The Shakopee City Council voted April 15 to approve the preliminary plat for Richland Court, a proposed subdivision north of County Highway 78 and east of Town Line Avenue that will create eight single‑family lots and two outlots for stormwater and wetland preservation.

Staff told the council the developer reduced the plan from 10 lots to eight after an initial planning commission hearing and that the proposal complies with R‑1B zoning and density requirements in the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan. The plan calls for a stormwater basin, a wetland outlot, and sanitary sewer and water main connections to serve the new lots.

City staff said Scott County required a right‑in/right‑out access on Town Line Avenue because the county enforces access‑spacing rules on its highways. The city engineer explained that although nearby access points predate the county standard, new subdivision permits must comply with current county access policy; the developer will construct a bypass lane, a “pork‑chop” island and curb median to meet the requirement.

Neighbors raised questions about existing access, the extent of grading and whether the new lots would create awkward remnants of land. City staff said some adjacent parcels are common‑area or privately owned and that the current proposal is the remaining developable parcel from an earlier approval. Staff also said sanitary sewer service would require future extensions and that special‑assessment policy would apply to any utility extensions requested by other property owners.

Council Member Whiting moved to approve Resolution R2025‑003 approving the preliminary plat; Council Member Contreras seconded. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.

The council approved the resolution and asked staff to continue coordinating with Scott County on access construction and neighborhood communication.