Cass County opens comment period on 68-lot Waterside Estates development near Walker

Cass County opened a 30-day public-comment period July 21 for environmental review of a proposed 68-lot residential development in Fairview Township near Walker.

UC-Barefoot Bay, LLC proposes the Waterside Estates General Development Plan on approximately 115 acres spread across 10 parcels. The proposal includes residential lots, utilities and an internal road network.

Public comments will be accepted through Aug. 20, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The comment period is the next public step identified in the county’s notice for the Environmental Assessment Worksheet, or EAW.

What Waterside Estates would include

The plan calls for 68 residential lots. Of those, 22 are identified as riparian lots and 46 as non-riparian lots.

The riparian lots would have lake access through a combination of stairs or lifts, boardwalks and docks. The proposal also includes utilities and roads within the development to serve the planned lots.

Vehicle access would be provided through County Road 77 and White Pine Road SW. The development is proposed for Fairview Township. Cass County is the responsible governmental unit for the environmental review, and the county’s notice identifies the Cass County Environmental Services Department in connection with the process.

What the environmental review does

An EAW is used to help inform permitting decisions and determine whether a project requires a more extensive Environmental Impact Statement. It provides a framework for reviewing potential environmental issues before later decisions on permits.

The EAW does not itself approve or deny Waterside Estates. The county notice does not say whether the project will ultimately be approved, modified or denied. Any changes or conditions would be addressed as the proposal moves through environmental review and permitting.

The proposed development could add dozens of homes, new roads and utility infrastructure in the Cass County area near Walker. The public-comment period gives residents and other interested parties an opportunity to review the proposal and submit comments before the county proceeds with later review and permitting steps.

How to review and comment

Cass County’s notice lists the Cass County Courthouse, 303 Minnesota Avenue W in Walker, as a location where the EAW can be reviewed. Comments must be submitted by Aug. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

The July 21 notice establishes the comment deadline but does not set a construction schedule for the proposed development. The proposal remains subject to environmental review and any subsequent permitting decisions.