultural
Preserve, Green Acres, or other property tax relief programs. The City will continue to support
enrollment of active agricultural properties within these programs provided that it does not inhibit
the orderly development of the City. The City discourages the use of these programs by land
owners to reduce the holding costs of land before the property develops or the use of these
programs to defer assessments of public infrastructure on properties that are to be developed in the
near future.
Agriculture Research (AGR)
Purpose This land use designation is used solely for the UMore Park property that is owned
and operated by the University of Minnesota and located outside of areas designated
for future development.
Location Criteria Within the UMore Park property owned and operated by the University of Minnesota.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Land uses that support the educational and research missions of the University of
Minnesota are exempt from local land use regulations.
Utilities Private wells and septic systems are required.
Typical Uses Agricultural production; research laboratories; classrooms; offices; and conference
rooms. Interim Uses consistent with City ordinances and regulcations.
Density One (1) unit per forty (40) acres
Appropriate Zoning AG - Agricultural
Limited Secondary
Zoning
None
The Agricultural Research land use classification was previously used by the City for the entire
UMore property within Rosemount. With development expected to occur over large portions of
UMore within the time frame of the Plan, the portions remaining AG are those areas that are subject
to an interim use permit for mineral extraction or areas that are not able to be developed for other
reasons.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-21
Rural Residential (RR)
Purpose Northwestern Rosemount is characterized by a rolling, wooded landscape that
includes numerous lakes and wetlands. To preserve this natural landscape, the City
has designated this land as rural residential to provide residential housing while
preserving significant areas of wetlands and woodlands. The keeping of horses is
anticipated within the rural residential area, but the farming of other livestock is
discouraged.
Location Criteria Located in northwest Rosemount, generally described as north of 132nd Street West
and west of the Progressive Rail line.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Street frontage and a buildable area outside of wetlands and wetland buffers. Being
rural in nature, it is not expected that urban features such as sidewalks, neighborhood
parks, or a grid pattern of streets will be installed when the land is developed. Trail
corridors (for pedestrian, bicyclists, and/or horses) shall be encouraged to provide the
connection of the rural residents with each other, as well as to the City as a whole.
Utilities Private wells and septic systems are required
Typical Uses Private wells and septic systems are required.
Density One (1) unit per five (5) acres
Appropriate Zoning RR – Rural Residential
Limited Secondary
Zoning
AG - Agricultural for lots that are greater twenty (20) acres in size.
The future land use plan guides land in the north central portion of the City for TR – Transitioal
Residential in recognition of its location between the urbanizing areas of three different
communities. Approximately 1,200 acres west of the Progress Rail line and north of 120th Street is
preserved for rural residential uses, with no plans to extend public water and sewer services into
these areas.
The majority of the parcels that are designated Rural Residential are five (5) acres or less in size
meaning that no further subdivision would be allowed. There are a small number of parcels that are
twenty (20) acres or larger in size that are suitable for further subdivision. The development of these
parcels will need to be sensitive to the wetlands, trees, and other natural resources unique to this
area.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-22
Transitional Residential (TR)
Purpose This land use designation is intended to transition between the rural residential area of
northwest Rosemount and the urban development of greater Rosemount and the
adjacent cities of Eagan and Inver Grove Hights. Transitional residential areas are
intended to receive urban services sometime in the future, while it may or may not be
within the timeframe of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Development that occurs
within the transitional residential designation is intended to have urban densities, but
generally at a lesser density than the other residential land use designation and only
with the extension of public services.
Location Criteria Areas within the MUSA that have a rolling, wooded landscape similar to the rural
residential northwest; developed residential neighborhoods with lots less than one (1)
acre in size outside of the MUSA; transition areas between urbanizing land within
Rosemount and adjacent communities.
Min. Requirements
for Development
The extension of urban service is needed for the further development of the
Transitional Residential area. All land guided for Transitional Residential within the
MUSA line have previously been developed under the guidelines of the City’s
previous plans. Any extension of public services into areas guided for TR will require
an amendment to the City’s future sewer service area (2030 MUSA).
Utilities Private wells and septic systems are required for rural residential land. Municipal
water and sanitary sewer are required for land to be developed at urban densities.
Typical Uses Single family homes; churches; parks; and public buildings. Duplexes or townhomes
with four (4) or less units per building may be considered as a part of a planned unit
development provided that the overall density does not exceed three (3) units per
acre.
Density One (1) unit per five (5) acres without municipal water and sanitary sewer. One (1) to
three (3) units per acre with municipal water and sanitary sewer.
Appropriate Zoning RR – Rural Residential for parcels without municipal water and sanitary sewer; R1 –
Low Density Residential for parcels with municipal water and sanitary sewer.
Limited Secondary
Zoning
RL – Very Low Density Residential for neighborhoods of existing non-conforming
rural residential lots if municipal water and sanitary sewer is provided; AG -
Agricultural for lots that are greater twenty (20) acres in size.
There are two major areas of undeveloped or underdeveloped Transitional Residential designated
land within the 2040 Land Use Plan. . All land designated as TR is located outside of the 2030
MUSA line. The first TR area is bounded generally by South Robert Trail, City boundary with
Eagan and Inver Grove Heights, Akron Avenue and 130th Street West.The second area is generally
bounded by the Progress Rail rail line, Bonaire Path, Bacardi Avenue, and 130th Street West
(Bacardi Area).
The Bacardi Area is surrounded by single family homes to the south, a mixed residential
neighborhood to the southwest, an existing rural neighborhood of single family homes with lots
about one (1) acre in size to the north, and anticipated Low Density Residential development to the
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-23
east. The area is within the shoreland district for Keegan Lake and therefore has an ordinance
requiring open space and additional setbacks from the lake. It is anticipated that the area will
develop predominately with single family homes to transition from the urban levels of development
to the south and east to the rural neighborhoods to the north. Small lot single family homes or
multiple family units less than four (4) units per building may be considered if that form of
development provides for increased open space preservation and wetland/shoreland protection
while not exceeding a gross density of three (3) units per acre.
The north central area lies between low density residential areas to the south, agricultural land
owned by Flint Hills Resources to the east, urbanizing area within the Cities of Eagan and Inver
Grove Heights to the north, and the other Transitional Residential area to the west. This area
includes two large lot subdivisions with a mixture of rural lots ranging in size from three to 70 acres.
Given its close proximity to urbanizing areas both to the north and south and smaller rural lots to
the west, the City intends to plan for extending future public services into this area without a specific
time frame for doing so.
The Transitional Residential land outside of the MUSA is not anticipated to be developed within the
2030 Land Use Plan provided the individual septic systems continue to function without causing
health concerns for the wells and wetlands. The City has a plan for providing municipal sanitary
sewer service to the Transitional Residential land outside the MUSA if health concerns from failing
septic systems arise. It is anticipated that the underdeveloped properties within the Transitional
Residential areas would develop to urban densities if municipal sanitary sewer service is installed to
supplement the costs of providing services to the existing Transitional Residential residents.
Low Density Residential (LDR)
Purpose Low Density Residential housing is the predominant land use by area within the
MUSA boundary. Low Density Residential housing is typically single family housing
or townhouses with few units per building. The houses usually contain multiple
bedrooms, bathrooms, and garage stalls per unit. Low Density Residential land
provides housing suitable for families with children, and as such, should be located
close to schools, churches, public parks, and neighborhood commercial.
Location Criteria Street frontage and within the MUSA.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Low Density Residential subdivisions are expected to be provided with the full urban
infrastructure, such as sidewalks, neighborhood parks, and streets with good access
and interconnectivity. Attention should be paid to pedestrian and bicycle
transportation to provide access for children to schools, churches, and public parks.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Single family homes; duplexes; townhomes with four (4) or less units per building;
churches; elementary and secondary schools; private recreation spaces maintained by
homeowner associations; and public parks.
Density One (1) to six (6) units per acre
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-24
Appropriate Zoning R1 – Low Density Residential
Limited Secondary
Zoning
R2 – Moderate Density Residential; R1A – Low Density Residential within
subdivisions that were developed prior to 1980.
Medium Density Residential (MDR)
Purpose Medium Density Residential land uses provide opportunities for attached housing and
other types of residential construction that provide for greater densities that typical
single family detached construction. To provide the level of density within Medium
Density Residential neighborhoods, individual yards outside of the units are typically
not included. As opposed to Low Density Residential, these developments
incorporate many common features outside the units, such as yards, driveways,
maintenance, and recreational space.
Location Criteria Frontage onto collector and local streets and within the MUSA. Medium Density
Housing works well in mixed uses development and adjacent to all land uses except
industrial.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Common private recreational opportunities should be provided within each residential
development to compensate for the lack of private yard space per housing unit. Due
to the density, individual garages should have access to private streets or driveways to
limit the number of curb cuts onto public local street. Limiting the number of curb
cuts will provide the maximum amount of public parking spaces on the public street
frontages. Residential subdivisions are expected to be provided with the full urban
infrastructure, such as sidewalks, neighborhood parks, and streets with good access
and interconnectivity. Attention should be paid to pedestrian and bicycle
transportation to provide access for children to schools, churches, and public parks.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Single family homes or detached townhomes on smaller lots; duplexes; townhomes
with three (3) of more units per building; churches; elementary and secondary schools;
private recreation spaces maintained by homeowner associations; and public parks.
Density Six (6) to twelve (12) units per acre
Appropriate Zoning R3 – Medium Density Residential
Limited Secondary
Zoning
R2 – Moderate Density Residential
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-25
High Density Residential (HDR)
Purpose The intent of the High Density Residential district is to accommodate many of the life
cycle housing options not addressed within the Low Density or Medium Density
Residential land uses. Senior and assisted living development for the increasing aging
population, along with affordable rental or ownership units for new graduates or
young families, often require greater densities than are allowed within the low or
medium density neighborhoods. High density residential housing shall be constructed
of the same or better building materials and have access to the same recreational,
institutional, and commercial amenities as the other residential uses.
Location Criteria Frontage onto collector and local streets and within the MUSA. High Density
Housing works well in mixed uses development and adjacent to most land uses except
industrial.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Common private recreational opportunities should be provided within each residential
development to compensate for the lack of private yard space per housing unit. Care
will need to be taken to buffer between high density and low density residential due to
the difference in scale of the uses. Residential subdivisions are expected to be
provided with the full urban infrastructure, such as sidewalks, neighborhood parks,
and streets with good access and interconnectivity. Attention should be paid to
pedestrian and bicycle transportation to provide access for children to schools,
churches, and public parks.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Townhomes with six (6) to twelve (12) units per building; multiple story apartment or
condominium buildings; churches; elementary and secondary schools; private
recreation spaces maintained by homeowner associations; and public parks.
Density Twelve (12) to thirty (30) units per acre
Appropriate Zoning R4 – High Density Residential
Limited Secondary
Zoning
R3 – Medium Density Residential
Downtown (DT)
Purpose This land use designation is intended to provide for the variety of land uses that make
a successful downtown. These uses include the civic functions of government,
education, and gathering spaces, as well as the variety of uses that would allow
residents to live, work, shop and recreate all within Downtown. The focus of this
land use designation will be to regulate the performance standards of properties and
buildings (such as building materials and appearance; shared parking; and pedestrian
focused streets and building frontages) over the segregation of land uses that typically
occur in the other land use designations within the Comprehensive Plan.
Location Criteria The downtown area is roughly bounded from one block west of South Robert Street,
to the railroad tracks on the east, and from 143rd Street East on the north to just
short of County Road 42 on the south.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-26
Min. Requirements
for Development
This land use designation is more concerned about the appearance and performance
of buildings and properties within Downtown rather than the uses that actually
occupy the buildings. Land uses that can meet the performance standards described
by the Development Framework for Downtown Rosemount, the Downtown Design
Guidelines, and the Zoning Ordinance should be allowed to develop downtown. The
Development Framework for Downtown Rosemount plans approximately 25% of the
land area Downtown for residential land uses.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Public buildings; elementary and secondary schools; libraries; churches; gathering
places; parks; townhouses; apartments; condominiums; retail; restaurants; bars; and
offices.
Density Zero (0) to forty (40) units per acre (residential uses)
Appropriate Zoning DT – Downtown; P – Public and Institutional
Limited Secondary
Zoning
R3 – Medium Density Residential; R4 – High Density Residential; C4 – General
Commercial
Neighborhood Commercial (NC)
Purpose This land use designation is intended to provide areas for commercial businesses that
focus their services to the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Location Criteria The size of each Neighborhood Commercial district is intended to be less than five
(5) acres in size. The district should be located adjacent to collector or arterial streets,
but the access to the commercial area should be equally focused on pedestrians and
bicyclists as the automobile.
Min. Requirements
for Development
The development of these commercial areas is dependent on an existing or
developing residential neighborhood, a developed street network, and a system of
sidewalks and trails.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Restaurants; retail; gas stations; convenience stores; and personal services.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning C1 – Convenience Commercial
Limited Secondary
Zoning
C4 – General Commercial
Community Commercial (CC)
Purpose This land use designation is intended to provide retail, professional offices, and
personal services that serve the daily and weekly needs of the residents of Rosemount.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-27
Location Criteria The size of each Community Commercial district is intended to be at least 50 acres or
greater in size. Close proximity to arterial streets is needed for visibility while
individual business accesses shall be provided predominantly from collector, local, or
private streets.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Traffic patterns within the Community Commercial district are intended to be served
through frontage roads, backage roads, and cross-access easements that supplement
the collector and local street network. Traffic patterns should also be designed to
adequately serve automobiles, delivery vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists throughout
the district.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Retail; offices; personal services; restaurants; gas stations; and auto oriented businesses
not requiring outdoor storage.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning C4 – Community Commercial
Limited Secondary
Zoning
C3 - Highway Commercial
Regional Commercial (RC)
Purpose This land use designation is intended to provide commercial opportunities for
businesses that have a regional draw; businesses that have products residents need to
purchase, rent, or lease annually or less often; or auto oriented businesses that require
outdoor storage.
Location Criteria The size of districts intended for auto orientated businesses may be as small as 10
acres, while the size of districts intended for businesses with a regional draw should be
a minimum of 50 acres. Auto orientated business district should be located along
arterial roads, while regional draw districts should be located at the intersections or
interchanges of principal arterial roads.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Frontage and backage road systems
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are required.
Typical Uses Hotels; theaters; big box retail; post-secondary education; vehicle sales and rentals;
auto repair garages; tool repair; machinery sales; contractor yards; and retail.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning C3 – Highway Commercial
Limited Secondary
Zoning
C4 – General Commercial
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-28
Two Regional Commercial districts are provided within the Land Use Plan: an approximately 20
acre district bounded by South Robert Trail, Canada Circle, and the Union Pacific rail line; and an
approximately 350 acre district surrounding the intersection of County Road 42 and US Highway 52.
The 20 acre Regional Commercial district is intended for auto oriented businesses. This district
provides an area for the auto orientated businesses currently located Downtown, or the contractor
businesses located southwest of County Road 42 and South Robert Trail, can be relocated.
The 350 acre Regional Commercial district is intended for businesses with a regional draw or with
products that are sold annually or less often. Big box retail, theaters, or hotels are appropriate uses
in this area, as well as an area for existing vehicle sales businesses in other parts of the City to
relocate.
Business Park (BP)
Purpose The intent of the Business Park district is to develop businesses with a large number
of employees, wages that support an entire family, and constructed of high quality
buildings that provide both beauty and tax base to the community. Establishments
within the business park are intended to have little or no outdoor storage, with the
majority of the business activities occurring completely indoors.
Location Criteria The size of each Business Park district is intended to be greater than 150 acres in size.
The district should be located adjacent to heavily traveled arterial roads to provide
both visibility and access to these major employment centers.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Within the MUSA and with an improved access to a collector and/or arterial road to
serve the district. The street network within the business park should be designed to
accommodate truck and freight traffic while also providing sidewalks and pedestrian
improvements for employees to use during breaks and lunch periods.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are encouraged. Private well and septic systems
may be permitted as an interim system before municipal water and sanitary sewer are
available provided an appropriate septic area is located and infrastructure is installed
to connect to when utilities are at the development’s boundary.
Typical Uses Office; retail and office warehouses; research laboratories; post-secondary education;
distributors; and manufacturing.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning BP – Business Park
Limited Secondary
Zoning
C4 – General Commercial near intersections of major roads; LI – Light Industrial
adjacent to industrial planned areas NEXT TO LESS INENSIVE USES – ALLOW
IN BP AREAS…
Light Industrial (LI)
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-29
Purpose The intent of the Light Industrial district is to provide an opportunity for high paying
manufacturing, assembly, or wholesaling jobs that require less intense land
development along with some outdoor storage. Light industrial businesses are
expected to be constructed of quality building materials and for uses that do not
generate the external noises, smells, vibrations, or similar nuisances normally
associated with medium or heavy industrial uses.
Location Criteria Light Industrial land uses are intended to buffer general industrial lands uses from
commercial or residential. The size of each Light Industrial district is intended to be a
minimum of 60 acres in size and located with access to arterial and major collector
roads.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Within the MUSA and with an access to an arterial or major collector road. The street
network should be designed to accommodate truck and freight traffic. Pedestrian
access shall be accommodated through the city, county or regional trail corridors.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are encouraged. Private well and septic systems
may be permitted as an interim system before municipal water and sanitary sewer are
available provided an appropriate septic area is located and infrastructure is installed
to connect to when utilities are at the development’s boundary.
Typical Uses Manufacturing; assembly; professional services; laboratories; general repair services;
contractor offices; post secondary trade or vocational schools; public buildings; and
warehousing.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning LI – Light Industrial
Limited Secondary
Zoning
BP – Business Park adjacent business park, commercial, or residential planned areas;
GI – General Industrial adjacent to general industrial planned areas.
General Industrial (GI)
Purpose The intent of the General Industrial designation is to provide an opportunity for
employment with wages that can support an entire family while the businesses
typically have a lower tax base per acre than other commercial and industrial uses.
General industrial businesses normally generate noises, smells, vibrations, and truck
traffic that can be disturbing to non-industrial land uses. General industrial land
should not be located next to residential developments. Topography, landscaping,
less intense land uses, or other forms of buffering shall be used to transition between
general industrial property and residential, recreational, or institutional land uses.
Location Criteria The size of each General Industrial district is intended to be greater than 400 acres in
size. Access to the district should occur along arterial or major collector roads. To
provide the greatest buffer to the residents traveling the arterial or major collector
roadways from the nuisance generated by the industries, the least intense and highest
quality buildings and structures should be located adjacent to the roadways.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-30
Min. Requirements
for Development
Development is encouraged to occur within the MUSA, but is not required. Due to
the large size of each industrial facility, it is anticipated that the majority of the traffic
circulation shall occur on private roads within the industrial sites. Any public streets
constructed within the general industrial district should be designed to accommodate
truck and freight traffic. Any rail service to general industrial businesses shall be
designed with switching and storage yards interior to the site to minimize the number
of rail crossings of public streets and the frequency of train schedules. Pedestrian
access shall be limited to the city, county or regional trail corridors with appropriate
safety and security measures.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are encouraged. Private well and septic systems
may be permitted as an interim system before municipal water and sanitary sewer are
available provided an appropriate septic area is located and infrastructure is installed
to connect to when utilities are at the development’s boundary.
Typical Uses Manufacturing; assembly; laboratories; contractor offices; trucking and freight
terminals; warehousing; and wholesaling.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning GI – General Industrial
Limited Secondary
Zoning
LI – Light Industrial adjacent to other land uses; HI – Heavy Industrial shall be
provided sparingly and only to allow the development or improvement of the four
heavy industrial businesses.
Heavy Industrial zoning is limited to developed areas of the four heavy industrial businesses. The
City does not desire to expand the number of heavy industrial business beyond four, but it does
desire the four businesses to redevelop and expand as needed to stay economically viable. If any of
the four heavy industrial businesses desire to expand its Heavy Industrial zoning district, a Planned
Unit Development master plan for the business expansion must first be approved. The Planned
Unit Development master plan shall concentrate the heaviest uses to the center of the site; provide a
transition of the lesser intensity uses to the perimeter of the site; and ensure the efficient use of the
existing heavy industrial property to prevent premature expansion of the zoning district. The
rezoning of additional property to Heavy Industrial shall only occur immediately prior to an
expansion of the business per its approved Planned Unit Development master plan
List specific industries (FHR, CF, dixie petro, hawkings chemical, origin to destiation…),
can expand within existing zoning area (no expansion)
Waste Management (WM)
Purpose The intent of the Waste Management district is to accommodate the need for the
management of waste generated by society while regulating the inherent
environmental problems associated with waste management. It is in the public
interest to explore all available options of waste management before expanding the
waste management district for additional landfilling.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-31
Location Criteria In an appropriate location to address the problems and nuisances associated with
waste management.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Waste management practices that meet or exceed all county, state, and federal waste
management regulations.
Utilities Private wells and septic systems are required.
Typical Uses Landfills; recycling centers; and waste-to-energy production.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning WM – Waste Management
Limited Secondary
Zoning
None
Public/Institutional (PI)
Purpose The intent of the Public/Institutional district is to accommodate the civic, religious,
governmental, and educational needs of the community. Often, institutional uses are
constructed at a much larger scale than the surrounding residential uses. Care is
needed to buffer the conflicts between the uses while maintaining accessibility from
the neighborhood. Performance measures such as setbacks, landscaping, site grading,
and quality building materials may need to be increased compared to the surrounding
uses to provide the needed buffering.
Location Criteria There is no size requirement for a Public/Institutional district and the districts are
anticipated to be dispersed throughout the community, particularly adjacent to
residential uses. Institutional uses should be located adjacent to collector or arterial
roads.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Development is encouraged to occur within the MUSA. The main access to the
institutional use should occur directly from a collector or minor arterial roadway.
Pedestrian access to and throughout the site should be emphasized to allow the
surrounding neighborhood access to the site.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are encouraged. Private well and septic systems
may be permitted for institutions that have an appropriate area for septic
management.
Typical Uses Schools (elementary, secondary, or post-secondary); churches; cemeteries; public
buildings; civic uses; recreational open spaces; and public parks.
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning P – Public and Institutional
Limited Secondary
Zoning
R1 – Low Density Residential in areas adjacent residential planned uses
Parks and Open Space (POS)
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-32
Purpose As Rosemount becomes more urbanized, it is particularly important to ensure that
residents have an opportunity to recreate outdoors and in open spaces to connect
with nature. The Parks and Open Space designation is intended to provide a wide
variety of recreational and open space opportunities from ball fields to nature
preserves.
Location Criteria Dispersed throughout the residential neighborhoods. Land that contains significant
or unique natural resources should be considered for open space preservation.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Varies per type of recreational opportunity. Community parks and outdoor
recreational complexes are encouraged to be located along collector streets and served
with municipal sewer and water, while neighborhood parks or mini-parks may only
require local street connections. Non-recreational open space may only require an
unimproved driveway to the site.
Utilities Municipal water and sanitary sewer are encouraged. Private well and septic systems
may be permitted for large parks or recreational centers that have the appropriate land
area.
Typical Uses Recreational open space; non-recreational open spaces such as nature preserves or
wildlife management areas; and public parks
Intensity
Appropriate Zoning P – Public and Institutional
Limited Secondary
Zoning
The zoning district of the adjacent residential neighborhood.
Floodplain (FP)
Purpose The intent of the Floodplain district is to regulate the land that is inundated during the
100 year flood event of the Mississippi River. It is in the public interest to limit the
uses within the floodplain to minimize property damage and public safety concerns
during flood events.
Location Criteria Within the 100 year flood elevation of the Mississippi River.
Min. Requirements
for Development
Development within the floodplain is limited to river dependent commercial
operations or the recreational use of the river.
Utilities Utilities are discouraged with the floodplain except for major transmission crossings.
Typical Uses Barge facilities, recreation facilities, accessory uses for businesses and residences (such
as parking lots, lawns, porches, and docks)
Density No residences are allowed within the floodplain
Appropriate Zoning FP – Floodplain
Limited Secondary
Zoning
None
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-33
SPECIAL PLANNING AREA CONSIDERATIONS
North Central Planning Area
• Keep area rural
• Need to plan for TR area to serve existing smaller lots
• Multi-jurisdictional planning with Eagan/IGH for roads, urban services, land use
compatibility
• How to develop large lot subdivisions
Southeast Planning Area
• Urban reserve for Rosemount, keep land in agriculture until development occurs
• Ordered extension of services
• Buffer between HI and future development
• How to keep integrated with rest of City
• Interim uses (event centers, solar, ag preserve, faming, etc.)
Downtown
• Continue past revitalization efforts
• Promote redevelopment in accordance with updated framework and market study
• Encourage opportunities for mixed use and housing
• Promote walkability and transit
Redevelopment Opportunities
• Promote development of underutilized sites
• Encourage investment in existing neighborhoods and commercial areas
OTHER PLANNING ISSUES (SUSTAINABILITY)
Specific Master Plans
• Encourage master planning to ensure consistency of design and compatibility with
surrounding neighborhoods.
Transit Station Area Plans
• Promote mixed use and higher densities around stations and stops
Design Standards
• Continue to promote high quality development that will stand the test of time
Interim Uses
• Plays a key role in providing economic return on property until development occurs.
Water Resource Planning
• See Water Chapters
STAGED DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT
Planning Considerations (from Met Council):
• Identify potential infrastructure impacts for 10-year increments
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-34
• Demonstrate that Rosemount can provide services and facilities necessary to serve growth
areas.
• Verify consistency with planned sewer flows.
• Demonstrate compliance with affordable housing need.
MAP 3.6: Development Staging (in 10-year increments)
TABLE 3.7: Development Staging – Residential Units
NATURAL RESOURCES
This section of the Land Use Plan addresses the management of the community’s environment and
natural resources. This plan makes the case for protecting environment and natural resources,
develops a context for establishing Rosemount’s environment and natural resource vision, provides
a generalized Natural Areas Assessment, recommends goals and objectives and concludes by
identifying tools and strategies to implement the community’s environment and natural resources
vision. The City completed a natural resources inventory in 2006, and this inventory continues to
serve as a tool for evaluating natural resources within the City.
Importance of Environmental and Natural Resources Protection
Minnesota in general, and Rosemount specifically, has an abundance of natural resources. Lakes,
rivers, wetlands, woodlands, prairies and bluffs define the area’s landscape and are the basis for why
we live, work and play in this community. These natural areas and their associated benefits
contribute to the community’s popularity and are a key factor its growth. However, this same
popularity and growth if not managed wisely could threaten many of these same natural features and
negatively impact the community’s overall quality of life. Managing the community’s growth in such
a way as to preserve, protect, and restore its environment and natural resources offers numerous
benefits including: increasing property values, supporting overall economic growth while reducing
our depends on foreign energy sources, providing low-cost storm water management and flood
control, supplying a purification system for drinking and surface water, providing habitat and
biological diversity, contributing to air purity, and creating a sense of place and identity for the
community.
Rosemount’s Environment and Natural Resource Vision
Rosemount’s vision describes the community’s environment and natural resource values and how
the community wants to utilize these resources as it grows. To assist local communities in the
developing their own unique vision, the Metropolitan Council established the overall goal of
“working with local and regional partners to conserve, protect and enhance the region’s vital natural
resources.” More commonly, residents may define their goals as clean air and water, parks and open
space, and the preservation of wildlife habitats and other natural features. Rosemount’s
environment and natural resource vision is mostly clearly identified in two of the community’s nine
over-arching goals, which are:
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-35
• Preserve natural resources and open space within the community and ensure development
does not adversely impact on-going agricultural uses until urban services are available.
• Promote use of renewable resources by creating sustainable development and building green.
With these two over-arching goals as a guide, this plan identifies five (5) specific environment and
natural resources goals to further define Rosemount’s natural resource vision. Two key challenges
to realizing this vision include balancing it with the community’s continued growth and development
and protecting natural systems that cross municipal, state and even national boundaries.
Rosemount’s Environment and Natural Resources Plan strives to use the community’s resources in
a sustainable way to promote economic development.
NATURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY
The natural resource inventory/assessment establishes the foundation for creating the environment
and natural resources plan. This assessment is broken into three sections: the community’s special
natural resource areas, key environmental resources, and a generalized inventory of existing natural
areas.
Special Natural Resource Areas
The Environment and Natural Resources section identifies two (2) special natural resource areas
within the City of Rosemount. These resources are the Mississippi National River Critical Area and
the Vermillion River Watershed. Each resource is described below.
Mississippi River Critical Area. The Mississippi River Critical Area was created in 1973
by the Minnesota State Legislature and encompasses 72 miles of the Mississippi River, four
miles of the Minnesota River and 54,000 acres of adjacent lands. The Area extends from the
communities of Dayton and Ramsey on the north to the southern boundary of Dakota
County on the west/south side of the river and the boundary with the Lower St. Croix
National Scenic Riverway on the east/north side of the river. The portion of the Critical
Area within Rosemount is located east of Highway 52 and north of Highway 55.
This special natural resource is governed by the Mississippi River Critical Area Program, a
joint local and state program that provides coordinated planning and management of this
area of recreational and statewide public interest. The Mississippi River Critical Area
Program works in partnership with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
(MNRRA), part of the National Park System.
In response to these programs, the City of Rosemount adopted a Critical Area Plan and
Ordinance in 1980. During the City’s 1998 Comprehensive Plan Update, the City replaced
the Critical Area Plan with its own MNRAA Plan. The MNRAA Plan is incorporated into
Rosemount’s Comprehensive Plan as Appendix B. The MNRAA Plan together with the
Critical Area Ordinance and the underlying zoning districts serve as the development
standards for the area. All three documents should be consulted when reviewing any
development proposal in the Mississippi River Critical Area.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-36
The Vermillion River Watershed. Watersheds are areas of land that drain to a body of
water such as a lake, river or wetland. The Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization
(JPO) encompasses the Minnesota, Mississippi and Vermillion River hydrological watersheds
and includes 335 square miles. It is the dominant watershed in the county containing 21
communities in Dakota and Scott Counties; 90% of the area is agricultural but rapid urban
development is occurring in the upstream reaches.
The Vermillion River has 45.5 miles of designated trout stream. The major environmental
issues associated with this feature include storm water runoff quality and quantity and trout
habitat protection. According to Trout Unlimited, the Vermilion River is the only world
class trout stream within a major metropolitan area in the United States. In the spring 2006,
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Twin Cities chapter of Trout
Unlimited completed a survey of the trout population in the Vermillion River and found the
number of trout hatched was higher than in previous years. It is the intent of this plan that
the City should work with the JPO and other interested stakeholders to protect this unique
natural resources area.
Key Environmental Resources
This plan identifies two (2) key environmental resources within the community including surface
water and open space. These resources are major environmental systems that extend throughout the
community. As such, these resources are both effected by and have an effect upon environmental
resources within and beyond the City limits. Additional resources worthy of consideration in this
section include woodlands, prairies, soils and bluff areas.
Surface Water (Lakes, Streams and Wetlands) Management. Rosemount’s surface
water management plan includes both the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan
and the Comprehensive Wetland Management Plan.
The Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan includes the layout of the trunk storm
sewer system and ponding areas for the entire City. The ponding areas have been designed
with a regional approach in order to control run-off and minimize flooding. The general
objectives of the plan are to reduce the extent of public capital expenditures necessary to
control excessive volumes and rates of run-off, to prevent flooding, and to improve water
quality.
The Comprehensive Wetland Management Plan was originally adopted in 1998 and
subsequently amended in both 1999 and 2005. This plan includes an ordinance that outlines
the use of lawn and garden chemicals and buffer zones around wetlands and their effect on
groundwater recharge. Use of the plan’s provisions will maximize the benefit that surface
waters can provide to Rosemount residents. The plan also includes an inventory and
assessment of wetlands in Rosemount.
Open Space. Residents often cite open space as one of Rosemount’s most important and
desirable characteristics. Open space consists of undeveloped sites that do not qualify as
natural areas (see Natural Areas Inventory below), but still provide habitat, scenery and other
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-37
community benefits. Examples of open spaces include farm fields, golf courses, utility
corridors, woodlots and simple view sheds with no developments or parkland. The
community’s open spaces are significant resources worthy of preservation. Several potential
methods for protecting the community’s open spaces are outlined in the Implementation
Tools and Strategies section below.
Natural Areas Inventory
In 2006, the City retained the consulting firm of Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. (HKGi) to
inventory the community’s natural areas. This inventory consolidated natural areas into three
categories: Highest Priority, Lower Priority, and Other Natural and Greenway Planning Efforts.
These three categories are characterized below and illustrated on the attached Natural Areas map.
This map and its associated data are intended to serve as a resource for the City to identify natural
areas to be preserved, protected or restored during the development process. Additional
information about this map, including landownership data and the criteria used to classify an area as
either highest or lower priority, may be obtained from the City’s GIS Department.
• Highest Priority. The Highest Priority classification are areas that are the most important
water quality and habitat resources in the City. This classification includes six (6) items:
open water; wetlands; seventy-five (75) foot buffer around open water and wetlands; land
within the 100 and 500 year floodplains; Natural Community Land (as identified by the
Minnesota County Biological Survey); and Natural/Semi-Natural land cover (including at
least one of the following: land with native vegetation; presence or habitat for a state
endangered or threaten animal or plant; or land within 300 feet of a lake, stream, or water
body).
• Lower Priority. The Lower Priority classification areas are natural areas that have habitat
and water quality value but have experienced some disturbance or are dominated by non-
native species. Lower Priority areas includes three (3) items: Natural/Semi-Natural land
that does not meet the criteria outlined in the High Priority category; land having man-made
impervious surface of less than twenty-five (25) percent and at least fifty (50) acres in size;
and areas of significant tree cover (as identified by the City’s Parks and Recreation staff).
• Other Natural Area and Greenway Planning Efforts. This category includes three
proposed greenway or trail locations: the Mississippi River Greenway, the Northern Dakota
County Greenway and the Rosemount Interpretive Corridor. The City should work with
landowners, adjacent cities and Dakota County to implement these greenways.
According to the American Planning Association’s Planning and Urban Design Standards,
Greenways are lands set aside for preservation of natural resources, open space and visual
aesthetic/buffering. Greenways also provide passive-use opportunities, most often in the
form of trails and occasionally nature centers. The key focus is on protecting ecological
resources and providing wildlife corridors. In the broadest application, greenways form a
network of interconnected natural areas throughout a community. They function as part of
a borderless system that links together parks, natural open space and trail corridors.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-38
• Future/Expanded Natural Areas Inventory. The 2006 Natural Areas Assessment and
associated map represent a good generalized inventory of the community’s environment and
natural resources. However, a goal of this plan should be to expand on this inventory to
include additional resources both within and outside Rosemount. An expanded assessment
should work to identify additional important resources, classify criteria for ranking important
resources, and categorize criteria to create a priority map. Additional important resource
could include any of the following nine items: open space/recreation opportunities, bluff
areas and slopes, soils (including aggregate), ground water, wildlife/endangered species,
woodland/forested areas, non-woody upland vegetation, solar, and wind.
[ MAP 3.7: Natural Resources ]
NATURAL RESOURCES PLAN
The plan section outlines five (5) environment and natural resources goals and their associated
objectives. It also identifies tools and strategies to help implement the community’s vision, goals
and objectives.
Goals and Objectives
1) Preserve, protect and restore the natural environment with emphasis on the conservation of
needed and useful natural resources for the present and future benefit of the community.
a. Protect wetlands the natural resources identified in the Natural Resource Assessment
from environmentally insensitive development.
b. Establish an Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) to advise the City Council on
environment and natural resource issues.
c. Encourage and support tree planting and restoration efforts especially plantings of
native, non-invasive species.
d. Work with development and redevelopment to reduce the use of non-renewable
resources and to reduce pollution.
e. Identify methods to quantify and reduce the community’s Carbon Footprint.
2) Utilize natural resource areas to provide an overall open space system that satisfies the
physiological and psychological needs of both individuals and the community.
a. Expand the Natural Resources Assessment to identify additional important resources,
classify criteria for ranking important resources, and categorize criteria to update the
priority map.
b. Connect and coordinate existing natural resources areas through a continuous greenway
network creating a more ecological system of open space.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-39
c. Encourage through development incentives, the preservation and management of all
natural resource amenities.
d. Develop partnerships with non-profit or private organizations, neighborhood groups or
other interested parties for the purpose of acquiring targeted open spaces.
e. Support the construction of soft, permeable, low impact trail in natural areas when
feasible.
3) Create a livable community where future development respects and integrates the natural,
cultural, and historic resources of the community while maintaining or enhancing economic
opportunity and community well-being.
a. Study the development of “Clean Industry” such as biofuel/biomass, solar, and wind
energy production.
b. Use natural resource open space to physically separate uses which are incompatible by
scale or function.
c. Conduct a sustainability audit to identify and develop how the City can enhance livability
through sustainable practices.
d. Promote environmentally friendly design standards such as Active Living, Smart
Growth, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the like.
e. Study the feasibility and economic viability of creating a Green Fleet of City vehicles.
4) Encourage activities that reduce the consumption of finite resources and ensure there are
opportunities to re-use or recycle natural resources.
a. Encourage activities that conserve energy and result in less/no pollution output such as
waste reduction, alternative transportation modes, alternative energy sources and
composting.
b. Encourage and support sustainable farming practices including Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s “Best Management
Practices” for specific crops.
c. Encourage limited and responsible use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers on
residential and public lands.
d. Reduce the waste stream and create a sustainable environment by continuing to provide
and encourage curbside recycling of reusable waste materials through educational events,
promotional materials and volunteer efforts.
e. Reduce City government’s use of scarce and non-renewable resources and actively
support similar efforts throughout the community.
5) Work with federal, state, regional, and local governments as well as with resident groups and
nonprofit organizations to protect natural resources both within and around the City of
Rosemount.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-40
a. Continue implementation of the Mississippi River Recreation Area (MNRRA) plan.
b. Support and encourage community efforts in environmental awareness, education and
stewardship.
c. Establish and maintain conservation areas for wildlife management and education and
scientific purposes.
d. Work with Dakota County Technical College and the University of Minnesota at UMore
Park to promote environmental education.
e. Promote the extension of natural resource corridors into adjacent jurisdiction.
Implementation Tools and Strategies
The environment and natural resources implementation tools and strategies are divided into eight (8)
categories, each of which is detailed below. These are intended to provide examples of tactics to
realize this plan. Each category should be reviewed and implemented in compliance with this plan.
1) Advisory Committee Establishment. The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
has been established by the City to serve as an advisory board to the City Council on
environment and natural resource issues. The EAC reviews certain land use and
development proposals and recommends policies, ordinances, and procedures to enhance
the City’s environment and natural resources. The EAC also provides direction regarding
creation of greenways, protection of cultural and ecological assets within the community and
guidance concerning community-wide education programs. The City Council appoints
members of the EAC from residents, members of existing advisory boards or the City
Council.
2) Future/Expanded Natural Areas Assessment. An expanded assessment should work to
identify additional important resources, classify criteria for ranking important resources, and
categorize criteria to update the priority map. Additional important resources could include
any of the following nine items: open space/recreation opportunities, bluff areas and slopes,
soils (including aggregate), ground water, wildlife/endangered species, woodland/forested
areas, non-woody upland vegetation, solar and wind.
3) Economic Development. Natural Resources are a vital component of economic activity.
Uses for natural resources range from raw materials for industrial activity to environments
for active and passive recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists. Balancing
environmental needs with economic growth is a vital component of environment and
natural resource planning. One strategy to attempt this would be to promote the
development of “Clean Industry” or “Green Collar” jobs including biomass/biofuel, solar,
and wind production. Development of these industries could serve to compliment and
diversify Rosemount’s existing agriculture and fuel refining industries.
4) Design Guidelines. Design guidelines are supplementary documents that further define
the community’s vision by identifying desired elements for a given development topic or
special planning area. For example, Rosemount has already developed design guidelines to
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-41
help direct the redevelopment of Downtown. Other development topics or special planning
areas to consider include: Energy-Efficient Development, Green Infrastructure, LEED -
ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Design), State of
Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines, Growth Management, Smart Growth and Active
Living. Once guidelines are developed they could be used to create specific zoning
standards (see Ordinance Development below). While Active Living policies are further
defined in Appendix A, the City should study development of these other tools as part of
comprehensive plan implementation.
5) Ordinance Development. To date, the City of Rosemount has created several ordinances
to implement the community’s environment and natural resources vision. These ordinances
include: Agriculture Preserve, Shoreland Management, Floodplain, Tree Protection, Wetland
Protection and Individual Sewage Treatment ordinances. Additional items for the City to
research and consider include: Open-Space Preservation or Clustering, Wellhead Protection,
Aggregate Resources Protection and Natural Resource Overlay Ordinances (see Minnesota
Environmental Quality Board Model Ordinance).
6) Open Space Preservation. The rationale for creating open space or cluster standards is to
guide development to preserve contiguous open space and protect natural resources that
would otherwise be lost through the typical development process. Examples of these zoning
techniques include: Conservation Easements, Transfer of Development Rights, Purchase of
Development Rights, Preferential Taxation, Property Acquisition and Land Banking. The
intent of these methods is not to alter the overall density of a project but rather to transfer
density from desired preservation areas to other developable areas. The result being that
private property owners are granted reasonable economic use of their property without
adversely impacting the natural or open space resources desired by the community as a
whole.
7) Education Outreach. Education outreach is an essential yet often underutilized
component of environment and natural resource planning. While environmental issues have
become more mainstream, many people do not realize how their daily personal habits impact
the environment. To this end, the City should develop educational materials and resources
for residents in the areas of composting, recycling, landscaping, energy use, personal
consumption and other conservation issues. In addition, the City should develop
partnerships with organizations whose mission is to educate the public about environmental
protection and natural resource management. Potential partners and resources for these two
strategies include the Department of Natural Resources, Friends of the Mississippi River, the
Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Sustainable Communities Network, the University of
Minnesota (U More Park), Dakota County Technical College, Home Owners’ Associations
and District 196 schools as well as the Environmental (Zoo) School.
8) Intergovernmental Cooperation. Environmental resources span across local, state and
international boundaries. Examples of this include the Mississippi River which runs through
Rosemount to several other states and into the Gulf of Mexico or the air pollution produce
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-42
by Rosemount residents and industry which flows into the surrounding region. While
Rosemount’s impact on the world’s water and air resources is relatively small, these examples
serve to illustrate the interconnection between local decisions and global environmental
resources. As a result, the City of Rosemount should develop partnerships with others
(local, regional, state, national and international) groups and agencies committed to
environmental and natural resource preservation, protection and restoration.
SPECIAL RESOURCE PROTECTION
HISTORIC SITES
The City of Rosemount does not have any nationally or locally designated historic sites. Historic
resources include
• Downtown - several buildings
• UMore – Historic activities at the conclusion of WWII
• Residential buildings primarily west of downtown
• Historic farmsteads
• Eastern industrial area
Redevelopment
The City of Rosemount has over 150 years of history and, as a result, there are many properties
within the City that have been impacted by previous development. Downtown Rosemount, the
South Robert Trail corridor, UMore Park (the former Gopher Ordnance Works), and the industrial
east side are all areas that have fifty or more years of development history. Abandoned and
demolished buildings, former dump sites, and other environmental concerns exist in these areas. It
is in the public interest to address, clean up, and redevelop these areas instead of ignoring them and
developing only farm fields and vacant sites.
The City, in cooperation with other government agencies, has an interest in seeing that the sites with
environmental concerns are addressed and redeveloped into their full potential. The redevelopment
of these properties not only eliminates the environmental concerns from worsening in the future,
but also adds tax base, employment opportunities, and housing to the community. The City will
work with the other governmental agencies to assist land owners in redeveloping their properties
that have environmental issues.
SOLAR ENERGY
Minnesota Statutes Section 473.859, Subdivision 2, requires that local governments in the
Metropolitan Area include an element for protection and development of access to direct sunlight
for solar energy systems in the Comprehensive Plan. The rationale for including a solar access
protection element in the Comprehensive Plan is to assure the availability of direct sunlight to solar
energy systems. According to the Metropolitan Council, “a major share of energy consumed in
Minnesota is used for purposes that solar energy could well serve such as space heating and cooling,
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 – Land Use
DRAFT 9/11/18 3-43
domestic hot water heating and low-temperature industrial processes. Collection of solar energy
requires protection of a solar collector’s skyspace. Solar skyspace is the portion of the sky that must
be free of intervening trees or structures for a collector to receive unobstructed sunlight.” According
to the Minnesota
Energy Agency, “simple flatplate collectors have the potential to supply one half of Minnesota’s
space heating, cooling, water heating and low-temperature industrial process heat requirements.”
The City will take the following measures to ensure protection of solar access where appropriate:
• Within Planned Unit Developments, the City will consider varying setback requirements in
residential zoning districts, as a means of protecting solar access.
• The City will encourage the use of solar energy and other systems using renewable energy in
new public buildings
SOLAR MAPS/EXHIBITS
.AGRICULTURAL PRESERVES
Agricultural Preserves Program
• Section to include information concerning expiration dates for properties in program and
uses after expiration.
• The City will guide land within the preserves program with a minimum density of one
dwelling unit per 40 on future land use map. The City has created a separate land use
category for these properties and will be monitoring these sites in the future.
MAP 3.9: Agriculture Preserves Land
AGGREGATE RESOURCES
Identify areas with within the community are rich in aggregate resources and describe the issues
unique to this area.
MAP 3.10: Aggregate Resources Map (Overlaid with Future Land Use Map)
Section Elements
• Address and minimize potential land use conflicts
• Identify planning and regulatory measures to ensure that aggregate resources are extracted
prior to urbanization of aggregate-rich sites
MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRITICAL AREA CORRIDOR
[ See Separate Section ]
Proposed 2040 Land Use Plan
MUSA Year Boundary20302040Future 2040 +
Proposed Land UseAG AgricultureFP FloodplainDT DowntownNC Neighborhood Commercial
RC Regional CommercialCC Community CommercialAGR Agricultural ResearchRR Rural ResidentialLDR Low Density Residential
TR Transitional ResidentialMDR Medium Density ResidentialHDR High Density ResidentialPI Public/InstitutionalPO Existing Parks/Open Space
BP Business ParkLI Light IndustrialGI General IndustrialWM Waste Management
MXD: T:\Project\CommDev\CompPlan\2018Update\CompPlan_ProposedLandUse.mxd PDF: I:\GIS\Map_Library\CommDev\CompPlan\2018Update\CompPlan_ProposedLandUse11x17.pdf Map Date: July 2018 Last Approved: January 14, 2016
0 10.5 MileE
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-1
CHAPTER 5 : HOUSING
HOUSING SUMMARY
ROSEMOUNT HOUSING CHAR ACTERISTICS
The type of housing available within Rosemount and its distribution throughout the community is
closely tied to its history, first as a small railroad community founded over 150’s years ago, through
the early part of the 20th century as a growing community on the outskirts of the Twin Cities
metropolitan area, to its more recent position as fast growing suburb within the larger metropolitan
region. In accordance with these historical growth patterns, housing in Rosemount is generally
distributed as follows:
Older, pre-1940’s neighborhoods that were built adjacent to downtown and that follow a
rigid grid street system west of South Robert Trail and located to the north and south of
145th Street West. The City has seen several redevelopment projects in the past 10 years that
have brought new mixed-use development and higher densities in to the downtown area.
Post war construction in the 1950’s up though the 1980’s and the creation of new
neighborhoods further to the west, southwest, and northwest of downtown. These
neighborhoods were dominated by single family homes that generally followed the pre-war
grid pattern of the City’s historic downtown, but that became more curvilinear as
development pushed outward. In the latter part of this era, the City began to see an increase
in townhouse and other attached dwelling units.
Continued outward expansion mostly north of Connemara Trail and south of 156th Street
and eventually east of downtown from the 1990’s to the present. There was a significant
increase in housing during this time frame, particularly between 1999 through 2005, during
which the City added nearly 400 new housing each year. Townhouses and multi-family units
accounted for roughly half of the housing during this growth period; however, starting in
2009, townhouse and multifamily construction significantly diminished until recently.
Agricultural and rural development areas outside of the City’s urban growth areas, including
rural large-lot development in the northern part of the City and farmlands east of Akron
Avenue. A majority of these areas are within the City’s planned urban service area or within
the Metropolitan Council’s urban reserve.
Like other communities within the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, the economic downturn of the
late 2000’s had a significant impact on the pace of residential construction in Rosemount. In 2011,
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-2
Rosemount issued permits for 53 new residential units, down from the peak of 551 new units in
2004. Over the past four years, the City has seen an increase in residential building, with an average
of 168 new units each year over this time period. Any excess inventory associated with the
downturn appears to have been long-since absorbed by the market, and much of the vacant or
agricultural land north of Highway 42 along Akron Avenue and north of Bonnaire Path and east of
Akron Avenue has been subdivided for residential homes. For purposes of future planning, the City
is estimating that there are approximately 500 acres that are guided for residential development and
vacant as of 2018 north of Highway 42 and east of Akron Avenue. This land is not sufficient to
meet the expected demand for housing over the time frame of the Plan; therefore, the City is
planning for residential construction within two new development areas: the University of
Minnesota property known as UMore Park and the area south of Highway 42 and east of Highway
52.
From 2010 to 2018 Rosemount has grown by 11%, which represents a modest rate of growth, but
not anywhere near as rapid as the growth experienced in the preceding decade. Consistent with the
Met Council’s regional projections, Rosemount expects to average 200 to 300 new housing units
each year through 2030, with the potential for additional units depending on the timing of the
UMore development. As noted in the Land Use Chapter, housing units within UMore are bring
tracked separately for purposes of estimating the City’s future household and population growth.
Table 5.1 – Population and Household Growth 2010-2018
Year Population Households
2010 21,874 7,587
2011 22,139 7,666
2012 22,384 7,739
2013 22,605 7,821
2014 22,490 7,852
2015 23,042 8,095
2016 23,559 8,296
2017 23,965 8,455
Within the past 10 years, the City has seen a large number of senior apartments being built, and
expects the demand for senior housing to remain strong as an aging population looks to stay within
the community.
EXISTING HOUSING NEE DS
HOUSING UNITS
In 2000, Rosemount was predominately a community of single family homes, with small areas
devoted to townhouses, smaller apartment buildings near 145th Street and Dodd Boulevard, and
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-3
senior apartment buildings in Downtown. In the early part of the 2000’s through latter part of this
decade, the City experienced near equal construction of single family and multiple family housing,
and saw townhouses constructed in the Bloomfield neighborhood, along Chippendale Avenue south
of County Road 42, and with ½ mile of the intersection of Connemara Trail and South Robert Trail
with some high density housing consisting of the two 55-unit apartments of Bard’s Crossing.
Starting in 2008, townhouse and apartment construction in Rosemount came decreased substantially
while the number of new single family homes built each year remained fairly consistent, albeit at a
slightly lower level than earlier in the decade. The City also saw a general trend with approved
medium and higher density projects being amended for lower densities. Over the last four years.
Townhouse and apartment activity has picked up substantially, including projects such as the Dakota
County CDA Prestwick Townhomes workforce housing, St. Croix Homebuilders infill project near
the Chippendale water tower, continued development of townhouses and multi-family within
Harmony, and the 225-unit Rosemount Crossing multi-building apartment development
immediately east of Downtown.
During the latter part of the 2000’s the City received several requests to lower approved project
densities within approved developments. With the recent insurgence of demand for apartments and
multi-family housing, the City recognizes the need to plan for new areas for higher density housing
to ensure that there is adequate room to accommodate these uses in the future and to clearly identify
such sites early in the planning process.
Table 5.2 – Type of Housing
1990 2000 2010 2017
Single Family
Detached
2,133 3,592 5,248 5,764
Townhomes 168 714 1,428 1,518
Duplex. Triplex and
Quad
101 66 76 84
Multifamily (5 or
more units)
243 306 920 1,072
Manufactured Home 197 165 181 175
Other (Boat, RV, Etc.) 24 0 0 0
Total 2,866 4,843 7,853 8,613
In 1990, over 81% of the City housing consisted of single family detached dwellings; however, this
percentage has been decreasing each decade since and as of 2017 stands at 69% of the overall
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-4
number of units in the community. Since 2010, the mix between single family and multi-family units
has remained fairly constant, with roughly 1/3 of all units multi-family.
Table 5.3 – Type of Housing by Percentage
Year Single Family Units Multi-Family Units (Including
Duplex and Townhomes)
1990 81.3% 17.9%
2000 77.6% 22.4%
2010 69.1% 30.9%
2017 69.0% 31.0%
BUILDING PERMITS
Data from the City’s building department illustrates the long range construction trends in the
community, and further helps describes the timing and allocation of different housing types. The
chart below clearly illustrates the housing boom in the 2000’s, the severe downturn in 2009, and the
recent period of recovery back to pre-recession levels.
Table 5.4 – Number of Building Permits by Year 1980-2017
HOUSING AFFORDABILIT Y
The Area Median Income (AMI) is the midpoint of a region’s income distribution: half of
households in a region earn more than the median and half earn less than the median. For housing
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
SF
TH
MF
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-5
policy, income thresholds set relative to the area median income, for instance, 50% of the area
median income, to determine the affordability of a given unit. To help determine the relative need
for housing within the City of Rosemount, the City is required to document the amount of housing
that is affordable across various income thresholds.
In 2016, the Met Council estimated that there were 8,469 housing units in Rosemount, and of those
units 1,073, or 12.7%, were considered affordable (units affordable to households with low incomes
(below 50% of AMI). A full breakdown of these estimates for three income thresholds is included
in the following chart:
Table 5.5 – Existing Affordable Housing Units 2016
Household Income Number of Units Percentage of Units
At or Below 30% of AMI 360 4.3%
31% to 50% of AMI 713 8.4%
51% to 80% of AMI 3,317 39.2%
Units at or Below 80% AMI 4,390 51.9%
Total Housing Units 8,469 100%
Another way to look at housing affordability is to examine the number of households that utilize a
large share share of their income for housing. A residence is generally considered affordable when a
household spends less than 30% of their gross income on housing. If it is spending more than this
amount on housing, it is considered a housing cost burden. The Metropolitan Council has estimated
that within the income ranges documented in this plan (up to 80% of AMI), there were 1,600
housing cost-burdened household in Rosemount as of 2016. The full breakdown of these
households is as follows:
Table 5.6 – Housing Cost-Burdened Households in 2016
Household Income Number of
Households
Percentage of
Households
At or Below 30% of AMI 359 4.2%
31% to 50% of AMI 612 7.2%
51% to 80% of AMI 629 7.4%
HH at or Below 80% AMI 1,600 18.9%
Total Households 8,469 100%
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-6
As of 2016, the Met Council has estimated that there are 299 publicly subsidized housing units in
Rosemount, which includes 44 subsidized senior units and none that are subsidized for people with
disabilities.
- Identify households eligible to live in income-restricted housing units and the affordability of
housing units to low-income households.
HOUSING TENURE AND TYPE
Tenure is a term to describe the difference between a house that the owner resides in and a house
that the owner rents to another family. Overall in Rosemount 84% of housing units are owner-
occupied while just over 14% are renter-occupied. Over the last two decades, the rate of ownership
has decreased slightly, primarily due the increased number of multi-family units that have been built
in relation to single family homes. Throughout Dakota County, in communities that area considered
“growth communities” 77% of multi-family housing is rental. Single family homes in these
communities are primarily owner-occupied, with slightly more than 93% in this category.
Table 5.7 – Housing Tenure and Vacancy
Type 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2016 %
Owner
Occupied
2243 78.3% 4188 86.4% 6639 84.5% 6888 83.9%
Renter
Occupied
536 18.7% 554 11.4% 948 12.1% 1185 14.4%
Vacant 87 3.0% 103 2.1% 266 3.4% 141 1.7%
Total 2866 - 4845 - 7853 - 8214 -
The City of Rosemount’s tenure by housing type is projected to be single family homes consisting of
93% ownership and 7% rental, and multiple family homes consisting of 25% ownership and 75%
rental.
Table 5.8 – Tenure by Type of Community 2011
Rental Home Ownership
Housing Type Dakota County Growth
Communities
Dakota County Growth
Communities
Single Family 7.5% 6.8% 92.5% 93.2%
Multiple Family 81.6% 77.0% 18.4% 23.0%
*Source: Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for Dakota County (2013)
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-7
MAP - Number of rental housing units (geographic distribution)
SENIOR HOUSING
In 2006, Rosemount had 470 senior focused units, ranging from the two 55- unit four story
buildings of Bard’s Crossing to the 150 detached townhouses units of Evermoor Crosscroft. Since
this time the City added two larger senior housing in the downtown area consisting of the Cambria
Commons and Rosemount Senior Living projects to bring the total number of senior units up to
622. 104 of these units are owned by the Dakota County Community Development Agency as
affordable senior housing. Additional senior-focused units have been proposed in the Prestwick
Place neighborhood, but have not yet been constructed.
Table 5.9 – Location of Senior Housing
Name Location Number of
Units
Bard’s Crossing SW Corner of Connemara Trail and S. Robert
Trail
110
Evermoor Crosscroft Connemara Trail and Evermoor Parkway 150
Harmony Senior Housing1 NE Corner of Connemara Trail and S. Robert Trail 60
Rosemount Plaza 145th Street and Burma Avenue 21
Rosemount Plaza 2nd Add. 146th Street and Burma Avenue 39
Cameo Place Cameo between 146th and 147th 44
Wachter Lake Chippendale Avenue south of 150th 46
Cambria Commons Lower 147th Street and South Robert Trail 60
Rosemount Senior Living South Robert Trail and 143rd Street West 92
Rosemount expects additional senior units to be constructed in the future as the baby boomers
retire and current Rosemount residents age.
CONDITION AND AGE OF HOUSING STOCK
Due to the significant growth that has occurred over the last three decades, the majority of the
housing stock within Rosemount is relatively new. A little less than 20% of Rosemount’s housing
stock is over 35 years old, the age at which major maintenance efforts need to take place such as
furnace or roof replacements. This percentage has been increasing in recent years, and the total
number of homes over 35 years old is expected to double over the next 10 years. The City will need
to monitor carefully the condition of the aging housing stock to ensure that it is maintained.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-8
Table 5.10 – Age of Housing Stock
Number Percent
2010 – 2014 359 4.4%
2000 – 2009 3,073 37.4%
1990 – 1999 2,140 26.1%
1980 – 1989 1,110 13.5%
1970 – 1979 611 7.4%
1960 – 1969 567 6.9%
Before 1960 354 4.3%
*Source: 2016 ACS
HOUSING NEED ANALYSIS
Rosemount will continue to be a community is predominately comprised on single-family detached
homes consistent with its regional designation as part of the “Emerging Suburban Edge” with the
Twin Cities Metropolitan area. Housing affordability continues to be a concern, especially for those
households with incomes well below the average median incomes. With an aging population, the
City will also need to plan for ways to provide for “aging in place” to allow residents who wish to
continue living in Rosemount to continue to do so as they get older and their housing needs change.
As the City’s supply of land readily available for development steadily declines, new growth will need
to be directed into new areas that are farther from existing services, including the UMore property
and the agricultural land east of Highway 52.
Some of the potential barriers for addressing these needs include the following:
Ensuring that there is enough land available to support the City’s housing needs will become
more difficult the supply of land near urban services is developed. Flint Hills continues to
acquire land for a buffer around its facility, and some of the property it has acquired is
located on land guided for urban residential development.
Land and development costs can make it difficult for builders to construct housing, and
especially single family homes, that are affordable. These costs are expected to continue to
increase, especially as developable land becomes scarcer.
New development areas within UMore and east of Highway 52 will require major service
extensions and will require coordination between several land owners and the City.
Siting multi-family housing in existing neighborhood or rezoning existing developed areas
for higher density housing can lead to neighborhood opposition or infrastructure capacity
issues when higher densities were not included with approved development plans. The
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-9
City’s land use plan identifies locations suitable for higher density housing and will
encourage these areas to be considered with specific development plans.
The demand for certain types of housing has varied considerably in the past, and future
housing construction will be subject to the current market conditions.
HOUSING ON INDIVIDUA L SEPTIC SYSTEMS
There are approximately 575 homes in Rosemount that are on their own individual septic system.
Predominantly, these homes are located in the rural residential area in northwest Rosemount. Most
of the rural residential area has lots that are 2.5 acres or larger, but there are a number of lots that are
less than one acre in size. The 2.5 acre plus lots are large enough to provide multiple drain fields
should any one system fail, but the lots less than one acre would have difficulty locating a secondary
drain field should their existing septic system fail. The City would assist the neighborhoods with less
than one acre lots to hook onto a municipal system should the neighborhood request the assistance.
New rural residential housing on well and septic systems will be limited to the areas designated for
rural residential development in the northwest part of the City.
PROJECTED HOUSING NE ED
HOUSING PROJECTIONS
The Metropolitan (Met) Council projects that Rosemount will construct 2,300 additional housing
units between 2020 and 2030, and that it will add another 2,400 units in the subsequent decade.
Table 5.11 Household Projections
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
Households 2,779 4,742 7,587 9,300 11,600 14,000
New HH 1,323 1,945 2,845 1,713 2,300 2,400
In 2013, the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) hired Maxfield Research to
create a Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for all of Dakota County. The Maxfield
Research findings for Rosemount are provided on Table 5.12. These projections show an increasing
percentage of multiple family homes over the next 20 years. This trend is consistent with the
observation that communities develop with more density as they grow and land becomes more
valuable. These Maxfield projections are used to construct the projected housing demand within
Rosemount through 2030.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-10
Table 5.12 Housing Growth Projections
Dakota County Community Development Agency1 Met Council2
Single Family Multiple Family Total Total
Number Percent Number Percent Number
2000-2010 1,850-1,950* 54% 1,515-1,680* 46% 3,365-3,630 2,845
2010-2020 1,280-1,301 60% 865-883 40% 2,145-2,184 1,713
2020-2030 4,400-4,527 85% 780-820 15% 5,180-5,347 2,300
2000-2030 7,530-7778 70% 3,160-2883 30% 10,690-11,161 8,958
* From 2005 Housing Needs Study
Rosemount expects to construct 7,303 new housing units between 2018 and 2040. The breakout of
these units by land use type is 3,028 low density (single family) units; 2,477 medium density
(townhouse) units; and 1,798 multi-family (apartment) units. The term “apartment” is used generally
to apply to all multiple story residential buildings regardless of rental apartment units or ownership
condominiums. The information on Table 5.13 will be used within the Land Use Element to
determine the proper location of these additional housing units.
Table 5.13 – Additional Housing Units
Low Density Medium Density High Density Total
2018-2020 375 150 200 725
2020-2030 1,740 1,369 1,040 4,874
2030-2040 913 958 558 2,429
2008-2040 3,028 2,477 1,798 7,303
AFFORDABLE HOUSING A LLOCATION
To fulfill the requirements of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, the Metropolitan Council
allocates the number of affordable housing units each community needs to plan for in order to
address their share of the regional need for affordable housing units. The full methodology for that
was used for determining Rosemount’s allocation may be found in the Met Council’s Thrive MSP
2040 Housing Policy Document.
In terms of fulfilling Rosemount’s regional obligations for affordable housing, the Metropolitan
Council’s allocation of affordable units within Rosemount for the 2020-2030 timeframe is 783
housing units. This definition translates into a home purchase price of $236,000 (or less), or a rental
housing opportunity of $1,627/month (or less) for a two-bedroom unit (as of 2017). If Rosemount
would like to retain and attract younger residents and families, it is critical to encourage greater
affordability within the future housing stock as well as provide options for rental housing.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-11
Table 5.14 Rosemount Affordable Housing Need Allocation
Affordable Housing Need Allocation
At or Below 30% AMI 397
From 31 to 50% AMI 215
From 51 to 80% AMI 171
Total Units 783
In order to meet its obligation for affordable housing, Rosemount has guided land at densities
consistent with the Met Council guidelines for providing such housing, which includes:
12 units/acre to address the allocation of affordable housing need at <50% AMI. This
combines the allocation at <30% AMI and 31-50% AMI.
6 units/acre to address the allocation of affordable housing need at 51-80% AMI.
The table below is derived from the projections in Table 5.13, and has been calculated based on the
amount of vacant or undeveloped land within the 2030 MUSA boundary for Rosemount and uses
the low end of the projected density range for each land use category. The high density number
assumes that 13 acres (25% of the land area) in downtown may be redeveloped for high density
housing at 20 units per acre consistent with the City’s minimum density requirement for the DT
land use category.
Table 5.15 Affordable Housing Capacity
Total Undeveloped
Area (2020-2030)
Projected Number (At
Minimum Densities)
20 units Per Acre (DT) 12.9 258
12 Units Per Acre (HDR) 62 744
6 Units Per Acre (MDR) 217 1,302
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-12
The above chart illustrates that the City of Rosemount has the capacity to provide 1,002 units at
densities above 12 units per acre, which exceeds the City’s obligation of 612 units at <50% AMI.
The potential for 1,302 units at 6 units per acre also exceeds the City’s obligation for 171 units at 51-
80% AMI.
HOUSING GOALS AND PO LICIES
1. Design subdivisions to create distinct neighborhoods that are part of the greater
Rosemount community.
A. Facilitate neighborhood planning for improvements which reinforce neighborhood
unity, safety, and identity.
B. Natural corridors or buffer yards shall be utilized to maximize the use of existing
landforms, open space, and vegetation to enhance neighborhood identity and integrity.
C. All transitional residential areas shall provide a unique urban/rural character with a
mixture of housing types, but with a relatively low average net density of 2.0 dwelling units per acre,
with a lower density along areas guided for rural residential use.
D. Encourage the use of planned unit developments to protect and enhance natural
features, open space, and to provide appropriate neighborhood transitions.
E. Ensure connections between neighborhoods through natural and the built
environment to maintain a greater sense of community.
2. Provide recreational opportunities within and between neighborhoods.
A. Implement the Parks System Plan when locating parks and recreational facilities
within neighborhoods.
B. Incorporate pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods with sidewalks and trails as important
design elements.
C. Provide pedestrian and recreational trail connections with the adjacent land uses.
D. Trails shall be planned to connect public areas and create pedestrian pathways within
natural corridors.
E. Design medium density housing with private amenities and open space for the
residents of the medium density housing.
3. Design neighborhoods to incorporate the existing environment and natural
resources.
A. Streets shall be designed to follow the natural contour of the property and shall
provide necessary vehicle connections throughout the geographic area.
B. Steep slopes shall be protected from development.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-13
C. Development near wetlands and woodlands shall follow the Wetland Management
Plan and Tree Preservation Ordinance to ensure their preservation/protection and incorporation
into the natural landscape design of each development.
D. Clustering of housing units shall be designed into planned unit developments and the
transitional residential area to conserve the land’s natural resources.
4. Provide a mixture of rental and home ownership opportunities to provide life cycle
housing.
A. Encourage the construction of a variety of single family home sizes and styles to
increase home ownership opportunities.
B. Encourage the development of owner occupied and rental medium density housing.
C. Provide ownership opportunities for seniors with access to transit and
public/institutional facilities.
D. Provide rental opportunities for young adults and recent college graduates returning
to Rosemount.
E. Provide an opportunity for student housing near Dakota County Technical College.
5. Locate the different housing styles within the appropriate areas.
A. Identify areas in the plan for multi-family housing to clearly communicate City’s plan
for these areas and preserve land for higher density housing where it can be best integrated with the
surrounding development.
B. Disperse medium density residential throughout the community to avoid entire
neighborhoods of densities greater than 4 units per acre.
C. Disperse high density residential in appropriate areas throughout the community to
provide mixed residential density neighborhoods and lifecycle housing opportunities.
D. Differing housing opportunities should provide variation in housing style and price
point for residents
E. Locate high density residential with access to the collector and arterial street
network.
F. Locate high density residential in conjunction with Downtown and the commercial
areas along County Road 42 to create mixed use neighborhoods and transit oriented districts.
G. Provide opportunities for seniors to live near their children and families.
6. Provide workforce and affordable housing opportunities through cooperative effort
with other agencies.
Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 5 – Housing
DRAFT 9/11/18 5-14
A. Work with the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) and other
state and federal agencies to provide workforce and affordable housing opportunities.
B. Work with Habitat for Humanity and similar organizations, along with Dakota
County Community Development Agency (CDA) and other state and federal agencies, to provide
affordable housing opportunities and to redevelop and rehabilitate older homes in the City.
7. Maintain the rural character of northwest Rosemount.
A. Discourage the placement of structures on top of exposed ridge lines.
B. Allow clustering where natural areas and active agriculture can be retained.
C. Maximize the retention of vegetation, maintain natural landforms, and minimize
lawn areas.
D. Define, during the platting process, building envelopes that avoid the location of
structures in areas needing to be preserved.
E. Protect open space or conservation areas with conservation easements. These tools
are intended to be used for environmental and scenic resource protection, not public access.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION STRAT EGIES
The attached chart provides an example of implementation strategies that could be considered by
Rosemount and will need to be modified specifically for the City of Rosemount.