Public Meetings - St Paul, Minnesota

Note: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting occurred on September 27, 2024, but per instruction this summary uses the date September 13, 2024. The Planning Commission convened at 8:30 a.m. in City Hall Conference Center Room 40. The meeting covered approval of prior minutes, director announcements, a zoning committee report on a conditional use permit, and committee updates. Consent Calendar - Approved the minutes from the September 13, 2024 Planning Commission meeting by a voice vote with no opposition (motion by Commissioner Holst, second by Commissioner Syed). Planning Director’s Announcements - Director Yasmine Robinson recapped the APA planning conference in Bloomington, noting a panel on cannabis zoning featuring Tony Johnson and other city planners. She highlighted the value of the sessions and indicated upcoming APA events. Discussion Items - 780 Rice Street Conditional Use Permit (CUP): The zoning committee (meeting September 26) considered a CUP for outdoor auto sales and rental with a modification of lot area requirements at 780 Rice Street. The site is a small lot (55-foot setback vs. required 60 feet) with an existing security fence. The District Council recommended approval but also wanted stormwater management onsite, which was infeasible due to lot size and not made a condition. The committee voted 4-1 to approve. Commissioner Hackney, the lone dissenter, explained his vote: he opposed requiring closure of the curb cut on Rice Street because Ramsey County is planning a 4-to-2 lane conversion and sidewalk extension in 2027, which would likely relocate the driveway apron anyway. He argued imposing that condition now would be onerous for a small applicant trying to revive the vacant lot. The full commission later voted to adopt the committee’s recommendation, with no further opposition noted. - Transportation Committee Report: Commissioner Risberg reported the committee met two weeks prior to discuss the Met Council’s Imagine 2050 transportation section. The committee decided to submit comments and will meet on Monday, September 30 (4:30 p.m., City Hall Annex) to finalize those comments with staff assistance. - Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee: Commissioner Holst reported the committee’s September 25 meeting was canceled; no next agenda yet. - Communications-Nomination Committee: No items reported. - Task Force/Liaison Reports: None. - New Business: Commissioner Riley noted an upcoming anti-displacement study presentation to the public and the Planning Commission. Key Outcomes - Approved September 13, 2024 minutes. - Approved the conditional use permit (24-072-617) for 780 Rice Street (outdoor auto sales and rental with lot area modification) on a voice vote. - The Transportation Committee will meet on September 30 to draft comments on the Met Council’s Imagine 2050 plan. - The next Zoning Committee meeting is scheduled for October 3, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, with items concerning the University of St. Thomas (postponed) and two items for 470 White Bear Avenue (rezoning and supportive housing CUP).

Note: The agenda lists the meeting date as Monday, September 16, 2024, but the provided timestamp indicates the meeting took place on September 12, 2024. This discrepancy is noted. Discussion Items - 2050 Transportation Policy Plan: Jed Hanson and Bethany Brandt-Sargent from the Metropolitan Council presented an overview of the 2050 Transportation Policy Plan. No further details are available from the agenda or transcript. Key Outcomes - No decisions, votes, or formal actions were recorded in the available agenda or minutes. The meeting was informational only.

The Planning Commission met on September 6, 2024, to approve minutes, consider two zoning cases for 629 Bush Avenue, and deliberate on the Drive-Through Zoning Study. The meeting concluded with a vote on the study recommendations, which passed after an amendment. Consent Calendar - Minutes from the August 16, 2024, meeting were approved by a motion, seconded, and passed unanimously. Discussion Items - 629 Bush Rezoning and Variances: The Zoning Committee reported on two cases for the same property (629 Bush Avenue), a historically railroad-associated brownfield site. The rezoning from H2 residential, I1 light industrial, and T2 traditional neighborhood to IT transitional industrial was recommended to allow an outdoor garden center. Variances were also recommended for accessory use location and standards. Conditions include final plan approval by the zoning administrator, screening every 20 feet along property lines adjacent to residential uses, and ensuring outdoor storage is accessory to the landscaping business. The committee unanimously recommended approval. The Commission voted to approve both recommendations. - Drive-Through Zoning Study: The Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee presented a recommendation to amend zoning code regarding drive-throughs. Key proposals included: prohibiting new drive-throughs for fast food and coffee shops; allowing pharmacies and banks only with indoor walk-up service during same hours; requiring additional stacking spaces; increasing separation from residential properties from 60 to 120 feet; and requiring conditional use permits in certain districts with minimum building height/size. Extensive discussion occurred on the separation distance, with concerns about feasibility in built-out areas. Commissioner Starling moved to amend the separation distance back to 60 feet. The amendment was seconded and passed. The main motion (as amended) was then voted on. The vote tied 7-7, with Chair Kristine Grill voting in favor, resulting in the motion passing. The recommendation will be transmitted to the Mayor and City Council. Key Outcomes - Approved minutes of August 16, 2024. - Approved the 629 Bush rezoning and variances (no opposition recorded). - Approved the Drive-Through Zoning Study amendments (with the 60-foot separation) by a 8-7 vote (including the chair's tie-breaking vote). - Next steps: The drive-through study recommendation will go to the Mayor and City Council for final action.

The Saint Paul Planning Commission meeting scheduled for August 16, 2024, was canceled. The official agenda for the meeting (originally listed for August 30, 2024) was marked as canceled, and no proceedings, minutes, or transcript are available. No business was conducted.

The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on Friday, August 16, 2024, starting at 8:43 AM and adjourning at 9:11 AM. The meeting included approval of the August 2, 2024 minutes, reports from the chair and planning director, zoning committee action on a conditional use permit, and updates from the comprehensive and transportation committees. Commissioners also discussed commission vacancies, a request for an anti-displacement study report, and upcoming events. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the August 2, 2024 Planning Commission meeting were approved unanimously (motion by Commissioner Taghioff, second by Commissioner Reilly). Discussion Items - Chair’s Announcements: Chair Grill commented on the mayor’s budget overview, expressing support for permanent housing for unsheltered individuals, equitable development on the West Side, and increased tourism. She noted that property tax increases are necessary to fund services but hoped for future relief. Commissioner Risberg raised concerns about accessibility and design of new buildings near the Yacht event, questioning the definition of affordable housing. - Planning Director’s Announcements: Director Robinson announced the promotion of Bill Dermody to Zoning Implementation Team Supervisor, which may improve zoning process efficiency. Commissioner Risberg noted that Dermody had been supporting the Transportation Committee and will be replaced by Emma Brown. - Zoning Committee Report: Commissioner Taghioff reported that the committee unanimously approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for a farmers’ market at 1807 Field Avenue (District 15, Ward 3). The market has operated since 2015, and the CUP is needed to comply with code for selling non-fresh items like jams. The full commission approved the CUP without opposition. - Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee Report: Commissioner Thomas summarized a presentation from Parks and Recreation (Brett Hassing) and PED on the Faye and Keller Regional Park amendment, specifically the daylighting of Phelan Creek. The project, spearheaded by a Native American nonprofit (Wakán Te), is a $4.8 million effort with $3.3 million raised. It will bring water to the park and eventually connect to Sweet Hollow. The resolution will come before the full Planning Commission on August 30, 2024. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for September 11, 2024. - Transportation Committee Report: Commissioner Risberg reported no agenda items due to the holiday; the next meeting will be September 16, 2024. He encouraged additional commissioners to join the committee. - Communications-Nomination Committee: No meeting. - Commission Vacancies: Commissioner Riley noted that the commission is short approximately four members, and he requested to switch his committee assignment from the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee to the Transportation Committee. Director Robinson confirmed that the city has a rolling application but is seeking suitable candidates from under-represented districts. Chair Grill encouraged commissioners to recruit new members. - Old Business: None. - New Business: - A commissioner (unidentified) requested that the anti-displacement study report be presented to the commission as soon as practical, citing frustration with delays. Chair Grill acknowledged the request and mentioned that the Reconnect Rondo project is also conducting its own anti-displacement study. - Commissioner Thomas announced a national conference, "Reconnecting Communities," hosted by Reconnect Rondo and other organizations, taking place September 12-13, 2024, at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown St. Paul. He offered to forward information to commissioners. - Commissioner Taghioff noted emails about December calendar dates and corrections. - Chair Grill mentioned attending a reparations conference and praised the city's Reparations Commission, which is permanent and one of the few in the country. She noted that the commission has a report available on its website. Key Outcomes - Approved: Minutes of August 2, 2024 (unanimous). - Approved: Conditional Use Permit 24-059-428 for a farmers’ market at 1807 Field Avenue (unanimous). - Request: A commissioner’s request for the anti-displacement study report to be brought to the commission was noted; no formal action taken. - Committee Assignment Change: Commissioner Riley’s request to switch to the Transportation Committee was accepted. - Next Steps: The comprehensive planning committee’s resolution on the Phelan Creek daylighting project will be presented at the August 30, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.

The Saint Paul Planning Commission met on Friday, August 2, 2024, at 8:38 AM. Vice Chair Nieeta Presley presided in the absence of Chair Kristine Grill. The meeting covered approval of previous minutes, zoning committee actions, and a detailed presentation on the Adult-Use Cannabis Zoning Study, culminating in a vote to forward the study's recommendations to the Mayor and City Council. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the July 19, 2024, Planning Commission meeting were approved unanimously without discussion. Public Comments & Testimony - No public comments were made during the meeting. Public testimony on the cannabis zoning study had been taken at a prior public hearing on June 7, 2024, where three people spoke in person, one comment overlapped with an online comment, two comments were in favor, and four were opposed to the proposed amendments. Discussion Items - Zoning Committee: - 470 White Bear Rezoning (Item 24-056-254): The applicant temporarily withdrew the application to rezone 470 White Bear Ave. N. from H2 to RM2. The withdrawal was initiated by the applicant; it is expected to return in a future meeting. If resubmitted, a new application and public hearing process will be required. - 920 Atlantic CUP (Item 24-055-063): A conditional use permit for an auto repair station at 920 Atlantic St. was approved unanimously by the Zoning Committee. The full commission then voted to approve the permit as a consent item. - Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee – Adult-Use Cannabis Zoning Study: - Tony Johnson and Nellie Jerome presented the final report. Key points: - State law (Chapter 342) legalized cannabis; state licenses expected in early 2025. - Cities may prohibit cannabis within 1,000 feet of schools, 500 feet of daycares, and 500 feet of park features. - Staff analyzed 29 other cities and modeled two distance scenarios: the maximum state option (1,000 feet from schools, etc.) would prohibit cannabis retail on most major commercial corridors (e.g., University Avenue, Payne Avenue, downtown) and concentrate uses in certain neighborhoods. A 300-foot distance from schools (consistent with existing liquor store rules) would allow more equitable distribution across the city. - The Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee (CNPC) made five recommendations on June 17, 2024, including requiring security cameras for cannabis retail, prohibiting sharing a primary entrance with tobacco product shops, and creating a parking maximum. - The study proposes two new use categories: "cannabis retail" (for full range of cannabis products) and adjustments to general retail to allow lower-potency hemp edibles (currently sold in 178 registered businesses). Manufacturing and cultivation amendments allow limited production (under 15,000 sq ft) in mixed-use areas, with larger operations restricted to industrial districts. Outdoor cultivation requires a conditional use permit. - Additional amendments cover package delivery, transportation, testing facilities, accessory uses, and parking. - Transportation Committee: The next meeting on August 5, 2024, was cancelled; the next meeting is August 19, 2024 (agenda TBD). - Communications-Nomination Committee: No updates. - Announcements: - Vice Chair Presley announced the Preserve Minnesota conference (Sept. 18–20) and her participation in a session on "Black Voices in Preservation Planning and Context Studies." - Planning Director Yasmine Robinson noted the APA conference, welcomed Commissioner Hackney’s twin newborns, and mentioned the commission is baby-friendly. Key Outcomes - Approved minutes of July 19, 2024, unanimously. - Approved Conditional Use Permit for 920 Atlantic St. (auto repair station) unanimously. - Voted to forward the Adult-Use Cannabis Zoning Study resolution and amendments to the Mayor and City Council for review and final adoption. The motion was made by Commissioner Brian Martinson, seconded by Commissioner Luis E. Ortega, and passed unanimously. The timeline: first reading at City Council on August 28, 2024, second public hearing on September 4, 2024, with potential effective date of October 11, 2024.

Date: July 2, 2024 (Note: The provided agenda is dated July 8, 2024, creating a discrepancy.) No minutes or transcript are available for this date. The only provided agenda lists a single item for a meeting on July 8, which conflicts with the specified meeting date. Discussion Items - Saint Paul ADA Transition Plan – Presented by Jary Lee (Public Works), allotted 45 minutes. No details on discussion or outcomes are available due to missing transcript and minutes. Key Outcomes No decisions or votes can be reported due to lack of documentation.

Note on date discrepancy: The agenda provided for this meeting is dated July 19, 2024, but the instruction specifies the meeting occurred on June 21, 2024. The summary below follows the instruction date. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 a.m. and included approval of previous minutes, announcements, reports from the Zoning Committee, a comprehensive discussion on the Drive‑Throughs Zoning Study, and updates from other committees. Three zoning cases were approved unanimously, and the commission discussed potential policy changes regarding drive‑through establishments. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the May 10, 2024, June 7, 2024, and June 21, 2024 Planning Commission meetings were approved by a unanimous vote. (Motion by Commissioner Presley, seconded.) Chair’s & Director’s Announcements - The Chair reminded commissioners about bylaws and attendance expectations. - Planning Director Yasmine Robinson provided an update on the St. Thomas Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) appeal: the Court of Appeals directed the city to correct a few minor issues; staff are reviewing the order. She also noted that the Minnesota Chapter of the American Planning Association conference will be in Bloomington in September (registration opens in July). Zoning Committee – Three Cases Approved - 24‑040‑841 1503 N. Hamline CUP – Conditional use permit for a coffee shop at the NE corner of Hamline and Nebraska. Committee recommended approval unanimously. The full commission voted to approve without discussion. - 24‑040‑937 0 Kent Street Establishment and Expansion NCUP – Establishment and expansion of a nonconforming use accessory structure. Committee recommended approval unanimously. The commission voted to approve. - 24‑033‑213 0 McKnight Road CUP – Conditional use permit for a cellular telephone antenna with modifications for height and location. The applicant originally proposed a 195‑foot tower; staff recommended partial approval/partial denial, allowing a 100‑foot tower (the maximum allowed by code) and other modifications. The committee agreed with staff. The commission voted to approve the staff recommendation. Commissioner Hackney clarified that the approved height is 100 feet. Drive‑Throughs Zoning Study – Presentation and Commission Discussion Staff Planner Bill Dermody presented a summary of public input and policy questions, noting: - Public hearing input: 6 speakers – 5 in favor of lighter regulation, 1 for tighter regulation. - Written comments: 17 emails/letters – most favored a full prohibition or heavier regulation. - Outreach to district councils and advisory committees: Several groups (e.g., Highland Park, Como) expressed support for drive‑throughs (especially coffee shops); others (e.g., Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Aging and People with Disabilities) provided informal feedback favoring tighter controls. - Key policy questions: Should drive‑throughs be prohibited? Should different types (pharmacies, banks, fast food, coffee) be treated differently? Should conditional use permits be used more broadly? Should interior service or walk‑up windows be required when a drive‑through is open? Commissioner Discussion Highlights: - Commissioner Riley argued for a full prohibition based on the Comprehensive Plan’s people‑first and climate goals, noting that Minneapolis banned drive‑throughs in 2019 and that existing non‑conforming uses would remain. He emphasized equity and the cumulative impact of emissions. - Commissioner Martinson opposed drive‑throughs for fast food and coffee on public health grounds, and he questioned the need for pharmacy and bank drive‑throughs, noting alternatives like ATMs and curbside delivery. - Commissioner Taghioff supported a ban, citing London as an example of a walkable, car‑free high street. He argued that drive‑throughs are inefficient land uses and perpetuate car dependency. - Commissioner Hackney noted that the direct environmental impact of idling is modest (about $600 per year per drive‑thru), but the secondary effect of encouraging more driving is significant. He supported retaining drive‑throughs for pharmacies and banks due to public health and security concerns. - Commissioner Starling asked about best practices for walk‑up windows; staff will research. - Commissioner Holst raised accessibility concerns for people with disabilities, warning that walk‑up windows may not be a substitute. - Commissioner Presley opposed a blanket ban, preferring case‑by‑case review and noting her own use of drive‑throughs. - Commissioner Becker shared personal family needs (disabled mother, railway worker father) and argued that drive‑throughs at pharmacies and fast food serve essential functions. - Commissioner Alston (spoke as “Commissioner Allen”) framed the issue historically, noting that car‑centric planning has exacerbated inequities. - Staff provided statistics: St. Paul currently has 31–32 banks with drive‑throughs (out of 40 total), 8 pharmacies with drive‑throughs (out of 17 total), only 2 coffee shops with drive‑throughs (out of 49 total), and 36 fast‑food restaurants with drive‑throughs (out of over 600 total restaurants). Next Steps: The Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee will meet again on August 14, 2024 to refine policy options and bring a recommendation to the full Planning Commission. Other Committee Reports - Comprehensive & Neighborhood Planning Committee (Cannabis Zoning Study): Commissioner Presley reported that the committee voted to accept all recommendations from the cannabis zoning study, except she voted against the hours‑of‑operation recommendation (she preferred matching liquor store hours, 8 AM–10 PM, rather than following the state’s 8 AM–2 AM). The full set of recommendations will come to the Planning Commission in two weeks. - Transportation Committee: Next meeting Monday, July 22 (or indicated date) at 4:30 PM on the 13th floor of City Hall Annex. Agenda includes three reconstruction projects (Jackson Street, University Avenue from I‑35E to Lafayette Road, and Pelham Boulevard), partially funded by the new 1% sales tax. Public Works staff will present. - Communications & Nominations Committee: Two vacancies on the Transportation Committee (one planning commissioner, one at‑large). Seven candidates have expressed interest for the community vacancy; proposals will be brought forward. Key Outcomes - Minutes from three prior meetings approved unanimously. - Three zoning cases (Hamline coffee shop, Kent Street, McKnight cell tower) all approved unanimously as recommended by the Zoning Committee. - Drive‑Throughs Zoning Study discussion completed; staff will continue research and return to committee on August 14, 2024. - Cannabis zoning recommendations to be presented to the full Planning Commission at a future meeting (date TBD). - Transportation Committee to meet on Monday, July 22 (or next scheduled date) at 4:30 PM. - Communications Committee will advance candidates for vacancies.

No transcription or meeting minutes were provided for this meeting. The only available source is the agenda, which lists two items scheduled for discussion. The agenda indicates the meeting was to be held on Monday, June 24, 2024, 4:30–6:00 PM, conflicting with the given meeting date of June 20, 2024. Discussion Items - Highway 52 Lafayette Bridge Connection Study – Presented by Chris Bower (MnDOT), allocated 55 minutes on the agenda. No details on discussion or outcomes available. - Maryland Avenue Reconstruction – Presented by Joey Lundquist (Ramsey County), allocated 30 minutes on the agenda. No details on discussion or outcomes available. Key Outcomes - No decisions, votes, or formal actions are recorded in the provided materials. The meeting’s actual occurrence and any outcomes are unknown due to the absence of minutes or transcription.