OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting - December 8, 2023

Planning Commission — Friday, November 17, 2023
BodySt Paul, Minnesota
SessionPlanning Commission
DateFriday, November 17, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Go ahead and start the December 2023 St.

0:04

Paul Planning Commission meeting.

0:06

First item of the agenda is approval amendment for November 17 of their revolution.

0:13

So move move by Commissioner Holt for a second.

0:16

Second by Commissioner Pack.

0:22

I think again.

0:23

I gotta go.

0:24

And you have both white signed.

0:28

So those minutes for November 17 are approved.

0:32

Announcements.

0:32

I'll just turn it over to Louise for Hitler.

0:36

I think you're six replies for commission.

0:38

Oh, yes.

0:39

So with me stepping down, Commissioner Starling will be taking my spot in the zoning committee.

0:46

And then we are still in the lookout for a secretary.

0:51

So if you're interested in that, let me know or let Luis know, or let Christine know.

0:57

And if not, I'm I'll reach out to some people and see if they have any interest in taking up that work.

1:06

Yeah, thanks, Chair.

1:08

Good morning, everybody.

1:10

So just a few announcements.

1:13

Um we heard back from uh the organizers of the um uh National American Planning Association conference for April or 2024 that they have at least preliminarily accepted uh several of our mobile workshops uh throughout St.

1:28

Paul, which is great news.

1:30

Um so now we're gonna be working to um solidify the plans for those uh tours um and uh hopefully get those finalized uh in spring.

1:41

Um we have uh a variety of different uh tours, including one related to uh downtown, uh the midway, um the grand round um uh highland bridge.

1:54

So sort of for things we want to show off uh to a national audience and talk about um so that's great.

2:00

Um and so kudos to the team and others uh who have agreed who worked on that and agreed to uh be speakers.

2:08

Um uh the chair mentioned the secretary position.

2:12

It is a pretty um uh low demand uh officer position.

2:18

So um it's basically reviewing the minutes and uh signing them each time.

2:24

So uh consider that if you'd like to join the the slate of officers.

2:29

Um and um you also probably saw my email uh the commissioners and staff.

2:36

Um, but we're trying to uh uh uh honor the service of the outgoing chair uh given his uh time um serving on the board of zoning appeals as well as uh chair of the planning commission.

2:48

Um and uh so um we have a date on the 21st of December, 330 to 5.

2:55

Um please uh accept or or decline just so we had a sense of how many um trying to figure out uh you know what who could accommodate a large group.

3:06

Um so if you have suggestions for for that, send it my way as well as we get closer to that date.

3:12

Um and we will have a meeting on uh December 22nd.

3:17

Um, although I do think the agenda will be probably pretty short.

3:21

Uh so I think that's all I had, Chair.

3:24

So the next item on the agenda is zoning committee.

3:29

Commissioner Excuse me, thank you, Chair.

3:34

Just like the rest of the world, I just have a cough that will go away, have negative for everything.

3:39

Um including personality this morning.

3:42

Um so uh the uh zoning committee met on uh last Thursday, I guess two Thursdays ago.

3:52

Um, and we had in front of us uh four exciting um applications, um, and one uh that was laid over by the applicant with a new gates to be determined.

4:05

Um so the first um item um was uh re-establishment of a non-performing use as a music recording studio at 440 Thomas Avenue.

4:16

Um that was uh it was an existing non-conforming use with a different use.

4:22

Um I think it was uh um personal services kind of a use at the time.

4:27

Um the new owners would like it to be a music recording studio.

4:31

Um you can change a non-conforming use to a different non-conforming use through this application process.

4:37

The staff recommendation was for approval.

4:40

Um, and the zoning committee recommendation to this body was also for approval.

4:46

Questions or so the motion coming out of committee was uh to approve the reestablishment of open music uh non-conforming use of the music studio at 440 comments.

4:56

So any discussion on the motion.

5:00

All those in favor say aye.

5:01

Aye.

5:02

Any poll flights signed.

5:04

That motion is approved for the re-establishment at 440 comments.

5:10

Okay.

5:11

The next one was a little bit more of a lively conversation.

5:16

So this was sort of a belated application for a conditional use permit for a charter elementary school in an industrial zone.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Regulation█████████████████████████████████████████████56%
Public Engagement██████████12%
Public Policy████████10%
Procedural██████8%
Public Safety██████7%
Public Transportation██3%
Cannabis Regulation██3%
Economic Development█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Saint Paul Planning Commission Meeting - December 8, 2023

The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on December 8, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 11:00 a.m. to approve minutes, hear committee reports, and vote on several zoning and planning items. The meeting included discussion of a charter school in an industrial zone, billboard relocation, electric vehicle charging amendments, and a new commercial development district in the Creative Enterprise Zone.

Approval of Minutes

  • The minutes from the November 17, 2023 Planning Commission meeting were approved by a motion from Commissioner Holst, seconded by Commissioner Hackney, with all in favor.

Chair Announcements

  • Chair Luis Rangel Morales noted that Commissioner Starling will take his spot on the Zoning Committee. The commission is still seeking a secretary.

Planning Director Announcements

  • Director Luis Pereira announced that several mobile workshops for the National APA conference in April 2024 have been preliminarily accepted. A reception honoring the outgoing chair is scheduled for December 21, 2023 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. The next Planning Commission meeting is December 22, 2023 with a short agenda.

Zoning Committee

  • Commissioner Reilly reported on four items considered by the Zoning Committee on November 30, 2023.

440 Thomas – Reestablishment of Nonconforming Use

  • The committee recommended approval to reestablish a nonconforming use as a music recording studio at 440 Thomas Avenue. The motion passed unanimously.

355 Randolph – Conditional Use Permit for Charter Elementary School with Variance for Bicycle Parking

  • The committee recommended approval of the conditional use permit (CUP) for a charter elementary school in the I2 industrial zone, but denial of the variance for bicycle parking (60 spaces required, 20 proposed). The school had been operating for 7-8 years without the required CUP due to city oversight. The full commission debated the tension between protecting industrial land and allowing an existing school. Commissioner Ochoa argued against approval, citing the potential for heavy industrial uses adjacent to the school. The motion carried 11-3 (Commissioners Ochoa, Hood, and Ortega opposed).

0 St. Clair – Rezoning

  • The committee recommended approval to rezone 1209 St. Clair Avenue from B1 local business to T3 traditional neighborhood to facilitate development. The motion passed unanimously.

0 St. Clair – Nonconforming Use Permit for Billboard with Variance

  • The committee recommended approval of a nonconforming use permit to relocate a billboard to the side of a new building, with a variance to attach the sign to the building. The proposal reduces three billboard faces (total 900 sq ft) to one 378 sq ft static billboard, a reduction of 522 sq ft. The Clear Channel representative stated that without approval, the property sale and development would not proceed. The commission debated the trade-off between fewer billboards and new housing. The motion passed unanimously.

2516 Wabash – Laid Over

  • This item was laid over by the applicant with no new date determined.

Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee

  • Commissioner Holst reported on two items.

Electric Vehicle Charging Zoning Amendments

  • The committee recommended approval of a simple change to Sec. 63.212: adding a requirement for one EV-ready space per 30 parking spaces for lots over 30 spaces (e.g., 90 spaces requires 3 EV-ready spaces). The motion passed unanimously, and the recommendation will be sent to the Mayor and City Council.

Creative Enterprise Zone Commercial Development District

  • Tony Johnson presented a proposal to create a commercial development district in the Creative Enterprise Zone, allowing new liquor licenses for bars, event centers, theaters, and similar uses. The committee amended the boundaries to include additional parcels (cross-hatched area) to align with the Westgate Station Area Plan. The district is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and zoning. The commission voted to recommend approval to the City Council, finding the district consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code. The motion passed unanimously.

Transportation Committee

  • Commissioner Risberg noted the next meeting on December 11, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the draft St. Paul Bikeways Plan. If approved, it will go to a public hearing.

Communications-Nominations Committee

  • Commissioner Thomas reported no meetings since the last commission meeting. The annual report is expected to be brought to the December 22, 2023 committee meeting.

Old Business / New Business

  • No old business was discussed. Under new business, the commission was informed that the anti-displacement study final CAC meeting is December 19, 2023, and a summary will come to the commission in the new year. A cannabis zoning study is being initiated at the City Council.

Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned.

Note: The instruction stated the meeting date as November 17, 2023, but the agenda and transcript clearly indicate the meeting was held on December 8, 2023. This summary uses the actual date from the source documents.

Meeting Transcript

Go ahead and start the December 2023 St. Paul Planning Commission meeting. First item of the agenda is approval amendment for November 17 of their revolution. So move move by Commissioner Holt for a second. Second by Commissioner Pack. I think again. I gotta go. And you have both white signed. So those minutes for November 17 are approved. Announcements. I'll just turn it over to Louise for Hitler. I think you're six replies for commission. Oh, yes. So with me stepping down, Commissioner Starling will be taking my spot in the zoning committee. And then we are still in the lookout for a secretary. So if you're interested in that, let me know or let Luis know, or let Christine know. And if not, I'm I'll reach out to some people and see if they have any interest in taking up that work. Yeah, thanks, Chair. Good morning, everybody. So just a few announcements. Um we heard back from uh the organizers of the um uh National American Planning Association conference for April or 2024 that they have at least preliminarily accepted uh several of our mobile workshops uh throughout St. Paul, which is great news. Um so now we're gonna be working to um solidify the plans for those uh tours um and uh hopefully get those finalized uh in spring. Um we have uh a variety of different uh tours, including one related to uh downtown, uh the midway, um the grand round um uh highland bridge. So sort of for things we want to show off uh to a national audience and talk about um so that's great. Um and so kudos to the team and others uh who have agreed who worked on that and agreed to uh be speakers. Um uh the chair mentioned the secretary position. It is a pretty um uh low demand uh officer position. So um it's basically reviewing the minutes and uh signing them each time. So uh consider that if you'd like to join the the slate of officers. Um and um you also probably saw my email uh the commissioners and staff. Um, but we're trying to uh uh uh honor the service of the outgoing chair uh given his uh time um serving on the board of zoning appeals as well as uh chair of the planning commission. Um and uh so um we have a date on the 21st of December, 330 to 5. Um please uh accept or or decline just so we had a sense of how many um trying to figure out uh you know what who could accommodate a large group. Um so if you have suggestions for for that, send it my way as well as we get closer to that date. Um and we will have a meeting on uh December 22nd. Um, although I do think the agenda will be probably pretty short. Uh so I think that's all I had, Chair. So the next item on the agenda is zoning committee. Commissioner Excuse me, thank you, Chair. Just like the rest of the world, I just have a cough that will go away, have negative for everything. Um including personality this morning. Um so uh the uh zoning committee met on uh last Thursday, I guess two Thursdays ago. Um, and we had in front of us uh four exciting um applications, um, and one uh that was laid over by the applicant with a new gates to be determined. Um so the first um item um was uh re-establishment of a non-performing use as a music recording studio at 440 Thomas Avenue. Um that was uh it was an existing non-conforming use with a different use. Um I think it was uh um personal services kind of a use at the time. Um the new owners would like it to be a music recording studio. Um you can change a non-conforming use to a different non-conforming use through this application process. The staff recommendation was for approval.

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