Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting - July 8, 2022
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Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting - July 8, 2022
The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on July 8, 2022, to consider two zoning items and receive an informational update on the Summit Avenue Regional Trail Master Plan. The commission approved a conditional use permit for an elevation at 1125 Childs Road and denied a rezoning request at 918 E. 5th Street after determining it constituted spot zoning. The trail plan presentation highlighted design concepts and community engagement, with no formal action taken.
Consent Calendar
- No consent calendar items were listed or acted upon; the first zoning item was considered individually.
Public Comments & Testimony
- 1125 Childs Road CUP: No public speakers in support or opposition at the zoning committee hearing.
- 918 E. 5th Street Rezoning: No public speakers in support or opposition at the zoning committee hearing.
- Summit Avenue Regional Trail: No public testimony was taken; the presentation was informational only.
Discussion Items
1. 1125 Childs Road – Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Structure Elevation
- The zoning committee recommended approval (6-0) for a CUP to elevate a structure on an alternative to fill in the FF flood fringe district at 1125 Childs Road. The full commission approved the motion without additional discussion, vote 6-0.
2. 918 E. 5th Street – Rezoning from RT1 to RM1
- The zoning committee recommended denial (6-0) after finding the rezoning would constitute illegal spot zoning. Planner Bill Dermody explained that the 40-foot-wide, 5,000-square-foot mid-block lot is surrounded by RT1 (two-family) zoning, while existing multi-family parcels are corner or larger lots. The property owner intends to add a third unit to an existing duplex, but city records (truth-in-housing inspections, building permits) have consistently treated it as a duplex. City Attorney Peter Warner (consulted by phone) agreed with the spot zoning determination and noted that zoning should be accurate and permanent; allowing a change here would be unfair to similar properties. Warner advised that if triplexes are to be permitted in such situations, a citywide zoning study (the one-to-four unit study, due late 2022) should address it. The committee and staff recommended denial. The full commission voted to deny the rezoning (aye vote, no opposed).
3. Summit Avenue Regional Trail Master Plan – Informational Update
- Mary Norton (Parks and Recreation) presented an update. The master plan aims to create a regional trail connecting the Mississippi River Gorge regional trail to the Sam Morgan Regional Trail via Summit Avenue, improving east-west connectivity. Key drivers: planned roadway reconstruction (Millen Overlay from Snelling to Lexington in 2022; Lexington to Victoria reconstruction in 2023). Design concepts include two-way or one-way separated facilities to enhance safety and comfort for all ages and abilities, while preserving the historic parkway character and mature tree canopy. Community engagement highlighted desires for green space preservation, safer crossings, and reduced vehicle speeds, but also opposition to changes. The plan will proceed to Parks and Recreation Commission, Transportation Committee, City Council, and Metropolitan Council for approvals; it is not expected to return to the Planning Commission for a formal vote.
Key Outcomes
- Conditional Use Permit (1125 Childs Road): Approved (6-0) – motion carried.
- Rezoning (918 E. 5th Street): Denied (unanimous) – motion to deny carried.
- Summit Avenue Regional Trail: No action taken; presentation received as information. Next steps include releasing a draft master plan for public comment in late summer 2022, followed by formal approval processes.
- The commission noted the importance of the one-to-four unit study for addressing similar zoning issues citywide.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everybody. We'll go ahead and start July 8th 2022 Planning Commission meeting. We'll begin the meeting with I I don't have any announcements, and I'll turn over to uh are you serving as interim director. Uh acting directory. Acting directly. And um good morning. I'm Katie Dadles, uh planner with the department, and filling in for Luis today uh as acting director. Um I don't have any announcements. Thank you. I'll move on to the zoning committee, and I'll turn over to Commissioner Taid. Thank you, Chair. Good morning, members. Um zoning committee mid on June 23rd. We had a two item. Um first one is 1125 uh child road cub and conditional use permit for uh elevation of the instruction and alternative on to fill in the uh followed uh uh free condition uh district. Um after discussion and reviews and um we had um uh no one has spoken support in opposition at public hearing, and we a committee voted as six and oh in favor to approve. So the motion coming out of committees to approve the conditional use permit for elevation of a structure. And uh that was six to zero. Is there any discussion on the motion coming out of the committee? Or how was the total vote count? Uh six six and oh. Is there any discussion on the motion? All right, see no discussion of all those in favor say aye. Any opposed by sign for that motion uh for a conditional use permit at 1125 child road uh is approved. Moving on to the next item, Commissioner Sayyid. Uh Chair, thank you, Chair. And next item is 918 uh 50 street uh rezoning. Rezoning from uh RT1 to two family residential to RM1 multiple family residential. Um 918 50 street east between Forest Street and Mendorah Street. Um this one is a little bit interesting, and uh we had uh a long districation and uh um uh at the public hearing, and no one is uh spoke in support or opposition. Um our committee um uh uh voted uh six and oh to deny, but I um ask uh um Mr. Durmany to uh um present uh little summarize and is it was it was very interesting that's yours uh thanks over rotate this around uh so good morning everyone. Bill Dermony planner. Um this rezoning from RT1 to RM1 is in the estimation of the zoning committee and staff uh compliant with the comprehensive plan. Uh however, there are two findings that you'll see in the the staff report in the draft planning commission resolution that are uh thought to not be met, and they are basically two sides of the same coin. It's about spot zoning. Uh so I want to go through the spot zoning issue a little bit um with you, and uh I also know that you had a couple other requests from the committee, and I'll uh I'll address those as well. So some basics on this. Um screen here in the middle. Um this is a zoning map of the area. All of that gray is zone RT1, and you can see a a couple parcels, a half block to the west here, uh, both of which are corner parcels and a little bit larger. They are zoned RM2, which is a multi-family district. Uh RT1 is a two-family district. Um the land use scenario is all a little more diversified. The subject site here uh is a duplex. It's an existing duplex. Uh basically the point of this rezoning uh is that the new property owner wishes to put a triplex here. They wish to build out the interior. They aren't planning to add on. Of course, the rezoning is just one use classification to another.
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