Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting: District Energy CUP and Micro-Unit Housing Ordinance – August 29, 2023
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Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting: District Energy CUP and Micro-Unit Housing Ordinance – August 29, 2023
The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on August 29, 2023. Note: The agenda was dated September 1, 2023, but the provided timestamp indicates the meeting took place on August 29; this summary uses that date. The meeting covered approval of prior minutes, staff announcements, a conditional use permit for District Energy, and release of a draft ordinance for micro-unit dwellings accessory to religious institutions.
Approval of Minutes
- The commission approved the minutes from the August 4 and August 18, 2023 meetings by voice vote, with no opposition.
Chair’s Announcements
- Chair Luis Rangel Morales shared a personal anecdote about winning a plush mellow at the state fair.
Planning Director’s Announcements
- Planning Director Luis Pereira announced a reorganization of the planning department into current planning and long-range planning subteams. He introduced Yasmin Robinson as the new Current Planning Manager and Anton Jervey as the Long-Range Planning Manager. He also introduced two new city planners, including Nellie Jerome, and research analyst Stefan Hackerson.
Zoning Committee: District Energy Conditional Use Permit
- Commissioner Martinson reported that the Zoning Committee recommended approval of conditional use permit #23-065-493 (50-76 Kellogg District Energy) to use a structure rather than fill to elevate a generator above the regulatory flood protection elevation. The project will install a hydrogen and natural gas fuel generator at 76 Kellogg Blvd W, in partnership with Caterpillar and funded by the Department of Energy. The commission approved the CUP by voice vote.
- Martinson also previewed upcoming zoning items: a rezoning from I1 to IT at 2281 and 2285 Hampton Avenue, with variances for minimum non-residential and maximum residential ground-floor uses. A commissioner noted that the BZA previously denied a variance because residential use is essentially prohibited on the first floor in I1, and the applicant is now seeking the more flexible IT zoning, which requires 50% non-residential ground floor; the proposal has 15% non-residential and the rest residential, including basement residential.
Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee: Micro-Unit Dwellings
- The committee chair reported on the proposal to amend the zoning code to permit micro-unit dwellings accessory to religious institutions, following a state statute effective January 1, 2024. Staff recommended permitted use, since no additional conditions can be attached to a conditional use.
- Nellie Jerome presented the draft ordinance and described the pilot at Mosaic Church (540 Wheelock Parkway), which has six micro-units and eight residents, developed in partnership with the nonprofit Settled. Units are limited to 400 square feet, must meet ANSI standards (e.g., electricity, insulation, heat, and a toilet), and must provide access to toilets, showers, laundry, and kitchen facilities either in the unit or in the main building.
- Discussion addressed regulatory authority and building code oversight. A commissioner expressed concern about ensuring safety rather than deferring to the state, and recommended cities retain clear authority. Another commissioner asked about tenant selection; staff noted Mosaic and Settled conduct outreach through organizations like Walking with a Purpose, and a portion of residents are required to be volunteers who have never been unhoused (one-third to 40%).
- The commission approved a motion to release the draft ordinance for public review and comment and set a public hearing date of September 29, 2023. (The agenda did not specify a public hearing date; the motion set September 29.)
Transportation Committee
- A commissioner reported that there was no Transportation Committee meeting due to the upcoming holiday; the next meeting is scheduled for September 18, 2023.
Communications-Nomination Committee
- Commissioner Seanne Thomas reported that the committee had not met and had nothing to report.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes of August 4 and August 18, 2023, approved unanimously.
- Conditional use permit #23-065-493 for 50-76 Kellogg District Energy approved.
- Draft ordinance for micro-unit dwellings accessory to religious institutions released for public review and comment; public hearing set for September 29, 2023.
- Planning department reorganization announced, with Yasmin Robinson as Current Planning Manager and Anton Jervey as Long-Range Planning Manager.
Meeting Transcript
Planning commission meeting. We'll start with the first item of the agenda, which is approval for the next August 4th and August. Second. Second by Commissioner Poles. All those in favor of the motion say aye. Any of both slides. Hi. So those minutes are approved. Announcement. I have great views this morning. After numerous years of trying, I finally won a plush mellow at the state area. I like had to have been hundreds of dollars. So was it your wish? Oh, you know, it's like a little marshmallow looking face. Oh, you mean like at a game? Yeah. Oh it wasn't just a skill game. It was a competition game. But I did it. I do my wife. Nice work. Move on to the record. It just happened last night. Thank you, Chair. Good morning, everybody. I have an announcement. So we um some of you know I've been hiring a lot. Um, so we have two new city planners. Nelly is here as one of them. Uh, we have a research analyst to Stefan Hackerson, who I don't think you've met yet. Uh, but also um had been a uh wanting to hire two um uh sort of managers uh for our team. We haven't had kind of a division between current planning and long range planning, like a lot of cities do. And um so um some of you may know that Alan Torsenson is approaching retirement. Um he is our zoning manager and um he does a whole lot more than zoning, but he um just has a ton of experience and obviously a huge asset uh to the city. Um and so um uh what I did, what we did was we um reformulated uh his position to be a little bit broader uh and focused on zoning and environmental review. And so the new title of that is current planning manager. So I wanted to introduce to you um our new current planning manager, Yasmin Robinson. Um she uh comes with a lot of great experience um and a thoughtful approach uh previously at the city of Stillwater, has some experience working for the state of Minnesota in environmental review at the environmental quality board, and as well as in New York State and New York City doing planning and environmental review. So um very excited to have to have Yasmin with us today. Um and I don't know if y'all have any questions or she has a save, but um uh in addition to to Yasmin. Um, you know, some of you or I think most of all of you know Anton Jervey, who's uh principal planner uh on the team, has been uh we promoted him to um the long-range planning manager. So thinking about a comprehensive plan and um uh large redevelopment sites, sort of bigger zoning studies policy issues. Uh he would be the the uh lead manager for that that function. So we're in the process of sort of transitioning to uh two subteams for the team and um so uh you know individual planners on each team. Um and so each team are gonna it's still gonna be one sort of broader team um that gets the work done, but um, you know, more of an emphasis or focus for each of each of those sets of of planners. And so Yasmin and Anton are gonna be helping me think through that. We're gonna be even today just to talk about how do we move more in that direction. So um excited. Wanted to make that announcement to you all. Welcome to you.
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