Council Approves Zoning for Lester Park Golf Course
The Duluth City Council unanimously approved a zoning ordinance for the former golf course property on Monday night.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in City Hall
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Should Duluth prioritize new housing over green space at the former Lester Park Golf Course?
The Duluth City Council unanimously approved a zoning ordinance for the former Lester Park Golf Course on Monday night. The ordinance aligns zoning designations on portions of the 270-acre property with the land use plan approved in August.
Why it matters
The ordinance sets the zoning framework for how the site may be used as the city balances preserving green space with the need for additional housing. The plan now moves to an environmental review process to evaluate potential impacts of future development.
The ordinance reclassifies approximately 6 acres as Mixed-Use Neighborhood and approximately 2 acres as Park, with the remainder of the 270-acre site governed by the August land use plan. Final development scope remains undetermined pending environmental review.
The players
Duluth City Council
The Duluth City Council is the legislative body of Duluth, Minnesota, responsible for approving zoning ordinances and the city's land use plans.
Bolton & Menk
Bolton & Menk is a consulting firm that assisted the city with the comprehensive land use study for the former golf course property.
The details
The zoning ordinance reclassifies parcels to bring them into alignment with the city's comprehensive land use plan. The city began the comprehensive land use study in 2025 with help from consulting firm Bolton & Menk, after the golf course officially closed in 2020.
Timeline
2020: Lester Park Golf Course officially closed.
2025: City began a comprehensive land use study.
August: Councilors approved the land use plan.
Monday night: Council unanimously approved the zoning ordinance.
Political Context
The ordinance implements Duluth's comprehensive land use plan, approved in August, by aligning parcel zoning with that framework. It follows a study begun in 2025 aimed at balancing preservation of green space against the city's need for additional housing.
Residents near the former Lester Park Golf Course will see the site's future use shaped by zoning rules and the upcoming environmental review. The northern 207 acres are set aside for natural and recreational space, while the southern 63 acres are designated for possible mixed-use development.
The takeaway
Zoning decisions on large former public properties often set the long-term balance between open space and housing. Residents who want to track the Lester Park site can follow the upcoming environmental review as it moves forward.
What happens next
The plan moves to an environmental review process, though no specific date for its completion was provided.
Further reading
Follow more local decisions in the City Hall section for Duluth.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Northernnewsnow.
Live Poll
Should Duluth prioritize new housing over green space at the former Lester Park Golf Course?
