East Gull Lake Weighs Housing on the Legacy Resort Land

East Gull Lake is taking a close look at what comes next on part of the former Cragun's Legacy golf-course land. At its July 7, 2026 meeting, the city council took up three rezoning requests that would shift portions of the Legacy Resort property from recreation to residential and other uses, and it tabled them without a final decision. For a community where Gull Lake shoreline and open green space are both precious, the question of whether golf-course land becomes housing is worth watching.

What the Rezone Would Do

The three rezoning applications before the council, Rezone-2026-53, Rezone-2026-54, and Rezone-2026-55, would move portions of the Legacy Resort land from its current recreation designation to R-2 residential and a community-wide designation. The property is part of the land tied to Cragun's Legacy courses, which have been part of a broader resort redevelopment over recent years. The council listed the items as planning commission matters and tabled all three, meaning no final action was taken in July.

Why It Matters on Gull Lake

Open golf-course land along a premium lake is a rare asset, and what happens to it matters to the whole community. Residential development on the Legacy land could add new homes to one of the most sought-after corners of the Brainerd Lakes Area, and it could also change the character of the open space neighbors see every day. That is why the city is moving carefully: when the land is this desirable, the details matter.

What's Decided and What Isn't

As of now, the rezones are tabled, not approved. The council has also handled related items, including an ordinance amendment rezoning part of the area known as Cragun's Legacy Ridge. In other words, this is an active conversation with a long way to go, and no one should treat new homes on the Legacy land as a done deal. The takeaway is that East Gull Lake is thinking carefully about its next chapter.

What Buyers and Sellers Should Watch

**For buyers:** if residential lots eventually move forward on premium Gull Lake land, they could add options to a market where choice is limited.

**For sellers:** new development is not today's competition, but it is context for how you price and present a property now.

**For everyone:** expect the process to be slow and public, which is how lake-shore decisions should work.

The Bottom Line

East Gull Lake sits on some of the most valuable ground in the Brainerd Lakes Area, and the Legacy Resort rezone conversation is really a conversation about how that ground gets used next. It is early, it is tabled, and it will take time. For buyers and sellers, it is worth knowing about because it speaks to the long-term health of a market that has very little developable lakefront left.

Want to understand the Gull Lake market better? Start with our East Gull Lake community guide, read about the other proposed community on Gull Lake's south shore, or schedule a conversation. Cheers!