It wasn’t long ago that news about River’s Edge, a proposal to build 1,900 residences around a forested backwater bay in Saint Paul Park, was a frequent feature in Mississippi Messages. But for nearly two years the project has idled, in part because of poor market conditions.

Although the project has stalled, 300 acres of land within the state-designated Mississippi River Critical Area were recently annexed from Grey Cloud Island Township by Saint Paul Park. The Township fought the annexation for many years, in part because of concerns that the river’s natural environment and wildlife habitat would be degraded by intense development. D.R. Horton has proposed to change the annexed land from the Rural Open Space District, which provides the highest level of protection within the critical area, to Urban Diversified, the least protective district.

Now that the 300 acres are part of Saint Paul Park, the City’s 2008 comprehensive plan update will need to include a critical area plan amendment for the annexed land. It’s not yet clear what the City will propose in its plan, but there will be plenty of opportunity to respond. In addition to a public hearing, a 60-day comment period, and oversight by the Met Council, the DNR is the final arbiter regarding changes to local critical area plans. The DNR has indicated on numerous occasions that it is not likely to change the district boundary at this location, and intense urban development will not be permitted.

The Saint Paul Park comprehensive plan update will be released this summer. Stay tuned for news about what is proposed, how to weigh in or how to get involved.

Read more about the River’s Edge issue at our project page.