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ill CHASKA from B1
<br /> Zonin rules �
<br /> were set aside frt 3 4 ,
<br /> AA
<br /> to increase Rfir i , m
<br /> affordability :.,. 4gi,o
<br /> And Russ Adams,director of j xTay [
<br /> oli an
<br /> E 1 -
<br /> the Alliance for Metrop t
<br /> Stability, said that "Chaska's
<br /> really gone the full measure in „ �,i;
<br /> terms of being creative. and € j °
<br /> being cooperative with devel- „< <
<br /> opers and seeing the broader w
<br /> picture. , t
<br /> "You could argue they're i
<br /> operating out of enlightened sFi � ta
<br /> self-interest. .. . They want to ' '{ i. gi �i
<br /> create housing opportunity for 6 IC ��b '
<br /> the wide spectrum of people - ' a�R. �� io l . ; 1
<br /> who live in their community." R ,.
<br /> Adams helped stimulate tla . g
<br /> that interest several years ago, Mt` Y $ f y
<br /> when Kevin Ringwald — who .• ,.. � y I�` ..M 1� : '` ,.
<br /> later became Chaska's director Photo provided by Kevin Ringwald
<br /> of planning and development Workers lifted prefabricated housing modules into place in Chaska's Clover Field development.Use of
<br /> — heard him speak about in- the modules is one way developers are holding down costs in an effort to make units more affordable.
<br /> eluding affordable.housing in
<br /> larger developments.Ringwaid park already lay across from lots, especially in Clover Field. houses may start at $150,000,
<br /> ultimately invited Adams to the school site.) The develop- Will costs for a typical lot run- although prices in general will
<br /> speak to Chaska's City Council ment also will be centered on a ning $100,000 in Chaska, the be higher than for Clover Field.
<br /> and Planning Commission. 15,000-square-foot retail area land investment alone pushes A third area, Clover Preserve,
<br /> Chaska is a Minnesota River and a 10,000-square-foot corn- a developer to build a$400,000 will add 77 single-family
<br /> town settled 150 years ago,and munity center,both with rental home,developer Johnson said. houses in the $250,000-to-
<br /> that early start left it with more housing atop. So slicing the width of the lot $450,000 range.
<br /> than the usual number of old- The planners also con- cuts costs. Johnson said he expects
<br /> er, affordable homes near its sciously chose New Urbanist Within Clover Field,lots for Clover Field's most-affordable
<br /> downtown. There also were elements such as sidewalks, most detached homes are 30 or apartment units to be attain-
<br /> postwar ramblers and two mo- porches, short front-yard set- 42 feet wide, the latter more able for people making 60 per-
<br /> bile-home parks, plus the backs and alleys, especially in typical of Minneapolis. John- cent of the region's median in-
<br /> mixed-income Jonathan devel- Clover Field. ' son is confident that some come, but he thinks more of
<br /> opment — a 1970s effort at a But New Urbanism can add buyers are too busy to take care the demand will be from peo-
<br /> planned community.But most costs. Porches run $8,000 to of a big lot and will welcome pie earning 80 percent of the
<br /> homes built since the 1980s $10,000 extra. Sidewalks also the denser design. median.
<br /> have topped$250,000. add costs. Shallow front yards Another tactic will be to sell The 60 percent level would
<br /> "I was shooting for a place require more attention to de- houses with some unfinished be around $31,000 annually.,.
<br /> of quality for teachers, police sign details on that face of the space that the homeowner can That's about $1,000 above the
<br /> officers — someplace they house. A detached garage improve as family size and fi- salary of a starting Chaska
<br /> could call home for a long time means more square footage of nances change. teacher, who could be expect-
<br /> and be proud of," Ringwald siding. Alleys require storm Yet another feature will be ed to pay about $750 per
<br /> said. sewers unless the blocks are the inclusion of 34 accessory month in rent. A beginning
<br /> kept short enough to handle units, sometimes called car- Chaska police officer, paid
<br /> Tossing out the rules rainfall in a gutter. But shorter riage houses, of about 600 about $42,000, would just be
<br /> The process of sketching blocks require more side square feet. Most will be built able to afford the develop-
<br /> out the development of Clover streets. over garages,often to frame the ment's lowest-price town-
<br /> Ridge began by setting aside ends of alleys,but some will be houses.
<br /> ipthe normal zoning strictures. Keeping down costs, attached to the main house as The development has been
<br /> Instead, planners listed the Initially to Chaska leaders, independent units. If they are assisted by a$1 million Metro-
<br /> features that would contribute affordable ownership meant rented,they will help the main politan Council grant made to
<br /> to a successful community. houses of less than $200,000. owner afford the mortgage,but communities that promote
<br /> "We frankly did a lot of this But further scrutiny produced they also could be sold. more-efficient growth pat-
<br /> . by the seat of our pants,"Ring- ways to cut costs at Clover "Chaska has tried to bend terns.A separate development
<br /> wald said. "We said we want to Field, especially for detached over backwards so we have the of almost 4,000 units to be lo-
<br /> come up with a great neighbor- single-family houses, which flexibility to do a reasonably cated in Chaska has been des-
<br /> hood plan and then well fill in are much harder than row- priced house,"Johnson said. ignated a regional "smart
<br /> the details." houses or apartments to price , site by the council.
<br /> City and development offi- cheaply. Johnson turned to What people will pay Ringwald and Johnson now
<br /> cials also toured new develop-. factory-built modular housing, The payoff may not be low- are sharing what they've
<br /> ments in Portland. Ore., and and d higher density also helped. income housing in the sense learned with builders and oth-
<br /> Calgary,Alberta. "We've struggled pretty that it is thought of in Minne- er affordable-housing groups.
<br /> The resulting concept in- mightily to get that detached apolis or St.Paul.Single-family "None of this is new think-
<br /> eludes building the develop- [single-family house] down housing will start at about ing,but we were able to bring it
<br /> . meat around three elements into the $150,000-to-$190,000 $120,000 for rowhouse town- together in a way that hasn't
<br /> expected to draw people.Land range with good design detail," houses and about$160,000 for been done before," Ringwald
<br /> that normally would have been Ringwald said. detached houses in Clover said.
<br /> donated for park use was in- Density was achieved by Field.In a separate area of Clo- —Steve Brandt isat
<br /> ,0stead given for an elementary mixing apartments,rowhouses ver Ridge being developed by sbrandt @startribune.com
<br /> school that opened this year.(A and narrower single-family Rottlund Homes, some town- or 612-673-4438.
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