Lakeville Approves 51 New Homes Across From Antlers Park
TLDR
Lakeville's Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of Haven at Lake Marion — 51 new homes on 21 acres across from Antlers Park.
Country Joe Homes and Bellpar Homes will build 11 detached town homes and 40 twin home units, all with foundations.
Shoreland rules could have allowed 90 homes — the developer proposed 51.
A new street, Itasca Lane, will finally give a large neighborhood a second way out when trains block Jaguar Avenue.
Historic ponderosa pines at Ipava and 201st, planted 50 years ago, are being preserved.
The City Council votes on final approval May 4, 2026.
If you've ever parked at Antlers Park in July and wondered how long that empty hill across the street would stay empty — the answer is: not much longer. On April 16, Lakeville's Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a 51-home development called Haven at Lake Marion, directly across from the park. The vote was 6–0 after about 40 minutes of presentation and neighbor questions, and it heads to the Lakeville City Council for final approval on May 4.
What's Getting Built
Progressive LLC (the development entity behind Country Joe Homes) is putting in 11 detached town homes and 40 twin home units on 21 acres southwest of Kenwood Trail (County Road 50) and Ipava Avenue. Two builders will work inside the neighborhood: Country Joe Homes and Bellpar Homes.
Steve Sauber, representing Country Joe Homes and Progressive LLC, walked the commission through the plans. Every home will have a foundation — mix of full basements, lookouts, and walkouts. Stone and hardboard siding. Two and three-bedroom floor plans, including a main-level master option and a two-story option. An HOA will be required because the homeowners will only own the land directly under their structure; the yards and common areas stay with the association.
The zoning going forward is RST2 — single and two-family residential — which replaces three separate zoning districts the parcel currently sits under. The comprehensive plan also gets re-guided from split low-density/medium-density to a single "low/medium density residential" category. Both changes are required to make the proposed configuration work.
How This Fits Under Lake Marion's Shoreland Rules
This is the part that surprised even me. The entire parcel sits inside Lake Marion's shoreland overlay district, which covers everything within 1,000 feet of the shore. Under those rules, staff explained that up to 90 homes could technically be built on the site. The developer proposed 51.
Other numbers that came out during Daniel Licht's staff presentation:
9.5 acres of open space on the site. Rules require 8.7 (50% of the property).
Lot size averages 8,700 square feet per unit. Zoning only requires 5,000.
Outlot A, the piece adjacent to the lake shore, stays zoned RS3 single-family. Any future development there is limited to one single-family home, and it would need its own preliminary plat and public hearing.
So while "51 new homes" sounds like a lot, the development is well under what the rules would have permitted.
The Jaguar Avenue Train Problem Finally Gets Addressed
Commissioner Swanson brought up something that didn't get much airtime earlier in the meeting but is arguably the biggest resident impact: the new Itasca Lane being built inside Haven at Lake Marion creates a second outlet for a large existing neighborhood that's currently accessed only through Jaguar Avenue.
When a freight train parks across Jaguar, which happens frequently, that whole neighborhood is stuck. No emergency vehicles in. No mail trucks. Kids miss school, residents miss work. Commissioner Travis, who lives in that area, cut straight to it: "As a person who lives up in that area and kids have to miss stuff because of train issues — it's about time."
As Assistant Planning Director Tina Morrow-style staff comments went, this is the exact reason Lakeville advocates for multiple connections into new developments — emergency access, service vehicles, and simple traffic distribution.
Parking Concerns From the Neighbors
Two residents spoke. Jill Lawrence (9715 201st Street West) supported the project overall but flagged parking: the surrounding streets already have "no parking" and "residential parking only" signs because Antlers Park overflow creeps in, and she worried the new neighborhood would attract more. The RST2 district doesn't require dedicated guest parking off-street.
Bob Ericson (1908 Inndale Drive) raised similar concerns about guest parking and also flagged the intersection of Ipava and 201st — worried about future traffic if the undeveloped parcel east of Ipava eventually also develops. He asked whether three-lane intersection improvements should be designed in now.
Staff's response: the city is already working on a parking restriction plan that will be tied to the final plat approval. The 51 units are within the current capacity of Ipava Avenue. If the parcel to the east develops later, that traffic analysis happens then. And the streets themselves are 32 feet wide with 60-foot right-of-way — enough that even with cars parked on both sides, there's still 16 feet of clear space down the center for emergency vehicles to get through.
Commissioner Kusa added his own experience: "I as someone who has driven around for about a half an hour trying to find parking at that parking lot in Antlers Park..." People will find overflow wherever they can. He said he's confident city staff will watch it closely once construction starts.
The Ponderosa Pines
One of the more human moments of the night. Bob Ericson told the commission about the ponderosa pines at the corner of Ipava and 201st — planted 50 years ago by George Warwig, with a 300-year life expectancy. The developer (Steve Sauber) hadn't known the history. He confirmed those corner pines were being saved, and the landscape architect Jenny Thompson confirmed the pines along the railroad tracks were also being preserved. The city forester's review already found the tree preservation and landscape plans in compliance.
Stormwater and Lake Marion
Commissioner Travis asked the question every lake neighbor thinks about: are 51 homes' worth of fertilizer and lawn chemicals going to end up in Lake Marion?
Staff's answer: all runoff from the site gets collected, directed to a storm basin, filtered for sediment and chemicals, and then discharged downstream. The water leaving the site should be as clean or cleaner than today — and at no greater rate.
What Happens Next
The Planning Commission's recommendation goes to the Lakeville City Council on May 4, 2026 for final approval. The public hearing at the Planning Commission level is already closed, but residents can still contact councilmembers or show up to the council meeting.
Assuming council approves on May 4, the developer returns with a final plat application — that's when the specific parking restrictions get adopted, the homeowners association documents get reviewed by the city attorney, and construction can actually start. The Itasca Lane culde-sac (including the new Jaguar-alternative connection) gets built with the first phase.
This also runs right into a bigger conversation: at last week's State of the City, Mayor Helier announced the council is pausing new housing applications with a one-year moratorium. Haven at Lake Marion is grandfathered because it was already in the pipeline — but future new proposals would have to wait.
The Bottom Line
If you live near Italy Avenue, 201st Street West, Inndale Drive, or use the Jaguar Avenue area: this development is coming, the city is already working on a parking plan for you, and the Jaguar train situation gets a real second exit out of the deal. If you're at Antlers Park in summer 2027 and beyond, expect new signage on the surrounding streets.
FAQ
How many homes total, and who's building them?
Fifty-one total: 11 detached town homes and 40 twin home units. Two builders inside the neighborhood: Country Joe Homes and Bellpar Homes.
Could more homes have been built here?
Yes. Under Lake Marion's shoreland overlay rules, up to 90 homes could have been built on the 21-acre site. The developer proposed 51.
What's happening with that piece of land right by the lake?
That's Outlot A. It stays zoned RS3 single-family. At most, one single-family home could be built there in the future, and it would need its own preliminary plat and public hearing.
Will the new neighborhood affect Lake Marion water quality?
All stormwater is routed through a treatment basin before it leaves the site. Staff said the water should be as clean or cleaner than today — and not leave the site faster than it does now.
Are those big pine trees at the corner of Ipava and 201st getting cut down?
No. The ponderosa pines at the corner and along the railroad tracks are being preserved as part of the tree protection plan.
