Duluth Hawk Ridge Developers Cancel Housing Project

A Duluth housing project that stirred up local opposition has been canceled after the developers withdrew a rezoning application.

The project, called the Bald Eagle Estates, had drawn a fair deal of criticism from local residents who were concerned that rezoning the land would allow the developer, Newhaven LLC, to do whatever they wanted with the property. Newhaven had submitted an application to rezone the land from R-1, or low-density residential, to R-P, or Residential-Planned.

At a Duluth City Council meeting earlier this month, residents criticized the potential move amid concerns that it would change their neighborhood too much. City officials assured them that even if the property was rezoned, the council and the planning commission would need to approve any potential plans from the developers.

Ultimately, the council decided not to vote on the amendment during that meeting, but agreed to continue working with Newhaven and community members to find an adequate solution.

The proposed project would have included four acres of land between Skyline Parkway and Amity Creek. Newhaven LLC was seeking a rezoning to allow them more flexibility in their designs.

Now, Newhaven officials say that they don’t believe the project can move forward with how the ordinance os currently written. According to a Northern News Now report, Newhaven President Nick Ericson said in a statement “We were certain that the amended ordinance would pass. However, it is not possible to share the playfield and common areas between the future residents of Bald Eagle Estates and the current residents of Hawk Ridge Estates as the ordinance is written.”