Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - April 9, 2026

Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript all indicate the meeting was held on April 8, 2026, but the instruction requires using April 9, 2026. This discrepancy is noted.

The Rochester Planning & Zoning Commission met on April 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in the Council/Board Chambers. The meeting included three main agenda items: a conditional use permit for the 6th Street Bridge, a vacation petition for a right-of-way, and a text amendment to the Unified Development Code (UDC) to update FEMA floodplain panels. All items were approved unanimously with no public comments.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of March 25, 2026: Approved unanimously (8-0, with Commissioner Ahmed absent initially; later 9-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the open comment period or the public hearing.

Discussion Items

1. Conditional Use Permit (CD2026-003CUP) – 6th Street Bridge: Staff member Elliot Mohler presented the request by the City of Rochester to modify the flood wall and construct a bridge connecting 6th Street Southwest and 6th Street Southeast. The project requires a conditional use permit because bridge piers will be located in the floodway subdistrict. Key points: the bridge will cause a rise of less than one inch in water level, necessitating a FEMA Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR); the city has coordinated with the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers, and FEMA, and the Army Corps has already approved the project. The commission discussed the roundabout included in the approved small area plan and the connection to the Destination Medical Center (DMC) project. The staff recommended approval with two conditions: (1) submission of engineered sign plans prior to final approval, and (2) CLOMR approval by FEMA before construction. The commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.

2. Vacation Petition (CD2026-002VAC) – 2nd Avenue NW: Staff member Desmond McGeough presented the request to vacate a 66-foot-wide, 125-foot-long segment of unimproved right-of-way north of 26th Street NW. The street was platted in 1967 but never built; it dead-ends into residential lots. Vacating the right-of-way would allow the two adjoining property owners to absorb the land (approximately 4,000 square feet each). Commissioners asked about the possibility of building a house or creating a community garden, but staff clarified that the city cannot retain the land; it reverts to the underlying property owners. The commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.

3. Text Amendment (CD2026-001TA) – UDC Section 60.200.040E: Staff member Edward Caples presented an update to the FEMA flood insurance rate map panels (panels 27109C0164G and 27109C0302G) for the Bear Creek area. This is a minor language cleanup and panel update based on a FEMA study, not the annual UDC update. The public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers. The commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council.

Key Outcomes

• Conditional Use Permit No. CD2026-003CUP: Approved unanimously (9-0) with a recommendation to City Council, subject to two conditions (engineered sign plans and CLOMR approval).
• Vacation Petition No. CD2026-002VAC: Approved unanimously (9-0) with a recommendation to City Council.
• Text Amendment No. CD2026-001TA: Approved unanimously (9-0) with a recommendation to City Council.
• Other Business: Staff provided a recap of the April 6, 2026 City Council meeting, noting approval of a final plat for the Pebble Creek development (108 units). Commissioner Ruchi Gupta announced her resignation effective April 24, 2026, to accept a position as a development manager at a corporate car wash.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:00 p.m.