Rezoning efforts move forward for future condos on Woodland Ave

The Duluth Planning Commission recently approved the proposal to rezone an upcoming housing development. Titanium Partners is planning to build two luxury condominiums, both will have 30 units each. The plans are to build them on a property across from the Hartley Nature Center. Although there’s been a pushback from some neighbors about the rezoning efforts.

Duluth City Councilor Arik Forsman weighed in saying the rezoning proposal will be voted on by the council in Mid-April.

“It’ll go to our Planning Commission first, and they’ll take it under consideration. We have a residential planned zoning area that allows to try to shift boundaries to maximize the amount of green space. Also build more density for housing, which is what this developer is proposing,” Forsman said. “That process has to come to the city council for either approval or denial based on the facts and all the public comments in front of us.”

Even if residents are against the rezoning efforts and housing development, the property is private, and not open for public use.

“When you have a property that’s already zoned for development, the developer has a legal right to move a project forward. As long as it fits within the bounds of that. So this is not park property. This is privately owned,” Forsman said. “He could come in and build homes on that lot without a zoning change. So the question really is, is this ultimately better for the community than what– otherwise, he has a legal right to build. There are folks who just don’t want to see anything. But that’s, in reality, not the situation.”

For another story about the rezoning efforts you can read more here. Also for more details about the Duluth Planning Commission’s agenda about the rezoning efforts you can read that here.