OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting - May 7, 2026

Boards and Commissions — Thursday, May 7, 2026
BodyRochester, Minnesota
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateThursday, May 7, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 22:40

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

All right, I'd like to call the meeting to order.

0:04

Um uh six o'clock here.

0:07

Um we first start with the open comments.

0:11

Uh this is a time in the agenda that allows members of the public to address the commission on items that are not on tonight's agenda as a public hearing.

0:22

If there is anyone listening that would like to address the commission, please do at this time.

0:30

Uh seeing none, we can now move to the next item on the agenda.

0:35

Is calling call the meeting to order.

0:40

Um we'll take roll call.

0:45

So just for the record, just please acknowledge if you're presence.

0:50

Um this is my first time.

0:52

So present.

1:00

Commissioner Matthews, present.

1:02

Commissioner Peralt.

1:05

She's absent.

1:07

Uh Commissioner Stead.

1:09

Present.

1:12

Commissioner Yost.

1:13

Present.

1:14

Commissioner Spencer, present.

1:21

All right.

1:22

The roll call will next move to the order of the agenda.

1:26

Um, we'd like to move the order of agenda for the 6B variance uh number to be held before the 6A.

1:35

So we're just gonna flip-flop for convenience.

1:43

Can I get approval on the agenda order?

1:48

Second.

1:49

Commissioner Matthews motions to approve.

1:52

Commissioner Yost seconds.

1:54

All in favor, say yay.

1:55

Yay.

1:59

Motion carries agenda such.

2:04

The uh first we need to uh approve the meeting minutes.

2:15

Um the meeting minutes from January 7th, 2026.

2:18

Has everybody had a chance to review the meeting minutes?

2:22

Are there any questions, comments, or concerns?

2:26

Move to approve from Stead.

2:29

We have a motion to approve from Stead.

2:31

Do I have a second?

2:32

Mr.

2:32

Chair, I didn't um Commissioner Stead isn't able to vote or otherwise participate in the meeting tonight.

2:38

So um I would ask that the motion come from somebody in the room.

2:41

So Commissioner Stead, just so that you're aware, um, mostly you're here to just listen tonight.

2:46

Um, and uh any type of um, you know, all of the votes and the motions will need to come from the room.

2:52

Thank you.

2:53

Commissioner Abbott, you're a motion.

2:56

Commissioner Abbott makes a motion, doing a second.

2:59

Commissioner Matthews, second, all in favor, yeah.

3:02

All opposed.

3:04

Motion carries forward.

3:12

So tonight there is no reports and recommendations on the agenda, so we'll go to the next agenda item is uh the public hearing.

3:20

Um we have two public hearings tonight.

3:25

Um after staff have given their reports on each item, each member of the public wishing to speak on the item will have five minutes to address the board.

3:36

Um, and we can start.

3:39

Yep.

3:40

Well, we're gonna do six feet first, correct?

3:42

Oh, yep, yep, six feet.

3:44

Mr.

3:44

Chair, if I might.

3:45

Yeah.

3:45

Uh good evening to the uh Commissioner Brent Carlson City Attorney's Office.

3:50

Um, tonight the board isn't gonna be able to hear variance number CD 2026-02 VAR by Broadway Enterprises LLC.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Signage Regulations█████████████████████████████████████████████45%
Procedural███████████████████████████████████35%
Pending Litigation███████████11%
Personnel Matters█████████9%
Summary of Proceedings

Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting - May 7, 2026

The Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals met on May 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rochester Police Department North Station, Development Services & Infrastructure Center, Room 163. The board considered two variance requests and approved the consent agenda. One item was continued due to a lack of quorum.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes of the January 7, 2026, Zoning Board of Appeals meeting as the official record. (Motion by Abbott, second by Matthews, unanimous with 5 ayes, 1 absent.)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the open comment period or during the public hearings.

Discussion Items

Item 6.B: Variance No. CD2026-002VAR by Broadway Enterprises LLC

  • City Attorney Brent Carlsen informed the board that Commissioners Yost and Bucknell recused themselves due to conflicts of interest, leaving only three voting members present (Commissioner Stead was present via MS Teams but not voting). Without a quorum, the board could not hear the item.
  • The board voted unanimously to continue the variance to either May 20, 2026 (if a fourth member can attend) or the next regularly scheduled meeting on June 3, 2026. (Motion by Matthews, second by Yost, 5 ayes.)

Item 6.A: Variance No. CD2026-001VAR by Allied Emergency Veterinary Services LLC

  • Staff presented a request to increase the permitted freestanding sign height from 15 to 45 feet and area from 64 to 149 square feet for a property at the south end of the city (zoned LI – Light Industrial). The site will house an emergency veterinary clinic.
  • Staff recommended approval as amended: height up to 25 feet and area up to 130 square feet, finding that the nine required variance criteria were satisfied.
  • Applicant Kara Nelsen, owner of Allied Emergency Veterinary Services, spoke in favor of the original request, citing visibility needs for clients traveling from southern Minnesota and Iowa, especially during emergencies. She noted the site's sloping terrain and the presence of a McDonald's sign at approximately 30 feet.
  • The public hearing was opened and closed with no public testimony.
  • After discussion, the board voted unanimously to approve the variance as amended (height 25 feet, area 130 square feet). (Motion by Yost, second by Abbott, 5 ayes.)

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved.
  • Variance CD2026-002VAR: Continued to May 20 or June 3, 2026, due to lack of quorum.
  • Variance CD2026-001VAR: Approved as amended (sign height 25 ft, sign area 130 sq ft).
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned unanimously at approximately 6:45 p.m.

Note: The date in this summary (May 7, 2026) is based on the instruction provided, though the agenda and minutes indicate the meeting occurred on May 6, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

All right, I'd like to call the meeting to order. Um uh six o'clock here. Um we first start with the open comments. Uh this is a time in the agenda that allows members of the public to address the commission on items that are not on tonight's agenda as a public hearing. If there is anyone listening that would like to address the commission, please do at this time. Uh seeing none, we can now move to the next item on the agenda. Is calling call the meeting to order. Um we'll take roll call. So just for the record, just please acknowledge if you're presence. Um this is my first time. So present. Commissioner Matthews, present. Commissioner Peralt. She's absent. Uh Commissioner Stead. Present. Commissioner Yost. Present. Commissioner Spencer, present. All right. The roll call will next move to the order of the agenda. Um, we'd like to move the order of agenda for the 6B variance uh number to be held before the 6A. So we're just gonna flip-flop for convenience. Can I get approval on the agenda order? Second. Commissioner Matthews motions to approve. Commissioner Yost seconds. All in favor, say yay. Yay. Motion carries agenda such. The uh first we need to uh approve the meeting minutes. Um the meeting minutes from January 7th, 2026. Has everybody had a chance to review the meeting minutes? Are there any questions, comments, or concerns? Move to approve from Stead. We have a motion to approve from Stead. Do I have a second? Mr. Chair, I didn't um Commissioner Stead isn't able to vote or otherwise participate in the meeting tonight. So um I would ask that the motion come from somebody in the room. So Commissioner Stead, just so that you're aware, um, mostly you're here to just listen tonight. Um, and uh any type of um, you know, all of the votes and the motions will need to come from the room. Thank you. Commissioner Abbott, you're a motion. Commissioner Abbott makes a motion, doing a second. Commissioner Matthews, second, all in favor, yeah. All opposed. Motion carries forward. So tonight there is no reports and recommendations on the agenda, so we'll go to the next agenda item is uh the public hearing. Um we have two public hearings tonight.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com