Shakopee BOAA to hear July 9 request for water booster station in Arbor Bluff

The City of Shakopee Board of Adjustment and Appeals (BOAA) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 485 Gorman St to consider a conditional use permit request for a water booster station in Arbor Bluff. The request is for a proposed site at 2704 Blue Spruce Drive.

What the BOAA will consider

According to the BOAA agenda packet, Shakopee Public Utilities (SPU) is requesting a conditional use permit (CUP) to allow a municipal utility structure: a water booster station to serve water users in the Second High Elevation Service (2-HES) District. The packet describes the booster station as a required condition tied to the ongoing Arbor Bluff 3rd Addition development, and explains that the booster would provide water service for phases planned within the 2-HES District and act as a redundant supply for existing 2-HES customers.

The proposed site is described as the southwest corner of Blue Spruce Drive and Wood Duck Lane (legal description: Lot 11, Block 5, Arbor Bluff 3rd Addition). The packet also says the booster station building is intended to have a residential appearance, described as a “cottage-inspired” with Craftsman elements that complement adjacent homes.

Neighborhood details in the packet: screening, lighting, and noise

For residents who live near the site, the agenda packet lays out several impact-mitigation topics that the city is emphasizing as part of the CUP review process.

Extensive screening: City staff highlight the “need for extensive screening of the site,” and the packet notes the applicant would need to work closely with city staff prior to building permit or site-improvement construction to ensure compliance with code and CUP resolution requirements.

Noise controls tied to the onsite generator: The packet describes an onsite standby generator used to maintain continued water service within the 2-HES District. It also says noise mitigation contingencies would include generator enclosure soundproofing and installation of a noise wall around the generator, with a noise study planned to establish noise wall design conditions.

Lighting aimed at limiting spillover: The packet says exterior structure lighting would be installed for facility security, using wall-mounted and possibly pole-mounted “down light” fixtures intended to minimize light distribution scatter into the neighborhood.

Wetland-area landscaping and irrigation limits

The packet also points to landscaping near environmental features. It says the developer will regrade, seed, and mulch the booster station lot, and that while there are no trees to be replaced, a landscape plan was submitted to align with the approved plat plan.

For green-space design specifics, the packet states:

• Front and side-yard landscape beds and sodded turf adjacent to the structure would be irrigated.
• Backyard toward the wetland buffer would be planted with low-maintenance fescue and not include irrigation.
• The full turf area would be scheduled for mowing.

It further says the site land use is included in the Arbor Bluff 3rd Addition stormwater management plan, with ponds and infiltration basins designed for city requirements.

Construction timing, if the CUP is approved

The agenda packet describes scheduling for the booster station: it is “scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026 and be completed in the summer of 2027.”

However, readers should note the CUP decision is not the same as construction approval. The packet states that approval of the CUP does not constitute approval of construction, grading, drainage, utility, landscaping, or site development plans, which would require separate review and approval by the city and a building permit before any land-disturbing activity.

What to watch at the hearing

This is the public step where BOAA will take comments and weigh conditions tied to the CUP request. For nearby residents, the packet suggests focusing questions on the items city staff and the application materials emphasize most: screening, lighting direction/fixtures, noise mitigation tied to the generator, and landscaping approaches near the wetland buffer.

As a reminder, the hearing is before the BOAA, not the City Council, and the packet indicates BOAA will consider the CUP request and associated draft resolution at the July 9 meeting.

Sources

• BOAA July 9, 2026 agenda packet (water booster station conditional use permit, Arbor Bluff)
• City of Shakopee public notices (BOAA meeting/hearing notice listing)
• Shakopee Granicus upcoming meetings list (BOAA, with link to the agenda packet)

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