Proposed Housing Development Bothers Some Golden Valley Neighbors

A developer is looking to build five custom homes on a 2.2-acre lot on Triton Drive in Golden Valley. The proposal has dozens of residents bothered, as the developer and engineer work their way through the city’s approval process.

Currently, the lot has one home situated on it with lots of green space surrounding the house. A.K.A.R.E. Companies bought the property and plans to tear down the home and build five high-end homes valued between $400,000-$600,000, according to city documents.

Residents turned out to both the planning commission meeting and the city council meeting when public meetings were held about the project.

“When subdivisions come up at meetings we usually get quite a few people,” Golden Valley City Manager Tom Burt said. “When the potential exists to divide land residents typically do have concerns.”

The concerns range from destruction of wildlife in the area to ruining the neighborhood atmosphere.

Fred Reiter, a Golden Valley resident told the planning commission he is concerned about disrupting the “extremely unique ecosystem” in the woods and is bothered that preliminary plans call for a 49 percent reduction of trees.

Ruby Vanhorn, another resident, says she has lived in the area for almost 50 years and worries this kind of development will ruin the quiet community she has lived in for decades.

Richard Zuraff talked about existing flooding problems and wanted to know how this development will impact the drainage system.

A list of concerns from the neighborhood was given to city leaders.

Burt says both the planning commission and the city council preliminarily approved the development. The city council did ask the developer to have a neighborhood meeting before coming back to the city council for final approval.

What are your thoughts about this proposed development? Golden Valley Patch wants to hear from you. Tell us your comments below.