Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting – June 9, 2023

The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on June 9, 2023, from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. to approve prior meeting minutes, receive committee updates, and engage in two major new business items: an interactive 2024 city budget prioritization exercise led by the Mayor's Office, and an informational presentation on the Rondo Neighborhood Small Area Plan. No formal actions were taken on the new business items.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (May 26, 2023): The minutes were approved by unanimous voice vote (all ayes, no nays) following a motion by Commissioner Hood and no discussion.

Committee Updates

• Zoning Committee: Reported that no meeting was held since the last commission meeting; next meeting scheduled for June 15 with two items: a rezoning and a conditional use permit (expanded parking for a former Burger King site).
• Comprehensive & Neighborhood Planning Committee: No report.
• Transportation Committee: Reported no meeting on June 5; next meeting scheduled for June 12 with three items: review of the electric vehicle charging zoning study, consideration of the Central Village master plan, and an informational update on the 2023 Arterial Mill & Overlay program.
• Communications-Nomination Committee: No report.
• Task Force/Liaison Reports: None.

Discussion Items

2024 City Budget Engagement Exercise (Jon Grubner, Mayor's Office)

• Jon Grubner presented an interactive budget prioritization exercise designed to gather commissioner input on the 2024 budget. The exercise framed a $5 million prioritization challenge (out of an approximately $800 million total budget) and asked commissioners to allocate resources across four categories: Infrastructure, Emergency Response, Community Resources, and Economic Opportunity.
• Commissioners first discussed the four categories in small groups, then individually used a QR-code-linked app to build a balanced budget by selecting spending options (with prune reductions) and revenue increases (e.g., sales tax, property tax, parking fees, PILOTs).
• Key findings from group discussions:
  • One side of the room reached consensus on Infrastructure as the top priority, arguing it spurs economic opportunity and reduces emergency needs.
  • The other side identified both Infrastructure and Economic Opportunity as interconnected priorities, emphasizing tax-base growth.
• Commissioners noted difficulty in balancing the budget, with many choosing revenue increases (sales tax, property tax, parking fees) to fund community services, affordable housing, and unsheltered response.
• Grubner explained that the exercise is part of a citywide engagement effort (ward meetings, community organizations) to inform the Mayor’s budget address on August 14, 2023, followed by City Council review and a final vote in December.
• Commissioner questions touched on the structural deficit, the small discretionary slice of the budget, and how political considerations affect budget decisions. Grubner responded that the administration prioritizes responding to community needs and maintaining fiscal prudence.

Rondo Neighborhood Small Area Plan Informational Presentation (Tony Johnson, Planning Department)

• Tony Johnson presented an update on the Rondo African American Cultural Enterprise District Small Area Plan, a process that began in 2021 following a $6.2 million state legislative award to Reconnect Rondo.
• The plan aims to guide redevelopment after the I-94 highway construction that devastated the historic Rondo neighborhood in the 1950s-60s. The land bridge/cap is a key long-term project, but the plan also addresses immediate anti-displacement measures, affordable housing, cultural visibility, and economic opportunity.
• Johnson reported extensive community engagement: multiple open houses (e.g., January 12, 2023), attendance at neighborhood events (Little Africa Fest, Jazz Fest), and a Rondo Round Table advisory group. Typical meeting turnout was about 150 in-person and 50 online.
• Key community priorities identified at an anti-displacement open house (Nov. 15, 2022):
  • Increase affordable homeownership options
  • Create cultural spaces and youth programming
  • Build community ownership (e.g., community investment trust, reinvestment fund)
• The small area plan is being developed concurrently with other studies: restorative development modeling, anti-displacement overlay district, NEPA environmental review, and a net-zero demonstration project.
• The plan boundary is an orange-lined area with a gray context area; the African American Cultural Enterprise District boundaries are still being determined.
• Johnson expressed hope to complete the plan by spring 2024, after which it would come back to the Planning Commission for adoption as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.
• Commissioner discussion covered:
  • How the plan interacts with existing station area plans (e.g., Green Line): Johnson noted potential to revisit height restrictions and other regulations.
  • The concept of an overlay district (rather than a full historic district) to guide development and placemaking.
  • Environmental concerns of living above a highway: Johnson referenced the NEPA study and air quality monitoring, and noted that capping the freeway can mitigate some pollution (e.g., at Maxfield Elementary).
  • The relationship with MnDOT's “Rethinking I-94” study and a possible Twin Cities Boulevard alternative: Director Luis Pereira cautioned that the plan must maintain flexibility to align with future MnDOT decisions.
  • Short-term interventions: Commissioners suggested tree planting, air quality sensors, and screening around the freeway; Johnson acknowledged these could be part of the plan but noted coordination with MnDOT would be needed.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved (unanimous).
• Budget engagement input collected via app; commissioners' prioritizations will be shared with the Mayor’s Office for the 2024 budget proposal.
• Rondo Small Area Plan is progressing toward a spring 2024 completion; no formal action was taken at this meeting, but the commission will be asked to adopt the plan when finalized.
• The Transportation Committee will meet on June 12 to discuss Central Village master plan, EV charging zoning, and the arterial mill and overlay program.