New housing, commercial developments proposed in Dickinson, ND

If all goes as planned, present residents and future ones may have additional housing and retail options to choose from.

Four preliminary plats for proposed subdivisions and developments were approved during a Dickinson Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at City Hall, Wednesday morning.

“I think what’s being presented before our Planning and Zoning Commission is a nice mix of residential and commercial development,” said City Administrator Shawn Kessel. “It’s exciting. To have this much growth is exciting.”

One of the four developments would be similar to a gated community.

Brian Kjerstad, a developer originally from Dickinson, now of Boise, Idaho, will be moving his family back to Dickinson amid a slow building economy in Idaho.

“We go where the work is and it gives us an opportunity to move our family back home,” Kjerstad said.

Kjerstad is vying to develop Painted Canyon Subdivision and Painted Canyon Estates, sort of a “neighborhood within a neighborhood.”

“What we’re really trying to do is create what truly goes on across America which is the selected few entrances into a place to cut down on the shortcut,” Kjerstad said.

Located on a 34 to 35 acre piece of land east of Dickinson, the development will be marketed as a family oriented, low traffic area with its own park, a landscaped berm and common areas maintained by homeowners association dues.

The area is big enough for 78 homes in the main subdivision and 10 lots in the estate portion, with a vinyl fence surrounding the entire subdivision.

“We’re trying to make it so it’s more of a destination place that people would like to be rather than just live on a street that goes up and down,” Kjerstad said.

While median home prices are still being worked out as development cost bids are still coming in, homes in the estate section would range from about $200,000 to $300,000, Kjerstad said, adding they would be offering “a larger than standard lot than is typically being developed currently.”

Kjerstad said if all goes as planned, he hopes to break ground at the end of May or beginning of June and start pouring foundations by the fall.

Another subdivision, Dakota Crossing, would span about 9.4 acres near the Days Hotel-Grand Dakota Lodge.

The development includes plans for retail space located near 15th Street West and Elks Drive, said Greg Ficek, project manager for Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson, Inc.

The development would also include about 20 two-story townhomes with garages on the south side of Elks Drive.

Apartments would be located further west, midway between the Days Inn and 15th Street West.

“Right west of the Days Hotel there’s going to be two apartments with retail on the corner on 15th,” Ficek said.

The proposed retail space includes three buildings, totaling about 17,000 square feet, according to a copy of the preliminary plat. The apartments would not exceed 114 dwellings.

Parking would be comprised of about 353 spaces, both on and off street parking, according to the preliminary plot.

Kostelecky declined comment until the project moves forward a bit further.

A preliminary plat for Diamond Acres Subdivision, a 213-lot area surrounding the Heart River Golf Course, was also presented at Wednesday’s meeting.

Looking at the proposed and pending developments as a whole, there is something seemingly suitable to all price points, Kessel said.

“When you add retail to a city, there’s lots of benefits, the first one of course is sales tax,” Kessel said.

Since commercial property generally brings in higher property taxes, that will also be more revenue for the city, Kessel said.

After the Commission provided their input to the plans during Wednesday’s meeting, developers can now incorporate those recommendations and present the final plat for approval, Kessel said. The final plats would then need to be approved by City Commission at a later date.

Tags: daily updates, dickinson nd, commercial development, housing development, north dakota, construction