Farmington Clears the Way for 32 Townhomes North of Sunrise Ponds

TLDR

• The Farmington City Council rezoned a 3.48-acre lot north of Sunrise Ponds so it can hold townhomes.
• The early plan shows 32 townhomes in four buildings of eight.
• The council also moved up the land's timeline in the city's long-range plan, from the 2030s to now.
• Both votes passed 4-0, but drainage, roads and the final layout still need approval.

On Oct. 19, 2026, the Farmington City Council took the first big step toward 32 new townhomes on the city's east side. The council rezoned a small lot just north of the Sunrise Ponds neighborhood. Nobody voted no. But not everyone on the council was totally comfortable with it.

Where is this, and what's planned?

The land is called Outlot G of Sunrise Ponds. It's 3.48 acres, sitting right north of the Sunrise Ponds development. Cambodia Avenue runs along its east side. The owner is POR-MKR Real Estate LLC.

The planning commission first looked at a concept plan (an early sketch) on Aug. 12. That sketch shows 32 townhomes split into four buildings of eight. That works out to about 9 homes per acre.

Here's the catch. The lot was zoned R2, which is Farmington's low-to-medium density zoning. It allows single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes. But rows of townhomes like these need R3, which is medium density. R3 allows 6 to 12 homes per acre, so this plan fits right in.

Two changes to Farmington's long-range plan

Every metro city has a "comprehensive plan." It's a big-picture guide for what gets built where, and when. Farmington's current one is its 2040 plan.

This lot needed two changes to that plan:

1. Type of homes: from low-to-medium density to medium density.
2. Timing: from the 2030-2040 window to the 2020-2030 window. That means it can be built now instead of waiting.

The planning commission held a public hearing on Oct. 13 and recommended both changes 5-0. On Monday, the council approved Ordinance 2026-012 (the rezoning) and Resolution 2026-088 (the plan changes). Both passed 4-0.

What council members said

Council Member Steve Wilson had the most doubts. He asked about fire truck access and whether garbage trucks could get around. Then he got to his real worry.

"I get it given the market, but boy, that's kind of cramming those in there," he said. He wasn't sure if it was the density, the earlier timeline or the fact that the city hasn't updated its comprehensive plan yet. He also brought up a neighbor who has water problems on a nearby lot.

City planning staff explained why the developer wants more homes here. The lot is small and oddly shaped, and it needs a lot of roads and pipes. More homes is how the project can "pencil" (make money on paper).

Council Member Holly Bernatz asked staff to spell out the difference between Monday's vote and what comes next. She also pointed out the timing shift isn't as big as it sounds. With 2027 almost here, the land is moving up about three years from the earliest date in the old plan.

Mayor Nick Lien said a lot of Farmington's housing zoning is low density. He said there's "a pretty heavy push from the powers above us" for more housing. He said he eases up on density worries for lots like this one, which might not get built at all otherwise. "I will be looking forward to the storm water management plan just to ease our residents' concern," he said.

Even right before the vote, there was some hesitation. "It doesn't feel quite ready for a decision," one council member said. "But at the same time, it's a parcel that the land owner is entitled to make a decision on for use of his land."

Roads and access

Staff said there would be at least two ways in and out. One is off Cambodia Avenue, which will be built up to what would be 210th Street. The other connects to a road on the south side. There's also land already set aside for a 210th Street road. That may shift or be partly given up, but it gets worked out later.

What happens next

Monday's vote "sets the stage," as staff put it. It decides what kind of homes can go there. It doesn't approve a final design.

Next, the developer's engineer draws up real plans. That covers drainage, sewer, water and roads. The city reviews a stormwater management report to make sure rain will drain the right way. Then a preliminary plat (an official map of the lots) goes to the planning commission with a public hearing. After that, it goes to the city council.

The Bottom Line

If you live near Sunrise Ponds, the big decisions about how this looks are still ahead. Watch for the preliminary plat to show up on a planning commission agenda. That's when you can speak at a public hearing about drainage, traffic or anything else. Agendas are posted on the city's Agenda Center.

This isn't the first time a south metro city has wrestled with fitting more townhomes onto a small lot. Eagan had its own townhome density fight on Lone Oak Road. And Farmington has weighed much bigger housing projects this year, like the 370-home Vermillion Reserve and 215 homes at Sawyer Glenn. Want to know how comp plans work across the metro? The Metropolitan Council oversees them. Local coverage also lands on Sun This Week's Farmington page.

I'll see ya out there.