Rochester City Council approved a 300-home Del Webb senior community in southwest Rochester despite resident concerns about traffic impacts near 45th Avenue and Country Club Road. A traffic study projects 1,366 daily trips as development begins later this decade.
The Rochester City Council approved plans for a proposed 300-home, age-restricted residential development in southwest Rochester following a public hearing that focused on traffic impacts. The project is planned near the intersection of 45th Avenue Southwest and Country Club Road and would be developed by national homebuilder Pulte Group under its Del Webb brand.
The development would occupy approximately 141 acres and is intended to serve market-rate senior households with community amenities. As part of the approval process, Pulte Group submitted an environmental review that included a traffic analysis prepared by Alliant Engineering. The study examined current traffic conditions and projected future volumes based on comparable active senior housing communities.
According to the traffic study, the completed development would generate an estimated 1,366 vehicle trips per day, including 76 trips during the morning peak hour and 95 trips during the afternoon peak hour. About 70 percent of traffic is expected to use 45th Avenue Southwest to access Country Club Road by the time the project is fully built out in 2030.
During the hearing, nearby residents raised concerns that the study assumptions did not fully account for local employment patterns. Sunanda Kane, a physician who said she represented residents from Lily Farms and nearby areas, stated that retired or semi-retired Mayo Clinic physicians could contribute to higher traffic volumes during traditional commuting hours.
Other residents questioned whether the development would attract retirees with travel patterns different from those assumed in the study. Pulte Group representatives said the analysis reflected typical active senior communities, including residents who spend part of the year outside Minnesota.
City Engineer Dillon Dombrovski said traffic and safety conditions would continue to be evaluated as the project progresses and that future roadway or intersection improvements could be considered in coordination with Olmsted County.
Construction is expected to begin on the northern portion of the site in the spring, with initial home occupancy projected for 2027. Development of the southern portion, including an Eighth Street Southwest access point, could begin as early as 2028. The reporting was published by the Post Bulletin.