Burnsville Just Counted All 425 Lots It Owns & 22 Could Become New Homes
TLDR
- Burnsville reviewed all ~425 parcels it and its EDA own.
- 22 parcels were flagged as potentially developable; 56 sit vacant.
- The city is built out — no single-family land left — so the mayor wants homes on some of these lots.
- A 9-acre southwest site is a top candidate, but it's currently protected "natural space."
- Staff returns in 2027 with a prioritized development list.
Burnsville has a housing problem most suburbs would recognize: it's full. At Monday's Aug 10 work session, city staff laid out a study of every parcel the city owns — and the takeaway is that the land Burnsville already holds might be its best shot at new single-family homes. Here's the full story.
What the Study Actually Looked At
Deputy Community Development Director Travis Bisto led a team from across the city — the clerk's office, IT, parks, public works, and the city attorney — to review all ~425 parcels owned by Burnsville or its EDA (the Economic Development Authority, the city's arm for buying and selling development land).
They mapped where each parcel sits, how big it is, how it's maintained, how it's zoned, and — the piece Travis's team cared about most — whether any could be sold or developed to support housing and economic goals.
Here's the breakdown:
- 51% hold city services — parks, trails, facilities, open space
- 23% hold major utilities running through them
- 13% are vacant with no clear use (that's 56 parcels)
- 13% are road right-of-way
The 22 Parcels — and Why Housing Is the Big Prize
Out of all that land, staff flagged 22 parcels as potentially developable. They judged each one on size, shape, access, slopes, wetlands, utilities, and even "neighborhood friction" — how much pushback a project might get. They deliberately left out any land marked as natural area in the parks plan.
This is where it got real. The mayor made the case plainly: "We have no single family housing land left. None." Burnsville is built out, and she wants to grow the tax base with new single-family homes. She's personally walked the properties and pointed to a 9-acre site in southwest Burnsville as a prime candidate.
There's a catch: that 9-acre site is currently marked natural space in the parks plan. Travis flagged it, and the mayor acknowledged it would need to be rezoned — and that neighbors would need to be part of the talk. "Usually when something sits there for a long time, then it's taken for granted that it's going to be that way," she said. For how these land-use fights play out elsewhere in the metro, see how Apple Valley handled a major development decision.
Not everyone wants to sell. Council member Vince asked whether some parcels could become new parks or even a bike park — a rare chance in a built-out city. Staff said sure, it's possible, but the Parks Investment Fund (the money for building new parks) isn't large, so funding is a real question. You can track the city's active work on the projects in planning page.
The Surprises: Land in Eagan and Sheds on City Property
A couple of oddities turned up. The city discovered it owns two parcels inside the city of Eagan — about 10 acres of wetlands and stormwater ponds. "Much to our surprise," Travis said. No one was maintaining them or complaining, so they'd slipped under the radar.
Staff also found neighbors have built sheds, patios, and fireplaces on city-owned land. It's not common, but the city wants updated rules ready for when a complaint comes in.
And in a housekeeping note: 46% of city parcels have zoning that doesn't match their actual use — think stormwater ponds zoned residential. The city plans to clean that up during the 2050 comprehensive plan and zoning update, likely around 2029–2030.
What Happens Next
Staff gave council six recommendations, and council informally agreed to all of them. The big one: staff returns in 2027 with a prioritized list of which parcels to develop first, after doing title research to make sure nothing blocks development. Other steps include updating the land-sale policy for tiny "splinter" parcels, addressing encroachments, and possibly transferring the 5 EDA-owned parcels to the city to simplify insurance.
The Bottom Line
No votes happened — this was a work session. But the message was loud: Burnsville is out of single-family land, and the city is looking at its own property to change that. The parcel near you could stay green, become homes, or turn into a park — and that gets decided starting in 2027. If a specific site matters to you, watch for it on the city's meeting calendar and plan to speak up when it comes back. Stay current on Burnsville news through our Burnsville city page.
