The City of Maple Grove didn’t bulldoze Dawn Cooper’s home, but what came instead might’ve felt close. A new housing development next door forced the Minnesota homeowner into a surreal position. Her only path home now runs along a former city road turned private, 1,000-foot stretch of driveway she has to take care of on her own dime.

Cooper bought the property in 2022 after a death in the family, determined to keep the home that had been in their lineage for more than 60 years.

The lot sat quietly along Fernbrook Lane, a familiar road that for decades had been her family’s access point.

Then the earthmovers rolled in.

Construction crews began carving out a new townhome neighborhood behind her property

Cooper said she only learned what was happening after she saw the heavy equipment and asked around.

City officials told her the project’s previous owner had been notified years earlier. But Cooper said she never received any notice herself.

No warning that Fernbrook Lane would soon close, cutting off the only public road to her driveway.

When the city finalized its plans, it offered Cooper two driveway choices

The first was to connect her property through the new townhome complex. But that would mean running her driveway across land owned by a homeowners association.

Cooper said she worried the HOA could later control or restrict her access.

The second choice (what she’s now living with) was to turn part of Fernbrook Lane into a private driveway. It’s a full 1,000 feet long.

City engineers explained that once the long driveway was complete, it would belong entirely to her

That meant plowing, resurfacing, and long-term maintenance would all come out of her pocket. 

Cooper said estimates for snow removal alone could top $4,000 each winter.

Officials maintain they gave her deadlines and diagrams before construction began, but Cooper said the process felt rushed and confusing

She and her attorney didn’t commit to either option in time.

The city moved forward with the private driveway plan so the development could proceed.

Suburban dream home turned nightmare

She bought it to preserve family history. Now, the home has turned into an overwhelming infrastructure project.

According to KARE 11, city memos suggest officials may revisit the idea of connecting her to the neighboring development. This all depends on new negotiations between her and the developer.