Editor's Notebook

Punch Pizza Plans, Snowy City, Hair Necessities: Woodbury Rewind

A look back at the news of the week in Woodbury.

Major Snowstorm Hits Woodbury: Share Your Photos Got snow photos? Add them to this post. Plans in the Works for New Woodbury Charter School From the founder of Footprints Academy, Woodbury Leadership Academy would be for students in seventh and eighth grade. Urine Trouble, Leaf Him Alone, State Farm Signal: Woodbury Police Blotter One item: Police were called about a man who approached a home on Walnut Lane and asked a resident for a glass of water. Officers arrived and found he was part of a drywall crew but later learned he is a registered sex offender. Police were following up with the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Cheers! Unique Art Studio to Open in Woodbury Cheers Pablo will open in Tamarack Village early next year. Calls …

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Woodbury Opens Up to New Development

The City Council on Wednesday approved the measure.

With a dwindling lot inventory and renewed interest from developers, Woodbury has decided it will open up a portion of Phase 2 for development. The city will now allow developers to submit applications for new housing in sub-Phase 2A, under a measure the Woodbury City Council approved during Wednesday night’s meeting. The city plans to open up Phase 2 (see map) in stages as part of a 10-year growth strategy, said Community Development Director Dwight Picha. The city expects 6,000 homes to be built in Phase 2 over the next decade. Interest in the site from developers has “increased significantly,” Picha said, and Woodbury has one of the lowest lot inventories in the Twin Cities. Typically, cities want a lot inventory of about 24 to 32-36 …

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Kris Janisch

5:38 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Meant to mention this when I heard it, but Woodbury recently got the first development application for Phase 2A.   more ›

Alcohol for Aldi, Angelina’s Kitchen, Plus New Development: Woodbury Council Preview

The Woodbury City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall.

The Woodbury City Council on Wednesday will hold public hearings for liquor licenses for Angelina’s Kitchen and Aldi, as well as possibly approving a measure that would open the door for new housing developments near East Ridge High School. Angelina’s Kitchen Angelina’s Kitchen, which consolidated its two locations this fall, has been planning to add a wine bar.        Related: The New Addition at Angelina’s Kitchen in Woodbury The restaurant is now looking to secure a liquor license to sell beer and wine, and the council will hold a public hearing on the matter Wednesday night. Background checks came back clear. Angelina’s Kitchen is located at 2170 Eagle Creek Lane. Aldi Aldi, which opened in the former Borders location in early October…

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Kris Janisch

11:06 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Good question Eric. I'm not sure.   more ›

A ‘Significant Step’ Toward New Housing in Woodbury

The Woodbury City Council on Wednesday informally agreed to move ahead with new development in a portion of the Phase 2 area of the city.

Realtors say homes are selling more quickly. The city’s existing lot inventory is shrinking. Building permits are up dramatically. Those were a few of the factors that led Woodbury City Council members to informally agree that the city should allow new development near in the Phase 2 area near East Ridge High School. (See map.) The city January opted to defer opening up that area for new housing, but Councilwoman Julie Ohs on Wednesday said the timing looks good. “It kind of all fell together and it’s time to move forward,” she said. The move—which will have to be formally adopted at a later date—sparked a buzz in the hallway from those in the development community who attended Wednesday's council workshop. Several have spoken at previous …

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Kris Janisch

11:39 am on Friday, September 21, 2012

Not sure about the donut hole Joel, Patch isn't quite two years old yet. Also, just got this this morning: The latest statewide housing report from the Minnesota Association of REALTORS shows the housing market has had now had six straight months of increases. The sustained trend continues with shorter selling times and higher average sales prices. —Median statewide sales price is up 11.5% …   more ›

Woodbury to Consider Opening Up Phase 2 for More Development

An update on the Gateway Corridor is also on Wednesday night’s Woodbury City Council agenda.

In January, the city decided to defer the opening of the Phase 2 area of the Woodbury for development. With infrastructure improvements in the works and an apparently rebounding housing market, Woodbury will again discuss its options for allowing further housing in Phase 2. Spread across 2,150 acres, the area has enough land to accommodate about 600 units a year for a decade, according to a memo for the Woodbury City Council, which will discuss the matter Wednesday night.       Related: Woodbury Defers Opening Phase 2 for Development Specifically, city staff believes the Fields of Woodbury area (sub-phase 2A) is ready for development, based on declining lot inventory in the city and an uptick in the housing market. There would still be …

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Paul Whackernutz

10:04 am on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Not all is as it appears. The "uptick" is being caused by a shortage of homes on the market. There are a lot of people that would like to sell but can't because they owe more than they can sell for. The foreclosure and short sale wave hasn't run it's course yet, either, and could get worse if the economy stumbles. The feds reported yesterday that mortgage lending is at a 16 year low despite …   more ›

Woodbury Defers Opening Phase 2 For Development

‘Complexities’ of infrastructure work and desire to fill existing lots prompts move; one developer says his company is anxious to get started.

Woodbury has decided to defer opening the southeast area of town for development as it works through infrastructure issues and hopes to have existing lots built out. The city has had plenty of interest from developers regarding the Phase 2 area, which is generally south and east of East Ridge High School, according to Community Development Director Dwight Picha. The Woodbury City Council discussed the latest plans at Wednesday’s night workshop. Issues with extending Pioneer Drive south—and the city’s desire to have lots in the Dancing Waters and Stonemill Farms neighborhoods built out—prompted the decision to delay development in Phase 2. Picha said the city will continue with plans and specifications for the infrastructure improvements—…

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Kris Janisch

9:09 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012

Tina, just making sure you saw the update on this. The city will soon open up a part of Phase 2 for development. http://patch.com/A-xVBK   more ›

Woodbury Council Preview: Bielenberg Expansion, Communications Strategy, Legislative Update

The Woodbury City Council will meet for its first workshop of 2012 at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Woodbury City Council opened 2012 with a brief meeting last week, though it did include dozens of residents who turned out to voice concerns about Jimmy the cat. On Wednesday, city leaders will get back to basics with a workshop meeting set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at City Hall. The agenda includes: The city has been mulling plans for the expansion of the Bielenberg Sports Center, and Wednesday’s discussion is expected to center on finding an architectural firm for the designs. Plans call for permanent structure to replace the sports facility’s dome. A third sheet of outdoor ice may be considered among the plans, but another indoor ice sheet is not on the table at this time. The work is expected to begin early in 2013 and …

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Eric Berg

4:31 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012

That's a LOT of land to be developed...over 3 square miles. Roughly 10% of the entire footprint of the city. (If you have trouble imagining the size of an acre, it's roughly the size of a football field) I can't remember how much development is supposed to come online in Cottage Grove's East Ravine project, but unless the two cities are on top of their game in terms of infrastructure, it's got …   more ›

New Sewer Would Spark New Development In Woodbury

The council is expected to vote on whether to solicit bids for the new utility line on July 27.

With a nod of their heads, the Woodbury City Council took another step down the road toward new development in the southern portion of the city. During a workshop session Wednesday, the council informally agreed to vote on whether to solicit bids for a new sewer that would open the door for hundreds of new homes in the area generally south and east of East Ridge High School. The council is expected act on the measure at its July 27 meeting. The exact cost of the sewer line—part of the city’s Phase 2 development plan—won’t be known until the bids come back, but previous city estimates have put it at about $3.6 million. While the city would initially have to carry the cost of building the utility line, it would recoup the expenses as homes …

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