Eagan Planning Commission Recap: Amazon Warehouse Advances, Lake Lemay Apartment Gets Shot Down

TLDR

• The planning commission voted 7-0 to advance a 337,000 sq. ft. industrial building on the former Thomson Reuters campus — the next step toward what’s expected to be an Amazon distribution center.
• A proposal to build a 100-unit apartment complex on Lake Lemay was recommended for denial 6-1, after more than a dozen neighbors showed up to oppose it.
• A landscape contractor got the green light for outdoor storage on Dodd Road.
• All three items go before the Eagan City Council — two on March 3, and the industrial building on March 17.

So here’s what went down at the Eagan Advisory Planning Commission on Monday, February 24th. It was a packed night — literally, for one agenda item — and two of the three topics are ones you’ll want to keep your eye on.

Ryan Companies Industrial Building: 337,000 Sq. Ft. Gets the Green Light

The biggest piece of the former Thomson Reuters campus redevelopment just took another big step forward. Ryan Companies is proposing a 337,000 square foot industrial building on the south side of the old campus — at the southwest corner of Opperman Drive and Highway 149. The commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval.

This building is part of the larger redevelopment of the 179-acre Thomson Reuters property that Ryan Companies purchased for $41 million in late 2024. The south industrial portion of the site was always earmarked for warehouse and logistics use — and this building fits that mold. It’ll operate 24 hours a day, run three shifts of 30-60 employees to start, and eventually employ around 200 people total. About 10 trucks will deliver product each day, with private contractors (read: delivery drivers) running from 3am to 8pm.

The tenant hasn’t been officially named, but the project has widely been identified as Amazon’s “Project Nova” distribution facility. Read the full breakdown →

This item goes to Eagan City Council on March 17, 2026.

Lake Lemay Apartment: Neighbors Pack the Room, Commission Says No

This one got heated — or at least, it got emotional. A developer proposed building a 100-unit, three-story apartment complex on a 17-acre property at 1360 Lone Oak Road. The buildable portion is about 6 acres, sitting right on the shore of Lake Lemay. The proposal would have changed the land’s classification from low-density residential to high-density residential.

More than a dozen neighbors showed up to speak against it. They talked about wildlife, the fragile health of Lake Lemay (which was removed from Minnesota’s impaired waters list in 2022 after years of restoration), traffic on Lone Oak Road, school-aged kids walking to Pilot Knob Elementary, and the simple fact that the apartment would be sandwiched between single-family homes.

One neighbor, Larry Poplar, brought a glove to the podium. He used a large glove attempting to go over a small one to illustrate the mismatch: “If it doesn’t fit, do not permit.” The commission chair called it “possibly the greatest single comment” he’d seen.

The commission voted 6-1 to recommend denial, citing incompatibility with surrounding zoning, environmental concerns, and infrastructure questions around the sanitary sewer lift station nearby. Read the full breakdown →

This recommendation now goes to the Eagan City Council on March 3, 2026.

Also on the Agenda

A landscape contractor — Li Site & Structure at 3486 and 3500 Dodd Road — got a 7-0 recommendation for approval of a conditional use permit to store equipment, vehicles, and materials on-site. Goes to City Council March 3rd.

The Bottom Line

Three things on the table, three votes — all passing, though the Lake Lemay apartment goes with a recommendation to deny rather than approve. Your city council gets the final say on all of it. The March 3rd and March 17th council meetings are your next chances to weigh in. You can check the City of Eagan’s development page for updates and official documents. If you want to stay up on everything happening across the south metro, the South Metro Scoop newsletter has you covered.

FAQ

Is Amazon actually moving into the old Thomson Reuters campus?

It’s strongly implied but not officially confirmed. The project has been widely referred to as Amazon’s “Project Nova,” and the building specs — 24/7 operation, delivery contractors from 3am to 8pm — fit that profile perfectly.

What exactly is the planning commission voting on?

They’re an advisory body — they make recommendations to the City Council, who makes the final decisions. Think of them as your neighbor who reads the meeting notes and gives you a heads up before the real vote.

Why did the Lake Lemay apartment get denied?

Three main reasons: the property is surrounded by single-family homes (making high-density an outlier), there are environmental concerns around Lake Lemay’s water quality, and there are questions about whether the nearby sewer lift station can handle the extra load.

Can the apartment developer still move forward after this?

Yes — the planning commission’s recommendation to deny goes to the City Council on March 3rd. The council could override it and approve the land use change.

When is the next planning commission meeting?

Tentatively March 24th, 2026, pending quorum confirmation at the March 3rd council meeting.