The Pleasant Valley Farms Public Meeting was held on September 3 at Hastings City Hall to introduce residents to
the development plans.
The meeting was in open house style, where residents could browse displays, view housing designs, and ask questions.
Todd Stutz, vice president of land development for Tradition Development Corp., says the project could eventually bring about 390 new homes to the site, along with trails, a neighborhood park, and community amenities.
The property has already taken a major step towards development. In June 2026, it was annexed from Nininger Township into the City of Hastings through an orderly annexation agreement between the township and city.
Tradition now has an application before the City of Hastings for a comprehensive plan amendment. That process
includes determining future land use and extending municipal sewer service to the property.
Stutz shared with the open house attendees that Tradition Development Corp. hopes to complete the formal governmental approval process by the end of this year, with construction potentially beginning in spring 2027.
The project would not develop the entire 158-acre property. Stutz says about 58 acres would remain dedicated to preserved woodlands, wetlands, or stormwater management, leaving roughly 100 acres for development.
Plans showcase a 13-acre neighborhood park on the western portion of the property, along with trails and connections to Hastings’ existing trail system.
Near the entrance from Featherstone Road and General Sieben Drive, developers are proposing a community center
with a pool, meeting space, and exercise facilities for residents. The plans also include what developers are calling a legacy memorial, recognizing the Conzemius family’s more than 100-year connection to the property.
The proposed housing mix would include about 52 townhomes, along with a variety of single-family homes on different-sized lots.
Stutz shared that the project is intended to appeal both to Hastings residents and to people moving into the community from elsewhere in the Twin Cities.
Stutz emphasized that this is expected to be a long-term project of possibly ten years and that the Pleasant Valley Farms site development demands attention and quality.
As an example, Stutz pointed to Spirit of Brandtjen Farm in Lakeville, one of its representative developments. That project began in 2005 and is now nearing completion in 2026, illustrating the company’s approach of building residential communities gradually rather than developing an entire site at once.
The Hastings proposal is still going through the approval process.
An Environmental Assessment Worksheet, or EAW, is available through September 10, giving the public an opportunity to comment on the potential environmental impacts of the development.
The city’s Planning Commission is expected to consider the comprehensive plan amendment and extension of services, followed later by consideration of the subdivision plat. That plat will establish the individual lots, open-space areas, and engineering and grading plans.
One resident asked for clarification about the City of Hastings Comprehensive Plan.
Community Development Director John Hinzman explained that Hastings’ comprehensive plan is part of a larger, long-term planning process coordinated with the Metropolitan Council. The city’s current comprehensive plan is a 20-year vision for growth and is due to be updated and submitted to the Metropolitan Council by the end of 2028.
One resident asked about the process of annexing the property from Nininger Township into the City of Hastings.
Hinzman says the property was annexed from Nininger Township through an orderly annexation agreement between the Nininger Township and the City of Hastings.
Hinzman explained that Nininger Township would have preferred not to annex the property but agreed to work with the city and property owner, Conzemius Family Limited Partnership.
Hinzman also emphasized that the city does not seek out development or pressure landowners to build. Instead, Hastings plans for potential future growth and responds when property owners are willing to bring their land into the city.
For now, the Pleasant Valley Farm proposal remains subject to additional review and public input.
Hinzman says there will be several more opportunities for residents to weigh in as the project moves through the planning commission and city council approval process.
[Click the soundbite to listen to the report.]