Lakeville to Study Lowering Park Dedication Fees

Lakeville staff will be studying the city's park dedication fees in the coming weeks, and if the votes to lower them, they have agreed to refund the difference of one developer's fees that he's already paid.

There is a catch to the story, though, and it has some council members queasy.

The developer who made the request is Jim Stanton, and he's Council Member 's father.

According to a story in the Star Tribune, Stanton recently sent a letter the the council suggesting that Lakeville's current park dedication fee rate of $4,747 per single-family lot is too high. He also requested that if they are lowered, he'd like a reduction to the $170,356 in park fees he will pay for a 37-lot development he's spearheading, called Crescent Ridge.

At the Oct. 17 City Council meeting, the entire council—including LaBeau, who didn't abstain from voting—approved moving Stanton's park fee payment into escrow, pending the outcome of the study. And that, according to the report, has some members of the council concerned, including Matt Little and Kerrin Swecker.

But LaBeau seemed undaunted by the concerns.

"I don't make any money off what (her father) does. I am more concerned about how do we make Lakeville a place with affordable lots for people to want to come and build," she in the report. "I definitely support any proactive moves that can stimulate housing.''

The story said she consulted with Lakeville City Attorney Roger Knutson and he said her vote on the matter should be OK.

"She is not legally disqualified from voting," he said in the story.

As for the study, City Administrator Steve Mielke said the study on fees should be done by April, before the construction season starts, and returned to the council for a decision.