09-162Council File # Q�j— � (0 p�
Green Sheet # 3066698
RESOLUTION
1 Statement of Legislative Intent and Findings in Sunport of Interim Ordinance and Imposition of
2 Interim Regulations Pendin2 Formal Adontion of Interim Ordinance:
3 Whereas, the City's department of planning and economic development and department of safety
4 and inspections have begun to explore options for more thoroughly incorporating residential design
5 standards into the City's existing land use standards and procedures as set forth under the City's zoning
6 ordinance;and
7 Whereas, the exploration of residential design standazd options was undertaken in light of the current
8 crisis in residential housing conditions which include increasing housing vacancy, abandonment,
9 foreclosure and demolition; and
10 Whereas, demolition of substandard housing stock in the City's residential neighborhoods creates
11 vacant lots within affected neighborhoods that may already be impacted by disproportionately high
12 numbers of vacant lots; and
13 Whereas, the same neighborhoods with disproportionately high numbers of vacant lots are also often
14 the same neighborhoods with disproportionately high numbers of housing stock that has been found to be
15 in a vacant or nuisance condition and, therefore, at risk of demolition; and
16 Whereas, the City's unique mix of neighborhoods reflects a range of housing options which provide
17 an attractive diversity of housing choices throughout the City; and
18 Whereas, the Council finds that the City's single-family and two-family residential districts
19 represent the primary component of the City's land use and that the appearance of single-family and two-
20 family residential structures, especially from a"street elevation," is intrinsically related to the preservation
21 of neighborhood character and quality of life. The Council further finds that the adoption of design
22 standazds for single-family and two-family residential structures would promote the public health, welfaze
23 and safety and aze reasonably related to the legitimate governmental purpose of achieving and maintaining
24 attractive neighborhoods and an efficiently functioning and prosperous city; and
25 Whereas, the Council finds that the City's present official controls regulating the construction of
26 single-family and two-family residential structures inadequately protects the current public health, welfare,
27 and safety as the present official conuols specifically exclude single-family and two-family residential
28 construction from the more rigorous site plan review under Leg. Code § 61.402 and general design
29 standards review under Leg. Code § 63.110; and
30 Whereas, the Council finds, in light of the initial exploration of design standards undertaken by the
31 department of planning and economic development and the department of safety and inspections, that the
32 increased likelihood for new development of single-family and two-family residential structures on
33 existing or newly created vacant lots within existing neighborhoods, where the street elevation of such
34 stnzctures would not be in keeping with the preservation of neighborhood character or quality of life due to
Uy-lt��-
35 the lack of ability to regulate the appearance of such structures under the present zoning ordinance, that an
36_ inte__rim ordinance, _pursuant to Minn. SSat.--§ -462.355,- Subd. 4, is necessazy �a-�rese�v� -c�eig���ior�ood
37 character and quality of life in the City pending the Council's receipt and action upon a formal study and
38 report to be undertaken by the planning commission pursuant to this Resolution describing design
39 standards for singie-family and two-family residential construction that relate to and are compatible with
40 the surrounding neighborhood; Now, Therefore,
41 Be It Resolved, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul directs the planning commission to
42 undertake and prepaze a formal study and report regazding options for design standazds for the regulation
43 of single-family and two-family residential structures and to report the same to the Council before the
44 expiration of the interim ordinance under Minn. Stat. § 462.355, Subd. 4; and
45 Be It Further Resolved, pending a formal study and report from the planning commission regarding
46 the adoption of design standazds as described above and pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 462.355, Subd. 4, no
47 building permit may be issued until such time as the permit applicant has complied with the following
48 interim regulations:
49 A. Applicants for building petmits for single-family and two-family residential structures shall abide by
50 the following regulations which, for the purposes of constructing such structures, shall supersede current
51 regulations applied to such structure permits under the following sections of the zoning code: I.eg. Code
52 §§ 61.401 and 63.110.
53 1. Sec. 61.401. Site plan review generallv.
54 A site plan shall be submitted to and approved by the zoning administrator before building permits
55 aze issued for new buildings or building expansions. Building permit applications for new buildings or
56 building expansions shall be accompanied by a site plan and building elevations drawn to scale and
57 showing the following:
58 (1) The actual shape, location and dimensions of the zoning lot.
59 (2) The shape, size and location of all buildings or other structures to be erected, altered, or moved and
60 of any building or other structures already on the zoning lot.
61 (3) The existing and intended use of the zoning lot and of all such structures upon it, including, for
62 xesideniial uses, the number of dwelling units the building is intended to accommodate.
63 (4) Such oti�er informadon concerning the zoning lot or adjoining lots as may be determined by the
64 zoning administrator as essential for determining whether the provisions of this code are being
65 observed.
66 2. Sec. 63.110. General desian standards.
67 The following design standards shall be used unless the applicant can demonstrate that there are
68 circumstances unique to the property that makes compliance impracUCal or unreasonable.
69 (a) Primary entrances on principal structures shall face the primazy abutting public street or be linked to
70 that street by a clearly defined and visible walkway or courtyard. Additional secondary entrances
��-/�a-
71 may be oriented to a secondazy street or parking azea. Primary entries shall be clearly visible and
_ 72 identifiable_ fromthe streeT, and _delineated-wit� elements suc�-as raof -aveF�a�rgs,- reeessed ��ies,
73 landscaping, or similar design features. Any sides of building facing an abutting public street should
74 use the same building materials and other architectural treatments as principal facades.
75 (b) New development should relate to the design of adjacent traditional buildings, where these are
76 present, in scale and chazacter. This can be done through such means as similar setbacks, facade
77 divisions, roof lines, rhythm and proportions of openings, building materials and colors. Historic
78 azchitectural styles need not be replicated.
79 (c) Residential uses at street level shall generally be set back far enough from the street to provide a yazd
80 area between the public sidewalk and the front door. Landscaping, steps, porches, grade changes,
81 and low ornamental fences or walls may be used to provide increased privacy and livability for first
82 floor units.
83 (d) For principal residential buildings, above grade window and door openings (excludin�the area of
84 ara¢e doors) shall comprise at least ten (10) percent of the total area of all exterior walls and fifteen
85 (15) percent of the total azea of exterior walls ��°� ''�° °�°° �F ^°�°rt° �'^^�°` facing a public
86 street or sidewalk.
87 (e) For residential parking, the following standards shall apply:
88 (1) Off-street parking spaces shall not be located within a front yard or non-interior side yard.
89 Except in the reaz yard, garages that face and front on a public street shall be set back from
90 abutting public streets at least as far as the principal structure (in the case of attached garages,
91 this refers to the non-garage part of the principle structure) and garage doors shall not exceed
92 sixty (60) percent of the width of the principal structure. Except in the rear yazd, garage doors
93 facing a public street shall be no more than nine (9) feet in height.
94 (2) Access to off-street �arkina �for one-family through four-family and townhouse dwellings
95 °° *� �'�'' °TM°°� ���,,;^° shall be from an abutting improved alley when available.-, provided
96 that 8on corner lots, access may be from the side street.
97 (3) For one-family through four-family dwellings, and for townhouses with garage doors that face
98 and front on a public street, driveways in front yards shall be no more than twelve (12) feet in
99 width. A driveway apron up to four (4) feet wider than the garage door may extend thirty (30)
100 feet from the garage before reducing to a width of twelve (12) feet.
101 (fl 'I'he number of curb cuts shall be minimized, and shared curb cuts for adjacent parking areas are
102 encouraged.
103 B. For the purposes of consistency with the purpose and intent of the interim ordinance, Leg. Code §
104 63.316 shall be read as set forth below:
105
106
b�l -ll� �-
107 1. Sec.63.316. Pavin�.
- - -
108 All pazking spaces, driveways and off-street parking facilities shall be paved with asphalt or other
109 durable, dustless surfacing or e€ material comparable to the adjacent sffeet surfacing, in accordance with
110 other specifications of the zoning adminisuator. The parking azea shall be paved within one (I) yeaz of the
111 date of the pernut except as provided in section 61.402(e). The total amount of surface parking for one-
112 family and two-family dwellings shall not exceed fifteen (IS) percent of the lot azea.
113
114 AND, Be It Finally Resolved, that the interim regulations imposed under this Resolution shall expire
115 automatically upon the effective date of that formal interim ordinance introduced separately and adopted
116 pursuant to the requirements of the Saint Paul City Charter.
117
Yeas
Absent
Requested by Department of:
Harris
�
Adopted by Council: Date 6 ���
By:
Approved by the Of£ce of Financial Services
By:
Approved by City Attorney
By: �i�/-LJav 't _ �(- °'1
Approved by Mayor for Submission [o Council
Adoption Certified by Council Secretary $y:
By: � '
Approvefl y a or1 D �/
By:
� Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet �
a9��(Pa
; DepartmentlOffice/Council: . Date Initiated:
�o-�°°°��� i o�-FEe-o9 i Green She N O : 306669
� Contact Person & Phone: ;
Marcia Moermond �
� 266-8570 I.
1 Must Be on Council Agenda by (Date): I
� 11-FEB-09 �
� Doc. Type: RESOLUTION �
i
E-Document Required: Y
Document Contact:
ContactPhone:
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Assign
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For
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Order �I
o couucil i
1 Council � Deoartm entDirector �
2 GSty Clerk
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4 ;i
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Total # of Signature Pages _(Clip AIt Locations for Signature)
Action Requested:
Statement of Legislative Intent and Findings in support of interim ordinance and imposirion of interim regulations pending formal
adoption of interim ordinance. (Companion to Design Guidelines Ordinance 09-64)
Recommendations� Approve (A) or Reject (R):
Planning Commission
CIB Committee
Civil Service Commission
Personal Service Contrects Must Answer the Following questions:
1 Has this persoNfirm ever worked under a contract for ihis department�
Yes No
2. Has this person/firm ever been a city employee?
Yes No
3. Does this person/firm possess a skill not normally possessed by any
current city employee?
Yes No
Explain all yes answers on separate sheet and attach to green Sheet.
Initiating Problem, Issues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Why):
AdvantageslfApproved:
Disadvantages If Approved:
Disativantages If Not Approved:
Totaf Amount of
Tansaction:
Funding Source:
Financial Information:
(Explain)
Cost/Revenue Budgeted:
Activity Number:
February 5, 2009 10:'16 AM Page 1