Planning Commission Meeting Summary

The St. Paul Planning Commission convened on July 7, 2023, at 14:30 UTC. The main agenda included a public hearing on proposed electric vehicle (EV) charging zoning code amendments, followed by reports from the Zoning Committee and the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee. The commission also welcomed two new staff members and addressed administrative items.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes from the June 9 and June 23 planning commission meetings by voice vote, with no corrections or objections.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dan Collison (233 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis) and Bob Lund (vice president of facilities) represented Sherman Associates. They expressed general support for the EV charging policy but urged flexibility. Collison noted that they are targeting 3-5% of parking stalls equipped with Level 2 chargers and 50% as charger-ready across new properties. He raised concerns about requiring chargers on day one, management challenges, and the need for waivers if utility power cannot meet demand. Lund emphasized that requirements should be demand-based (per unit or employee) rather than per stall. He cited that in their Denver property, EV charging utilization was only 30-40%, and in their Minneapolis luxury property, they lost 3-6 leases per month due to lack of Level 2 chargers, while deeply affordable properties saw zero demand. He argued that charger-ready infrastructure is preferable to installing chargers immediately and cost about 50-70% of the total. Lund also noted that electrical infrastructure costs are rising 15-20% annually and transformers have long lead times.
• No other public speakers testified, and the written record was extended to allow additional comments.

Discussion Items

• EV Charging Zoning Study: Staff (Bill) presented the draft code amendments, noting a longer-than-minimum public review period (released May 12). He recommended extending the public comment period to August 7, 2023, to allow the Business Review Council and other small business stakeholders time to provide input, given potential impacts on small businesses. There was no deadline pressure, and the timeline could accommodate a September or October city council hearing.
• Commissioner Moore raised a question about EV charging in right-of-way, and staff clarified that while not currently possible, residents can request such installations; the city has about 35 EV Spot network units.
• Commissioner Starley (an EV driver) discussed hotel charging and noted that EV travelers know which hotels have chargers, but staff and Sherman representatives noted that urban hotels may have low demand, and public parking might be more appropriate.
• After the public hearing, Commissioner X (name not captured) expressed encouragement to focus on environmental benefits and future generations, despite costs. Commissioner Presley (acting chair) and Planning Director Padera reaffirmed the extension of the comment period.
• Zoning Committee Report: Commissioner Riley reported on item 897 St. Paul Avenue, a rezoning from Office Service (OS) to Traditional Neighborhood (T2). No one spoke at the committee public hearing, and the committee recommended approval unanimously. During commission discussion, Commissioner Show noted the contrast with a previous controversial pizza place case and questioned the consistency of decisions based on business type and street context. Staff (director) responded that the street classification and non-conforming status were key differences, and there is a broader policy question about commercial uses in residential areas.
• Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee Report: Commissioner Saeed reported on the second phase of the 1-4 Units Study. The committee discussed combining H1 and H2 zoning districts and eliminating H3, merging it into H2. The discussion was postponed to a special meeting on July 12, 2023, due to the complexity of the packet. Staff noted the study is about 60 days behind schedule, with a recommendation expected in August or September. Commissioner X suggested that new H districts might lead to a future commercial zoning study; staff mentioned existing T district studies are already underway.
• Transportation Committee Report: Commissioner reported that the July 12 meeting was canceled. On June 26, they heard about the John Ireland and Bullbird bridge reconstruction (three options), a half-million-dollar trail connection (half-block) connecting two bike trails, and the Flan Dro bike boulevard planning study for a 2.5-mile north-south connection on the east side.
• Staff welcomed new planners Christina Hong (current planning team) and Anna Jerome (long-range planning team) to the commission.

Key Outcomes

• EV Charging Public Hearing: The commission voted to close the public hearing but extended the written comment period to August 7, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. The matter will be forwarded to the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee for further review before returning to the commission.
• 897 St. Paul Avenue Rezoning: The commission approved the rezoning from OS to T2 by voice vote, with no opposition.
• 1-4 Units Study: The committee will hold a special meeting on July 12, 2023, to continue discussion, with a recommendation anticipated by late summer.
• The meeting adjourned after the above items.