Downside of the Lakeville, Prior Lake, Burnsville Area? (Minneapolis, Rosemount: homes, neighborhood)

[uptown_urbanist]

Presumably the OP does not care about winding roads or at least does not prioritize being able to walk to places, as he didn't mention that as a consideration, so we risk getting really far off topic (and not much help to the OP) if we go off on a tangent about what we personally consider to be good urban design. Although I suppose it's worth bringing up as a consideration in case the OP hasn't spent much time in subdivisions with that layout before. (and Golfgal, maybe I'm missing something, but you don't live in Lakeville, Burnsville, or Prior Lake, and OP wasn't asking about your section of Rosemount, so...?)

[Pisces69]

OP asked for negatives; I delivered. I actually over-delivered, by throwing in some positives.

Why walkability matters:

What Makes a Neighborhood Walkable

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Presumably the OP does not care about winding roads or at least does not prioritize being able to walk to places, as he didn't mention that as a consideration, so we risk getting really far off topic (and not much help to the OP) if we go off on a tangent about what we personally consider to be good urban design. Although I suppose it's worth bringing up as a consideration in case the OP hasn't spent much time in subdivisions with that layout before. (and Golfgal, maybe I'm missing something, but you don't live in Lakeville, Burnsville, or Prior Lake, and OP wasn't asking about your section of Rosemount, so...?)

Sooo, what? Lakeville has a lovely downtown area with many housing that is very walkable to the cute shops there. There are also a few newer shopping areas, again, with neighborhoods close and easily walkable via wide bike/walking paths. Same thing for most of the schools in Lakeville if you live in neighborhoods close to the schools there. Prior Lake has a similar set up but not as much shopping in town. Since the topic was brought up and again, false information about the walkability of suburbs most people posting on this thread have never been too, just trying to give the OP CORRECT information.

The map Pisces69 posted is great, if you live in Belleview, WA. Not relavant to this thread either....There are 1000's of houses within a mile of shopping areas in Lakeville, all easily accessed via walking paths/bike paths.

[CtrlEsc]

It was actually the twisty roads that she liked. Well laid out, straight-line neighborhoods feel too cookie cutter or row of cages to her. One of our current problems is a lack of privacy in the back yard. We live in a very gossipy neighborhood and would like a little more privacy. Hence the hope for a wooded lot. The twists and curves help angle the houses so there are options for less exposed back yards.

I can appreciate straight line designed streets though. It's definitely more traffic friendy, easier on the brakes, most likely to be less accidents or at least less blind intersections... Being able to walk to things easily is a bonus for me. However, the wife wouldn't be caught dead walking to anywhere other than the car.
My only three requirements are; does it have high speed internet, a dry basement, and a 24hour mart I can visit at the wee hours of the night? Mine are pretty easy to accomodate north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Her list is a bit more extensive but the Lakeville school district houses and Prior Lake school district houses meet most of them.
I just wanted to make sure there weren't any suprises or things I might have missed that were "local knowledge".

Thanks everyone for the responses.

[uptown_urbanist]

sooo... point was that whatever your neighborhood in Rosemount is like is irrelevant, as the OP doesn't want to live in Rosemount. People weren't (for the most part) discussing "suburbs" (a meaningless term for the most part, as suburbs come in many different forms), they were discussing the specific suburbs that the OP was considering. Which do have winding roads. Which the OP thinks is a positive, so all is well on that point.

[sparksals]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Yes, it's nice being able to walk to the coffee shop, pick up a couple things at the grocery store, walk to the bank, walk to the dr's office, walk to the kids' school, etc.---oops, we live in the suburbs--how on earth are we able to do all that with our windy roads??

Depends on where you live in Rosemount. It is pretty spread out. To walk to Cub from Connemara and Diamond Path is a fair jaunt just as it is from 46 and Diamond Path. Can be done, but it's not a stroll. Rosemount is small, but not THAT small.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by sparksals

Depends on where you live in Rosemount. It is pretty spread out. To walk to Cub from Connemara and Diamond Path is a fair jaunt just as it is from 46 and Diamond Path. Can be done, but it's not a stroll. Rosemount is small, but not THAT small.

Just like there are places in Minneapolis that are not convenient to the grocery store...which is the point.

[Glenfield]

Glenfield's law: As a CDF Minnesota discussion grows longer, the probability of it deteriorating into a city vs. suburbs argument approaches one.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Just like there are places in Minneapolis that are not convenient to the grocery store...which is the point.

But... OP doesn't want to live in MINNEAPOLIS! (or in Rosemount) No one has (until now) mentioned Minneapolis! Clearly the OP would be miserable in Minneapolis, as the roads are mostly on the grid system, lots are small, and you live relatively close to your neighbors, and the houses are laid out orderly and facing the street and in most places the backyards, although still private, are not going to be as private and woodsy as what his wife prefers. Minneapolis is not the right fit for everyone.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

But... OP doesn't want to live in MINNEAPOLIS! (or in Rosemount) No one has (until now) mentioned Minneapolis! Clearly the OP would be miserable in Minneapolis, as the roads are mostly on the grid system, lots are small, and you live relatively close to your neighbors, and the houses are laid out orderly and facing the street and in most places the backyards, although still private, are not going to be as private and woodsy as what his wife prefers. Minneapolis is not the right fit for everyone.

Then why do you keep bringing it up??