Senior Housing and New Restaurants Could Be Coming to County Road 42 in Rosemount

TLDR

• The Rosemount City Council voted 4-0 on Sept. 15 to switch about 1.94 acres near Akron Avenue and County Road 42 from apartments to commercial.
• The developer, Aspen Field LLC, has a senior housing buyer under contract for about nine acres just north.
• Restaurants, a coffee shop, an eye doctor, and a pet hospital are among the businesses that have shown interest.
• The goal is to start construction next spring. More city approvals are still needed.

If you've driven past the new Life Time in Rosemount, you've probably wondered what's coming next door. We got some answers at the Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026 Rosemount City Council meeting. The council approved a change that opens up more room for shops and restaurants along County Road 42, with a senior housing campus planned right behind them.

What Changed

Every city has a comprehensive plan. (It's a long-range map of what kind of development should go where.) On Tuesday, the council voted to change that map for about 1.94 acres of land. It sits about a third of a mile east of Akron Avenue, just north of County Road 42.

That land was set aside for high-density housing, like apartments. Now it's marked for community commercial, meaning shops, restaurants, and services.

The land is part of Emerald Isle Second Addition. It's right next to the Aspen Fields development, which sits on the old city hall site. Crystal's Cuddlebugs daycare is already under construction nearby.

Why the Plan Changed

Senior Planner Anthony Nemcek walked the council through the backstory.

Back in 2024, the council approved a 194-unit apartment complex on this site. But an old gas pipeline easement (a strip of land the pipeline company has rights to) cut right through it. That made the site hard to build on. The apartment project didn't happen.

Then Aspen Fields came along. The developer worked out a deal to buy the land next door and combine the two sites. They also talked with the pipeline owner and got permission to build closer to that easement. That opened up much better options.

John Anderson, who represents Aspen Field LLC, said the line is actually abandoned now. The senior housing buyer is even talking about pulling the pipe out of the ground entirely. Nothing's final on that yet.

Senior Housing Is the Big Draw

Here's the part a lot of Rosemount families will care about. Anderson said a senior housing buyer is under contract for about nine acres just north of the new commercial area. They have about 30 more days to finish checking the site.

It could include independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Maybe all three, maybe just a couple. They'd build it in phases over several years.

Council Member Paul Essler said that's a welcome change. "It is a demand in our community. We are looking to keep our residents in Rosemount," he said. Staff agreed. Nemcek said senior housing is "something that we haven't seen a lot of developed here in the city, and is a need."

The total number of units will likely be lower than the 194 apartments approved in 2024. Moving land to commercial means fewer homes can go there.

Who Wants to Open Here?

Essler was a bit surprised to hear there's already business interest. He said the city has been working hard to land restaurants and shops, and many don't want to build from scratch.

Anderson said interest has been stronger than expected. Businesses that have reached out include:

• Chain fast food
• A sit-down restaurant (eyeing the L-shaped building on the east end)
• A coffee shop
• An eye doctor
• Pet hospitals
• A bank or credit union (looking at the far western lot, owned by a different company)

Some might buy a lot and build their own building. Or the developer might put up a strip mall with a few spaces. Nothing's signed yet.

Why here? Anderson said it's the easy access and frontage on County Road 42, all the new homes and apartments nearby, and the big one: Life Time.

Essler loved hearing that. "We've been trying for years, and once they broke ground, things started popping," he said.

Traffic and Roads

No new public road will connect Connemara Trail and Aspen through this area. Instead, private drives will run through the site. The main entrance to the senior housing will likely line up with Acer Avenue off Connemara. A second entrance may go near the middle of the site.

The pond that was just dug on the front of the site will be moved and made bigger in the southeast corner. "It kinda stinks 'cause we just spent money on it," Anderson admitted.

What Neighbors Said

At the planning commission's public hearing in August, some people raised concerns. They worried about property values, crime, traffic, and more multi-family housing. Others said they want more commercial in the area.

Staff pointed out this change actually reduces how many apartments could be built there.

Council Member Paul Theisen said the layout makes sense. It continues the row of businesses along County Road 42, like the bank, Copperfield, Kwik Trip, and the daycare on the other side of Akron.

The Bottom Line

This vote was step one. Because it changes the comprehensive plan, the Metropolitan Council and nearby cities get a 60-day review. Meanwhile, Aspen Fields plans to submit its rezoning and plat (the map that splits land into lots) by the end of next week.

Those will go to the planning commission and council, where you'll have more chances to weigh in. The developer hopes to start building next spring. Rosemount's growth doesn't stop at County Road 42, either. We've also covered a large warehouse project proposed near Highway 52, and you can see the big picture on the city's Development in Rosemount page. For more on how these land use steps work, check our Rosemount planning commission recap and our last big Rosemount council recap.