Lennar plans mix of new housing in Rogers.

Byline: Brian Johnson

Lennar Homes is pursuing another big development opportunity in Rogers, a familiar destination for the Miami-based homebuilder.

Specifically, Lennar hopes to start moving dirt this spring on the first of 362 new homes in the Twin Cities suburb. Playing out over eight years, the development would include single-family houses, twin homes, and townhomes.

The city is conducting an environmental review of the development, which would occur on a 148.5-acre property bisected by Territorial Road and just west of Tilton Trail North. The site includes 40 acres north of Territorial Road and 108 acres south of the road.

Jason Ziemer, Rogers' city planner and community development coordinator, said the plans are tentatively scheduled to go before the Planning Commission on April 7 for a public hearing, followed by City Council review on April 28.

In a 96-page environmental assessment worksheet, Lennar said the Territorial Road Development will "meet the continued population growth and evolving lifestyle within the city of Rogers."

Households in Rogers are expected to double from 2017 to 2040. The city needs 4,566 new housing units through 2040 to meet the demand, according to the city's 2040 comprehensive plan. A "future land use plan" guides 5,442 acres for residential development.

In 2019, the city issued permits for 174 new housing units, up from 77 in 2018, according to the Keystone Report.

The Lennar product line would be more diverse than Rogers' existing housing stock, which is largely single-family. As of 2016, single-family accounted for 87% of all residential units in the city, according to the comp plan.

Though single-family houses are a big part of the Territorial Road Development, roughly half of the proposed units are twin homes (48 units) or townhomes (124). The remaining 190 are detached single-family.

"Single-family housing will remain in high demand as the city grows," according to the comprehensive plan. "However, the cost burden resulting from rising home values and sales prices is driving the need for greater housing variety."

Ziemer said the city "definitely needs more diversity in housing products." Though some smaller developments stick with...