The Lakeville City Council approved a conditional use permit Monday for a 130-unit expansion of North Creek Manufactured Home Park, but added several requirements aimed at addressing resident concerns about existing park conditions.

The approval came after nearly two hours of public comment from residents of both North Creek and neighboring Country View Mobile Home Park, who raised issues about traffic safety, infrastructure maintenance, and community impact.

As conditions of approval, Haven Park Capital, which owns North Creek, must complete several improvements to the existing park before any new homes can be installed in the expansion area. These include resurfacing all existing driveways, installing new community signage, upgrading mailboxes, replacing the playground, and removing dead and dying trees.

'We hear the concerns about investment in the existing community and are committed to making improvements,' said Jay Van Tassel, representing the ownership group.

The expansion will be built on vacant land south of the existing North Creek community. Plans include a storm shelter, playground areas, and fencing along property lines. A six-foot emergency access gate will be installed between North Creek and Country View, controlled by police and fire departments.

While many residents opposed the expansion, city officials noted their limited discretion in considering conditional use permits for properly zoned properties. The site has been zoned for manufactured housing since the 1970s.