Sep 16, 2006 7:05 pm US/Central
Once Cornfields, 'Tour De Sprawl' Visits Suburbia
by Heather Brown
(WCCO)
A "conference" of sorts, organized by the Minnesota North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, bicycled its way throughout the metro on Saturday.
Hundreds of biking environmentalists participated in the club's 11th annual
Tour de Sprawl -- a 24-mile trek from Woodbury to Hastings with stops along the way to witness how the region, once covered by corn fields, has grown into suburbia.
Twin Cities suburbs are growing so quickly that over the next 15 years, the population of Washington County is expected to grow by a third.
"It's unique in Woodbury," said Joshua Houdek of the Sierra Club, "It brings an urban feel to a suburban community."
The bikers powered through strong winds to check out developments that were cornfields five years ago.
Newland Communities designed one 700-acre subdivision along the route. At Stonemill Farms, the homes were built side-by-side, retention ponds take the runoff, and a common area of greenspace sits in the center.
"The open space is what people are looking for," said Shelly White of Newland Communities.
But some riders saw a different picture.
Former Woodbury resident Dan Theide moved to the cities four years ago.
"You just have alot of starter castles out here," he said. "Big stuff, tearing up the farmland and plopping a house on."
Love it or hate it, this year's ride was Susan Phipps-Yonas' sixth. She said she rarely makes it to the suburbs.
"I was amazed by these communities," she said. "I didn't know they were building these kinds of things out here. I have a real mixed feeling as a city person."
Part of the route wended its way through cornfields. Many on today's tour are resigned to the reality that buildings may stand here someday.
"I think urban sprawl is inevitable," said White, adding, "I think the fun part is finding creative ways to make it interesting and acceptable."
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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