215 New Homes Coming to Farmington Near the High School
TLDR
Farmington City Council unanimously approved the Sawyer Glenn development on March 16, 2026.
215 single-family homes on ~73 acres south of Farmington High School, near County Road 50 and Flagstaff Ave.
Homes expected to range from $350K–$500K — targeting an attainable price point.
A new direct road connection to County Road 50 is being planned with Lakeville and Dakota County.
Farmington is getting a major new neighborhood — and it's right next to the high school.
What Got Approved
At the March 16, 2026 city council meeting, Farmington gave unanimous approval to Lennar's Sawyer Glenn development. That means three separate votes: the preliminary plat and PUD (planned unit development), the rezoning of the ~73-acre property from agricultural to residential, and three amendments to the city's 2040 comprehensive plan.
The planning commission had already recommended approval 5-0 at its March 10 meeting, so Monday was really the council putting the final stamp on it.
The development will include 215 single-family homes spread across the site, which sits just south of Farmington High School near the northwest intersection of County Road 50 and Flagstaff Avenue. It's bordered to the west by the existing Whispering Fields and Regita Fields neighborhoods.
What the Homes Will Look Like
These are smaller, more attainable homes than what you'll find in many Farmington neighborhoods — and that's intentional.
The lots are on the compact side: minimum width of 42 feet (vs. the typical 60 feet in Farmington's R2 zone), minimum area of 5,670 square feet (slightly below the standard 6,000 sq ft), and building coverage up to 45% (vs. the typical 35% max). Average lot size in the development is 7,237 square feet.
Lennar's rep described them as two-car garage, slab-on-grade homes — similar to what Lennar has already been building at Vermillion Commons on the south side of town. Prices are expected to range from about $350,000 to $500,000depending on lot size and exterior package. Lennar said they'll have 10+ exterior styles and will try not to put the same style next to itself.
Council member Holly Bernance asked what gap in the housing market this fills. Lennar's answer: there's strong demand for attainable single-family homes — not townhomes — at this price point across the metro. Farmington already has plenty of townhomes. Sawyer Glenn is meant to be the single-family version of that attainable product.
Trails and Park Dedication
Sidewalks will be built on one side of every road in the development. A trail will also run through one of the outlots (areas set aside for non-residential purposes) to connect into the existing trail system in Whispering Fields and Regita Fields — and ultimately all the way up to Farmington High School. That connection was already partially built when Whispering Fields was developed.
The city will take cash in lieu of park dedication rather than dedicated land, since the outlot the developer offered (Outlot D) contains wetlands that don't count toward the park dedication requirement under city code. The park serving the area will be Flagstaff Meadows Park.
The Traffic Question — and a New Road
With 215 homes going in next to a high school on a busy stretch of road, traffic was a natural concern. Here's the surprising part: a new development that came up after this plat was submitted is going to change the picture significantly.
After Sawyer Glenn's preliminary plat was filed, both Lakeville and Dakota County approached Farmington about building a new direct full-access connection to County Road 50 on the southwestern edge of the site. Right now, drivers in this area have to navigate a right-in/right-out situation at Flagstaff and County Road 50 — that temporary fix was always meant to be an interim measure.
The new road would give Sawyer Glenn residents a direct connection to County Road 50 without routing through the existing neighborhoods. It would also potentially provide an additional way out for the Ardmore development (which currently has only one access point) and serve future commercial development on the Lakeville side of County Road 50. Dakota County strongly supports the new intersection location based on access-spacing guidelines.
Because of that planned connection, the city won't require the developer to build out the full 211th Street West extension — saving a significant amount of road construction outside the plat boundaries.
For context on Farmington's growth in this area, the February 17 council recap covered other recent development approvals in the city. You can also check out Local Lens's coverage of the planning commission meeting for more background on commissioner feedback.
What Comes Next
This was the preliminary plat approval — the first major milestone. Lennar will come back with final plat phases as they're ready to start building. The first final plat will actually show 213 homes (not 215) — Lennar reduced by two lots in the northeast corner based on planning commission feedback about the transition to the existing neighborhood.
No construction timeline was announced, but the development is expected to proceed in phases.
The Bottom Line
Sawyer Glenn is a big deal for Farmington's housing supply. 215 homes in an area that's been zoned agricultural, targeting a price point that's genuinely attainable for families who want a single-family home but can't stretch to $600K. The trail connections to the high school are a nice bonus. Keep an eye out for future final plat approvals as construction phases move forward.
FAQ
Will this make traffic worse on Flagstaff?
There's a plan in the works to address it. Lakeville and Dakota County are partnering with Farmington to build a new full-access road connection to County Road 50 on the west side of the development. That should significantly reduce traffic that would otherwise funnel through Flagstaff.
How small are the lots compared to normal Farmington homes?
Typical R2 lots in Farmington are at least 6,000 sq ft and 60 feet wide. Sawyer Glenn's minimums are 5,670 sq ft and 42 feet wide. Average is 7,237 sq ft — so not tiny, but definitely more compact than older neighborhoods nearby.
Will the homes look all the same?
Lennar says no. They'll have 10+ exterior packages and will try not to place the same style side-by-side. All homes will be 42 feet wide with a two-car garage, so the envelope is similar — but the look should vary.
What's Lennar's track record in Farmington?
Lennar is already building at Vermillion Commons on the south side of town. Council members actually pointed to that development as a benchmark for what to expect at Sawyer Glenn.
When will construction start?
No official start date was announced. The first final plat phase will need to come back to council before any grading or construction begins.
