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98-1133ORIGINAL Council File # 14 ' «33 Resolution # Green Sheet # 3 � 6 FtESOLUTION OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA Presented By Referred To Committee: Date o� � 2 0 Land Use Plan 6 WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, following extensive research and public discussion, has 7 recommended a new Land Use Plan for adoption as a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, 8 and 9 10 WIIEREAS, the draft Land Use Plan published in April, 1998, was discussed in numerous public meetings 11 and was the subject of two public hearings before the Planning Commission held on May 22 and June 12, 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1998, and WHEREAS, new policy for land-use-related planning and development decisions is needed to replace the 1980 Plan for Land Use currently in place, and WIIEREAS, the Land Use Plan recommended fulfilis a major portion of the expectations for the comprehensive plan required by the Minnesota Land Planning Act as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.859, and WFIEREAS, under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.864, Subd. 2, Saint Paul is required to update its Comprehensive Plan regulazly and to submit an updated Plan by the end of 1998 (or to an extended date), RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul adopts the Land Use Plan as an amendment to the Saint Paul Comprehensive Pian conungent on further review by adjacent communities and the Metropolitan Council, and FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Land Use Plan replaces in its entirety, as a component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, the Plan for Land Use adopted November 11, 1980. q �-1133 ORIGINAL Requested by Department of: Plannin & Eco a c➢evelo eent BY � �!!� Form Appxove Adoption Certified by Council Secretary BY� 8yc Approved by Approved by Mayo : Date � � '�� _, By: By� Adopted by Council: Aate ��bl�q �'&-L�33 CITY GOUNGIL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — �� D� � 3,� �a� Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second buZlet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing near bus service will help support transportation alematives and neighborhood business centers. Cooroerarion from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accom�sh this eoal' 2. Author Mike �Iarrts; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 513 The Citv, throuah the Public Works Department, should encourage vublic infrashucture that promotes streets and sidewalks that are pedestrian frien� and visuall r�appealingare im_portant components to the success of neighborhoods. 3. Author Chris Colenaan; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objecrive 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) ischarged > , ' was created in 1976 to �reserve and promote herita�e roreservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advasor�bod�to the Mayor and City Council on heritagepreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites, buildings, and districts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve buildin�permits for most t}�es of exterior work concerning designated buildangs and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservation Districts.) �Hy b � . lll the case of four of the five local historic districts—Da�+ton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Park and Historic Hi11—�reservation has been used quite successfully as a tool for community development and revitalizarion, buildine on aprimary asset of these neiehborhoods—historic buildi �s. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strong assets, and one which distineuishes this Citv from surroundin¢ suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth parao aph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and character somerimes increases rehabilitafion and redevelopment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its pariner arganizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incentives, financial and otherwise, and recommend means for improvement. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph: The City supports the central comdor beriveen downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. � -1��3 � ; ,�"� � o � 6. Author Chris Codeman; Location page 39 delete in Figure O: " � �31q� �� 7. Author Chris Coleman; Location insen page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emer¢ine major em�lovment center. good access by public transit is a high prioritv ob�ective for all industrial, commercial and residential development of the Phalen Corridor. �This amendment wouZd resuZt in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 8. Author Mike Hart Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Any major transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incorporated into the existing residential. comxnercial and environmental character of the comdor. In narticulaz, �h�sical chanees shouid respect and compliment naturai amenities in the corridor. such as Crosb�Park. Hidden Falls Puk and the Mississinpi Rivez Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary intrusion. 9. Author Jerr,� Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Poft Authority should support and work to implement the Great Northern Comdor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communit�participation will be sou h� t for anv additional changes in the corridor, includin� the wideninP and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 10. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as szzth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an obiective for all redevelopment efforts of the Great Northern Corridor. ll. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page S0: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction in re�ional emissions of air pollution as quantified by instruxnents which measure pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. An exam le of such an instrument would be the Pollut9on Standards Index which is monitored by the Minnesota Pollurion Control Agency and the Environmental Protecrion A ency_ 12. Author.Terry Blakey; Location page S0: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to mnrimize substantiall�decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page Sl into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise unpacts through runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use plauning, and noise unsulation pro�ams. Sianificant and uroblematic airport land use impacts for the City include the attractiveness of nearbv sites for lon -t� erm parkin fg or airport customers and for stora�e and servicing of rental cars. `�1��133 �' � r 5`i �� 14. Author Mike Harris, Location insert page 54 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the intemationsal auport to take the steps it can to ensure improvin� compatibilitv with Saint Paul's existin¢ residential and coznmercial chazacter. Actions shouid include: 11 restricting new flig�ts over Saint Paul's nei�hborhoods: 21 enforcin� federal noise mitigation rec�uiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatin op n-airport space for all caz rental storag. e and services needs, jThis amendment wauld result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 15. Author Tay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: #10 Sludy alternarives and nronose amendment to the zonin¢ code which would distinguish between small and lar�e truckin�operations. Consider altematives such as a special restrictions on lar�e huckine firms and propose the amendment so that it wiil limit large low emplovee densitv truckinQ use of industrial land. Thepro�osed amendment should act to make consistent, with regard to huckine uses, the zonine code and hieh density employment requirements outlined in Ap�endix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressingintensive use of industrialland. i ^� i � Y ��at - il 3 ''! DEPAAThIEN7/OFFICElCAUNCIL DATE IIi171ATED Planning and Economic Development GREEN SHE ' N� 2 3 �$$ CAMACfPEflSON&PHONE . fNR1AVDA INITIAVDATE Q �EPARTMENT OIRECf R � CIN fAUNCIL ASSIGN CCfYATfORNEY CT'CtEflK K0R EOTdp L.66—(577�� NUYBERFOR � � � � MUST BE ON CAUNCIL A ENDA BY (DA7� _ ROUTIN6 O BUOGEf DIRE(.TO � FlN. & MGT. SEflVICES �Iq. - �RDER � MAYOR IOR ASSiSSATfi) � � TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES (CLIP ALL LOCASIONS FOH SIGNATl1AE) ACT70N FEQUESTED: Signatures, approval. RECOMMENDAnONS: Apprare (n) br Fiejea (Fi) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS MUST ANSW ER TNE FOLLOWING �UESTIONS: A PLANNING COMMISSION _ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this person/firm ever worked untler a contract for Mis departmen[? RH C�6 CAMMITTEE YES NO A SiAFF � 2. Has this person�rm ever been a city employee? na — YES NO _ DiS7qic7 Couai � 3. Does this person/frtm possess a skill no[ normai�y possessetl by any curten[ ciry employee? Ra SUPPORTS WHICH CAUNCIL OBJECfIVE? YES NO � Explain all yea answera on separate sheet anA attach to green sheet INITIATING PFOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNITV (WIro, What, When, Where. Why): Update of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan; need for a New Land Use Chapter. AWANTAGES iF APPRWED: The City will have a new policy guide for land-use related planning anc� �,e decisions and a basis for negotiation with other governmer��"�'��fiCioiis:`� �E� 15 �995 DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED: , � �._ �.$, � , � � - �:.:'xe&e�� i.A ��-.� - �EC Q9 1�� C�� T � Y DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED: The City will be out of compliance with state law requirements for update o£ the comprehensive plan. RECEIVED DEC 141998 TOTAI AMOUNT OF 7RANSACTION $ COSTlREVENUE BUDGETEO (CIRCLE aNE) �AY��S wy �CE PUNDING SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER FINANCIAL INFORMATION: (EXPLAIN) o�g .� �33 lnterdepartmenta! Memorandum CTI'Y OF SAINI' PAUL Date: December 7, 1998 To: Mayor Coleman � From: Pam Wheeloc ' "� Subject: New Land e Pl - Briefing Memo The draft Land Use Plan enclosed is recommended to you and the City Council by the Plamiing Commission. It is for you to transit the Commission's recommendation to the City Council along with your own recommendation. Some highlights might be helpful for your review: Growth. The Land Use Plan emphasizes accommodation of a significant shaze of the region's growth: more jobs and housing over the next twenty years. The major corridors with identified potential aze highlighted as means for focusing planning and development activity for growth: River Corridor, Midway/University Avenue Corridor, Phalen Corridor, W. Seventh StreetlRiverview Corridor, Great Northern Corridor-as well as freeway development sites. Housing. With respect to housing, the plan identifies market potential for attached units, forms of housing that complement our single-family fabric and provide for somewhat higher densities, particulazly near transit corridors, downtown and at the river. We will need to add in the neighborhood of 300-400 housing units each yeaz to meet the tazgeted growth. (The plan anticipates that the rate of growth will not be even, but will start lower and will accelerate as urban living options in Saint Paul become more attractive in the mazket.) Maps on pages 56 and 57 identify "new urban housing" focus areas at neighborhood centers (p. 56) and redevelopment opportunities throughout the city (p. 57). Downtown and the River. The Land Use Plan incorporates the 10 principles for development from the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework as standards for the entire city (p. 15), and generally endorses the framework's land use directions and design guiiielines. The plan's first major strategy, "A Vita1, Growing City Center (p. 18)," supports a broad, healthy xnix of uses downtown, strong connections with the capitol azea and the river, and adding residential opporiunities in the "urban village" configurations recommended by the Framework. Urban Villages. "Urban village," principles, are emphasized for continued neighborhood development: miaced use, somewhat higher densities, good pedestrian environments and well- integrated transit. The plan notes, however, that the chazacteristics of good wban neighborhoods are reflected in a wide variety of successful neighborhood forms in Saint Paul. qY-1�33 Errvironment (p. 47). Policies on "Environmental Stewazdship" include a commitment to meet MIVRRA "Tier II" status, which means we will modify policies and regulations to be consistent with the 1V�NRRA management plan for the river corridor. This will be part of updating the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, an effort already underway to be completed in 1999. With respect to reuse of under-used and polluted industrial land, the plan notes a current rate of reuse of about 30 acres per yeaz and notes that full use of the inventory over the 20-yeaz period would require some $20 million per year in redevelopment resources. Points of Controversy Industrial l/se in the River Corridor (p. 38, 6.2.4). To some, any remaining industrial use in the river c�rridor is inconsistent with the desired restoration of the corridor's natural chazacteristics. The p12n supports continued industrial use in the existing industrial azeas to the southeast of downtown: The Southport industrial azea (Barge Channel Road) is identified as an"Industrial Study ".4�ea."' The Port Authority is planning for improvements here. The neighborhood plan completed by the West Side Citizens Organization calls for elimination of industrial uses here. Residential Densities. We expected much more concern about increased residential densities ; ,than we have heard. With some exceptions, notably from the northeast azea, when people understand that we aze talking about townhouse densities neaz transit routes or neighborhood centers, with neighborhood planning involved before any rezoning, and about major sites downtown or on the river, the idea of some increased density that will strengthen local housing markets with new alternatives seems to be accepted. Parking Downtown. While the plan supports better transit by encouraging higher densities along ' transit corridors and improvement of bus service (more completely addressed in the tran',sportauon plan) one policy notes that "As the downtown grows, more public pazking must � also be buiit...." Many transit supporters believe this is inconsistent; that if we aze serious about supporting better transit; we should stop adding parking downtown. Neighborhood Planning (Page 55). This subject has generated the most comment from neighborfiood organizations. The plan addresses the changing nature of neighborhood planning=�se., more plans done indegendently of the city through a variety of parinerships-and provideS a new procedure for encouraging consistency with city policies. The Planning Commission will issue guidelines for neighborhood plans to provide an indication of the thiugs they will be looking for on review. After a review of a neighborhood plan, the Plauning Commission will recommend only a suminary to be adopted and incorporated into the CiTy's Comprehensive Plan. The summary will highlight appropriate city actions and those recommendations (such as key land use decisions) that aze appropriate for incorporation in city policy. This has been a point of some contention, since past pracrice has been to adopt neighborhood plans wholesale as amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. After considerable dialogue, there is substantial support for the new (summary) approach. °ib�-1�3a. �. � �F" s�r PL�� 390CiryHa11 TeZephone: 651-266-8510 NormColeman,Mayor /SWestKelloggBoulevm'd Facsimile:651-218-8513 SaW Paut, MN 55702 December 6, 1998 City Council President Dan Bostrom Councilmembers Dear Council President Bostrom and Councilmembers: I am pleased to transmit and recommend for your adoption a new Land Use Plan, a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. This new plan will replace the land use chapter adopted in 1980. A replacement is long overdue. The Planning Commission has sponsored extensive community discussion in the process of arriving at the plan they have recommended. They have seen clearly the opportuniry which our current experience of growth suggests. They haue recognized the resources we haue in under-used land as well as the need to reinforce and protect our valuable tradifional neighborhood fabric. The Land Use Plan formally incorporates the principles arrived at in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework and, I believe, provides a sound basis for continued development decisions and more refined planning for neighborhoods, business districts and corridors. Copies of the draft Suuinxary and General Policy are enclosed so that the Land Use Plan can be seen within the framework of the entire Comprehensive Plan. The sumniary, which as you know is currently under review, helps to clarify the intenelationships among the plan chapters. You aze, of course, awaze that the housing chapter is presently under discussion. The Planning Coxnmission expects to recommend the Housing Plan and the Summary to us eazly in January. I recommend adoprion of the Land Use Plan contingent on the Metropolitan Council and adjacent community reviews still to come. erely, � � Norm Coleman �� Mayor c�� - ( �33 City of St. Paul Office of the City Council 320 City Hall Saint Paul, MN 55102 (651) 266-8570 INTER-DEPARTMEN7AL MEMORANDUM DATE: February 24, 1999 TO: Councilmembers and Legisiative Aides � FROM: Marcia Moermond, Policy Analyst ��"" SUBJECT: Land Use Plan Amendments: Item 27 on Council Agenda Today Attached is a list of all proposed Land Use Plan amendments that have been forwarded to me by Councilmembers over the last severa] weeks. The items aze listed in page number order, according to the page being amended. Ken Ford and I have compiled and discussed the amendments. Where appropriate, he has provided comments on specific amendments. Also attached is the list of questions on the Land t3se Plan submitted by the Council thus far, and PED staff responses to those quesrions. The Council is currently scheduled to amend the Land Use Plan today, and lay it over to March 3 for fmal adoption. Regarding Agenda Item I3umber 25, the Summary and Generat Plan and Item 26 the Housing Plan, the Council is scheduled (according to the Council Workplan for the Comprehensive Plan Chapters adopted on January 27) to next discuss these items on Mazch 3—at which rime it is scheduled to identify issues for staff follow-up and amendment drafting. Therefore, the Council should lay over these plans untii next Wednesday, Mazch 3. Please contact me with any questions or comments on these plans. Please note that this memo and attachments have also been emailed to you. attachments cc: Ken Ford and Lazry Soderholm, PED Gerry Strathman and Nancy Anderson, Council Reseazch Phil Byrne and PeYer Wamer, City Attorney's Office a� -t�� cirY couNCi� PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill developmen� New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Coogerarion from the Metr000litan Council and Metro Transit is �� necessarv to accomplish this eoal. PED Staff Comment: Metro Council is very supportive of somewhat higher density housing near transit. Does the extra language add anything at this point? 2. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. throueh the Public Works Department should encouraee public infrastructure that �� romotes ' . Streets and sidewalks that aze edestrian frienc and visual v annealino are imrnrt�nt aFl�,. �++wP_m,....P�� .....e -....rt,,.,.a.. � PED Staff Comment: This is appropriate reinforcement to add. 3. Author Chris Coteman; Location insert page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emereine maior emnlovment center good access bypublic transit is a hi nrioritX obiective for all industrial. commercial and residenrial develo�ment of the Phalen Q� Corridor. jThis amendment woutd result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 4. Author Mike Harris; Location inrert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit develooments within the Riverview corridor shouid be incoroorated into the exisrin¢ residen6al. commercial and environmental chazacter of the corridor In narticulaz. nhvsical imnrovements should not disturb naiurai amenities in the corridor such as Crosbv Pazk. Hidden Falls Park and the MississiDniRiver Boulevard Pazk I� � 5. � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTfON FROM PED STAFF FOR #4: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit Pierce Butler Route. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more � sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiri partic�ation will be sou t for °I� 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public ��—iransit access will be an ob�ective for all redevelo�ment efforts of the Crreat Northem Corridor. 1. Author Jerry Blakey; Locarion page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by ptanning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction � in repional emissions of air�ollution as guanrified bv instruments which measure O pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioacide cazbon monoxide ozone and nitrogen dio�de. An example of such an instrument would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored bv the Minnesota Pollution Control Aeenc� and the Environmental Protection A eg ncv 8. Aufhor Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.2 T'he City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to ��—. �e substantiallv decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appeazance. PED Staff Comment: Virtually all industry has some negative environmental impact. There is a cost associated with decreasing it We cannot assume that the cost is acceptable in all cases of negative environmental impact. 9. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts through runway design, flight ��pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si 'ficant and nroblematic airport land use imnacts for the Ciri include the attractiveness of neazby sites for lone-term pazkin for airport customers and for storage and servicing of rental cazs. 10. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 52 fif3h paragraph: 7.6.1 i14SF-an� Holman Field airports is are-bet3� very important to Saint Paul's economy and qualtiy of life. The � � City supports maintaining and improving this airport H� in its �keir present locations (`� ° with full attenrion to noise mitigation. PED Staff Comment: We believe that the poiicy of general support for both airports in their present locations is important. This is something that the MetropolRan Council will be looking for �r�� in our plan. The City of Minneapolis, which has far greater problems with intemffiional airport operations than we do, nevertheless supports improvemeM of the airport in its present location in their comQrehensive Qlan. 11. Author Mike Harris; Location irrsert page 34 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. MSP International Airoort is utililized bv Saint Paul's businesses and residents The City should encouraee the airport to be compatable with Saint Paul's existine residenrial and commercial chazacter. Actions that Saint Paui should encourage are• I) restricting new fliehts over Saint Paul's neiehborhoods• 2) enforcing federal noise miti ag tion reyuiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 3) Locating on-airport locations for land uses such ��-1\33 as car rental service and storage. that conflict with Saint Paul land use oals. jThis amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6 3 through 7.6.6.J � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTION FROM PED STAFF FOR #8: 7.6.2. The Citv encouraqes the intemationsal airoort to take the steps it can to ensure improvina compatl �� with Saint Paul's existina residential and commercial character. Actions should include: 1 restrictinq new fliqhts over Saint Paul's neiahborhoods� 2) enforcinq federal noise mitiaati services needs. (This amendment would result in a 2numbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 12. Author Jay Benanav irrsert page ?0 as fourth paragraph: #10 Studv altematives and propose amendment to the zonin� code which would distineuish between small and lazee truckine onerations. Consider altematives such as a snecial restricrions on large trucking firms and nropose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low emplo�ee densit.y ��--Yruckina use of industrial land. The nronosed amendment should act to make consistent vinth re�d to truckin�uses the zoning code and hi density emplovment reauirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressine intensive use of industrial land. � � -1133 CITY COUNCtL PROPOSED AMENDMENTS - ADDENDUM TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 13. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservarion. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) ischargch > , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote heritage preservation and the citv's historic chazacter. It is an advisorv bodv to the Mauor and CitXCouncil on heritaee nreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites. buildin�s, and dishicts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve building,,permits for most types of exterior work concernine designated buildin�s and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preseroarion Districts.) - � � . In the case of four of the five locai historic dishicts—Dayton's Bluff. Lowertown. Irvine Park and Historic Hill—nreservation has been used auite successfullv as a tool for communit�develonment and revitalization, build� on a nrimary asset of these neighborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic chazacter is one of our stron¢ assets, and one which distinguishes this Cit +�from surrounding suburban communities. 14. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildines and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelo�ment costs. It is difficuit, and often unpossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Aeritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the storic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. � ^ �g -It 33 CITY COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THE LAND USE PLAN 1. From Councilmember Harris regarding Policy 3.3.4 on page 14: Please explain how the City would express its interests and affect the development of suburban East Metro communiries? At the Metropolitan Council? At the state legislature? At the federal level? Directly to ffie communities themselves? Please elaborate. PED STAFF RESPONSE: Policy development at the metropolitan level is certainly one way. Saint Paul had significant impact on the metropolitan growth strategy through the early participation of the Planning Commission as well as the Mayor and City Council. The City should be heazd at the Metropolitan Council if the growth strategy is not effectively unplemented in subwban areas and if housing goais are not met. At the state legislature certainly: powers of the Metropolitan Council, regional transit, resources for housing, resowces for the Livable Communities accounts. Direct action with communities is very limited; we do review amendments to their comprehensive plans and they review ows. 2. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Downtown Parking Policy, Policy 4.2.4, page 20: Is it counterproducrive to transportation planning and transit initiatives to state in Policy 4.2.4., ihat more parking must be built downtown. PED STAFF RESPOI3SE: The apparent conflict of support for additional pazking along with policies to promote public transit was raised a number of times during community discussion. Downtown parking is driven by market demand (our zoning code does not require parking downtown) and we do not believe that we aze in a position to put a cap on it; that is, to add a prohibition against building the parking they need to the obstacles a company or developer faces in a downtown locarion. We suspect that transit will have to become viable and amactive for much more of the region's population than it is now before a pazking cap is a reasonable option. Other means to encourage transit use and the best overall management of parking resources are probably the measures we have to focus on now. 3. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: Why is Highway 61 not considered a major transit corridor in the east metro? Piease compare traffic counts on Highway 61 to those on Shepazd Road and University Avenue. PED STAFF RESPONSE: The concept of a transit corridor in the City is a route that connects a great deal of popularion and activity along its way as well as leading to significant desrinations. On a transit corridor, both land use and transit provisions can be managed to benefit from each other. Somewhat higher density of activity and population makes good public transit more efficient. Better public transit ariracts those people and activities that want to take advantage of it. q�-1\3` Highway 61 is a high-volume mute. It probably serves a significant number of commuters on buses from fairly long distances, but it is not integrated with residences and business acrivity in a way that gives it promise as a transit corridor. 4. From Councilmem6er Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: [Per Council Research: PED inadvertently omited a response to this issue. The response is forthcoming.] 5. From Councilmember Harris regarding Figure U on page 46: What criteria were used to select transit hubs? Is it volume of transit use? Intersection of transit routes? Was there community involvement? Please describe the public processes used to select hubs. Are there existing plans for these hubs? Do these plans involve land acquisirion or eminent domain? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The figure does not identify transit hubs. It identifies "transit destinations(significant transfer points" which aze idenrified in the Transportation Plan. They were determined by locating important intersecting routes and obvious destination points. There aze not now plans for hubs at these points and the plan does not assume that a major hub facility would be appropriate for all of these. Certainly we should expect to find those places where a major inter-model interchange would enhance the transit system to be among these identified transfer points. This map went through the same public dialogue process as the rest of the land use pian, and, in fact, had earlier community review when the Transportation Plan was developed. 6. From Councilmember Benanav regording I-1 Zoning and Trucking: Because suburban communities like Roseville are now prohibiting trucking operations from locating in their azeas, we need to discourage these businesses from locating in our I-1 district. Trucking companies don't employ a lot of people, they take up a lot of space, and they're very disruptive to neighborhood life. Is there a way to regulate our land use through zoning limiting the type of low density per acre employment? PED STAFF RESPONSE: Given the number of e�sting fums and the importance of a trucking funcrion in some light industrial areas, we think some provision for them is probably necessary. However, it may well make sense to distinguish between small and large trucking firms and limit light industrial areas to small firms. A study to do tlus can be added to the list of zoning implementation measures. 7. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Intermodal Hubs: In the midst of a national "explosion" of intermodal hub activity, what can we do to prevent further expansion of intermodal hubs in Saint Paul? � s -1133 �� PED STAFF RESPONSE: We believe we have done all that we can in the zoning code to limit further expansion of intermodal hub acrivity in the City. We have to rely on aggressive enforcement of the requiretnents for 1,000-foot distance from residenrial property, landscaping and sound barriers, no unreasonable disturbance, and access from truck routes. 8. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Transit: Is it possible or appropriate to reopen the transporation plan to strengthen transit initiatives and altematives, like the Metropass Progam. PED STAFF RESPONSE: While the Transportarion Chapter can certainly be amended, specific programs like this aze probably more effectively dealt with as implementation measures on an annual basis. 9. From Councilmember Benanav regarding LRT. If the transit vision committee gets some broad consensus, which now includes Chamber support, for LRT, should we address that more specifically before we submit the plan? PED STAFF RESPONSE: We can't be confident that we'll have that much cleazer a vision about LRT in time for this submission. This may be a place for a later amendment if the vision that evolves isn't supported by the current plan. 10. Ftom Councitmember Coleman regarding LRT: Does the Land Use Plan in any way determine where an LRT corridor should be developed in the City of Saint Paul? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route. Rather, the Land Use Plan focuses on transit-oriented development. Both the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors have been discussed in the community as options to connect to the Hiawatha Corridor from downtown Minneapolis to the International Airport. LRT is not mentioned in the discussion of either corridor in the Land Use Plan. Za�� Z � a�-11�3 cinr couNCi� QUESTIONS FOR STAFF - ADDENDUM ON THE LAND USE PLAN t- L' s l: � 10. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The six primary and several secondary �ansit corridors were identified in the Transportation Plan and adopted with the adoption of that chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. The factors involved in their selection include: • Established transit routes with high ridership • Interconnections among routes wiUun the city • Access to major activity centers • Major destinations within and outside of the city Interconnections with regional routes DevelopmenUgrowth potential where better transit can be a positive factor The Transportation Plan says of transit corridors: "The Transit Comdor development concept calls for frequent, fast, reliable and efficient transit service, with a high level of transit amenities and transit centers, along linked corridors that haue high job concentrations, population density, transit dependency, and opportunity for redevelopment. The concept can be implemented with the existing bus system, but also can accommodate options for dedicated busways and/or light rail transit." From Councilmember Coleman regarding LRT.• Does the Land Use Plan in any way detemune where an LRT corridor shouid be developed in the City of Saint Paul? REVISED PED STAFF RESPONSE: The Land Use Plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route or even menrion LRT in the discussions of the West Seventh and University Avenue corridors. Rather, the Land Use Pian recognizes the benefit that the comdors provide for integrated plamiing of land use changes with transit improvement. makes cleat that the corridor concept does not depend on new meaningful. Policy 79 of the Transportation Plan does say that :ntral corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown riority for development of transitways--busways and(or LRT--in u Y` �� "" � �� s �`'�� r..� �,�_�� 1 1 � LAND USE PLAN � � � I � A Chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for City Caunci! Action � � � � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planning Commission September 25, 1998 �� -1133 � � SAINT PAUL � LAN D USE PLAN A Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan � Draft for City Council Action � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planni�g Commission, Septem6er 25, 1998 � ■ � � � � � � [� 1_� � Cc�naprehd:rasi�.•e Flan i 0��-113�3 � � � � � � � � � � Contents Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) 1 �O Strategy 1: A V"ital City Center Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopment Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship and Urban Amenity Imp]ementation Introduction � 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Setting 3. 3.� 32 Objective 3.3 Objective 3.4 3.5 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process 9 Purpose of the Land Use P1an 10 "fime Frame � � 1'hemes of the Land Use Plan ] 1 E�tistlng Land Use Land Use TTends and Assumptions Equitable Metropolitan Development River Landforms Ten Principles for City Development Strategy 1: A Vital, Growing City Center ��0 Objective 4. ] Saint Pau7 on the Mississippi Development � Fromework Implementation Objective 4.2 The Complete Docvntown Mix Objective 4.3 Riverfront Developmenk � Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections Objective 4.5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages � � � � � {� Su�ategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Viliages lI�O Objective 51 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Development Ob}ective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing Objective 5.5 Balanced'IYansportation System Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation ,2 12 ]2 13 14 15 18 ]9 20 20 20 22 24 25 27 29 29 31 32 32 33 35 a $ -113 3 �` Cc�rnpreherayi�.•e Plan g Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopmenf 6 �o Objective 6 1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Objective 6.2 River Corridor Objective 6.3 Midway (University Avenue/I-94 Corridor) objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor Objective 6.5 Riverview/W. Seventh Street Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship 7 �0 Objective 7.1 Mississippi National River and RecreaTion Area (MNRRA) 'IYer II Status Objective 7.2 Natural Landscape for Topographic Features Objective 7.3 Air Quality: "f7ansportation and Industry Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Objective 7.5 Soii Cleanup/Brownfield Reclamation Objective 7.6 Airport Noise and Airport Objedive 7.7 Access to Solar Energy x /� I�tementation Y�0 81 Citywide Land Use Map 8.2 Map Summary of Redevelopment Opportunities 8.3 Neighborhood Planning 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions 8.5 Capital improvements 8.5 Intergovernmental Action 8.6 Urban Design Appendices 9 �o Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. Land Use Trends and Assumptions Existing Land Use and Projected Change Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan Sensitive Resource Maps Sewers Inflow and Infiltration C red�ts 37 37 38 40 4I 42 44 45 45 4� 47 49 50 50 51 51 54 55 55 55 55 60 60 61 61 62 62 65 69 71 74 79 �� 4 Cif�� ot�5t. Pr�u3 [J �� Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) � �2: .J �isidf �r.?ITf,i �v� i`�li:�'I: IS c ,e ',i�.. - �r n" f •;-° ' t�` C:i �,�Z.. �OT i�tc. Cic��,tf i� �LSI��ai£'S ?�u'�iPL' �:'OZIS.Y?6, � 'J: tC�S, il,t�LtS��:S, � L�� ,�ti�..`� 3"!t3��.t'1C� �L"':�c�.'�i�i:� 4n d��'C�:is fC��t.�1Lr�(": ?"�L`3�`i.°,ti?�rl��?Z ;�PL7�1n.t?�. l i�,�?t'�.�itl.Y�c?�'�S i?: ?.I7.°. L;7??u' �:S,°. �xti{Yt CI��' ?(J �YiCC?td:"CZ, j3��i'C€i�" ZI?1'ijiii�ist II: r`1�1C s.. y% LI�Cd� CO £�-'i,i1L�� piiil'IC � ?? �i .•��Lni1? tt,'rc�n;c'::%�<_:�: si�zt e?�htar7Ces e�is�� cotn ,;un: ll�'� G�i:� Lt!L'' �ic��.,��Qi �}�'Yi�n:�f�.'." � � � � � � The Land Use Plan is one of the chapters of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. Other citywide chapters dea] with Housing, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Libraries, Water Management, Sewers, and the River Corridor. Many neighborhoods also have plans which have been approved previously by the Pianning Commission and the City Council. The City is required to update the Comprehensive Plan in 1998. The current land use plan was adopted in 1980. After public hearings and consideration of the public comments, the Planning Commissiott will forward the plan to the City Council. The City Council wiil review it and submit it to the Metropolitan Council, which is coordinating municipal plans throughout the metropolitan area as part of its regional growth management program. After receiving the Metropolitan Council's comments, the City Council will adopt the final plan. Change in the city is continuous; there are small changes in stable neighbor- � hoods and large changes in redevelopment areas. This plan puts most of it's emphasis on areas where redevelopment is happening or should happen dur- � ing the next ten or twenty years. But it also recommends the urban village concept as a goa] for smaller changes within fully developed neighborhoods. � During the next decade the city has an opportunity to grow by building new housing. With the metropolitan region growing and baby boomers becom- . ing empty nesters, there is a market for downtown and townhouse living. � Saint Paul's goal is to build 400 new housing units per year and to add 9.000 households in the city between 199Q and 2�20. � � The 1990s have seen more economic growth in the city than housing growth. The goal of the Land Use Plan is to achieve I8,00o net additional jobs between 1990 and 2020, which is double the Metropolitan Council's job growth projection for Saint Paul. � Cc��n,�rehzn4i�,•e Plan 5 q�-��33 Strategy 1: A Vital City Center Downtown should continue to be the "capital" of the East Metro area, a center of business, govemment, culture, entertainment, and hotels. • Downtown, including the Capitol Area and the central riverfront, will grow by roughly 9,000 more jobs and 3,000 more housin� units by 2020. The Land Use Plan affirms the policies of the Saint Paul on fhe Mississippi Development FYamework, which is the downtown and riverfront plan completed in 1997. Key policies that reflect Framework conclusions include: building new urban villages, improving public spaces beginning with Wabasha Street, and designing buildings to meet the sidewalk and promote public life on downtown streets. Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages • The ciTy is composed of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood should have a range of housing types suitable for people at all stages of life and a range of housittg prices. Each neighborhood needs to have a successful niche in the housing market so that home values rise paraliel to increas- es in the metropolitan housing market. • Having transportation altematives to the automobile is an important benefit of city living. Saint Paul neighborhoods should be accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. New housing and more jobs should be located along the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors, which are the two highest priority public trattsportation corri- dors in the city. • Neighborhood commercial strips built during the streetcar era should be preserved and retain their pedestrian-oriented design. Commercial build- ings should be located along the sidewalk. In these areas the Zoning Code should no longer allow parking lots in front of new buildings, except for gas stations. • 4,50o new housing units need to be built outside of the downtown area by 2020. (ASSUming 1,500 units will be demolished, the net growth will be 3,000 units.) The Planning Commission will ask neighborhood organi- zations to help plan where this housing can be developed throughout the city. 6 L:iPj�� ot 3t. FGUi � � i � � � � � � � � � � � � Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth • In addition to downtown, redevelopment efforts over the ne�ct 20 years should focus on five corridors: the River Corridor; Universiry Avenue and the Midway; the Phalen Corridor; the West Seventh Corridor; the Great Northem (Como) Corridor. These corridors include many large redevelop- ment sites that can be linked to�ether and can provide new economic vitality to the neighborhoods near them and to the city as a whole. They provide good opportunity for linking new housing, jobs and transportation. � • Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill redevelopment. New urban housing near bus service wiil help to support transportation alternatives and neighborhood busi- ness centers. • Cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields (polluted industrial sites) is a high priority for the city. Significant public funding is necessary to level the playing field between these sites and suburban greenfields. Regional, state, and federal assistance is necessary to accomplish this importani task. Figure A: Five Corridors for Growih ��.��33 �' CL�TI3,�YE�7f.'XiSd4'� F']tX1i f Strategy 4: Environmentai Stewardship In the River Corridar, the City recognizes that there will be a shift away from industry and toward recreation, housing, and mixed use. The river will continue to be a working river and industries, especially river- dependent industries, wili continue to be located along segments of Shepard Road and downstream from the Robert Street bridge. • The city's natural topography relates most of the ciry to the river. Bluffs, ravines, and wetlands should be protected and enhanced as urban amenities. • The City supports the green corridors project of the state DNR, which plans to fund the restoration and pxotection of land with native habitats and to connect them with parks and trails. In Saint Paul, the river valley and the Troutbrook Reach are parts of the DNR plan. Implementation Neighborhood planning is essential to refine and implement citywide land use policies. But with dozens of existing full-length neighborhood plans, the City's Comprehensive Plan has become unmanageable and difficult to understand. In the future, the City Councii, on recommendation from the Pianning Commission, will adopt summaries of neighborhood (or other sub-area) plans that highlight decisions appropriate to Ciry development poiicy. When neighborhood plans are adopted, discrepancies between adopted citywide plans and neighborhood plans must be reconciled so that the Comprehensive Plan is intemally consistent. • As soon as this ptan is adopted, the City will undertake revision of the Zoning Code to make its maps and regulations consistent with the pIan. There will be public participation in the zoning revisions. Pubiic investments are needed to initiate major land use changes. The Land Use Plan contains a list of capital budget investments for redevei- opment projects and neighborhood revitaiization activities. Intergov-em- mental funding is needed for pollution clean-up, public transit, housing, redevelopment and major infrastructure costs. Urban design concepts need to be effectively applied to development projects in the city. The Saint Paul Design Center has recentIy been established through the collaboration of a number of organizations. Its mission can be advanced through utilization of this Land Use Plan as well as through public education, neighborhood planning, and design guidelines or regulations. 8 c.it�� e�t St. �au1 � r � introduction � � � � � � �� A 2.1 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process The Land Use Plan is the city's "floor plan" for development. There are many major development concepts and neighborhood improvement strate- gies taking form in Saint Paul. Some examples are the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development FYamework, the Phalen Corridor Initiative, planning for the Riverview (West Seventh), University Avenue, and Great Northern transit corridors and for Ayd Mill Road, and neighborhood plans for the West Side, Dayton's Bluff, Selby Avenue, and Hamline-Midway. How well do all of these concepts and plans fit together? The Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan try to ensure that the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. Saint Paul is not an island. Implementing major plans depends in large part on public and private resources beyond the control of city government. The Regional Blueprint of the Metropolitan Council makes revitalization of the central cities and older suburbs a tog priority. In Saint Paul half the housing units and much of the infrastructure were built before World War II. Like other older American cities, Saint Paul needs supportive policies and pro- grams from higher levels that affect broader real estate markets and private location decisions to foster reinvestment and redevelopment and to imple- ment regional policy. The current round of planning provides an opportunity for reinvestment in older parts of the metropolitan area. State law requires all Tv✓in Cities municipalities to update their comprehensive plans by the end of 1998. Saint Paul's last citywide Land Use Plan was written in 1980 and has not been updated, although many neighborhood plans have been developed since then. At the end of 1998, Saint Paul's Comprehensive Plan will be part of an up-to-date regional growth management strategy that has strength- ening the urban core as one of its basic goals. Many land use recommendations are implemented through zoning. Recent changes in Minnesota law require that zoning be consistent with municipal land use plans. Therefore, this Land Use Plan wi11 carry more legai clout than the 1980 Land Use Plan carried and the City will have to keep the Comprehensive Plan up-to-date. Cr�rnprehc� Plan y 2,2 Purpose of the Land Use Plan The generaI purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: 1. To set a framework for preserving and enhancing existing communities, commercial and industrial districts, and the natural environment,.and to ensure that this framework is supported by transportation and other Comprehensive Plan policy 2. To encourage private investment. 3. To guide public investments in urban presenraUon, revitatization, and redevelopment. 4. To stimulate and coordinate actions among private, nonprofit, and public development organizations and provide a framework for community stakeholders. 5. To outline govemmental actions that will help meet the needs of people for land for housing, employment, business opportunity, recreation, edu- cation, and other uses. More specific purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: • To support the Comprehensive Plan themes of providing for growth, enhancing the quality of place, and supporting community weli-being. • To identify the major redevelopment and revitalization opportunities in the city and establish criteria for evaluating them. • To provide land use themes and guides that communiry groups can use in their planning and that the Planning Commission can use in reviewing neighborhood plans and proposed development. • To promote a balance of land uses in the city to strengthen the city's tax base. • To encourage and assist real estate developers to make investments in Saint Paul at a time when government subsidies for urban reinvestment are constrained. • To inter-relate land use and transportation to minimize traffic congestion and to reduce dependence on automobiles. • To take advantage of antzcipated regional growth by attracting a signifi- cant share of residential, commerc4al, and industrial development to Saint Paul. • To take advantage of regional and national trends in urban development, such as brownfield reclamation, mixed use, traditional neighborhood design, and ecological development patterns. 10 cit�� c�t 5t. �a�a� � ' � � � � � � � � � �', � �� 2.3 Time Frame The broad horizon for this plan is 2020, consistent with the Metropolitan Council's projections for population, households, and employment. By state law, the plan will need to be updated at least every ten years, but more fre- quent amendment will be required if the plan is to keep pace with chan�es that cannot be predicted. 2.4 Land Use Plan Strategies Strategy 7: A Vtaf City Center Downtown Saint Paul, including the riverfront and the Capitol Area, will continue to be the primary center of the East Metro area, and should be a weli-rounded downtown where people live, work and shop and enjoy cul- tural and recreational opportunities. Strategy 2: {Veighborhoods as Urban Vllages Saint Paul will continue to be a city of diverse neighborhoods. Each wiil be a good place to live and raise a family and invest in a house. Each will have housing suitable for people at different stages of life and with different incomes. Traditional neighborhood design wi11 be maintained because it supports healthy community life. Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth Redevelopment opportunities are often linked to changes in transportation systems. Old land use pattems ate changing along the river and the rail- road corridors. Land use patterns in the city are still adjusting to the free- way system. Efforts to increase public transportation ridership will also pre- sent redevelopment opportunities. Redevelopment should be focused on transportation corridors. Strategy 4: Environmentat Stewardship Saint Paul is reclaiming its river heritage. By 2020, most of the river valley will be green and the river park system will be more fully developed. Industry will also remain in several areas of the River Corridar. Most neigh- borhoods wiil be connected to the river by trails and natural landscaping along ravine edges. The city's air, water, and soils should alt be cleaner. Ct�na�rPeh t°n� i�'e Plcxn i i q�,��3� The Set#ing EXISTING LAND USE, SUMMARY Type oF Land Use Percent Residential 35 Commercial Industrial Parks and Open Space Public and Insritutlonal Rivers Lakes, Wetlands Vacant 3.1 Existing Land Use Saint Paul is about 56 square miles in size. One third of the land area is in residenYial use, and of that, 87 percent is occupied by single family homes and duplexes. A summary of land use by major category is shown to the left. A more compiete breakdown is inciuded in Appendix B. q Most land uses in Saint Paul will not change. They're built and they're 14 going to stay. The question is whether they will be viable and healthy. The 13 challenge for both public and private leaders is to guide the city and the q region so that the private market for existing buildings and neighborhoods 9 remains (or becomes) strong and people reinvest in Saint Paul. 14 Between 1990 and 2020, approximately five percent of the land in the city source: i9as 1and use survey by PEn, �11 be redeveloped. Since this five percent is the land most likely to be updated. used differently, it is where the Land Use Plan places the most attention. Smail changes in stable neighborhoods are also very important for the preservation of the city. Change is continuous in al] parts of the city. The urban village theme in the Land Use Plan provides objectives for ongoing, smaller changes in stable neighborhoods. 3.2 Land Use Trends and Assumptions The main Yrends and assumptions that underlie the recommendations in this Land Use Plan are as follows: Opportunity for growth. From 1998 to 2020 the'IWin Cities region is pro- jected to grow and Saint Paul can e}cpect to share in the growth by adding 9,000 households and i&,000 jobs. 2. More transportation options. Although freeways and automobiles wilI continue to be the primary mode of transportation, there will be increas- ing reliance on public transportation, bicycling and walking. 12 c".iYy e�F st. Pau? � �� 3. Competitive advantages of a centra] ciry. Downtown and older city neighborhoods have a sense of place and history that is special in a re�ion where suburbs predominate. Large infrastructure investments are already in place and have additional capacity. The mi�cture of people and businesses and housing types and architectural sryles and parks—all within walking distance— creates market opportunities. The city must remain competitive and retain and attract residents, businesses, and institutions. 4. Building the citywide economic base. Economic development is at least as much an issue of jobs and human capital as it is an issue of real estate development. Redevelopment sites in the city should provide significant numbers of jobs that pay family-supporting wages for skilis that fit Saint Paul warkers. The Land Use Plan supports economic development in the downtown, the neighborhood retail areas, and industrial districts. 5. Helping the environment. For the health of the planet, how we live in � urban settings is jusY as important as protecting wildemess, forests, and farmlands. The preservation and enhancement of the urban environment � � ��, � � � � � �' � � is a key ingredient in the region's quality of life. Appendix A expands on this list, giving 17 trends and assumptions for land use planning in Saint Paul. Ob,jective 3.3 Equitabie Metropolitan Development The research of the National League of Cities shows that over the years the economic destinies of central cities and their suburbs are interdependent. Metropolitan areas that have tolerated central city decay have a poorer quality of life, which eventually hurts the suburbs' economic attractiveness to national and intemational investors. Geographically there is increasing physical distance between rich and poor people across the 'Itvin Cities metropolitan area. The trends of increasing poverty and its physical concentration need to be reversed. To change the trend, the City of Saint Paul and community organizations need to keep working on local improvements. But their efforts, no matter how wise and dedicated, will achieve only partial success unless they are matched by action at higher leveis in the public and private sectors. The tendency of housing markets in this country is for newly built homes on the metropolitan edge to be bigger and more costly than older homes near the center. This tendency has been supported by govemmental invest- Cc�rxiprehc°r��i�•E Ffan 13 q�,��3� ment in infrastnxcture, by tax policies (e.g., the mortgage interest deduction and the use of the locat property tax for education), and by the distribution of subsidized housing. These mega-policies in Minnesota and the United States help make central cities in our country different and o8en less vibrant from central cities in Canada and Europe. Policies: 3.3.1 Saint Paul will support an increase in the number of jobs and hous- ing units in the city, and will try to focus growth along transit corridors, thereby supporting the strategies of the Metropolitan Council's Regional Blueprint. 3.32 The City will continue to work with the Metro East Development Partnership to foster connections and cooperation between Saint Paul and its suburbs. 3.3.3 The City will advocate changes to tax and infrastructure policies at the state and federal levels to enhance the opportunities of the central cities and older suburbs in residential, commercial, and industrial real estate markets. 3.3.4 The City should express its interests with regard to how suburban East Metro communities develop. The City supports holding employment centers inside the I-694 beltway, maintaining fairly tight urban growth boundaries, and preserving rural character outside the urban service area. The City opposes the creation of "Edge City" concentrations like the Bloomington strip. 3.3.5 The City should e�press its support and, where appropriate, join in housing programs and projects that contribute to balanced populations (age and income) in communities and neighborhoods throughout the East Metro area. Objective 3.4 River Landforms The relationsMp between the Mississippi River and Saint Paul's develop- ment pattem runs through this whole plan—in Section 4.3 about the down- town riverfront; in Section 6.2 about redevelopment opportunities down- stream from the downtown; in Section 6.5 about redevelopment opportuni- ties along the West Seventh Street corridor; and in Sections 7.1 and 72 about environmental stewardship. During the 1990s, the re-emergence of the river as a key to Saint Paul's identity is seen in the planning and public investment which is setting the stage for new private development. 14 City� nt St. Pcut I r � � � � � � � � � � � A side-benefit of the focus on the river is a new appreciation of the city's landform and how all parts of the city were sculpted by glaciers and the river. Protection of the river corridor and its bluffs will be further addressed in revision of the River Corridor (Critical Area) Plan that will follow adop- tion of this Land Use Plan. Policy: 3.4.1 The City will work to protect and enhance the topographic features of the city, such as the bluffs, ravines, hills, overlooks, ponds, and wet- lands. The City will promote development that is consistent with enhanc- ing the city's physical setting. ( ��«.�� I �� _. s " �.': ".:Xi :,;; �. �»� .* � . '��_. -`�� . � � -.. .��.. Figure B City Landform and Neighborhoods 3.5 Ten Principles for City Development �' The recent Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework, a planning � report for the downtown and central riverfront, contains ten principles that are applicable throughout the city. � � � � Policy: 3.5.1 As development opportunities arise and projects are designed, the City will refer to the Ten Principles for guidance and consistency over time. Com,�srehezzsi�•e Plarf 15 16 City� of S€. Pcul � I � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 f qg-��3 � Gcampreh�•risive Pfan 17 St�'ate�y 1: A Vital, Growing City Center A number of trends demonstrate and support revitalization of the down- town--declining office vacancy rates, major private construcYion, public transportation improvements, increasing number of empty nester house- holds, and deveIopment of riverfront amenities. In 1998 there is a record- setting amount of construction underway in the downtown. Lowertown is already recognized nationally as a successful model of a downtown urban village. The Metropolitan Council's regional policies now support invest- ment at the urban core. Objective 4.1 Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework Implementation The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework is a plan for the downtown and central riverfront completed in 1997. It has won both state and national awards. Policy: 4.1.1 The City, together with many downtown partners, wiil promote the main land use themes of the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework • Re-greening of the doumtown river valley (Great River Park concept) • Bringing people to the riverbanks and bIuff lines • Connectivity, or complementarity, of each land use with others nearby • Creating new mixed use urban villages to frame the office core • Designing streets to accommodate transit, bikes, and pedestrians as well as cars • Improving the public realm beginning with Wabasha Street • Downtown parks as centers for development • Designing buildings and promoting land uses to meet the street and increase pedestrian activity on the sidewalks • Continuous urban fabric so that Yhe streets are interesting for pedestrians Figure C shows major land use directions for the downtown. 18 eity� c�f 5t. P�ut r � � � � � � �J � � � � � � � � � IJ Objective 4.2 A Complete Downtown Mix (Office, Retaii, Government, Arts, Entertainment, Visitors, and Housing) Policies: 4.2.1 Downtown Saint Paul should retain its position as the "capital" of the East Metro region; both the City and business organizations should promote it as such. East Metro residents should feel proud of their down- town and want to take visitors there. 4.2.2 Downtown Saint Paul should continue to evolve as more than a central business district. It should have all of the land uses of a healthy downtown—office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations, and housing. People should live, work, and recreate downtown. 4.2.3 The City supports the building design guidelines in the Saint Pau! on the Mississippi Development f7amework, which emphasize the urban design quality of buildings at the street level. Each building, including parking ramps, should contribute to the life of the street and contribute to the public realm. This is especially important for the Wabasha-Saint Peter corridor, the Rice Park and Mears Park areas, and the other pro- posed urban village areas. Figure C: "{ t/�� " Downtown Land Use Directions � Cenaprehsn;r'v�e PI�n 19 4.2.4 As the downtown grows, more public parking must also be built; but, at the same time, the City and downtown employers should work pro-actively to improve bus service, increase bus ridership, and provide for bicycling and walking to work. Objective 4.3 Riverfront Development 4.3.1 Figure C and Figure O(page 39) show the best current ptans for sites along the downtown riverfiront—the Upper Landing, Shepard koad, Harriet Island, Wabasha-Robert, the land around the former Department of Revenue Building. Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections The State Capitol Area is a beautiful amenity and state employment is a large stable economic base for the ciry. 4.4.1 The Capitol Area should become an anchor far reinvestment and infill development in the surrounding areas through cooperative actions by the city and state governments, private developers, and community development corporations. See Figure D. 4.4.2 The City government agrees with the land use concepts in the Comprehensive Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol Area done in 1997 by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board. See Figure E. Even though the plan identifies a Capitol "campus," new buildings should be designed as an open part of the city. They should relate to the streets and communities outside the campus; the edges of the campus should not seem closed off or unneighborly. 4.4.3 The City will encoarage state offrce development and leasing to select Saint Paul sites that help to link the Capitoi with downtown and to intermix state office and downtown buildings. As a second priority, other city locations, weII connected to the capitol area on major streets, may be appropriate for some state office buildings. 20 �.[�� c�f St_ �aut � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Figure D a�`�� Development Areas Around the State Capitol Figure E Capitol Area Land Use � Cc�mpPahc:rtsiU'e P#c�'tt 21 Objective 4,5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages Figure F Urban Viliage Opportanities Downtown 4.5. i The City's goal is to build 3,000 housing units in iinked urban villages around the downtown and on the West Side flats by 2020 (see Figure F) and create live-work environments throughout the downtown. Preliminary planning should proceed for all potential urban village locations, recognizing that beFore construction starts priorities among the altematives will need to be set both for public investment and for market absorption. In 1998 the four sites indicated on the map are the priorities for planning. (Note: A more detailed discussion of opportunities for new housing is found in Section 5,4.) Emerging Urban Vliages proposed Urban Vllages 1. Concord-Robert 6. Northeast Quadrant 17. Lower Landing 2. Irv'me Park 7. Fitzgerald Park �2. The Esplanade 3. Rice Park 8. Northwesi Aark 73. South Wabasha 4. West Seventh 9. Upper Landing Bridgehead 5. Lowercown '10. Kellogg Mall '14, Harriet Island 22 CIt' OT St. F+cfAI � � ��t� � 4.5.2 For downtown urban villages, the Design Center should promulgate � design guidelines that will be helpful for new development attracted by the opportunities and that can be suppor[ed through land sales and financing L agreements and through the City's site plan review process. (In the down- town zoning districts, all urban village ]and uses are already permitted.) � � � � � � �, �' � � � � � � t Cc>rz�preheza��'�,�e Pl�n 23 St�ate�y 2: Neighborhoods as Urban �Ilages Saint Paut is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizarions. It is long-standing City policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Figure G Suburban ^Pod^ During the 1990s a new national movement cailed New Urbanism advo- Developmeni Compared to Traditional Neighborhood Design cates "urban villages" or "traditional neighborhood development;' two terms used to describe physical development pattems which closely resem- ble most of Saint Paul's neighborhoods. The popularity of traditional neigh- borhood development will help the marketing of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Source: Town Planning Collaborative, Minneapolis 24 Cfi�� c�i St. P�u7 . Suburban "POD" Development Land �ses segregated, arterial tra�c congestion Traditional Neghborhood Development Land uses compact and integrated, short trips � c��-�t3 Urban villages are contrasted with the dominant trend of auto-dependent � suburbs with their subdivisions of homogeneous housing, large business parks, and shopping malls ringed by asphalt. (See Figure G.) New Urbanists � � � � � � � � � � � � criticize this dominant suburban development pattern on environmental, sociological, and economic �rounds. Many suburbs are now trying to recre- ate the physical sense of community that Saint Paul neighborhoods already have. (See Figure H.) The Livable Communities Program of the Metropolitan Council, which makes urban development grants to municipalities, is based largely on wban village principles. This is not to suggest that there is one mold for city neighborhoods. There are many physical foYms for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, for exam- ple: • Saint Anthony Park: Most like the "pure village" model with a small com- mercial center and well-defined neighborhood boundaries. • Macalester Groveland: Small commercial centers scattered at almost every intersection of coliector streets. • Highland Park: One laTge shopping district that is a hybrid of pedestrian and automobile site planning. • Battle Creek: SunRay Shopping Center and Suburban Avenue together make an even larger automobile-scaled center for a post-Worid War II neighborhood. As mentioned in the previous section on downtown, Saint Paul has a few large, cleared sites where new urban villages may be built. But it is even more important for the city to use traditional neighborhood development concepts for protecting and reinforcing the strengths of the city's existing neighborhoods. Objective 5.1 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Policies: 51.1 The City, neighborhood organizations, developers and realtors should use the urban village principles listed below, which are con- densed from the Charter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, for assessing neighborhoods and promoting the advantages of city living. � • Good neighborhoods are compact and pedestrian-friendly. - • Good neighborhoods have a mixture of land uses. • Good neighborhoods have a broad range of housing types. !' • Good neighborhoods are designed to support mass transit with appropriate land uses and densities within walking distance of public �� transportation. � C�trr�prehc:risi�•� Plan 25 Figure H Comparison of New Urbanism and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Good neighborhoods have commercial, civic, and institutional activity embedded, not isolated in remote, single-use complexes. • Good neighborhoods have schooLs within walking and short bicycling 3istance for most children. • Good neighborhoods have a range of park facilities, from tot-lots to vil- lage greens to ballfields to community gardens. (Large parks and conser- vation areas serve as boundaries between neighborhoods.) • Good neighborhoods are safe and secure. • In good neighborhoods, the architecture and landscaping physically define the streets and public places. Seaside, FL, is the best-known New Ur6anist community in the country. It +s 80 acres in size and has 550 housing units (6.9 units per gross acre). The residential core of the Snelling-Hamline neighbor- hood, shown here at a corre- sponding scale, is about 120 acres with 670 housing units (5.6 units per gross acre). Similarities: New Urbanist Communities and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Grid of streets and alleys • Pedestrian scale blocks • Can walk to shops and transit • Institutional buildings within neighborhood • Mixture of houses, duplexes, and apartments • Porches in front; garages in back 26 iity> af St. Fc�ul �. t 5.1.2 Neighborhood planning participants should consider the social and � economic factors implied in the notion of "village" as well as physical design factors, which are emphasized on the precedin� list. Of course, � social and economic factors are sometimes beyond the control of either the nei�hborhood or even the City. Available responses may only partial- ly address underlying problems. � � 1_i Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Deve{opment 52.1 In traditional neighborhoods, the City will support compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity. Mixed use reduces transportation time and cost. National surveys show � that, on average, city residents drive only half as many miles per year as suburban dwellers, primarily because each trip is shorter in the city. � � � � � � � � 52.2 At neighborhood commercial centers, the City, in collaboration with individual neighborhoods and business districts, will give more attention to the pedestrian realm and wil] implement design guidelines for pedes- trian districts, beginning with a half-dozen prototype areas. (See Figure I for candidate areas for pedestrian-oriented design guidelines.) If design guidelines for neighborhood commercial centers take the form of regula- tions, they might work through the City's site plan review process or the creation of design districts. Any regulatory process should have a fast- track for plans that clearly support the village center concept. Urban vil- ]age design concepts can be promoted through public education and neighborhood planning. 5.2.3 The design guidelines for pedestrian-oriented village centers should include the following: • Buildings out to the sidewalk • Parking lots to the side and rear of buildings, not in front • Parking lots screened from the street • Human-scale lighting • Architecture that respects the neighborhood context • Windows to the sidewalk � 5.2.4 To promote the workability of mixed land uses, the City will use zoning, licensing and environmental regulations to prevent and mitigate land use conflicts along boundaries between residential areas and com- � 1� mercial or industrial areas. ��,,►3� � Ct>IXi�FIC�"fP.73SFVE ]'�uTt Q7 FigureJ Design Guidelines for Pedestrian Overlay Districts 28 Cityr nt'5t. Pau7 Figure I Pedestrian Neighborhood Co�nmercia) Centers , � , � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Objective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values 5.3.1 Each of the seventeen planning districts in the city should have life- cycle housing, that is, a mixture of single-family houses, townhouses, condominiums, apartments, and seniors housing. People of all ages should be able to live conveniently in every part of the city. 5.3.2 The City will support expansion of the range of housing values in each neighborhood, especially in low-income areas. As govemment hous- ing programs shrink, it becomes even more essential to the whole city that every neighborhood find a self-sustaining niche in the real estate market. Every neighborhood should provide for a sound economic housing invest- ment. 5.3.3 The Planning Commission will propose for consideration a Zoning Code amendment allowing accessory ("mother-in-law") apartments in owner-occupied, large single family houses. Accessory units are current- ly illegal in Saint Paul. Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing 5.4.1 The City will promote building new housing to meet the growing market of empty nesters as the baby boom ages. There is a substantial growing demand for market rate townhouses, condominiums and apart- ments with high amenities. Figure K shows how the market for city living could grow in Saint Paul aver the next twenty years. 1997 1998 2010 2020 7�4etrit go�ey . ; `�9sis Gf $prawl �•;. x E{llnbA� ��tg7 `$f$'te�171t�17g'� ":: ��5"" � ;.��" ; H �� H ; ��,_ � .'# ��E�!re�€ � '. 16lprket .: �� '�Y.t��66iriccdCbnbYa� �� -,�{ial�c'�� i!� � w � .., 3:r3aw�s�nFxaflnq • ;. .; 6uiMin9"s" -;. , � (�g �," � ; 4.Irffiki3evdqpiaata�' . i-S`,inaH.#�ltWSehDtds'- L11FierP.iMaqiilslms x:; l�srrekimpravemert� � • Pututc�i}f ., —flnaaSCtmas " '�e�i'e'I�cBS -:�'; a�� Figure K Market for New Urban Housing � CUm,pr�hc:aasi�.�e Plan 29 5.4.2 The City will support private market efforts to build enough new housing to provide a net increase of 6,000 more housing units by 2020. The City accepts the Metropolitan Council allocation of 9,000 more house- holds for Saint Paul as an appropriate, though ambitious, target for growth. New housing should supplement the eacisting stock with new types, complement existing neighborhoods, and strengthen their position in the housing market. Realization of this objective is contingent on mar- ket factors that cannot be easily predicted. Three thousand more house- holds can be housed in e�sGng housing units that were vacant in the base year of 1990. (Vacancy rates in existing housing, that is vacant homes and apartments for sale or for rent, were quite high at six percent.) This leaves a goal of 6,000 net additional housing units to be constructed. Demolition is likely to remove 1,500 units, raising the new construction goal to 7,500. Given slow growth from 1990 to 1998, the city's goal is to have 340 new housing units built per year unti12020. While this may seem to be a large number in a built-up city, it is less than the 10,000 units added between 1970 and 1990. Figure L shows where major sites with potential for new housing are located. Geographically, the goal far housing growth (net increase in housing units, 1990-2020) can be broken down as folIows: D�wntown ancl Rire�'r�nf 3,00(k PIanni�rg Dis�et� I anii 3. exc�pt river flats . 1ti0 Pianniitg Dis�recfs 2, � and 5 6t?f? Plai€nuig Di5tti�s 6, 7, I i7; 11, arid 3,2 900 i�tanni�€g i3isericcs s, 9� t3, i4. I�, �nd ts sf7a Gity�ic2� near �te�gh&orha�d eer�Ye�s �c trus Iin�s �antJ Cit�vicle=��cessory apartmenfs 3afl �at�t �,a� (Appendix B lists potential sites for housing development). 5.4.3 In 1999, the Pianning Commission will ask district councils and community development corporations to help in identifying housing development opportunities throughout the city that are consistent with the objectives of the Land Use and Housing chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. Citywide coordination is essential in order to meet the goal of 9,000 net additional housing units by 2020. Without neighborhood leadership and a sense of fair play among all the neighborhoods in the city, the NIMBY ("not in my back yard") reflex to preserve vacanC lots and oppose addi- tionai housing will almost certainly come forward. Seattle and Portland are examples of cities that work with neighborhood organizations to 30 iit�� af St. �av1 � � � � � � � � � � � � �� achieve city housing goals that support urban villages, transportation altematives, and control suburban sprawl. 5.4.4 The City will use the following guidelines for sites for new housing: • Sites close to amenities where residential value will be sustained over time should be developed with housing. • Housing sites along major transportation corridors and near com- mercial centers should meet the mazkEt demand for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. • Prime sites for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments should be protected from other development that prevents their develop- ment as such. I Objective 5.5 Coordinated Land Use and Transportation � Transportation access and traffic impacts are dominant factors in peoples' decisions about where to live or to open a business. The Transportation Policy Plan, which is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, contains � the City's objectives for protecting neighborhoods from traffic, supporting economic development, and giving citizens transpor[ation choice. � � � 5.5.1 The City will coordinate transportation planning and air quality analysis with land use planning. Coordination is needed from the general level of transportation system design, to corridor studies, down to site plans for new buildings. Ccarr�,pr�hirz�i�.•� PI�n 31 q � .It33 Figure L Potential Housing Development Sites 5.5.2 The City will encourage more housing and jobs to locate along high- service bus routes (15-minute headways during rush hours; 30-minute headways in the off-peak). This recommendation is discussed in more detail in Section 6.8 of this report. Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Large parking lots erode the charm of traditional neighborhoods that were developed in the streetcar era. Surface parking should not be allowed to wreck a neighborhood. Case studies by the Department of Planning and Economfc Development have found that any commerciai area where more land is devoted to parking than to buildings is a bad place for pedestrians. A place like Grand Avenue and Lexington is pedestrian friendly: parking is just barely adequate; it is distributed around and behind buildings; it does not ovenvheim the pedestrian character of the street; and there are enough buildings to define the public realm on the sidewalk . 5,6.1 In pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial centers, the City will support the provision of just enough commerciat parldng in small parking lots fitted into available space. The City will limit the number of curb cuts on commercial blocks. Parking lots should be Iocated at the side or rear of buildings, and primary business entrances should be ori- ented to the sidewalk. (Please refer to the related Sections 5.22 and 52.3.) 5.6.2 As bus service improves, the City will consider reductions in off- street parking requirements for businesses located on bus lines with fre- quent service p 5-minute headways during peak hours; 30-minute head- ways during non-peak hours). Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Parks and open space provide urban amenity and are part of the public realm that shapes urban development. The Parks and Recreation Plan is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and it contains City policy and maps for the park system. The major strategies of the Parks and Recreation Plan are to shape the physical character of the city, to build communiry within neighborhoods, and to focus public resources innovatively. In next five years, expansions of city park lands are planned at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, along Shepard Road, and on the Highwood bluffs. 32 �.ity> �£ St. Fjuui � � LJ r Li � � � L l; � IJ � � E� � � ' � ' ( More is said about parks and land use in Chapter 7 on Environmental Stewardship.) 5.7.1 Community gardening is highly consistent with community-building objectives and is supported by the City. Community �ardens are best located on unbuildable lots or on excess right-of-way or little-used park land where there is suitable soil and access for gardenin�. The City will grant long-term leases on these types of properties so that gardens will benefit from year-to-year improvements. The City will not generally grant long-term leases for community gardening projects on buildable lots where there is clear development potential. 5.7.2 In open space planning, the City will take advantage of opportuni- ties to enhance awareness, enjoyment and protection of its topography and natural setting, the Mississippi River corridor and its tributaries and the bluffs rising from the river, and to strengthen connections to and among natural corridors. Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Institutions and major employers often give identity to the surrounding community, as in the case of Hamline-Midway, Macalester-Groveland, Cathedral Hill, many Catholic parishes, the historic breweries, and 3M. Some institutions have beautiful buildings and campuses and some offer special services that enrich neighborhood life. But institutions and major employers are often subject to major changes. Hospitals have consolidated, and converted buiidings to other health functions. Colleges have expanded; Metro State moved to Dayton's Bluff. Parochiai schools have consolidated; public schools went through a cycle of closings and now are building new schools. Houses of worship have gone through cycles as congregations have moved to the suburbs and been replaced by different congregations or have sold the old property for a different land use. State government, which has approximately 12,000 employees in the city, has dealt with recurring questions about whether to lease or build, whether to disperse or cluster in Saint Paul, whether to locate in the Capitol Area or the downtown or in cheaper locations around downtown with surface parking. Plant closings (Whirlpool, Amhoist, Schmidt, West Publishing, Stroh's) have hit neighbor- hoods hard. In recent years, more institutions and businesses have joined collaborations for community improvement. Some examples are the Campus Compact, Concordia's neighborhood participation, Macalester's High Winds fixnd, Cc>niprehe.ri�i�,�e Pl�rn 33 ��'►133 Metro State and 3M's contributions to the Phalen Corridor Initiative, and projects of the Greater Saint Paul Tomorrow Program led by local founda- tions. (Figure M) Figure M Anchoring Institutioes and Employers Poticies: 5,8.1 The City will encourage and support significant collaborations between institutions and their surrounding communities, such as the ones listed above that are already taking place. 5.8.2 When an institution located in a neighborhood seeks to expand, the Department of Planning and Economic Development should maintain channels for dialogue and try to manage potenUal conflict between The institution and the neighborhood. 5.8.3 Colleges and certain smaller institutions that have landmark build- ings and park Iike grounds in the residential grid contribute strongiy to neighborhood character and quality and provide valuable community resources. Accommodation of their continued presence and heakh should be supported and their positive neighborhood impact strength- ened as changes are made. 3a z:iry� nr sr. f�aral � � � � � � 1 � � � � � � � � � � � � a �,�� 5.8.4 The City will participate with the Saint PaulSChoo1 District to pro- mote neighborhood improvement in conjunction with school construc- tion or major remodelin�. 5.8.5 Neighborhood organizations should capitalize on major local employers and institutions as nei�hborhood economic engines, which may hire local folks, may buy from local suppliers of goods and services, and may invest in nei�hborhood improvement. Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation Saint Paul's Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC), created in 1976, is charged with recommending important sites, buildings, and districts that embody the city's history to the City Council. (See Figure N for locally desig- nated Heritage Preservation Districts.) Initially historic designation was lim- ited to high-style buildings and mansions of the wealthy. Now it is often a part of the revitalization strategies of middle and working class neighbor- hoods; half of the housing units in the city were built before World War II. Policies: 5.9.1 Many parts of the city have historic character and infill construction and renovation generally should respect the traditional character of the immediate neighborhood, even where it is not legally required. 5.9.2 The City Council has previously directed that consideration be given to the preparation of an Historic Preservation Plan for Saint Paul, The scope and usefulness of a plan and the resources available for it wili be assessed. At a minimum, planning for historic preservation in the City in the near future should address 1) building code requirements that may be inconsistent with effective reuse of historic properties and maintenance of historic character, and 2) alternatives to historic district designation that would protect the character of more neighborhoods in a cost-effective way. Possible additional methods might include voluntary design guide- lines, more public education, training for lenders, tax incentives, city loan programs, neighborhood conservation districts, and regulatory flexibility on parking standards and zoning and building codes. 5.9.3 Preserving historic character often adds substantial cost to redevel- opment; it is difficult, and often impossible, to cover this cost with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its part- ner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available financial incentives and recommend means for improvement. � CUmprehc:zzsive P3an 35 Figure N Local Heritage Preservation District 36 Ci�> oF St. Pa�r1 � I a �,,�33 � St�ate�y 3: Corridors for Growth � � � � � Changes in transportation and manufacturing have left several corridors with vacant and underused land which should be reclaimed. Recent corridor studies have brought to public awareness several large redevelopment sites with potential for housing, jobs and increased tax base. Studies or plan implementation are happening in the River Corridor, the University Avenue (Midway) Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northern (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh (Riverview) Corridor. (See Figure A on page 3.) Much of the underused or vacant, and often polluted, industrial land lies within these corridors. While other uses wi11 be possible and appropriate in � some cases, this land is a primary resource for industrial growth. Since 1960, and continuing in the 1990s, land is being reclaimed for modern � industrial development at the rate of approximately 30 acres per year. Land inventory, market demand, and need for economic opportunity and central city growth would support a more rapid rate of reclamation. T.and inventory � and demand would support a rate in the neighborhood of 50 acres per year for the next 20 years. Cleanup and redevelopment costs are the chief obsta- cle to a faster rate of reclamation. � � � � Objective 6.1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Policies: 6.1.1 The City will continue working with community and business orga- nizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several opportunities are interconnected. � 6.12 In corridor redevelopment programs, the City will seek new ways for integrating business and industrial job creation with housing develop- ment and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. Lj � ' 6.1.3 The City and the Saint Paul Port Authority will work with the State of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council, and the private sector to achieve a significant increase in the rate at which underused and vacant industri- al land is reclaimed. ` C�n�prehe.rzsa�.�e F'Ic�n 37 Objective 6.2 River Corridor While the Mississippi River was responsible for Saint Paul's origin and much of its livelihood, the river's ecology and dramatic geography were largely ignored in the decades of industrial development. Today the com- munity intention to "return to the riveY' is clear, an intention symbolized by the Greening of the Great River Park and the enthusiastic volunteer support it has generated. Perhaps the biggest change in the use of land in Saint Paul over the last two decades has been the exit of heavy industrial uses from the downtown and western portions of the river corridor (e.g., Amhoist, elevators, Kaplan Scrap Metal, tank farms, Soo Line Intermodal Yard). This change enables reconnection of the urban fabric to the river. Establishment of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) along with significant progress in cleaning the river's water and earlier improvement of open space such as Crosby Farm Park and Harriet island have all added to the momentum of change, upstream from Robert Street, from heavy industry to mixed use. -. [2tVER £ORRId6R PEAihINING SINCE THE 189Q tAN6 flSE PLAFJ . S�ittC Paul Mississtppi i�iu�r �rrido� Flan I:iuerfront Pre-de�r�lt�pm�nt i?Ian Missis�ipgi �7ati�n�I Hiver anci Recreatic�n Area Flan Saint Pau� �r Valte}r Iandscape Inventor� S�srst Paul ort the 1trlissfssippi Bevel�pment � . Policies: t98i � 19&7 T944 I995 , I:99Z 6.2.1 The City will maintain a high priority on appropriate management of the River Corridor and will support changes consistent with enhance- ment of the cortidor's natural ecology within an urban segment of the river. Generalized land ase and large sites with redevelopment potential are shown on Figure O. 6.22 The City wilI continue to improve public access and recreational uses where possible throughout the corridor. 62.3 The urban villages across the Robert and Wabasha bridges from downtown are envisioned to be miactures of existing and new buildings and also mixtures of land uses--residential, office, and some retail and industrial. Some low-intensity land uses will be replaced by redevelop- ment. Urban village areas should have a finer pattem of streets than the current industrial park configuration. 6.2.4 The City supports continuation of industrial uses in appropriate por- tions of the corridor as indicated on Figure O. (Also see Figure R on page 43 for Yhe West Seventh reach of the River Corridor.) Modifications or � Cit�� c�f sa. P�;ut � , , � � � � � � , � � � � � � � � � �II , -;�;, --.�.a,=- ��..,- _. ° - -� � v�= �' `+� 3r � _ N �� u . % � •�� {n �.. E `i��\ `' i��, Y " W ` � ��j kS'd . �� p-�� .J. . .� . ..L�: �. � �2 �; i` •.��. F. % 'qxw q��•=`��"y�Y'. 1 .��no,^ v!� u a � � ;�: `�;� �s �ti '..'� ��T.�. �t ;k• s'. ..;e *.+ . � vj� ; ?j. '� �. r.:�e�> ^P �"` :`'µ ' s £ _ �q�: e.g� S �i ¢.' �°k^3: <" �, � +,8�'„A. ' % _t Y � " :�.�. . _._ I �Concord - Robert ' �M, Park Restoration (Commercial) '. Ceniral River Flais '1 (Miued Use Study Area) Harriet Island / S. Bridgehead Esplanade (Urban Yllages) ��rt (IndusVial Study Area) ,'� Highwood �° .a (more houses)�„�, ,.:...., —.�. ir , � � P Industry Burld�ardt (Housing) additions to industrial uses in the corridor should be supported only when they have no adverse impact on water quality or air quality for the corridor and adjacent neighborhoods, and when they do not substantial- ly impair the visual character of the corridor from adjacent neighbor- hoods or from the river itself. 62.5 New development in the floodplain or within 300 feet of the ordi- nary high water mark should have a relationship to the river, a need for a river location, and/or should enhance the river environment. (Environmental policies for the River Corridor can be found in Sections 7.1 and 72.) Cnsza,preha�zzsi�.�e Plc�n 39 Figure O River Corridor South Development Opportunities Objective 6.3 University Avenue Corridor Figure P University Avenue The University Avenue Corridor study was prepared by University UNITED in 1988. Since then the Midway Marketplace redevelopment has restored the Midway as the city's primary regional shopping center. The Frogtown end of University Avenue kas witnessed the growth of Asian businesses. The west end of University Avenue is being revitalized by the Westgate redevelopment and the rehabilitation of buildings near University and Raymond: The Midway now has a strong market for office space. Planning is underway in 1998 for improving bus service on both I-94 and on University Avenue, for beautifying University Avenue, and for more redevel- opment sites. 6.3.1 Figure P shows redevelopment sites and general land use policy for the University Avenue Corridor. 6.3.2 New urban housing, offices, retail, and industrial development should all contribute through density and site design to the ridership base for public transportation on the University Avenue and I-94 bus routes. Already, these routes have the highest ridership in the 'IWin Cities. In 1997 Ramsey County designated the Midway (University Avenue) Comdor and the Riverview (West Seventh) Corridor as the top priority corridors for public transportation improvements in the East Metro area. 6.3.3 Future redevelopment planning and efforts to redesign University Avenue itself should find ways to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping ("big box" retail) work for pedestrians, who are often bus riders and aLso to enhance the storefront, pedestrian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue. Development Also see 6.7.2 on City support for the Midway regional shopping area. Opportunities 40 City> of St. Isau! � , � � � , � � � � � ' � � � � �� IJ' a$'�� Objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor The Phalen Corridor Initiative is a model for neighborhood revitalization work. It is a community partnership among residents, businesses, service agencies, and different levels of govemment. It is tying economic develop- ment, workforce development, human services, and housing rehabilitation together. Policies: 6.4.1 The goals for physical development along the Phalen Corridor are: • To create a mix of new jobs (up to 2000) • To increase the tax base • To be economicaily sustainable • To be integrated and compatible with the area's natural amenities and historic neighborhoods 6.42 The planned land uses along the Phalen Corridor are as shown in Figure Q, There are ten significant redevelopment sites along the corri- dor; the biggest ones are the Williams Hill Industrial Park, Hamm's Brewery, and Phalen Village. � Corrigrehen�iU�e Plan 41 6.4.3 The City and the Port Authority will continue to support and seek Figure Q funding for Phalen Boulevard and the other infrastructure necessary to Phalen Corridor prepare the redevelopment sites for sale. Development Opportunities 6.4.4 The City will support the strengthening of the urban village charac- teristics of neighborhoods along the Phalen Corridor, particularly at Phalen Village and East Seventh and Arcade, by making good connec- tions (pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, as well as vehicles) between the corridor and neighborhoods. 6.4.5 The Phalen Corridor should also be an amenity, with a trail and nat- ural landscaping on ravine edges. Objective 6.5 West Seventh Street (Riverview) Corridor As mentioned previously, the Riverview Corridor, the western portion of the larger river corridor, has been designated by Ramsey County as one of the two priority corridors for public transportation improvements because it runs from downtown to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Intemational Airport, where it meets the Hiawatha Corridor, and runs on to the Mall of America. Planning studies of the West Seventh Corridor are underway and there are several redevelopment opportunities along it. The downtown end is anchored by the new RiverCentre conference facility, the new Science Museum and the new hockey arena. The Brewery neighborhood recently received a Livable Communities grant from the Metropolitan Council for housing revitalization. Severai redevelopment sites along the corridor have views of the river valley. The transit potential of the Riveroiew Corridor depends on new develop- ment more than it does in the Midway. Located on a land terrace between the river valley and the upper bluffs, the corridor is a"thin" strip of neigh- borhoods. The transit ridership base along the corridor can be increased if land use decisions for redevelopment sites are supportive of transit. Proacimity to downtown and other employment centers, transit potential, and, particularly, the river and its bluffs give the corridor high potential for residential development. 6.5.1 The planned land uses for redevelopment sites along the Riverview Corridor are shown in Figure R. 6.52 A primary goal of redevelopment planning for the Riverview Corridor is transit-oriented development. The mix of land uses, densities, and site plan arrangements should augment the ridership base and make riding public transit an atTractive option. The City will join with Ramsey County in advocating public transportation improvements in the corridor. 42 CiFyr t�t 5c. Pacal �� i � � � � � � , � � � � � ' C 6 S.3 Along West Seventh Corridor bluffs, development should take full advantage of the views and amenity of the river valley, while at the same time improving views from the river to the bluff lines and protecting the ecology of the river. 6.5.4 The southwest end of the corridor at the river is an important gate- way to Saint Paul adjacent to the international airport. Landscaping and signage and improvement of adjacent development and pedestrian areas are among the improvements needed to change its character to that of an inviting urban neighborhood and business center and entrance to Saint Paul. ��I13 Figure R West Seventh Corridor Development Opportunities � �'c?niprehen�iv� I�I�zn 43 Figure S Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern (Como) Corridor Planning for the Great Northern Corridor began in 1996 and started by focusing on the redevelopment of the Maxson Steel/Dale Street Shops area. But the whole corridor is seen as running from the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis through the Empire Builder Industrial Park near I-35E, at which point the Great Northern and Phalen Corridors meet. Taken together, the two corridors have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to imple- ment the Great Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corri- dor. See Figure S. 6.6.2 The City will e�ctend Pierce Bufler Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improve truck routes to I-35E. 6.6.3 The City will encourage work to determine the feasibility of com- muter rail service on Yhe BN tracks attd work on the vision of extensive reforestation along the corridor to provide an amenity for all of the Midway neighborhoods. 6.6.4 There should be further study of the potential of the Dale-Como area to become an urban village with major new housing development near the new Front Street Elementary School under construction. � , � � � � � '� ci�y� �f sr. �au7 , , � L� LJ Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites For many types of business, the best sites have good freeway access. 6.7.1 The City will promote redevelopment of sites with �ood freeway access. Sites that are currently candidates for redevelopment are shown on Figure T. 6.7.2 Regional shopping centers are continuing to develop along I-94 , around SunRay and in the Midway between Snelling and Lexington. These are the two strongest retail locations in the city for capturing the � trade of large residential populations and east-west commuters. The City will be supportive of these two centers and help them hold Saint Paui's share in the marketplace. � � � ' r� 0 � , � � � � Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors More townhouses and apartments in a neighborhood contribute to the aggregate purchasing power that sustains neighborhood business. Take Grand Avenue, for example. People presume that Grand Avenue is a suc- q8�� Figure T Freeway Corridor Development Opportunities ' Cc�rn,�srehc°iasi�,•e Plcrn 45 Figure U Housing Development Opportunities Along Bus Corridors cessful commercial street because of the neighboring higher-income resi- dential streets; they miss the fact Grand Avenue also has a high concentra- tion of apartments. In fact, 58 percent of Summit Hitl households are renters compared with 46 percent citywide. 6.8.1 As opportunities arise along neighborhood bus corridors, townhous- es, apartments and condominiums should be built in order to help to support both the public transportation system and neighborhood com- mercial centers. Neighborhoods with a good mix of incomes can suc- cessfully include many rental buildings. At a minimum, new housing development within a quarter of a mile of public transportation lines should have at least ten housing units per net acre, which is the mini- mum needed to support local bus service. ' � , , , � Figtere U shows where major redevelopment or housing infill sites are � located along primary bus routes. The focus areas for housing infiil are within a quarter of a mile of nodes in the bus system. � ro �. HwsLW e1W narlMm auburOs _ FosevllMGMx ToUOfMend � UOwnloYln MlnMepolit ` % To Mlmn�olls Mn1MtNn➢�f NleweCq LOrtItbl l I To Maplawood WII antl nortlrm w4wbe \ To519� Mllh antl Oakota Couirty roFOrtsmmnq, ' Hbwmhe CoMdn Alryott mW MellotAmaAm O rm.naawmmoreiucmn�rc verewrcdma � PXmerytnmkaWmacoMtlua —� sKma.ya.renW�naenmr waia�rrvx.rmipro�mwmm �� PdaMel�mlorNm Focbe�evlwMdU To 3M dntl � aaamm tYEYfb6 ��... _ a R 46 C.Ity� i)I JL. PU'C�3 , , � � � , � � ' ' , , � � St�ate�y 4: Environmental Stewardship The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework says that the ability of the city to balance the needs of the economy, the community, and the physical environment determines the city's quality of life, which in turn provides a primary competitive advantage in the global economy. This three-way balancing of the economy, the community, and the environment over a long time period is the goal of "sustainable development." It is defined as meeting our needs today without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Land use planning can support sus- tainable development by helping to do the following: reduce the number and distance of trips; improve the livability of neighborhoods with urban densities; protect and restore wetlands and natural habitats; provide habitat corridors for wildlife; promote ecological storm water management; and protect solar energy access. Objective 7.1 Mississippi Nationai River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) Tier II Status Policies: 7.1.1 The City will continue to enforce bluff, shoreland, and wetland pro- tection measures adopted in 1982. These measures which prohibit devel- opment on steep slopes, require setback from bluff lines and water, and limit alteration of the natural environment will be reviewed and improved as necessary as the River Corridor Plan is updated. � 7.1.2 During 1998 and 1999, the City is revising the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and will adopt policies and regulations to achieve MNRRA Tier II status, making the city eligible for federal funding , from the National Park Service for river-related projects. Some of the issues for Tier II planning are: LJ �� • preseroing native plants, wildlife, and archeological sites • careful planning for a 300-foot shoreline zone • increasing natural landscaping along shorelines, bluffs, and bluff crests • reducing storm water run-off and the chemicals in run-off • identifying incentives for industrial land on the river to be used by businesses that need river locations � �c>zrtptefic€a�i�.•e P3an 47 �$-1 l 33 Figure V Surface Water and the River Corridor , • increasing tourism and recreational use of the river and improving ' public access to the river 7.1.3 The City has existing shoreline regulations for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act and will re-evaluate them as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. 7.1.4 The City will continue to promote the vision of the Great River Park and to support the reforestation projects of Greening of the Great River Park. The reforestation effort applies to all types of land uses in the river corridor, not just to parks and residential areas. 48 City= of Sc. Paui � , , � , � � � l , � Objective 7.2 Topographic Features and Sensitive Resources Sensitive natural resources in Saint Paul are illustrated by maps of natural areas, slopes, and groundwater in appendix D of this report (p.71) in addi- tion to Figure V, Surface Water Systems (p. 48). Poiicies: 7.2.1 The City will integrate its plans with the work of the DNR`s metro regional Greenways and Natural Areas Collaborative. This metro area collaborative has identified high quality native habitat remnants and is seeking state funding to link the remnants into greenways, which will provide continuous habitat corridors to support native plant species and wildiife. The greenways will also improve park and trail systems. Greenway opportunities usually follow rivers, drainage courses, and bluff lines. The mapping done in 1997 shows more greenway opportunities in the East Metro area than elsewhere. The collaborative is working with MNRRA, the Metro Parks Commission and local citizens. 7.2.2 The City, neighborhood organizations and environmental groups should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River visually with nat- ural landscaping along ravine edges (Phalen Corridor, 'IYout Brook, Shepard Davem, Ayd Mill, etc.) and along bluffs facing the river valley. Where feasi- ble, surface water systems—ponds, wetlands, and streams—should also be restored. , 7.2.3 The City, together with other govemment units, should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River by completing the parkway and trail systems that provide access to the river valley and eatend the influ- � ence of the river vailey further into neighborhoods. (These systems are already planned in detail in the Parks and Recreation Plan.) � 72.4 Realtors and groups doing neighborhood improvement and market- ing should take greater advantage of sites with river valley views. Sites , on the West Side, Mounds Park, Dayton's Bluff, and Payne Phalen enjoy beautiful views even though they are not directly on a river bluff. r , � LJ 7.2.5 On the freeways, the City and affected neighborhood groups will ask MnDOT to stop mowing the slopes a safe distance from the shoulders of the pavement and allow natural vegetation and trees to grow wild so that the freeways will look more like Highway 61. c�g-�13 3 ' Cc?mpr�heri�i�,�e Plan 49 Objective 7.3 Air Quality: Transportation and Industry Automobiles are the largest single source of air pollution in American cities. Policies: 7.3.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. 7.3.2 The City and Yhe Port Authority through regulation, enforcemertt, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to minimize any negative environmental effects of industry in the city, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Policies: 7.4.1 The City will promote the use of natural stormwater management solutions. The central theme for reducing the ecological impact of storm drainage includes slowing down stormwater to minimize peak flows, allowing poliutants to settIe out and promoting infiltration. Some of the techniques used by the City and identified in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework are: upland buffers, swales, set- tling basins, created wetlands and public education on nonpoint source pollution. 7.4.2 New stormwater ponds will be designed according to the guidelines in the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District's Watershed Management Plan dated May 1997. 7.4.3 All projects that go through the City's Site plan review process are required to provide for erosion and sediment control as specified in the Ramsey County Sediment and Erosion Control Handbook {Zoning Code 62.108). 7.4.4 At this time, the City is not required by the Department of Natural Resources to adopt a shoreland ordinance. The City has existing shore- line regulation for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act, which will be re-evaluated as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. The City does not need shoreland development regulations for lakes because all lakeshore property in the City is publicly owned. 50 iity nt St. Paul � , , , � � � �J 7.4.5 The City wiil develop a stormwater management program in response to the stormwater discharge permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The stormwater management pro�ram will address structural controls, areas of new development, roadways, flood control, pesticide and fertilizer use, illicit discharges and improper dis- posal, sanitary sewers, construction site runoff, consttuction of storm sewers and public education. 7.4.6 The City will incorporate the above or equivalent standards and per- mit requirements into its local stormwater management plan. This plan will be completed two years from the completion of the Middle Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization's plan. Objective 7.5 Soil Cleanup/Srownfie{d Reclamation , Poi�� 7.5.1 The City will continue to redevelop sites with contaminated soil as � rapidly as the funding for soil cleanup and site preparation and the legal steps for acquiring poliuted land permit. Roughly speaking there are 1,000 acres of polluted, old industrial sites in the city. Ideally, the City � would need about $20 million dollars per year for the next 20 years to redevelop all of these sites. (Redevelopment costs include acquisition, relocation, and infrastructure as well as land clean-up.) Most of the sites � are best-suited to industrial re-use, but a significant number of polluted sites should be transformed to residential or commercial land uses. � � Objective 7.6 Airport Noise The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts ' through runway design, flight pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise insulation programs. IJ � , �� LJ The official MSP Airport Noise Policy Area (See Figure N� encompasses a portion of the Highland Park area of Saint Paul in Zone 4, the outer most noise zone described in the Metropolitan Development Guide Aviation Policy Plan as "a transitional area where aircraft noise e�cposure might be considered moderate." All of the area in Saint Paul is in the outer portion of this zone which is a one-mile buffer zone. The Policy Plan states "The area is considered transitional because potential changes in airport and air- craft operating procedures could lower or raise noise levels." Co�r�prehe.r:si�,•e Plan 51 �$'l! 33 The airport noise zone shows no impact on Saint Paul from the use of Runway 22, the "east-wesY' runway, not because take offs and landings here have no impact, but because they are so infrequent relative to opera- tions on the other runways. Runway 22 is little-used at times of high-vol- ume air traffic because of conflict with the major "north-south" runways. Flights using this runway are more apt to occur during the night when the disturbance is more serious for a residential area. When this runway is used, a band of neighborhoods through Highland, Macalester-Groveland, and even Summit Hiil are affected. It is not possible to mitigate airport noise in these areas through land use changes. No increase in noise impact for Saint Paul is projected from changes in the use of Runway 22, or with completion of the new north-south runway anticipated for 2003. Holman Field, the Saint Paul Downtown Airport, is an important intermedi- ate airport in the regional system used primarily for corporate aircraft. Facilities for corporate aircraft parking and operations are being e�cpanded, and this use can be eacpected to grow. A new instrument landing system cunently being installed is responsible for some of the recent changes affecting sunounding areas including a revised glide slope (air space that must remain clear of obstructions for landing and take of� and lights at runway e}densions. While consideration is being given to updating the air- port plan completed in 1992, no significant change in use of the airport is planned for or anticipated. Helicopter operations by military units at Holman Fie1d have produced some of the most serious noise problems for nearby residential areas. This disturbance has been reduced over the last few years both by reduction in the number of helicopters based here and by replacement of some of the noisiest aircraft with quieter models. No sites planned for residential development lie within the noise zones for Holman field See Figure Z. The Ravoli Bluff site lies just outside Zone 4, the transitional zone, at its northem end, and the northeast quadrant of down- town Saint Paul (Lowertown) lie just outside the zone. Airport-related noise has not been identified as an issue in planning work with the residential community in Lowertown and should not be a problem for these sites unless the noise pattem changes. Policies: 7.6.1 MSP and Holman Field airports are both very important to Saint Paul's economy and quality of life. The City supports maintaining and improving them in their present locations with full attention to noise mit- igation. 52 Cit�� 3t st. Pcut , � , � i ! �� 1 1 � ' ' � IJ !J ' u EJ Figure W Current MSP Airport Noise Zones Figure X Saint Paul Downtown Airport Noise Zones c�g-� ! 33 1 Camprehcrri�i�.�� Pla�n SS 7.6.2 The City will continue to monitor MSP airport noise impact and any changes in MSP plans that might change the impact on Saint Paul neigh- borhoods. Support for sound insulation in structures may be an appro- priate measure within the noise zone and within the noise pattern for Runway 22's less frequent flights. 7.6.3 Changes in use that might alter the noise zones for Holman Field would be of concem to the City because of the proximity of residential areas including sites for new development. 7.6.4 Current zoning for adjacent areas is generally compatible with the Hotman Field airport. An eariier effort to create a special zoning district for airport protection was dropped because of liability for the costs rep- resented by restrictions on use, and no new special zoning is planned. Glide slopes are consuited in the Cfty's review process in any review of development within the airspace. 7.6.5 To ensure an early response to any proposa] that would obstruct general airspace, the City will notify the Minnesota Department of 'IYansportation of any proposed construction or aiteration that would exceed a height of 200 feet above ground level or exceed the height of an imaginary surface extending outward at an upward siope of 100:1 from the nearest point of an airport runway at the earliest reasonable opportunity and at least 3o days in advance. Objective 7'.7 Access to Solar Energy State law requires Land Use Plans to address solar energy access. During the 1980s the Planning Commission developed a Zoning Code amendment allowing property owners with solar energy systems to establish solar access rights across their neighbors' property. However, there was so littie public demand for solar zoning that the zoning amendment was never adopted. Property owners with solar energy systems apparently were satis- fied that the risk of shading was negligible or they could anange private solar easements with their neighbors. 7.7.1 The City supports the conservation of fossil fuels and increased use of solar and wind energ}; but does not find a need for municipa] regula- tion of solar access. 54 LZfy' of 5'C. Ftt'ul tY , � Implementation � � � � , ' , , t7 � � ' , ' lJ , 8.1 Citywide Land Use Map The Citywide Land Use Map is Figure Y. It is a concept map that conveys policy directions. It does not provide specific land use designations for indi- vidual parcels of land. There are two reasons for not doing a citywide map that is parcel-specific. First, most of the property in the city will simply stay in the same land use category it is now; land use planning apart from the current zoning is unnecessary. (Maintenance and reinvestment may be desirable in these areas, but not changes in land use.) Second, unlike the clear separation of land uses found typically found in suburbs, the Saint Paul Land Use Plan seeks to increase the fine-grained mixture of different land uses. Fine- grained land use patterns must be planned and illustrated in neighborhood plans, one small area at a time. To show all of the parcels in the city, the zoning maps divide the city into 44 different sheets. Citywide mapping is too coarse. 8.2 Citywide Redevelopment Opportunities Map The major redevelopment opportunities throughout the city are shown on Figure Z. 8.3 Neighborhood Planning One of Saint Paul's greatest strengths is the commitment of residents to their neighborhoods. Over the last twenty years, neighborhoods have done many neighborhood plans. Approximately 40 district plans and small area plans have been adopted by the city government as components of the Comprehensive Plan. (Figure AA shows where small area plans have been done.) Many of the plans have been very effective and have led to public improvements and private reinvestment. Now, as the citywide Comprehensive Plan is being updated, it is a good time to reaffirm and clarify the role of neighborhood plans. �$ ' Cr>mpreheztsive Plc�n 55 . �_ �_ �. , ��±� � � i� ::/ � i, � � �, r�� j, ��.�. � �� ,% � �i ��`� ° •-� - � _�� ` / V � � ---- �. � �� '� �� ; . �.� , . . , �• :, � v ��`o; ;• �tl��, � i-� � �, i !•, .��i 1!� � � � :�i I � � �;�i I��b� �� ` d� ,a. � �..�:�. �� . ��i�� 7/ � i �_, � f� , � �� 8 � 3 � � � � V q ' W � ` 4 T � � 'l � . � � � 8 �i� � �� 57 N �8�� - `�� - ; � � �' ; e � �� rr �= J� � � 7 w ,$ e�n as � ` aa��rais � m �V � m � � m °w° � � � �n � ' b` Q > > �ur�s 2 C7 � � N �! ""' �, ,�■ '�� ,\ � � /. Figure Z Rsdevelopmeirt Opportunities Map The new Comprehensive Plan, according to a change in state law, will be stronger. Zoning must be consistent with the plan, and the plan must be updated at least every ten years. Thus, neighborhood plans that are part of the Comprehensive Plan must also be up-to-date and consistent with city- wide plans. Maintaining consistency has become more difficult in the 1990s because, given tight City budgets, more neighborhood plans are being done independently of PED and the Planning Commission. Coordination between city staff and neighborhood planning committees has been looser. 8.3.1 Area (Neighborhood) Plans. Saint Paul's strong tradition of neigh- borhood planning should continue. Though most are properly "neighbor- hood" plans, the term "area plaa" is used to encompass special district or corridor plans as well. Besides meeting a range of local neighborhood or special area needs, area plans should represent specific application of City development policy to a particular area, and should inform city plan- ning about local needs and opportunities. The Planning Commission will publuh guidelines to describe those aspects of City deveiopment policy that need to be addressed in area plans. Upon review of an area plan, the Planning Commission will recommend an area plan summary for adop- tion as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan. 8.3.2 Area Plan Swnmaries. The City will adopt summaries of neigh- borhood or oYher area plans as addenda to Yhe Comprehensive Plan when recommendations appropriate for the City's development poiicy are included. The summaries should present an overview of the plans, highlighung those recommendations that refine City land use and other policy for the area and the high-priority acGons to be taken by City gov- emment. Copies of the full ptans will be availabie at PED for reference. 8.3.3 Planning Commission and City Council Approval. Area plan summaries need to be reviewed and approved by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The Planning Commission checks plans for consistency with adopted City policies; in the event of policy discrepancies, the Planning Commission will try to resolve the differ- ences and maintain the intemal consistency of the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission sends its recommendations to the Ciry Councii for adoption. 8.3.4 The following further describe continued area planning: a. Comprehensive Plan in two parts. The citywide chapters of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published as a set. Area plan summaries that are approved by the City as components of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published in a matching ringbinder. The Comprehensive Plan must be manageabie in size and format to be widely used, and this can only be done if area plans are in summary form. 58 City� of St. PauF , � u , L I �� 1 � `1 ' �J ' C� C I , ' � b. Previously adopted area plans. Area plans adopted as amend- ments to the Comprehensive Plan between January, 1958 and 1999 will retain their status as originally adopted until they are ten years old. Plans that are more than 10 years old as of adoption of this policy in 1999 will retain their current status as Comprehensive Plan amendments until a review, updating and summary can be completed. A five-year period (to the end of 2004) is allowed for replacement or deletion of older plans. c. Ten-Year Review. Any area plan appended to the comprehensive plan must be reviewed and updated or re-certified by the tenth anniver- sary of its adoption. The Planning Commission review of an updated plan, or one simply recommended for re-certification, will be the same as for a new area plan summary. In the case of an area plan adopted as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan prior to 1999, a summary (updated) wi91 need to be prepared for re-certification d. PED staff assistance. Planning assistance for doing new neighbor- hood plans or for reviewing and summarizing previously adopied ones wili be provided by PED staff through normal priority-setting processes. PED works together with community groups in deciding priorities. ��-'��3 Figure AA Small Area Plans, 1998 ' Cc>mpreficaaz�is.•e F�lan 59 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions Appendix F identifies a number of zoning changes that would implement recommendations in the Land Use Plan. Some of the key changes are: • Design standards for downtown urban viIlages • A zoning district for new urban villages outside the downtown • Design standards for pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial cen- ters • Rezonings along the River Corridor and the other redevelopment corri- dors, when ready • Rezonings for new housing development State law provides that zoning must be made consistent with the new Comprehensive Plan within six months of the plan's adoption, putting the zoning deadline in mid-1999. Some types of rezoning may be done that fast, but realistically, it will take the City several years to get some of the zoning text amendments done that are proposed in this plan. 8.5 Capital Improvements Many of the redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization proposals in this plan will require capital improvement investments by the City. The list below is incomplete, but it suggests the type of public investments that will be needed to carry out recommendations in this ptan. • Phalen Boulevard • Riverfront improvements/urban village infrastructure • Stormwater settling basins, ponds, other low-impact techniques • Housing site redevelopment • Neighborhood commercial center streetscapes and infrastructure • Bus system amenities • Major transit system investments • Industrial redevelopment infrastzucture, e.g., Pierce Butler e�ctension, other truck routes for Great Northem Comdor • Downtown streetscape improvements • Continue trail system development 8.5.1 The Planning Commission will continue to support the Capital Improvement Budgeting process and the work of the Capital Improvement Budget Committee by revising the Capital Allocation Policy for the 1999 funding cycle. Revision should include simplification of the policy for greater effectiveness and priorities which will further imple- mentation of the updated Comprehensive Plan. 60 City� nf St. Pau.t L , � , , , 1 �1 ' � � � 8.6 Intergovernmental Action Many recommendations of this plan require inter�ovemmental coordina- tion and funding: • State/metro infrastructure investments to strengthen central cities • Housing subsidies changed or compensation from state level to communities carryin� the costs of affordable housing • Brownfield reclamation • Urban transportation and ISTEA funding • Public transit systems investment • State govemment offices—locations in Saint Paul • Livable Communities Program • School sites as a neighborhood revitali2ation investment • Metro greenways program of DNR 8.7 Urban Design All of the work done on the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework has given city leaders a fresh appreciation for the role urban design can play in providing vision for the City and in executing details. 8.7.1 The City will support the Design Center as a primary means for implementation of the vision articulated by the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework with a high level of attention to the Framework's urban design principles. 8.72 The City will continue to encourage improvement of safety through design as outlined in Design for Public Safety. , 8J.3 The City will expand use of design guidelines in its site plan review process as a means of implementing design policies adopted through small area planning and other special area design studies. �, Implementation of Design District capability, allowing stronger enforce- ment of design guidelines, should be explored if further experience with ' C , ' guidelines in the site plan review process is not satisfactory. 8.7.4 Improvement of neighborhood and special district quality should be further supported by: • Continued support of heritage preservation measures, • A zoning district for new urban villages outside of the downtown, • Design Standards for pedestrian-oriented commercial centers, • Rezonings along the river corridor and the other redevelopment corridors when ready, and • Rezonings with appropriate community planning for new housing development. c�g,1133 ' Ccxriprehera4i�•e P3un 61 Appendices Land Use Trends and Assumptions 1. Growth in city population, households, and jobs. Saint Paul needs to pian for more growth between 2000 and 2020 than the city has had in the 1980s and 1990s. For the Twin Cities region, the State Demographer and the Metropolitan Council project 650,000 additional people (for a total population of 3.1 million) and 330,000 additional households between 1995 and 2020. The metropolitan growth strategy based on the regional projec- tions suggests that Saint Paul plan for increases of at least 22,000 people, 9,000 households, and 13,000 jobs in Saint Paul by the year 2020, The Saint Paul Planning Commission agrees with the household projection as a basis for planning, but has set a higher target for jobs of 18,000. Following is the City's forecast which shows the magnitude of growth that forms a basis for this plan: 199Q 26C�U 2L}1U 2E12fi H€iuseht3�ds IIE1,4fH3 +2,40(3 +4,€l{H� -r3;OQ0 EmgTt�ym�nt I73,i7Q6 �6 �4 -�-�k f70UU -r 3,fl(30 Prrgutaatian �72,QtHI -r4,{�(J4 +i 1;f�Q0 -r 7,0EH1: 2. Attracting people and business to the city. In simple terms, people, businesses, and institutions should be attracted to live, work, and invest in Saint Paul because they like the quality of city life here and they have confi- dence in the city's future. 3. Metro support for revitalizing the urban core. For Saint Paul to meet the growth projections, Metropolitan Council support is necessary. The Metropolitan Council's "Metro 2040" pian, which projects an estimated $1.6 billion savings in infrastructure costs, calls for more compact develop- ment pattems, revitalization of the urban core, and targeting certain areas for job development. 4. Shrinldng financial role of public sector in redevelopment. Public programs that subsidize redevelopment (CDBG, URAP, HOME, Livable Communities, etc.) have received smaller and smaller shares of public bud- gets over the past decade. Now redevelopment requires partnerships with multiple stakeholders and investors and greater market discipline. 62 City> r�f St. Paui ' Errata Table, Section 1., Appendix A, page 62 Empioyment figures in the printed table aze incorrect. The table should read as follows: Hoaseholds Employment Population i990 iio,aoo 175,000 272,000 z000 ao�o +z,aoo -�,000 +g,Ot?0 -�5,000 �a,aoo }t 1,000 io�a - zoio �ro��' +3;000 - I19,Q{�6:- + 5,00� : 293;fl0Q ` + 7,0�0 294;00� � ' S. Fewer freeway and sewer e�ctensions; higher infrastructure main- tenance costs. As the metropolitan infrastructure ages, it will require more maintenance and replacement. Fewer resources will be allocated to ' expansions of hi�hways and sewer systems. 6. Continued reliance on the automobile, but with a counter trend , toward walldng, birycles, and public transportation. Major retail, office and industrial sites must have good vehicular access and parking. In t older neighborhoods, local retail can do well with smaller parkin� lots beside and behind the commercial buildings. ' 7. More mixed use development based on "New Urbanism" princi- ples. In the contemporary search for community, there is a risin� aware- ness that physical planning for whole communities should draw together a , mixture of land uses in close proximity, strengthening the "urban village" pattern. 8. Higher public awareness of river ecology. Environmental knowl- edge and awareness continue to grow, placing more attention on the bal- ance between urbanization and natural systems. 9. Continued industrial park redevelopment. Port Authority industrial sites have been in steady demand and represent the most continuous urban redevelopment program in the city. There will continue to be strong demand for clean industrial land with good truck access. 10. Continued growth of office employment both downtown and in homes. If the Minnesota economy continues to be healthy, downtown Saint Paul can capture its share of office growth by offering a special sense of place (East Coast or European features such as narrow streets, small blocks, and human scale) that is different from Minneapolis and virtually the opposite of suburban centers. On neighborhood commercial strips many stores have been converted to office space. There is a strong trend toward home-based businesses and of live/work housing designs. 11. Steady neighborhood retail demand and volatile "big box" retail ' market. In neighborhood locations, smaller shops can be successful on specialty items and in special market niches (for example, ethnic foods and ' products). The vacancy rate in neighborhood commercial space is low in comparison either to previous years or to most Eastem or Midwestern cities. In the discount and big box retail segment, Saint Paul has less than � its market share, especially given the city's moderate-income population; but these businesses seem to be risky. Retail in the downtown seems to depend primarily on the number of downtown employees and residents. ' �g`� � � Cc�ni,�sreht�z�sive Plun 63 12. Some institutions are growing, others are contracting. State gov- emment continues to rebuild and relocate offices even though there is little overall growth. Colleges and other educational institutions continue to grow. Public schools at all levels need more space due to the children of baby boomers and immigrants. Hospitals have undergone great changes. Nonprofit agencies have multiplied and occupy a lot of neighborhood com- mercial space. 13. Growing opportunity for new urban housing. Regionally, as the population ages, there is a growing demand for urban housing for smaller households, empty nesters, and live/work lifestyles. In Saint Paul, there are growing numbers of younger immigrant families who may want to buy homes in the city and whose presence as an ethnic community would add to the stability and vitality of their neighborhoods. There is a large demand for low-income housing, which sometimes competes with neighborhood reinvestment objectives. 14. Significant need to increase the city tax base. The Saint Paul property tax base per household is among the lowest in the metropolitan area. The School District, Ramsey County, and the City all share the need to raise values downtown, in commercial and industrial areas, and in neigh- borhoods with depressed values. 15. Need for workforce development and more jobs. Even though the city had 192,000 jobs in 1996, the highest number ever, poverty is a major problem in the city. VYith welfare reform, hard-to-employ people urgently need work readiness skills, training, and jobs. If old industrial sites are redeveloped and the downtown grows, Saint Paul could add 18,000 jobs between 1990 and 2020. 16. Iu►a►igration continues, but the Southeast Asian shaze will taper off: Over 30,000 Southeast Asians now live in Saint Paul, and this number may rise to 40,000 in ten years. Immigration rates are high nation- ally, so Saint Paul will continue to receive a share. 17. Integration of schools, public safety, and quality of life factors. Good land use planning is one of many factors that contribute to the health and strength of the city. Physical, social, and economic development need to be better connected in the city. 64 Cit�� nf St. Puul � ' � Existing Land Use and Projected Change This best-available data on existing land use is from a 1988 survey updated ' with significant known changes to 1998. An existin� land use map, not included in most copies of this plan, is available from PED. � u L I 1I ' � ' L1 lJ � � � ' � ' Existing i.aad Use �.8.1t� - �5�.. . . - 1�CI'85 . -.. % O� �O� -: Resideniial,'£otaI YZ,554 34.7 Residential, SingI� Pam�Iy R,85i i�esi�le�iat,-I?uptex � i,i36- Resideniial, I1+IUlti-Famiiy �,577 Gomrt�erc�al 1 „�35 4.2 intlii5triai 4,964 13.� Puhlic and Tnstitufion 3,fl�9 8.5 Park� and�tJ�gen Space=- - �- 4,f>43 L'2:� -- Rivers, Iakes, Wetlaniis 3,398 9.4 Vacani 5.019 13.� Airport �93 `2,2 bCtteT"* I84 f�.a Total 36,t45 *ee�vir�inental prAtection. majt�r rights-crt way, park3rtg, unkncawn The most significant changes anticipated in land use over the next twenty years are 1) shifts from vacant land to residential and industrial or commer- cial/industrial uses, Z) intensification of uses within current use classifica- tions such as updated industrial use, higher residential density, more inten- sive use of prime business areas including downtown, and 3) more mixed use. Under the policies established, these changes will represent accom- modation of a larger share of regional increase in households and econom- ic activity; strong economic revitalization of the city's downtown and major business areas including the Midway; steady progress in recycling of under- used and polluted industrial land; strengthening of traditional neighbor- hoods under urban village principles, intensification of uses in corridors to support more effective transit., and some shift away from industrial uses in the river corridor in favor of restoration/appreciation of the corridor's nat- ural character and new access for compatible activity. Residential Land Use An increase of some 204 acres in residential use will come mostly from the vacant category. The Koch Mobil site is the largest single site where residential (mixed use) development can be anticipated. Development of this site would represent a transformation of 65 acres of land presently c�g-1 l33 ' �anz,{sreh�:rasii�e Flan 65 seriously polluted from former industrial uses. The following table shows anticipated residentiai development by major geographic divisions. Actual intensity of development will depend on a number of factors including both refinement of land use and density specifications in small area planning and market eacperience. Projscted Resideniial tleveicpment by 2024 by Sub Area Area Maj�r-; Infili Net l�iew Acres Added Sites �[TniYSJ {Uxtits} �Units} ; �m�r� ��t �i��nc �,c� 3,�0o t oa nistrict I,3 ex�egt riv�r ffars Tf}fi ta4 i 6t7 13 I7isizicts 2 �, 5 � t24 62� 33 T�isericrs 6, 7> t�. 71, kz 7�t7 z� �2v 3s L)t5tiit�t5 8. � I3, 14. k5, ib 7i�Q: 3QU I,�3t�fl 47 1�ccessary t�pts_ city tntizte 3C�o Tc�ta! S,�2fl 6�t} 6,f24(T 2Z9 Residential Development Opportunities to Fulfill the City's Share of Metropolitan Housing Growth • PED'S Northwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 900 units Some Potential Major Sites: - Burlington Pond - Como-Mackubin - Frogtown scattered sites - Larpenteur-Cohansey - Oakland Village scattered sites - Rice-Arlington - Snelling-Brewster high-rise - Troutbrook-)ackson - Raymond-Energy Park - Raymond-University - Capitol Heights • PED's Northeast Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing ConstrucUOn: 500 units Some Potential Major Sites: - 3M Distribution Center - Cemstone - West of Harding High School - Hazel-E. Fifth St. - North Arlington Ave. - Phalen Village - Rivoli Bluff 66 City+ c3F St. #��u1 ' � • PED's Southwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 800 units Some Potential Major Sites: , L1 � - ADM site - Holm and Olson - Koch-Mobil - Shepard-Davem - Selby Ave./Summit University scattered sites • PED's Southeast Quadrant of City (Includes Downtown) Target for ' Net New Housing Construction:3,100 units G I Some Potential Major Sites: - North Quadrant - Lowertown/River Gardens - Harriet IsIand Urban Village - South Wabasha Bridge Head - Highwood sites - Esplanade site - Other downtown sites L� LJ � Residential Densities ' The wide range of residential densities in Saint Paul neighborhoods includes 2- 3 units per acre in suburban-style development in the Highwood area, 5-8 units per acre in more solidly single-family areas with ' 40-60-foot lots (Macalester Groveland, Como, Hazel Park), 10-15 units per acre in many traditional neighborhood blocks with 40-foot lots, a number of duplexes and 3-story apartment buildings facing major streets (Hamline- ' Midway, the West Side), 30+ units per acre for some blocks which combine apartments facing Grand Avenue with large single family homes facing � Summit Avenue, and 40-60 units per acre at the largest multi-family struc- tures. In spite of the significance of the number of new housing units pro- jected to accommodate more of the region's growth, impact on the overall ' density for the City will be slight. Increases in residential density that are locally significant can be expected downtown, and on key riverfront sites. At scattered locations near neighborhood business centers and transit ' routes, attached-unit development that can be anticipated is in the 10-15 unit per acre range. Market experience indicates that the same is true for downtown and river front "urban village" sites, though substantially higher ' densities could be realized at some downtown sites and in the University Avenue corridor. ' ��"�� ' Cc�zr�,prehc�rtsi�.•e Plan 67 Industrial Land and Employment Related Land Uses Most projected job growth will occur through intensificatlon of activity in areas already in business and industriai use. Industrial development in indus- trial parks opened by the Saint Paul Port Authority has averaged approxi- mately 30 acres per year since 1960 and continues at about that rate during the 1 g9os. A cunent list of idenrified sites of 10 acres or more with varying degrees of potentlal for industrial redevelopment totals just over 1,000 acres. Smaller identified sites add 62 acres. Most of this land is currently underused but classified as industrial. Approacimately 265 acres of the total inventory is cunently classified as vacant land., though 180 acres of this in the Pig's Eye Lake area will more likely be preserved as open space. Industrial redevelopment is projected to continue at the rate of some 30 acres per year. Both the inventory of land with redevelopment potential and demand for land would support more rapid growth. The primary constraint on the rate at which underused and/or polluted land can be recycled to productive use supportive of city and regional growth objectives is the limi- tation on available resources for site preparation, including site assembly, infrastructure construction, and pollution remediation. Industrial development/redevelopment will most likely occur in these areas over the next five years: AISITICIPATED lNDIJSTRIAI dE1tElORINF�T; II�STRIAL: PAitKS ANF) IQENTf�IEA SIFES 5ite Acr�s I�tai� 15 M�s�� S��IfDale Str�i SE�c�ps �4 Arizn�€�n jacksfln . 14 Gt�ITiam E�ili'; 4€� Pha��n Carridar 6p Tatai IT9 Some shifts will occur in industrial land, but subtractions and additions to the total supply could balance over thz period. A reduction of industrial land in the range of 140-170 acres is anticipated in the river corridor. Other employment-related redevelopment will represent, for the most part, intensification of uses without a change in their land use category, as well as some greater intermixing of uses. Significant change by land use catego- ry cannot be projected. 68 c:ity� r�t St. Pcut , LJ ' e � , ' � � Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan 1. Review Zonin� Code to support new urban villa�es and enhance flexibili- ty at large-scale redevelopment sites: Downtown in B-4 and B-5 zones. Full range of land uses is already per- mitted. Design guidelines can be advocated by the Design Center. Design guidelines can usually be implemented by the HRA through redevelop- ment controls. New urban villages outside the B-4 and B-5 zones. A new "Urban Village (UV)" zoning district should be created. It would be a combina- tion of permitting mixed use, setting design guidelines, and providing an efficient process for public review. 2. At existing urban viilage (neighborhood) centers: (a) review opportunities to create more multi-family zoning; (b) reduce parking requirements for ' new development, perhaps by 20 percent; (c) require new commercial buildings to be built out to the sidewalk�.g., at least 40% of the lot LJ 11 � � � ' ' � � frontage to be built within ten feet of the front lot line; (d) require parking lots to be built to the side and rear�.g., no more than 60 percent of the lot frontage can be occupied by parking. 3. Decide whether any of the downtown design guidelines from the Saint Pau1 on the Mississippi Development Framework (pp. 38-48) should be put into the Zoning Code, e.g., "extroverted" building design with doors and windows facing the sidewalk; design at downtown "gateways" and along "prime edges," buildings of appropriate scale, etc. 4. Make zoning map revisions along: (a) the River Corridor; (b) University Avenue Corridor; (c) Phalen Corridor; (d) Great Northern Corridor; (e) Riverview Corridor. 5. For developable sites along freeways and major arterial streets, rezone land now (1999) if the desired future land use is known. For sites where the future land use is not known, the land can be designated as a"study area" and the current zoning can be left in place. 6. Rezone land for residential development when the Planning Commission's work with district councils identifies sites and appropriate zoning categories for them. q �-! 1 �3 � Cc�m�rrehc:ztsi�•e F'lan 69 7. Propose an accessory apartment ordinance to permit "mother-in-law" apartments in homes greater than 2,000 square feet if it is determined that the provision can be restricted to owner-occupied homes. 8. Enact higher tree planting standards in the River Corridor and maybe in the proposed greenway corridors. 9. 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( � � tl " •• •+¢ �, � 5 ".�:: ��T.+n?ro n .ew@`dd :ae.Y, 1n+3r3U I�i � 'i � � �. �g, � � � � a'^�iK 9 ` fl 3h N�2fJ T ..:� a�5<.�y._ . � .n/.�: -.' »^ �. �. x 4�; A�S y . � . . '_'� #�• 6 0. � . . . ' . . - '_ " . . . �. �» :...--- _ - v^ - _ ' W L � L O q �� O � � � � O N N � m w Op � � O r g m � Q Q a �^ ,O ^ O � i.f. v+ N W a 0 � c N m '" o N C C � � � �\ � � � ,'� N 35 , ' C't)T33�FPC�EtX2�IL`€; P�Q'If 73 Saint Paul Sewer Plan: Tier I Requirements This technical appendix includes the following: • Adopted community forecasts of households and employment • Map: sanitary sewer interceptor service areas (not complete at the time of this draft) Management of Inflow and Infiltration • Management of Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities • Map showing existing onsite wastewater disposal facilities Cqmns�ity Fareeasts af horiseAnlds and empk�ent 7 94(� 2t#€�€} - 2Ui R 2U�� P�i�uI2tic�n ��2.t3t}Q ' '2�6,CYQD 287,t1(3fJ 294,� Hotlsehplds ' 11(#,t3t1U S�2,tiQ4 I Ib,t1LiQ I i 9;t)Q(} Erilpl�ytrietit I7S,f3�t I'S�,#�t# I88,fl�Q 393;tIDD Management of Inflow and Infiltration Inflow and Infiltration Program In 1986, the City developed a plan to address Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) as part of the City's Sewer Separation Program and NPDES(National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The primary goal was to identify and to remove inflow sources, such as connected rainleaders, area drains and catch basins from the City's Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Service Areas Map 74 Cit�� ot St. Fffu1 ' u ' sanitary sewer system. The City Council adopted the Public Works' Rainleader Disconnect Plan in February of 1986. Under this plan, a volun- tary rainleader disconnection program was conducted in 1986 and 1987. ' This program emphasized providing public information, technical advice and a rebate offer. The Rainleader Disconnection Ordinance became effec- f' � , ' � � � l_J t _I � � � C , ' ' tive at the end of 1987. The City continues to enforce this ordinance. Beginnin� in 1988, the next phase of the I/I Program focused on the elimi- nation of locations where combined sewage overflow occurred (regulators). The process of eliminating a regulator involves: identifying inflow sources, removing these inflow sources from the City's sanitary sewer system, moni- toring to verify that the regulator could safely be eliminated, and finally eliminating the regulator. Accomplishments of Inflow/Infiltration Prograa► • 30o alley catch basins and 298 street catch basins located in the public rightofway were disconnected from the City's Sanitary Sewer System • 99% of Saint Paul's commercial properties disconnected rainleaders and area drains • 99% of Saint Paul's residential properties disconnected rainleaders • 245 regulators were removed from the City's sewer system Continuing efforts of the the City's I/I program include enforcement of the Rainleader Disconnect Ordinance and elimination of all regulators from the City's Sanitary Sewer System by June 30, 2001, as detailed in the City's cur- rent NPDES permit. The City is also addressing I/I through the City's Sewer Rehabilitation Plan which proposes spending $5,300,000 annually over the next 20 years, beginning in 1998. As the sewer system is videotaped and inspected, sources of inflow and infiltration will be identified. These areas will then be prioritized into projects with corrective action including replacement, pipe lining and joint sealing. On-Site Wastewater Disposal Facilities General Within the City of Saint Paul, there are approximately 200 homes utilizing individual onsite facilities for disposal of their wastewater. The map on page 76 shows the locations of the existing septic systems within the City of Saint Paul. The greatest concentration of individual sewage treatment systems is in the South Highwood area. Much of this area is not currently served by public sanitary sewer facilities. The City of Saint Paul permits the building and usage of individual sewage treatment systems in areas of the city that are not served by public sewer c��—�133 , Cc7rxapreherisive Pl�rcn 75 Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities Map or are unable to connect to an existing sewer system. The City's manage- ment program for onsite sewage treatment includes provisions for the reg- ulation and monitoring of all individual sewage treatment systems. The maintenance, design, construction and location of septic systems are required to conform with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota Rules 7080, Minnesota State Building Code, Minnesota Plumbing Code and Minnesota Water Well Construction Code. OnSite System Management The Ciry of Saint Paul ordinances regulate the installation of new onsite systems as well as the maintenance and reviews of existing systems. A per- mit issued by a City License, Inspections and Environmental Protection offi- cial must be attained prior to any new installation, alteration, repair or e�tension of any sewage treatment system. The Saint Paul manageinent and controi program implements the current Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) standards and includes: • inspection of new systems • inspection and maintenance of existing systems • correction of nonconforming systems • testing of water suppiy wells. Inspection of New Systems New individual sewage treatment systems require a construction permit issued by the City's building official. The building official is licensed by the MPCA and is responsible for administration and enforcement of the design, 76 Crf�r ctt St. #T�[�1 ' 1 ' construction and installation provisions of the City ordinances relating to septic systems. The permit must include the identification and location of various physical features and characteristics, ground slope, details of the ' proposed installation, soil and percolation test data, location of an altemate site and a site evaluation as well as evidence of compliance with all state , l� I L� , ' ' and other jurisdiction regulations, including Minnesota Rules 7080. No altemative or experimental systems are allowed. Inspection and Maintenance of E�tisting systems Existing systems must be inspected and maintenance reviews conducted at least once every 2 years by a MPCA certified inspector or pumper. Each septic tank must be maintained in proper operating conditions at all times. Septic tanks are required to be pumped as inspection indicates or at least once every 2 years. Septic tank pumping must be performed by a MPCA licensed pumper and must be reported to City officials. City officials man- age the maintenance of all septic systems; monitoring and filing the inspec- tion reports, and see that the necessary pumping is performed. Correcrion of Nonconforming Systems Those systems not found to be in compliance with the provisions indicated in the City ordinance must be modified and brought into compliance within 10 months with the exception of those built between May 27, 1989 and , )anuary 23, 1996 which are allowed 5 years. If the system is an eminent health threat, corrections must be made within 90 days. Seepage pits, cesspools or leaching pits are considered to be failing systems and must be , upgraded, replaced, or the use of these systems discontinued within 10 months of notice of noncompliance. ' I � , Testing of Water Supply Wells Water supply wells located on properties with individual sewage treatment systems must be tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate every 2 years. Random sample testing of water from private wells for EPA's primary pollu- tants is conducted by City officials. Enforcement The Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection enforces , the provisions outlined above of the recently amended Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 50, regulating the installation and maintenance ' reviews of individual treatment systems. A copy of this ordinance is includ- ed on page #. The building official has the authority to inspect and review all individual treatment systems. This official may , � • issue orders to revoke or suspend permits where work is not performed in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, • require property owners to stop use of a system that is operating in a q a-�13 ' Cr�znpreh��ra5a'�.•e Plurt 77 ' manner creating a hazard to the public health, safety or welfare, ' • condemn a dwelling that is a hazard to the public or the dwelling occu- pants, and • require correction of any defective system. � The City will consider variances to this code if there is undue hardship on the properiy owner, as long as there is no threat to public health, safety or ' welfare. , � � , ' , ' � , L� ' � ;�� 78 tityr nt Sf. Pcut , ' ' Credits � �I l _J , � ' C � l_�' ' Il ' The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* Joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte' Jennifer Engh* Carole Faricy Litton Field, Jr. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee* Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell* David McDonell' Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Treichel* Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *COmprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Development Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Larry Soderholm, Planner-in-Charge Ken Ford Report Production , )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist ' , � The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ancestry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. q g-1 l �3 ' Ccam�rrehc°nsi�•e Pl�zn 79 SUIV�MARY AND GENERAL POLICY The Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for Community Review October 1998 The Saint Pau{ Planning Commission ��-1133 Contents Introduction The Setting for a New Plan Plan Ysion and Themes Ten Principtes for City Development Geography and Environment Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Downtown Saint Paul Corridors for Growth 7}ansportatfon Economic Opportunity Community Development Regionallnterdependenee 5 6 7 10 11 12 16 17 21 22 25 26 �9,-ll� Comprehensive Plan 3 Introduction T his document, in draft form for communiry review, is a new summary and general policy chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. It provides a broad statement of the City's development policy and, as an overview of the entire plan, helps to clarify the interrelationship of the other chapters. The sum- mary includes general policy in the areas of Economic Development and Community Development which, though supported by policies in all func- tional areas, is not found in other chapters. When the 1998-1999 plan update is completed, the citywide portion of the Plan will consist of the fol- lowing chapters: Directions for 2000, Plan Summary and General Policy Land Use Plan (1998, Recommended by the Planning Commission) Housing (Community Review Draft published October, 1998) "I7ansportation (Adopted 1997) Parks and Recreation (Adopted 1997) Library Services (Adopted 1996) River Corridor Plan (Adopted 1987 (to be updated 1999) Implementation A storm water management plan will be added at a later time, after the management plans for all of the watershed districts within the City are complete, as required by law. A sewer plan will be added in 1999. ��,�� 33 Comprehensive Plan 5 The Setting for a New Plan Some of the most important trends that the Saint Paul community is responding to in the effort to forge new development policy can be briefly described as follows: The "IWin Cities region will grow over the next 20 years, adding some 550,000 people and 300,000 households according to the projections of the Metropolitan Council. The region has addressed its cosUy sprawling devel- opment pattem and acknowledged that a sustainable future requires more effective accommodation of growth within built-up areas, including the central cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Increased use of cars along with more households and without continued eacpansion of the highway system into the hinterland means that increasing traffic could well detract from the area's quality of life without alternative movement systems and new land use patterns. Both neighborhoods and business districts of Saint Paul which reflect the city's historic urban character well are highly valued today. New urbanist approaches to development gaining popularity throughout the country are evidence of a new realization of the value inherent in the historic neighbor- hood grid and sidewalk-and-neighborhood-street-connected living-shop- ping-working that prevails in a variety of forms in much of Saint Paul. The effort well along to plant 25,000 trees, re-establishing something of the nahual character of the Mississippi River corridor, is but one indication of a high level of commitment, broadly shared, to better stewardship of our nat- ural environment and renewed appreciation and enjoyment of Saint Paul's outstanding river bluff setting. The departure of some heavy industry has created new opportunity to meet this objective. Market confidence, the sometimes intangible factor that causes people to see a particular neighborhood as a sound opportunity for investment in housing or business, varies widely across Saint Paul. There's ample demon- stration of strong attraction for the urban neighborhoods the City provides. There's evidence as well that some neighborhoods are not secure and that careful strategy is required to support reinvestment. A regional shortage of housing affordable even to moderate and low-wage workers, and a very low vacancy rate for rental housing are aspects of the housing market that regional and City policy must address. There is also a growing network of vigorous partnership efforts involving business and resident organizations, non-profit organizations, city, county and state governments and the Saint Paul Schools addressing physical, 6 City of St. Paal q�.�t33 economic and social needs, rebuilding community, working to redress the lack of confidence where it exists. The Midway, Saint Paul's extensive business area between the two down- towns, is attracting new business investment today as it has for several years, and downtown Saint Paul is experiencing a rebirth with major new corporate buiiding investment, a wealth of new cultural facilities, and a �rowing housing market. Urban analysis and e�cperience in the United States is leading many to realize new economic potential for central city neighborhoods and their populations that have suffered from the disinvest- ment inherent in the physical and economic development patters of recent decades. And Saint Paui is well "above average" for its success in buiiding its economy, expanding economic opportunity by an increase of some 7,000 jobs in the 1990s. Plan �sion and Themes We envision a future Saint Paul that is the best of its present and past: strong neighborhood communities, a vital downtown area, growing busi- ness and industry, easy, inviting connections among neighborhoods and districts and with our river and natural topography. One of Saint Paul's strengths is its traditional neighborhood fabric, made up of the strong and diverse communities within its borders. Our neighbor- hoods offer housing opportunities that are affordable and attractive to people within a very broad income range. As more and more business and living opportunities become concentrated in neighborhood business centers and near transit corridors, public transit, bicycles and walkways will become more acceptable means of transportation contributing to an improved environment. In our vision, downtown Saint Paul is a thriving 24-hour business, cultural and entertainment center, as well as a highly desirable urban residential location. New business and industry, well integrated with existing neigh- borhoods and new housing opportunities, have replaced the polluted land and outdated infrastructure of the Phalen Corridor to the east and the Great Northern Corridor to the west. University Avenue and West Seventh Street have become attractive corridors with strong business centers, new resi- dential developments and pedestrian amenities attractive to transit riders. The Mississippi River Corridor, while continuing to accommodate a wide Comprehensive Plan variety of urban users, offers a vast green refuge at the city's heart, exten- sive new opportunities for public enjoyment, and an anchor for the park and trail system that shapes the entire city and strengthens the visibility of its natural setting. Three themes capture the opportunities and needs of this vision. �'rl'OWt�I Saint Paul welcomes new opportunities for growth. Saint Paul can realize new vitality by claiming a significant share of the new growth anricipated for the region. Opportunities are being defined in severai key areas: on the downtown riverfront, along the Phalen and West Seventh Corridors, in the Great Northem Corridor through Frogtown, in the Midway and along University Avenue. )ob opportunities continue to expand. New business and cultural faciliUes open downtown. Likewise, the housing market reflects the growth pattern. Business development and housing con- cems recognize that neither will be at its best unless both grow in an inte- grated and complementary fashion. Quality of Place We cherish our place on tl►e river and intend that places throughout St. Paul wi/I offer beauty and delight. A new level of concern for quality of place is evident in our neighborhoods and in downtown and riverfront development. Highland Village and reno- vation in the University/Raymond area are representative of business cen- ters throughout the City where this same intent to build with a quality wor- thy of our urban architectural heritage is evident. We have learned that sus- tainable success requires places designed to serve the community funcUon- ally, aesthetically and socially. Quality of place for Saint Paul means: ■ Neighborhoods that attract people and make them want to stay; ■ Attractive housing that meets a wide variety of needs; ■ Business districts that invite walking, promote community interaction and are safe; ■ Strong, positive visual interest for pedestrians, bikers, walkers and riders; g City of St. Paul ■ Visual and physical connection to the city's natural base of land, water �� ► 3 3 and clean air: and ■ Industry that blends harmoniously with its urban neighbors. WeII-be111�F we��-being for saint Pau� citizens depends on economic growth and life-supporting jobs, as well as cultural, educational and recreational opportu- nities, including community services that nurture family and individual life. Saint Paul's commitment to well-being for families and individuals is evi- dent in its sustained interest in economic development, its newly expanded community effort in work force development, in the housing policy's emphasis on a broad range of housing opportunity, and in the main themes of the 1996 Community Development Agenda: ■ An Even Better Place to Raise Children means a community commit- ment to education, child care and family-supporting neighborhoods. ■ No 11uce with Poverty means expansion of job opportunities appropri- ate for Saint Paul households and preparation of citizens for the emerging job market. ■ High Qualiry Ciry Living means the creation of safe, economically diverse neighborhoods with quality housing at a broad range of prices, participation in all aspects of community life without racial or ethnic barriers, and continued physicai improvement of the city ■ EJfectrve Civic Collaboradon means that our efforts are stronger and more productive because we are working well together with shared objectives: the City, neighborhood organizations, the business commu- nity, Ramsey County, the State of Minnesota, the Saint Paul Public Schools, private service providers and foundations. Comprehensive Plan 9 Ten Principles for City Development ♦ General Policy 1. Ten Principles for City Development The following princi- ples, originally developed as part of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," have been established as guiding principles for general development in Saint Paul. 1. �oke a sense of place. With each change, Saint Paul will work for a strengthened sense of place that reflects the city's natural beauty and exceptional heritage. 2. Restore and establish the unique urban ecology. Reconnection of our urban fabric to the Mississippi River that drew the area's original inhabi- tants will promote a balance between urban and natural systems throughout Saint Paul. 3. Invest in the pablic realm. The public realm sets the stage for develop- ment and provides the network of connections. We will maintain and enhance this investment, designing improvements to promote safety and quality with an emphasis on improving the pedestrian environment. 4. Broaden the mix oflcmd uses. We will take advantage of the diversity of activity that is recognized as a special advantage of an older city. Residence, work and cultural opportunities in close proximity can reduce travel costs and enrich community life. 5. Improve connectiviry. improvement of urban life in Saint Paul will occur by facilitating movement, access and connection among activities and places. 6. Ensure that buildings support broader city goals. Saint Paul wili con- sider each addition to the community fabric as an opportunity to enhance its broader location. �. Build on epsting strengths. We wil] make every effort at city and neighborhood levels to recognize and enhance the treasures we have in our economic, cultural, architectural and natural heritages. 8. Preserve and enhance heritage resources. Saint Paui will continue to preserve and enhance its rich legacy of historic resources. 9. Provide a balanced network for movement. Provisions will be made for movement by car, public transportation, bicycle and on foot in a bal- anced manner throughout Saint Paul. ip City of St. Paul 10. Foster public safety. We will keep public safery at the forefront in design (j � -�13� and management of the public realm and apply safety criteria in the � evaluation of any proposed private development. Geography and Environment The Mississippi River and its dramatic bluffs drew the earliest settlers to the area and remain the strongest definers of Saint Paul as a piace. Diminishing heavy industry and years of progress in cleaning up the river have created new opportunities for enhancement of the setting, improve- ment of environmental quality, and access to the area's strong natural fea- tures. A retum to the river is an opportunity to strengthen quality of place at the heart of Sainc Paul and, with connections and extensions along the tributaries, throughout all of Saint Paul. � GP2. Topography and the Natural Environment. Saint Paul will strengthen its identity by reinforcing its topography and natural environment. This is the first goal of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Supporting policies from the Land Use and the Parks and Recreation chap- ters include: ■ Implementatlon of the land use themes from "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," ■ Creation of new access to the riverbanks and bluff lines, ■ Promotion of the vision of the Great River Park, ■ Conformance of policies and ordinances with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Management plan, ■ Restoration of greenway and natural habitat linkages, ■ Reconnection of neighborhoods to the river with natural landscaping and, where possible, restoration of surface water in tributary corridors, and ■ Appropriate development of sites with river valley views. � GP3. Water Resources. Saint Paul will continue to protect its water resources in accordance with its water resources policy, including: Comprehensive Plan 11 ■ Promotion of natural storm water management solutions, including enforcement of standards for storm water detention ponds, connection of catch basins to the storm sewer system, ■ Enforcement of erosion and sediment control measures, ■ Completion of a watershed management plan for Saint Paul after the management plan for the Middle Mississippi River Water Management Organization is completed in 1999, and ■ Continuation of public education measures outlined in the Water Resources plan. � GP 4. wastewater Facilities. A comprehensive sewer plan update (Tier II) will be completed in 1999. In the meantime, improvement of wastewater handling in Saint Paul will conrinue through established measures, which include: ■ Complete elimination of storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer system through removal of any remaining rain leader/storm sewer connections and eradication of leaks in the sewer system, ■ Identification of current status and future needs of wastewater flows, ■ Continuation of the management program for on-site sewage treatment systems, which requires regular inspection of all systems, correction of nonconforming systems and testing of water supply wells. Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Saint Paul is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizations. It has been a long-standing city policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of those neigh- borhoods. The `"Iraditional Neighborhood Design" and "New Urbanism" movements represent recognition of the value of Saint Paul's neighbor- hoods in contrast to typical suburban development. New Urbanist practices provide some direction for maintaining and enhancing the strengths of our existing neighborhoods. � GPS. Neighborhoods as Urban Vliages. Opportunities to live, work and shop in close proximity will reinforce the urban viliage characteristics of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Improvements and new developments should con- 12 City ofSt. Paul tribute to a high quality, visually inviting, pedestrian-friendly environment. ry C� � � 33 `1 "� Land Use and Housing chapter policies support: ■ Application of urban village principles in neighborhood planning and development, ■ Recognition of the variety of physical forms that make for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, ■ Compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity, ■ Emphasis on pedestrians in neighborhood business centers, supported by design guidelines for designated pedestrian-oriented village centers, ■ Building and landscape design that define public areas and strengthen a sense of place, ■ Diversity of housing type and cost at the neighborhood level, ■ Attention to social and economic factors, along with physical planning and development, and ■ A balanced transportation system. � GP 6. Take Care of the Housing We Have. Most of the current and future resi- dents of Saint Paul will live in the city's existing housing stock. Original construction and on-going investment yield a high level of quality in many Saint Paul neighborhoods that have strong attraction in the regional hous- ing market today. In some neighborhoods, a pattern of disinvestment has led to deterioration and declining values. Housing chapter policies include: ■ Continue and eacpand efforts to enhance the city's traditional neighbor- hood design. ■ Continue a commitment to the preservation of historically and architec- turally significant buildings and neighborhoods. ■ Step up code enforcement matched with additional resources for repair and rehabilitation. ■ Strategicaliy focus efforts to stem deterioration and declining values. ■ Improve management and maintenance of rental property. � GP 7. Meet New Housing Market Demand. Households the children have left, and newer households they haven't yet joined, represent growing segments of the area housing market for at least the next decade. Households in this Comprehensive Plan 13 market are looking for altematives to the single family home with its own yard: townhouses, condominiums and other properties more easily main- tained or left for a week of travel. Renters make up a portion of this market. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Encourage the production of 300-400 housing units a year, primarily attached units attractive to growing segments of the regional housing market most amenable to urban neighborhood opportunities. ■ Promote good design solutions for housing that meets newer market needs and complements existing Saint Paul neighborhoods, designs that use the smaller development sites creatively and that provide for housing in mixed-use nighborhood centers. ■ Encourage the production of rental housing. ■ Encourage innovative development through regulatory reforms. � GP 8. Ensure Availability of Affordable Housing. A generally stronger housing market, the almost total absence of any new production of rental housing in any price range, and the reduction in federal funding for rental assis- tance are all putting pxessure on the portion of the city's housing stock that is affordable to lower income households. In some instances, the price of that housing is being bid up to the point where it is no longer affordable. In others, lack of continuing investment has resulted in physical deterioration and demolition. The need for such affordable housing exists throughout the metropolitan region. Relative to most communities, Saint Paul has a large supply of well- managed low cost housing. Since there are challenges to that supply, preservation is the City's primary objective, though the construction of new low-cost units will be required as well if redevelopment is to meet the needs of Saint Pau] neighborhoods. Encouragement of much more ade- quate provision of housing opportunities throughout the region is also part of the City's strategy. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Challenge the region to ensure that each metropolitan community provides a full range of housing choices in order to meet the needs of households at all income levels. ■ Work with public, private and philanthropic partners to identify and secure significant additional resources to enable the preservation and constnzction of affordable housing, both within the city and throughout the region. 14 City ofSL Paul ■ Preserve existing federaly assisted housing tluough partnership efforts �� r V`"� with HUD and other area agencies and support continued good maintenance and modernization of the public housin� supply. ■ Stimulate the construction of a modest number of new affordable housing units each year, particularly in neighborhoods where affordable housing is in limited supply. ■ Support a variety of initiatives that will allow lower income households to move into home ownership. ■ Link services with affordable housing. ■ In partnership with Ramsey County and other private and non-profit agen- cies, implement the provisions of the Saint Paul/Ramsey County t7ve-Year housing and Homeless Services Plan as it is adopted by the City Council. ■ Preserve and improve existing privately-owned rental housing units. � GP9. Neighborhood Treffic and Parking. Provisions for traffic and other means of circulation will enhance neighborhood environments and support community connections. ZYansportation chapter policies support: ■ Priority for neighborhood traffic control, ■ Attention to neighborhood character in the design of traffic and parking facilities, ■ Enhancement of pedestrian environments, ■ Use of smaller circulator buses and neighborhood transit hubs in a redesigned transit system, ■ Continued enhancement of the parkway system, and ■ Continued use of permit parking to protect residential areas adjacent to high parking demand commercial and institutional uses. � GP 10. PedesVian Safety and Quality. Saint Paul will strengthen the quality of the pedestrian experience in residential and business areas. "I7anspor-tation and Land Use chapter policies support: ■ Compact "urban village"neighborhoods with commercial, civic and institutional activity, _ ■ Physical definition of streets and public places by architecture and landscape design, Comprehensive Plan 15 ■ A neighborhood traffic calming program, ■ Physical changes, where appropriate, to slow traffic and protect pedes- trians, and ■ Street, building design and a mix of uses downtown to promote pedes- trian use. Downtown Saint Paul Downtown Saint Paul fulfills many roles. It is an important regional office center and home base for major corporations, a civic/government center for the State of Minnesota and the IWin Cities metropolitan region, a civic center for the east metro region and the city, an entertainment and cultura] center of significance to the state, and a distinctive urban residential neigh- borhood. While it shares a loss of retaii dominance with other downtowns, it retains a retail core, and new retail strength can be anticipated as a com- plement to the growth of other functions downtown. � GP 11. Vbrant Downtown. The city, business community, state govemment and cultural institutions, as well as the Saint Paul community at large, will work together to ensure that downtown growth continues and that each increment of new development and renovation contributes to the down- town's most vibrant future. Building on the strength of its setting, history and character, we will guide development of the public and private realms to realize the objectives of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." This ptan and the Land Use, Housing, and Parks and Recreation chapters of the Comprehensive City Plan support: ■ Continued development of Wabasha Street as a main thoroughfare connecting the Minnesota Capitoi, the Mississippi River and the west side community through the downtown, ■ Continued evolution of downtown with all the uses that make it a vital 24-hour community and center for the east metro region: office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations and housing, ■ Development of building design guidelines and circulaUon improve- ments which emphasize a quality environment for pedestrians, 16 City of St. Paul a��i� ■ Full attention to pedestrians, bicycles, transit and traffic movement in the design of street improvements, ■ Realization of the land use concepts of the Comprehensive City Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol area, and continued development of the Capitol campus as an open part of the city related comfortably to down- town and adjacent communities, and ■ Investment in transportation and public access infrastructure to facili- tate the redevelopment of the riverfi'ont downtown. � GP 12. Access and Parking Downtown. E�tpansion of parking facilities down- town wili be needed for increments of growth. These should be balanced with substantiai improvement to transit as weil as bicycle and walking access. The need for parking space also should be reduced by collaborative management of parking resources and by incentives for car pools and tran- sit use. � GP 13. Residential Downtown. The residential role of downtown Saint Paul will increase substantially, with perhaps as many as 3,000 new housing opportunities in linked urban villages in and around the business district. Urban village opportunities are outlined in the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Corridors for Growth Ciorridors that have served transportation throughout Saint Paul's history structure the city and are the lifelines of connection and access. Changes in transportation have left several corridors with vacant and under-used land that is an important resource for a period of growth. Recent corridor studies have identified major opportunities to create jobs and housing in the River Corridor, the Midway/University Avenue Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northem (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh Corridor. � GP 14. Corridor Development. Work should continue with community and business organizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several growth opportunities are interconnected. in the process, Saint Paul will seek new ways to inte- Comprehensive Plan 17 Figure A: Five Corridors for Growth grate business and industriai job creation with housing development and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. � GP 15. River Comdor. Saint Paul will continue to give high priority to the transformation of the River Corridor, particularly the downtown and west- em portions. This corridor is evolving from a heavy industrial past into a renewed center for activity and enjoyment of Saint Paul's natural setting. The "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework" communicates the vision and the guidelines for development of the central portion of the River Corridor. While the Framework itself is not an element of the Comprehensive Plan, its principles and vision are endorsed as appropriate for that portion of the River Corridor. The Land Use, TYansportation, and Parks and Recreation chapters support: ■ Continuation of appropriate improvement and development of the River Corridor as a priority, making sure changes are consistent with the enhancement of its natural ecology, ■ Mixed use urban viliage development to extend the urban fabric back to the river, ■ Improvement of public access and recreational uses throughout the corridor, �g CityofSt. Paul ��33 ■ Continuation of industrial uses in portions of the corridor identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Restriction of new development in the floodplain (or within 300 feet of the water) to those entities which have a relationship to the river, need a river location or can enhance the river environment, ■ Transportation investments that emphasize pedestrian opportunities and strengthen neighborhood connections, and ■ Maintenance of Shepard Road and Wamer Road as principal transporta- tion arteries. � GP 16. University Avenue Corridor/Midway. Continued investment in the Midway Corridor will support its strong potential for business development as a readily accessible area between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. University Avenue should continue to be developed as both a transit conidor and a mixed use business street, serving city and neighbor- hood needs. The Land Use and "I7ansportation chapters support: ■ Redevelopment at key sites that are identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Higher densities of households and employment along the corridor that require and support better transit, ■ Redesign and redevelopment to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping area comfor[able for pedestrians and to enhance storefront, pedes- trian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue, and ■ Establishment of Yhe "central corridor"(of which University Avenue is a spine) as the top priority for the development of transitways, busways and/or LRT, in the region. � GP 17. Phalen Corridoc The Phalen Corridor initiative should be carried through and serve as a model for neighborhood revitalization work. The Land Use and Transportation chapter policies support: ■ Redevelopment of significant sites within the corridor and continued pursuit of the corridor's integrated goals, ■ Continued work to fund construction of the boulevard and other infra- structures, and ■ Development and connections that will strengthen the urban village characteristics of neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor. Comprehensive Plan ig � GP 18. Open Space and River Connections. In comdor planning and develop- ment, close attention must be paid to environmental quality, and Saint Paul must take advantage of opportunities to enhance and extend the open space network formed by the river corridor, bluffs, parks and parkways. Neighborhood connections to the Mississippi River Corridor will be enhanced along river tributaries such as the Phalen Corridor, through appropriate trail and road connections, infrastructure design, and land use planning and regulation. � GP 19. West Seventh Sveet (Riverview) Corridoc Reinvestment evident in West Seventh neighborhoods and along the street itself are evidence of new life in this corridor. Tank farms between the street and the river corri- dor have given way to a new business park and new opportunities for other neighborhood development. New planning underway wiil set direction for a new entry to Saint Paul at the southeast end, a stronger community busi- ness street here and new housing and business opportunity. A good portion of our opportunities for a new and better relationship with the river lie within this corridor which has recently been identified as the Riverview Transit Corridor by Ramsey County and included in this plan's identified major corridors for transit improvement. The Land Use and Transportation chapters support: ■ Increased housing and transit-supportive development ■ Development that takes maarimum advantage of river corridor views ■ Appropriate improvement of public transit in this corridor linking down- town Saint Paul to the intemational airport and the southwest metro region, and ■ A re-designed entry to the City at the river. � GPZO. Great Northern (Como) Corridor. A 1997 plan provides direction for redevelopment of the Ma}cson Steel/Dale Street Shops area and a vision for this larger corridor of which it is a part. The entire corridor with the railroad as its spine runs from the Phalen Corridor at 35E through the Empire Builder Industrial Park and west to the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis. This Corridor and the Phalen Corridor have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs with relat- ed neighborhood development that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 20 City of St. Paul Plan chapters support: ��,�13� • Implementation of the Great Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and redevelopment planning for additional corridor sites. • Extension of Pierce Butier Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improvement of truck connections to 35E. • Reforestation of the extended corridor, strengthening its ameniry value for all Midway neighborhoods. • Further study of the urban village potential of the Dale/Como area with new housing near the new Front Street Elementary School. Transportation The public facilities for movement within a city, the system for transportation and circulation in all its forms, shape the city and create value for places with- in it. In recent years, a new set of values has begun to influence our trans- portation system, values that place at least as much priority on the quality of places as on the speed and ease of travel through them. In view of increased congestion projected with regional and city growth, as well as the commuting needs of the city's population, strong efforts are needed to improve public transit and to develop land use approaches that will reduce travel needs. � GP21. Travel and System Management. The city needs to encourage fewer and shorter trips and promote altematives to single-occupant automobiles. Policies to accomplish this in the Transportation chapter include: ■ Full support for an acceptable and adequately funded bus system, ■ In cooperation with other agencies, investment in the infrastructure necessary for transit, car pools, biking and walking, ■ Management of land use to reduce trips and promote altemative modes of travel, and ■ Promotion of regional development and investments that support altemative transportation modes and reduce trips, including a better balance between jobs and housing, and reduction of "sprawl" development. Comprehensive Plan 21 Corridors p�ovide excellent service along major corridors (limited stop "spines") and better intra- and inter-neighborhood service, with a continued strong focus on regular route service to the downtown and concentration on regular- route weekday service. Recommended corridors are iilustrated in the pro- posed Transit Corridors Map. (p.17) Economic Opportunity Economic development is weli established as a clear priority for Saint Paul, and healthy economic growth is a well recognized reality today. Compared to other parts of the region, the city is lacking in readily avail- abie land for industrial use, a deficit that is being addressed in par[ by cleanup of land polluted by earlier industrial uses. A city with such com- 22 ciry of st. Pau1 Figure B: Transit � GP22. Trensporta6on Corridors. Redesign of the bus system should occur to plexities and competing interests as Saint Paul can present a challenging � $�� and costly environment for business development, a situation addressed by many measures in recent years, but one requiring continuing attention. The city's large work force gives it a strong strategic advantage for eco- nomic growth, but carefully targeted efforts are needed to connect that work force successfully with emerging economic opportunity. Other strate- gic advantages include the ciry's location, its strength as a civic and gov- emment center, and its educational, cultural and community resources. Therefore, high priorities for Saint Paul now are: ■ to ensure that land resources with potential for business use are made available and used to their maximum economic and community benefit; ■ to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment in the city for new and existing businesses, and; ■ to improve the education, skill and work-readiness level of the popula- tion for emerging economic opportunity. Other portions of this summary address the vitality of places for business in special districts and neighborhoods as well as potential for special corridor development. Background sources for the summary policies which follow include the Economic Development Strategy adopted in 1990; the Citywide Economic Agenda prepared for Mayor Coleman in 1994; and the continuing collabora- tive work with community, business and education partners, particularly on the task of shaping a work force development strategy appropriate for today's economy and Saint Paul's population. � GP23. Land Resources: Under-used Land and Brownfield Reuse. The city will take full advantage of the under-used land in Saint Paul for continuing growth and fulfill the commitments of its Brownfield's Showcase Community designation. In partnership with the Port Authority and commu- nity-based organizations, it will identify under-used and/or polluted land and provide a mechanism for quantifying remediation costs and identifying responsible parties. Then it will establish a yearly program for leveraging and investing scarce resources for remediation of the sites with the highest priority. ^�^ GP24. Intensive Use of Industrial Land. Density of living-wage jobs will be a primary factor in determination of appropriate reuse of city sites with industrial and/or business potential. Office uses may offer greater potential than industrial development at some previously-industrial sites. Comprehensive Plan 23 �^ GP25. Integrated Neighborhood ImprovemenL Development of any major land area for business and industrial use should be regarded as an opportunity for integrated improvement of the larger neighborhood of which it is a part. � GP26. Business Developmenc Collaboration. There must be an effort to con- tinue the support and improvement of strong collaborative working relation- ships between major economic development agencies. These include the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Saint Paul Port Authority, the Capital City Partnership, the Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation and the Metro East Development Partnership. Communication and collaboration between resi- dents and businesses is especially important in neighborhood planning. � GP27. Business Development Industry Ciusters. In collaboration with the Economic Development Partnership, the city must nurture the growth of industries, especially those within globaliy-competitive clusters with an established base in the east metro region (printing, machine tools, medical devices, computers and software, finance) as well as entry-level opportuni- ty sectors (retail, hospitality, human and personal services, health care, manufacturing and business and automotive services). The Mayor's Information Technology Council is an example of an industry/government partnership building on the strengths of the community for a particular seg- ment of industriai growth. �^ GP28. Business Development Business Resources. With the help of the Business Review Council, Saint Paul will ensure that its department ser- vices and regulatory measures will be responsive to changing needs and foster business growth and appropriate accommodation of businesses in neighborhoods and business districts. In addition, the city will provide active outreach through the Business Resources Center of the Department of Planning and Economic Development to businesses that need informa- tion or other assistance. � GP29. Work Force Development By overcoming deficiencies in education and training, Saint Paul can e3cpand economic opportunity for its citizens. It must work as a full partner in the Community Employment Partnership to provide support to job seekers through community-based Work Resource Hubs and to provide support to employers through a private-sector work force development agency. The public schools should partner with the pri- vate sector, ensuring that graduates gain the skills appropriate to employer needs in the 21 st century. Regional coordination of work force develop- ment also should be encouraged. 24 ciry of st. Paul � GP 30. Work Force Readiness: Social Support. Saint Paul will support Ramsey q�� 1 t �� County and service-providing agencies in their efforts to improve the avail- ability of qualiry child care so that this is not an obstacle to participation in the work force for parents. The city will encourage adequate state and fed- eral funding for child care and other family support, and recognize trans- portation, housing, chiid care and other family support as components of economic development in neighborhood pianning. Community Development �n the Community DevelopmentAgenda completed in 1996 by a broad part- nership, a"community development" is defined as "the act of working together to ensure that Saint Paul is a nurturing environment for families and individuals and a good place to do business."Most of the components of the Comprehensive Plan outlined here have a bearing on community development by this definition. Most of the city's role in response to the four major strategies of the Communiry DevelopmentAgenda is spelled out in the other components of this plan. � GP31. Community Development With a broad community partnership, Saint Paul can continue to support the Community Development Agenda initia- tives: An Even Better Place to Raise Children, No T7vice With Poverry, High Qualiry Ciry Living and Effective Civic Collaboration. City govemmenYs role includes: ■ Collaborative leadership and program work for economic and work force development, as outlined elsewhere in this document, ■ Planning and development work for improved physical quality, improved transportation and improved housing opportunities, and ■ Supportive collaboration and mayoral leadership, where appropriate, for progress in areas where the city does not have the major program role, including education, child care, and welfare reform. � GP32 Centers for Community Life. The city, in partnership with its commu- nities, will work to strengthen the community building role of parks and recreation centers by providing for safe and secure access, programming that contributes to stabie neighborhoods and the removal of barriers to par- Comprehensive Plan 25 ticipation, as outlined in the Parks and Recreation chapter. The city will continue to support partnership efforts to strengthen family and community life, such as Family Resource Centers and Achievement Plus schooLs. � GP33. Inclusive Community We have no tolerance for racism and intend to provide the broadest access possible to all benefits of community life in Saint Paul, free from barriers based on race or ethnicity. Regional Interdependence Saint Paul's growth and development are intenvoven with those of the entire region. A sustainable future for the "IWin Cities region requires replacement of some of the sprawling growth we can otherwise eacpect at the fringes with more intensive use of the existing urban fabric. Reinvestment in the region's centers is a key commitment of regional growth strategy. Saint Paui's ability to sustain itself as a dynamic urban center has been hampered by inequities in the burden of costs for our present regional development pattem. These inequities reflect a history of private invest- ment and public policy that has supported easy expansion of the region at the cost of disinvestment in the otder centers. � GP 34. Tradrtionai Strengths. To realize the best of what our historic urban fab- ric and new urban development can contribute to the region, Saint Paul will build on its traditional urban neighborhood and city center strengtlis. � GP35. Civic, Business and Culwral Centers. Saint Paul will maintain vital, inviting civic, business and cultural centers at the heart of the city and realize the full potential of other city business centers for additional economic activity. � GP36. Opportcmities for Growth. As a growing city with expanding economic and urban residential opportunitles, Saint Paul will accommodate a signifi- cant share of regional growth in housing and jobs over the nead 20 years, at leasE6,000 additional households and 11,000 additional jobs by the year 2020. 26 City of St. Paul � GP37. Regionai Collaboration. Collaborating with neighboring communities �� and other regional jurisdictions will help Saint Paul achieve development that reinforces a strong, sustainable role for the city and the region as a whole, including improved transit and a broad range of housing choices. � GP38. Shared Costs. Saint Paul will support efforts to correct inequities in taxes, fees and infrastructure investment which perpetuate disinvestment in the central ciry and to shift the priority in the use of public resources to reinvestment. Efforts include those recentiy initiated to review and restruc- ture Sewer Accessibility Charges, restraints on extending the Interstate Highway network, and the targeting of redevelopment resources, including funds for cleanup of polluted land. In particular, the city wili insist on broadly shared responsibility for meeting affordable housing needs. Comprehensive Plan y� The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte* )ennifer Engh * Carole Faricy Litton Field, )r. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee' Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell• David McDonell* Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Tteichel' Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *Comprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Developme�t Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Ken Ford, Planner-in-Charge Report Production )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ances[ry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assisWnce in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activitles. 2g City of St. Paul � �,,, 33 cirY couNCi� AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Cooperation from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accomplish this �_ 2. Author Mike Harris; Locatzon insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. through the Public Works Denarnnent, should encouraee oublic infrastructure that promotes streets and sidewalks t1�at aze nedestrian friendlv and visuall�apnealing are imnortant comnonents to the success of nei� borhoods. 3. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint Paul's Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) �ge� . , , , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote herita�e preservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advisory bo� to the Mayor and Citv Council on herita�e nreservation matters and recommends to the city council sites buildings, and districts to be desi�nated as historic sites. The commission also must review and aprorove buildin�nermits for most tynes of exterior work concerning desi¢xtated buildings and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservafion Districts.) , ' °- "'--„ "'-- " In the case of four of the five local historic districts—Dayton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Pazk and Historic Hill—preservarion has been used quite successfull�s a tool for communitv development and revitalizarion buildin¢ on a primarv asset of these neip^hborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strongassets. and one which distineuishes Uus CitY from surrounding suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelonment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundarion and the Preservation Alliance of Miuuesota, should assess available and potenrial incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. 5. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph.� The City supports the central corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown q �.�� 33 Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 42 ar second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emerging maior employment center. �ood access by_public transit is a hi tg�t nriority objective for all industrial, commercial and residenrial development of the Phalen Comdor. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.] Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 An�� transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incor�orated into the e�sting residential, commercial and environmental character of the corridor. In �articulaz. �hysical changes should respect and compliment nahu�al amenifies in the corridor, such as Crosbv Park, Hidden Falls Pazk and the Mississippi River Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary inh-usion. 8. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiYypartic2pation will be sou t for anv addirional changes in the corridor. including the widenin� and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 9. Author Chris Coleman; Location irrsert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an objective for all redevelopment efforts of the Crreat Northern Corridor. 10. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by plamiing neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taldng the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The Ciry will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reducrion in regional emissions of air nollution as quantified by instruments which measure pollutants such as narticulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitro� dioxide. An example of such an instniment would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored by the Mimiesota Pollurion Control A encv and the Environmental Profection Ag_encv. 11. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to �iiri�ri�e substanrially decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibrarion, and exterior appearance. 12. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Melropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts tt�rough runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si2nificant and nroblematic airport land use impacts for the Citv include the attractiveness of nearbv a �,��3 sites for lone-term parkin fg or auport customers and for storaee and servicin� of rental cazs. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 54 ar new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the internarionsal airoort to take Yhe steas it can to ensure imarovinn compatibility with Saint Paul's existin� residential and commercial chazacter Actions should include: 11 restricting new fli¢,hts over Saint Paul's ne�hborhoods• 21 enforc� federal noise mirigarion requiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatine on-airport space for all car rental storage and services needs. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 14. Author Jay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: # 10 Studv alternatives and prouose amendment to the zoning code which would distin�uish between small and large trucking ouerations. Consider alternatives such as a snecial restrictions on l�e trucking firms and propose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low employee density truckine use of industrial land. The pronosed amendment should act to make consistent with re�azd to truckin¢ uses, the zoning code and hieh density emplovment requirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Polic 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressing intensive use of industrial land ORIGINAL Council File # 14 ' «33 Resolution # Green Sheet # 3 � 6 FtESOLUTION OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA Presented By Referred To Committee: Date o� � 2 0 Land Use Plan 6 WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, following extensive research and public discussion, has 7 recommended a new Land Use Plan for adoption as a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, 8 and 9 10 WIIEREAS, the draft Land Use Plan published in April, 1998, was discussed in numerous public meetings 11 and was the subject of two public hearings before the Planning Commission held on May 22 and June 12, 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1998, and WHEREAS, new policy for land-use-related planning and development decisions is needed to replace the 1980 Plan for Land Use currently in place, and WIIEREAS, the Land Use Plan recommended fulfilis a major portion of the expectations for the comprehensive plan required by the Minnesota Land Planning Act as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.859, and WFIEREAS, under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.864, Subd. 2, Saint Paul is required to update its Comprehensive Plan regulazly and to submit an updated Plan by the end of 1998 (or to an extended date), RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul adopts the Land Use Plan as an amendment to the Saint Paul Comprehensive Pian conungent on further review by adjacent communities and the Metropolitan Council, and FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Land Use Plan replaces in its entirety, as a component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, the Plan for Land Use adopted November 11, 1980. q �-1133 ORIGINAL Requested by Department of: Plannin & Eco a c➢evelo eent BY � �!!� Form Appxove Adoption Certified by Council Secretary BY� 8yc Approved by Approved by Mayo : Date � � '�� _, By: By� Adopted by Council: Aate ��bl�q �'&-L�33 CITY GOUNGIL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — �� D� � 3,� �a� Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second buZlet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing near bus service will help support transportation alematives and neighborhood business centers. Cooroerarion from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accom�sh this eoal' 2. Author Mike �Iarrts; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 513 The Citv, throuah the Public Works Department, should encourage vublic infrashucture that promotes streets and sidewalks that are pedestrian frien� and visuall r�appealingare im_portant components to the success of neighborhoods. 3. Author Chris Colenaan; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objecrive 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) ischarged > , ' was created in 1976 to �reserve and promote herita�e roreservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advasor�bod�to the Mayor and City Council on heritagepreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites, buildings, and districts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve buildin�permits for most t}�es of exterior work concerning designated buildangs and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservation Districts.) �Hy b � . lll the case of four of the five local historic districts—Da�+ton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Park and Historic Hi11—�reservation has been used quite successfully as a tool for community development and revitalizarion, buildine on aprimary asset of these neiehborhoods—historic buildi �s. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strong assets, and one which distineuishes this Citv from surroundin¢ suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth parao aph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and character somerimes increases rehabilitafion and redevelopment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its pariner arganizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incentives, financial and otherwise, and recommend means for improvement. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph: The City supports the central comdor beriveen downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. � -1��3 � ; ,�"� � o � 6. Author Chris Codeman; Location page 39 delete in Figure O: " � �31q� �� 7. Author Chris Coleman; Location insen page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emer¢ine major em�lovment center. good access by public transit is a high prioritv ob�ective for all industrial, commercial and residential development of the Phalen Corridor. �This amendment wouZd resuZt in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 8. Author Mike Hart Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Any major transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incorporated into the existing residential. comxnercial and environmental character of the comdor. In narticulaz, �h�sical chanees shouid respect and compliment naturai amenities in the corridor. such as Crosb�Park. Hidden Falls Puk and the Mississinpi Rivez Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary intrusion. 9. Author Jerr,� Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Poft Authority should support and work to implement the Great Northern Comdor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communit�participation will be sou h� t for anv additional changes in the corridor, includin� the wideninP and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 10. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as szzth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an obiective for all redevelopment efforts of the Great Northern Corridor. ll. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page S0: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction in re�ional emissions of air pollution as quantified by instruxnents which measure pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. An exam le of such an instrument would be the Pollut9on Standards Index which is monitored by the Minnesota Pollurion Control Agency and the Environmental Protecrion A ency_ 12. Author.Terry Blakey; Location page S0: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to mnrimize substantiall�decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page Sl into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise unpacts through runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use plauning, and noise unsulation pro�ams. Sianificant and uroblematic airport land use impacts for the City include the attractiveness of nearbv sites for lon -t� erm parkin fg or airport customers and for stora�e and servicing of rental cars. `�1��133 �' � r 5`i �� 14. Author Mike Harris, Location insert page 54 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the intemationsal auport to take the steps it can to ensure improvin� compatibilitv with Saint Paul's existin¢ residential and coznmercial chazacter. Actions shouid include: 11 restricting new flig�ts over Saint Paul's nei�hborhoods: 21 enforcin� federal noise mitigation rec�uiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatin op n-airport space for all caz rental storag. e and services needs, jThis amendment wauld result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 15. Author Tay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: #10 Sludy alternarives and nronose amendment to the zonin¢ code which would distinguish between small and lar�e truckin�operations. Consider altematives such as a special restrictions on lar�e huckine firms and propose the amendment so that it wiil limit large low emplovee densitv truckinQ use of industrial land. Thepro�osed amendment should act to make consistent, with regard to huckine uses, the zonine code and hieh density employment requirements outlined in Ap�endix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressingintensive use of industrialland. i ^� i � Y ��at - il 3 ''! DEPAAThIEN7/OFFICElCAUNCIL DATE IIi171ATED Planning and Economic Development GREEN SHE ' N� 2 3 �$$ CAMACfPEflSON&PHONE . fNR1AVDA INITIAVDATE Q �EPARTMENT OIRECf R � CIN fAUNCIL ASSIGN CCfYATfORNEY CT'CtEflK K0R EOTdp L.66—(577�� NUYBERFOR � � � � MUST BE ON CAUNCIL A ENDA BY (DA7� _ ROUTIN6 O BUOGEf DIRE(.TO � FlN. & MGT. SEflVICES �Iq. - �RDER � MAYOR IOR ASSiSSATfi) � � TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES (CLIP ALL LOCASIONS FOH SIGNATl1AE) ACT70N FEQUESTED: Signatures, approval. RECOMMENDAnONS: Apprare (n) br Fiejea (Fi) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS MUST ANSW ER TNE FOLLOWING �UESTIONS: A PLANNING COMMISSION _ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this person/firm ever worked untler a contract for Mis departmen[? RH C�6 CAMMITTEE YES NO A SiAFF � 2. Has this person�rm ever been a city employee? na — YES NO _ DiS7qic7 Couai � 3. Does this person/frtm possess a skill no[ normai�y possessetl by any curten[ ciry employee? Ra SUPPORTS WHICH CAUNCIL OBJECfIVE? YES NO � Explain all yea answera on separate sheet anA attach to green sheet INITIATING PFOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNITV (WIro, What, When, Where. Why): Update of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan; need for a New Land Use Chapter. AWANTAGES iF APPRWED: The City will have a new policy guide for land-use related planning anc� �,e decisions and a basis for negotiation with other governmer��"�'��fiCioiis:`� �E� 15 �995 DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED: , � �._ �.$, � , � � - �:.:'xe&e�� i.A ��-.� - �EC Q9 1�� C�� T � Y DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED: The City will be out of compliance with state law requirements for update o£ the comprehensive plan. RECEIVED DEC 141998 TOTAI AMOUNT OF 7RANSACTION $ COSTlREVENUE BUDGETEO (CIRCLE aNE) �AY��S wy �CE PUNDING SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER FINANCIAL INFORMATION: (EXPLAIN) o�g .� �33 lnterdepartmenta! Memorandum CTI'Y OF SAINI' PAUL Date: December 7, 1998 To: Mayor Coleman � From: Pam Wheeloc ' "� Subject: New Land e Pl - Briefing Memo The draft Land Use Plan enclosed is recommended to you and the City Council by the Plamiing Commission. It is for you to transit the Commission's recommendation to the City Council along with your own recommendation. Some highlights might be helpful for your review: Growth. The Land Use Plan emphasizes accommodation of a significant shaze of the region's growth: more jobs and housing over the next twenty years. The major corridors with identified potential aze highlighted as means for focusing planning and development activity for growth: River Corridor, Midway/University Avenue Corridor, Phalen Corridor, W. Seventh StreetlRiverview Corridor, Great Northern Corridor-as well as freeway development sites. Housing. With respect to housing, the plan identifies market potential for attached units, forms of housing that complement our single-family fabric and provide for somewhat higher densities, particulazly near transit corridors, downtown and at the river. We will need to add in the neighborhood of 300-400 housing units each yeaz to meet the tazgeted growth. (The plan anticipates that the rate of growth will not be even, but will start lower and will accelerate as urban living options in Saint Paul become more attractive in the mazket.) Maps on pages 56 and 57 identify "new urban housing" focus areas at neighborhood centers (p. 56) and redevelopment opportunities throughout the city (p. 57). Downtown and the River. The Land Use Plan incorporates the 10 principles for development from the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework as standards for the entire city (p. 15), and generally endorses the framework's land use directions and design guiiielines. The plan's first major strategy, "A Vita1, Growing City Center (p. 18)," supports a broad, healthy xnix of uses downtown, strong connections with the capitol azea and the river, and adding residential opporiunities in the "urban village" configurations recommended by the Framework. Urban Villages. "Urban village," principles, are emphasized for continued neighborhood development: miaced use, somewhat higher densities, good pedestrian environments and well- integrated transit. The plan notes, however, that the chazacteristics of good wban neighborhoods are reflected in a wide variety of successful neighborhood forms in Saint Paul. qY-1�33 Errvironment (p. 47). Policies on "Environmental Stewazdship" include a commitment to meet MIVRRA "Tier II" status, which means we will modify policies and regulations to be consistent with the 1V�NRRA management plan for the river corridor. This will be part of updating the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, an effort already underway to be completed in 1999. With respect to reuse of under-used and polluted industrial land, the plan notes a current rate of reuse of about 30 acres per yeaz and notes that full use of the inventory over the 20-yeaz period would require some $20 million per year in redevelopment resources. Points of Controversy Industrial l/se in the River Corridor (p. 38, 6.2.4). To some, any remaining industrial use in the river c�rridor is inconsistent with the desired restoration of the corridor's natural chazacteristics. The p12n supports continued industrial use in the existing industrial azeas to the southeast of downtown: The Southport industrial azea (Barge Channel Road) is identified as an"Industrial Study ".4�ea."' The Port Authority is planning for improvements here. The neighborhood plan completed by the West Side Citizens Organization calls for elimination of industrial uses here. Residential Densities. We expected much more concern about increased residential densities ; ,than we have heard. With some exceptions, notably from the northeast azea, when people understand that we aze talking about townhouse densities neaz transit routes or neighborhood centers, with neighborhood planning involved before any rezoning, and about major sites downtown or on the river, the idea of some increased density that will strengthen local housing markets with new alternatives seems to be accepted. Parking Downtown. While the plan supports better transit by encouraging higher densities along ' transit corridors and improvement of bus service (more completely addressed in the tran',sportauon plan) one policy notes that "As the downtown grows, more public pazking must � also be buiit...." Many transit supporters believe this is inconsistent; that if we aze serious about supporting better transit; we should stop adding parking downtown. Neighborhood Planning (Page 55). This subject has generated the most comment from neighborfiood organizations. The plan addresses the changing nature of neighborhood planning=�se., more plans done indegendently of the city through a variety of parinerships-and provideS a new procedure for encouraging consistency with city policies. The Planning Commission will issue guidelines for neighborhood plans to provide an indication of the thiugs they will be looking for on review. After a review of a neighborhood plan, the Plauning Commission will recommend only a suminary to be adopted and incorporated into the CiTy's Comprehensive Plan. The summary will highlight appropriate city actions and those recommendations (such as key land use decisions) that aze appropriate for incorporation in city policy. This has been a point of some contention, since past pracrice has been to adopt neighborhood plans wholesale as amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. After considerable dialogue, there is substantial support for the new (summary) approach. °ib�-1�3a. �. � �F" s�r PL�� 390CiryHa11 TeZephone: 651-266-8510 NormColeman,Mayor /SWestKelloggBoulevm'd Facsimile:651-218-8513 SaW Paut, MN 55702 December 6, 1998 City Council President Dan Bostrom Councilmembers Dear Council President Bostrom and Councilmembers: I am pleased to transmit and recommend for your adoption a new Land Use Plan, a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. This new plan will replace the land use chapter adopted in 1980. A replacement is long overdue. The Planning Commission has sponsored extensive community discussion in the process of arriving at the plan they have recommended. They have seen clearly the opportuniry which our current experience of growth suggests. They haue recognized the resources we haue in under-used land as well as the need to reinforce and protect our valuable tradifional neighborhood fabric. The Land Use Plan formally incorporates the principles arrived at in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework and, I believe, provides a sound basis for continued development decisions and more refined planning for neighborhoods, business districts and corridors. Copies of the draft Suuinxary and General Policy are enclosed so that the Land Use Plan can be seen within the framework of the entire Comprehensive Plan. The sumniary, which as you know is currently under review, helps to clarify the intenelationships among the plan chapters. You aze, of course, awaze that the housing chapter is presently under discussion. The Planning Coxnmission expects to recommend the Housing Plan and the Summary to us eazly in January. I recommend adoprion of the Land Use Plan contingent on the Metropolitan Council and adjacent community reviews still to come. erely, � � Norm Coleman �� Mayor c�� - ( �33 City of St. Paul Office of the City Council 320 City Hall Saint Paul, MN 55102 (651) 266-8570 INTER-DEPARTMEN7AL MEMORANDUM DATE: February 24, 1999 TO: Councilmembers and Legisiative Aides � FROM: Marcia Moermond, Policy Analyst ��"" SUBJECT: Land Use Plan Amendments: Item 27 on Council Agenda Today Attached is a list of all proposed Land Use Plan amendments that have been forwarded to me by Councilmembers over the last severa] weeks. The items aze listed in page number order, according to the page being amended. Ken Ford and I have compiled and discussed the amendments. Where appropriate, he has provided comments on specific amendments. Also attached is the list of questions on the Land t3se Plan submitted by the Council thus far, and PED staff responses to those quesrions. The Council is currently scheduled to amend the Land Use Plan today, and lay it over to March 3 for fmal adoption. Regarding Agenda Item I3umber 25, the Summary and Generat Plan and Item 26 the Housing Plan, the Council is scheduled (according to the Council Workplan for the Comprehensive Plan Chapters adopted on January 27) to next discuss these items on Mazch 3—at which rime it is scheduled to identify issues for staff follow-up and amendment drafting. Therefore, the Council should lay over these plans untii next Wednesday, Mazch 3. Please contact me with any questions or comments on these plans. Please note that this memo and attachments have also been emailed to you. attachments cc: Ken Ford and Lazry Soderholm, PED Gerry Strathman and Nancy Anderson, Council Reseazch Phil Byrne and PeYer Wamer, City Attorney's Office a� -t�� cirY couNCi� PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill developmen� New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Coogerarion from the Metr000litan Council and Metro Transit is �� necessarv to accomplish this eoal. PED Staff Comment: Metro Council is very supportive of somewhat higher density housing near transit. Does the extra language add anything at this point? 2. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. throueh the Public Works Department should encouraee public infrastructure that �� romotes ' . Streets and sidewalks that aze edestrian frienc and visual v annealino are imrnrt�nt aFl�,. �++wP_m,....P�� .....e -....rt,,.,.a.. � PED Staff Comment: This is appropriate reinforcement to add. 3. Author Chris Coteman; Location insert page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emereine maior emnlovment center good access bypublic transit is a hi nrioritX obiective for all industrial. commercial and residenrial develo�ment of the Phalen Q� Corridor. jThis amendment woutd result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 4. Author Mike Harris; Location inrert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit develooments within the Riverview corridor shouid be incoroorated into the exisrin¢ residen6al. commercial and environmental chazacter of the corridor In narticulaz. nhvsical imnrovements should not disturb naiurai amenities in the corridor such as Crosbv Pazk. Hidden Falls Park and the MississiDniRiver Boulevard Pazk I� � 5. � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTfON FROM PED STAFF FOR #4: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit Pierce Butler Route. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more � sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiri partic�ation will be sou t for °I� 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public ��—iransit access will be an ob�ective for all redevelo�ment efforts of the Crreat Northem Corridor. 1. Author Jerry Blakey; Locarion page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by ptanning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction � in repional emissions of air�ollution as guanrified bv instruments which measure O pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioacide cazbon monoxide ozone and nitrogen dio�de. An example of such an instrument would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored bv the Minnesota Pollution Control Aeenc� and the Environmental Protection A eg ncv 8. Aufhor Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.2 T'he City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to ��—. �e substantiallv decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appeazance. PED Staff Comment: Virtually all industry has some negative environmental impact. There is a cost associated with decreasing it We cannot assume that the cost is acceptable in all cases of negative environmental impact. 9. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts through runway design, flight ��pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si 'ficant and nroblematic airport land use imnacts for the Ciri include the attractiveness of neazby sites for lone-term pazkin for airport customers and for storage and servicing of rental cazs. 10. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 52 fif3h paragraph: 7.6.1 i14SF-an� Holman Field airports is are-bet3� very important to Saint Paul's economy and qualtiy of life. The � � City supports maintaining and improving this airport H� in its �keir present locations (`� ° with full attenrion to noise mitigation. PED Staff Comment: We believe that the poiicy of general support for both airports in their present locations is important. This is something that the MetropolRan Council will be looking for �r�� in our plan. The City of Minneapolis, which has far greater problems with intemffiional airport operations than we do, nevertheless supports improvemeM of the airport in its present location in their comQrehensive Qlan. 11. Author Mike Harris; Location irrsert page 34 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. MSP International Airoort is utililized bv Saint Paul's businesses and residents The City should encouraee the airport to be compatable with Saint Paul's existine residenrial and commercial chazacter. Actions that Saint Paui should encourage are• I) restricting new fliehts over Saint Paul's neiehborhoods• 2) enforcing federal noise miti ag tion reyuiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 3) Locating on-airport locations for land uses such ��-1\33 as car rental service and storage. that conflict with Saint Paul land use oals. jThis amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6 3 through 7.6.6.J � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTION FROM PED STAFF FOR #8: 7.6.2. The Citv encouraqes the intemationsal airoort to take the steps it can to ensure improvina compatl �� with Saint Paul's existina residential and commercial character. Actions should include: 1 restrictinq new fliqhts over Saint Paul's neiahborhoods� 2) enforcinq federal noise mitiaati services needs. (This amendment would result in a 2numbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 12. Author Jay Benanav irrsert page ?0 as fourth paragraph: #10 Studv altematives and propose amendment to the zonin� code which would distineuish between small and lazee truckine onerations. Consider altematives such as a snecial restricrions on large trucking firms and nropose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low emplo�ee densit.y ��--Yruckina use of industrial land. The nronosed amendment should act to make consistent vinth re�d to truckin�uses the zoning code and hi density emplovment reauirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressine intensive use of industrial land. � � -1133 CITY COUNCtL PROPOSED AMENDMENTS - ADDENDUM TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 13. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservarion. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) ischargch > , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote heritage preservation and the citv's historic chazacter. It is an advisorv bodv to the Mauor and CitXCouncil on heritaee nreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites. buildin�s, and dishicts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve building,,permits for most types of exterior work concernine designated buildin�s and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preseroarion Districts.) - � � . In the case of four of the five locai historic dishicts—Dayton's Bluff. Lowertown. Irvine Park and Historic Hill—nreservation has been used auite successfullv as a tool for communit�develonment and revitalization, build� on a nrimary asset of these neighborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic chazacter is one of our stron¢ assets, and one which distinguishes this Cit +�from surrounding suburban communities. 14. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildines and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelo�ment costs. It is difficuit, and often unpossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Aeritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the storic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. � ^ �g -It 33 CITY COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THE LAND USE PLAN 1. From Councilmember Harris regarding Policy 3.3.4 on page 14: Please explain how the City would express its interests and affect the development of suburban East Metro communiries? At the Metropolitan Council? At the state legislature? At the federal level? Directly to ffie communities themselves? Please elaborate. PED STAFF RESPONSE: Policy development at the metropolitan level is certainly one way. Saint Paul had significant impact on the metropolitan growth strategy through the early participation of the Planning Commission as well as the Mayor and City Council. The City should be heazd at the Metropolitan Council if the growth strategy is not effectively unplemented in subwban areas and if housing goais are not met. At the state legislature certainly: powers of the Metropolitan Council, regional transit, resources for housing, resowces for the Livable Communities accounts. Direct action with communities is very limited; we do review amendments to their comprehensive plans and they review ows. 2. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Downtown Parking Policy, Policy 4.2.4, page 20: Is it counterproducrive to transportation planning and transit initiatives to state in Policy 4.2.4., ihat more parking must be built downtown. PED STAFF RESPOI3SE: The apparent conflict of support for additional pazking along with policies to promote public transit was raised a number of times during community discussion. Downtown parking is driven by market demand (our zoning code does not require parking downtown) and we do not believe that we aze in a position to put a cap on it; that is, to add a prohibition against building the parking they need to the obstacles a company or developer faces in a downtown locarion. We suspect that transit will have to become viable and amactive for much more of the region's population than it is now before a pazking cap is a reasonable option. Other means to encourage transit use and the best overall management of parking resources are probably the measures we have to focus on now. 3. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: Why is Highway 61 not considered a major transit corridor in the east metro? Piease compare traffic counts on Highway 61 to those on Shepazd Road and University Avenue. PED STAFF RESPONSE: The concept of a transit corridor in the City is a route that connects a great deal of popularion and activity along its way as well as leading to significant desrinations. On a transit corridor, both land use and transit provisions can be managed to benefit from each other. Somewhat higher density of activity and population makes good public transit more efficient. Better public transit ariracts those people and activities that want to take advantage of it. q�-1\3` Highway 61 is a high-volume mute. It probably serves a significant number of commuters on buses from fairly long distances, but it is not integrated with residences and business acrivity in a way that gives it promise as a transit corridor. 4. From Councilmem6er Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: [Per Council Research: PED inadvertently omited a response to this issue. The response is forthcoming.] 5. From Councilmember Harris regarding Figure U on page 46: What criteria were used to select transit hubs? Is it volume of transit use? Intersection of transit routes? Was there community involvement? Please describe the public processes used to select hubs. Are there existing plans for these hubs? Do these plans involve land acquisirion or eminent domain? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The figure does not identify transit hubs. It identifies "transit destinations(significant transfer points" which aze idenrified in the Transportation Plan. They were determined by locating important intersecting routes and obvious destination points. There aze not now plans for hubs at these points and the plan does not assume that a major hub facility would be appropriate for all of these. Certainly we should expect to find those places where a major inter-model interchange would enhance the transit system to be among these identified transfer points. This map went through the same public dialogue process as the rest of the land use pian, and, in fact, had earlier community review when the Transportation Plan was developed. 6. From Councilmember Benanav regording I-1 Zoning and Trucking: Because suburban communities like Roseville are now prohibiting trucking operations from locating in their azeas, we need to discourage these businesses from locating in our I-1 district. Trucking companies don't employ a lot of people, they take up a lot of space, and they're very disruptive to neighborhood life. Is there a way to regulate our land use through zoning limiting the type of low density per acre employment? PED STAFF RESPONSE: Given the number of e�sting fums and the importance of a trucking funcrion in some light industrial areas, we think some provision for them is probably necessary. However, it may well make sense to distinguish between small and large trucking firms and limit light industrial areas to small firms. A study to do tlus can be added to the list of zoning implementation measures. 7. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Intermodal Hubs: In the midst of a national "explosion" of intermodal hub activity, what can we do to prevent further expansion of intermodal hubs in Saint Paul? � s -1133 �� PED STAFF RESPONSE: We believe we have done all that we can in the zoning code to limit further expansion of intermodal hub acrivity in the City. We have to rely on aggressive enforcement of the requiretnents for 1,000-foot distance from residenrial property, landscaping and sound barriers, no unreasonable disturbance, and access from truck routes. 8. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Transit: Is it possible or appropriate to reopen the transporation plan to strengthen transit initiatives and altematives, like the Metropass Progam. PED STAFF RESPONSE: While the Transportarion Chapter can certainly be amended, specific programs like this aze probably more effectively dealt with as implementation measures on an annual basis. 9. From Councilmember Benanav regarding LRT. If the transit vision committee gets some broad consensus, which now includes Chamber support, for LRT, should we address that more specifically before we submit the plan? PED STAFF RESPONSE: We can't be confident that we'll have that much cleazer a vision about LRT in time for this submission. This may be a place for a later amendment if the vision that evolves isn't supported by the current plan. 10. Ftom Councitmember Coleman regarding LRT: Does the Land Use Plan in any way determine where an LRT corridor should be developed in the City of Saint Paul? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route. Rather, the Land Use Plan focuses on transit-oriented development. Both the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors have been discussed in the community as options to connect to the Hiawatha Corridor from downtown Minneapolis to the International Airport. LRT is not mentioned in the discussion of either corridor in the Land Use Plan. Za�� Z � a�-11�3 cinr couNCi� QUESTIONS FOR STAFF - ADDENDUM ON THE LAND USE PLAN t- L' s l: � 10. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The six primary and several secondary �ansit corridors were identified in the Transportation Plan and adopted with the adoption of that chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. The factors involved in their selection include: • Established transit routes with high ridership • Interconnections among routes wiUun the city • Access to major activity centers • Major destinations within and outside of the city Interconnections with regional routes DevelopmenUgrowth potential where better transit can be a positive factor The Transportation Plan says of transit corridors: "The Transit Comdor development concept calls for frequent, fast, reliable and efficient transit service, with a high level of transit amenities and transit centers, along linked corridors that haue high job concentrations, population density, transit dependency, and opportunity for redevelopment. The concept can be implemented with the existing bus system, but also can accommodate options for dedicated busways and/or light rail transit." From Councilmember Coleman regarding LRT.• Does the Land Use Plan in any way detemune where an LRT corridor shouid be developed in the City of Saint Paul? REVISED PED STAFF RESPONSE: The Land Use Plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route or even menrion LRT in the discussions of the West Seventh and University Avenue corridors. Rather, the Land Use Pian recognizes the benefit that the comdors provide for integrated plamiing of land use changes with transit improvement. makes cleat that the corridor concept does not depend on new meaningful. Policy 79 of the Transportation Plan does say that :ntral corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown riority for development of transitways--busways and(or LRT--in u Y` �� "" � �� s �`'�� r..� �,�_�� 1 1 � LAND USE PLAN � � � I � A Chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for City Caunci! Action � � � � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planning Commission September 25, 1998 �� -1133 � � SAINT PAUL � LAN D USE PLAN A Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan � Draft for City Council Action � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planni�g Commission, Septem6er 25, 1998 � ■ � � � � � � [� 1_� � Cc�naprehd:rasi�.•e Flan i 0��-113�3 � � � � � � � � � � Contents Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) 1 �O Strategy 1: A V"ital City Center Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopment Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship and Urban Amenity Imp]ementation Introduction � 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Setting 3. 3.� 32 Objective 3.3 Objective 3.4 3.5 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process 9 Purpose of the Land Use P1an 10 "fime Frame � � 1'hemes of the Land Use Plan ] 1 E�tistlng Land Use Land Use TTends and Assumptions Equitable Metropolitan Development River Landforms Ten Principles for City Development Strategy 1: A Vital, Growing City Center ��0 Objective 4. ] Saint Pau7 on the Mississippi Development � Fromework Implementation Objective 4.2 The Complete Docvntown Mix Objective 4.3 Riverfront Developmenk � Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections Objective 4.5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages � � � � � {� Su�ategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Viliages lI�O Objective 51 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Development Ob}ective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing Objective 5.5 Balanced'IYansportation System Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation ,2 12 ]2 13 14 15 18 ]9 20 20 20 22 24 25 27 29 29 31 32 32 33 35 a $ -113 3 �` Cc�rnpreherayi�.•e Plan g Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopmenf 6 �o Objective 6 1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Objective 6.2 River Corridor Objective 6.3 Midway (University Avenue/I-94 Corridor) objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor Objective 6.5 Riverview/W. Seventh Street Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship 7 �0 Objective 7.1 Mississippi National River and RecreaTion Area (MNRRA) 'IYer II Status Objective 7.2 Natural Landscape for Topographic Features Objective 7.3 Air Quality: "f7ansportation and Industry Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Objective 7.5 Soii Cleanup/Brownfield Reclamation Objective 7.6 Airport Noise and Airport Objedive 7.7 Access to Solar Energy x /� I�tementation Y�0 81 Citywide Land Use Map 8.2 Map Summary of Redevelopment Opportunities 8.3 Neighborhood Planning 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions 8.5 Capital improvements 8.5 Intergovernmental Action 8.6 Urban Design Appendices 9 �o Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. Land Use Trends and Assumptions Existing Land Use and Projected Change Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan Sensitive Resource Maps Sewers Inflow and Infiltration C red�ts 37 37 38 40 4I 42 44 45 45 4� 47 49 50 50 51 51 54 55 55 55 55 60 60 61 61 62 62 65 69 71 74 79 �� 4 Cif�� ot�5t. Pr�u3 [J �� Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) � �2: .J �isidf �r.?ITf,i �v� i`�li:�'I: IS c ,e ',i�.. - �r n" f •;-° ' t�` C:i �,�Z.. �OT i�tc. Cic��,tf i� �LSI��ai£'S ?�u'�iPL' �:'OZIS.Y?6, � 'J: tC�S, il,t�LtS��:S, � L�� ,�ti�..`� 3"!t3��.t'1C� �L"':�c�.'�i�i:� 4n d��'C�:is fC��t.�1Lr�(": ?"�L`3�`i.°,ti?�rl��?Z ;�PL7�1n.t?�. l i�,�?t'�.�itl.Y�c?�'�S i?: ?.I7.°. L;7??u' �:S,°. �xti{Yt CI��' ?(J �YiCC?td:"CZ, j3��i'C€i�" ZI?1'ijiii�ist II: r`1�1C s.. y% LI�Cd� CO £�-'i,i1L�� piiil'IC � ?? �i .•��Lni1? tt,'rc�n;c'::%�<_:�: si�zt e?�htar7Ces e�is�� cotn ,;un: ll�'� G�i:� Lt!L'' �ic��.,��Qi �}�'Yi�n:�f�.'." � � � � � � The Land Use Plan is one of the chapters of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. Other citywide chapters dea] with Housing, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Libraries, Water Management, Sewers, and the River Corridor. Many neighborhoods also have plans which have been approved previously by the Pianning Commission and the City Council. The City is required to update the Comprehensive Plan in 1998. The current land use plan was adopted in 1980. After public hearings and consideration of the public comments, the Planning Commissiott will forward the plan to the City Council. The City Council wiil review it and submit it to the Metropolitan Council, which is coordinating municipal plans throughout the metropolitan area as part of its regional growth management program. After receiving the Metropolitan Council's comments, the City Council will adopt the final plan. Change in the city is continuous; there are small changes in stable neighbor- � hoods and large changes in redevelopment areas. This plan puts most of it's emphasis on areas where redevelopment is happening or should happen dur- � ing the next ten or twenty years. But it also recommends the urban village concept as a goa] for smaller changes within fully developed neighborhoods. � During the next decade the city has an opportunity to grow by building new housing. With the metropolitan region growing and baby boomers becom- . ing empty nesters, there is a market for downtown and townhouse living. � Saint Paul's goal is to build 400 new housing units per year and to add 9.000 households in the city between 199Q and 2�20. � � The 1990s have seen more economic growth in the city than housing growth. The goal of the Land Use Plan is to achieve I8,00o net additional jobs between 1990 and 2020, which is double the Metropolitan Council's job growth projection for Saint Paul. � Cc��n,�rehzn4i�,•e Plan 5 q�-��33 Strategy 1: A Vital City Center Downtown should continue to be the "capital" of the East Metro area, a center of business, govemment, culture, entertainment, and hotels. • Downtown, including the Capitol Area and the central riverfront, will grow by roughly 9,000 more jobs and 3,000 more housin� units by 2020. The Land Use Plan affirms the policies of the Saint Paul on fhe Mississippi Development FYamework, which is the downtown and riverfront plan completed in 1997. Key policies that reflect Framework conclusions include: building new urban villages, improving public spaces beginning with Wabasha Street, and designing buildings to meet the sidewalk and promote public life on downtown streets. Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages • The ciTy is composed of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood should have a range of housing types suitable for people at all stages of life and a range of housittg prices. Each neighborhood needs to have a successful niche in the housing market so that home values rise paraliel to increas- es in the metropolitan housing market. • Having transportation altematives to the automobile is an important benefit of city living. Saint Paul neighborhoods should be accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. New housing and more jobs should be located along the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors, which are the two highest priority public trattsportation corri- dors in the city. • Neighborhood commercial strips built during the streetcar era should be preserved and retain their pedestrian-oriented design. Commercial build- ings should be located along the sidewalk. In these areas the Zoning Code should no longer allow parking lots in front of new buildings, except for gas stations. • 4,50o new housing units need to be built outside of the downtown area by 2020. (ASSUming 1,500 units will be demolished, the net growth will be 3,000 units.) The Planning Commission will ask neighborhood organi- zations to help plan where this housing can be developed throughout the city. 6 L:iPj�� ot 3t. FGUi � � i � � � � � � � � � � � � Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth • In addition to downtown, redevelopment efforts over the ne�ct 20 years should focus on five corridors: the River Corridor; Universiry Avenue and the Midway; the Phalen Corridor; the West Seventh Corridor; the Great Northem (Como) Corridor. These corridors include many large redevelop- ment sites that can be linked to�ether and can provide new economic vitality to the neighborhoods near them and to the city as a whole. They provide good opportunity for linking new housing, jobs and transportation. � • Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill redevelopment. New urban housing near bus service wiil help to support transportation alternatives and neighborhood busi- ness centers. • Cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields (polluted industrial sites) is a high priority for the city. Significant public funding is necessary to level the playing field between these sites and suburban greenfields. Regional, state, and federal assistance is necessary to accomplish this importani task. Figure A: Five Corridors for Growih ��.��33 �' CL�TI3,�YE�7f.'XiSd4'� F']tX1i f Strategy 4: Environmentai Stewardship In the River Corridar, the City recognizes that there will be a shift away from industry and toward recreation, housing, and mixed use. The river will continue to be a working river and industries, especially river- dependent industries, wili continue to be located along segments of Shepard Road and downstream from the Robert Street bridge. • The city's natural topography relates most of the ciry to the river. Bluffs, ravines, and wetlands should be protected and enhanced as urban amenities. • The City supports the green corridors project of the state DNR, which plans to fund the restoration and pxotection of land with native habitats and to connect them with parks and trails. In Saint Paul, the river valley and the Troutbrook Reach are parts of the DNR plan. Implementation Neighborhood planning is essential to refine and implement citywide land use policies. But with dozens of existing full-length neighborhood plans, the City's Comprehensive Plan has become unmanageable and difficult to understand. In the future, the City Councii, on recommendation from the Pianning Commission, will adopt summaries of neighborhood (or other sub-area) plans that highlight decisions appropriate to Ciry development poiicy. When neighborhood plans are adopted, discrepancies between adopted citywide plans and neighborhood plans must be reconciled so that the Comprehensive Plan is intemally consistent. • As soon as this ptan is adopted, the City will undertake revision of the Zoning Code to make its maps and regulations consistent with the pIan. There will be public participation in the zoning revisions. Pubiic investments are needed to initiate major land use changes. The Land Use Plan contains a list of capital budget investments for redevei- opment projects and neighborhood revitaiization activities. Intergov-em- mental funding is needed for pollution clean-up, public transit, housing, redevelopment and major infrastructure costs. Urban design concepts need to be effectively applied to development projects in the city. The Saint Paul Design Center has recentIy been established through the collaboration of a number of organizations. Its mission can be advanced through utilization of this Land Use Plan as well as through public education, neighborhood planning, and design guidelines or regulations. 8 c.it�� e�t St. �au1 � r � introduction � � � � � � �� A 2.1 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process The Land Use Plan is the city's "floor plan" for development. There are many major development concepts and neighborhood improvement strate- gies taking form in Saint Paul. Some examples are the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development FYamework, the Phalen Corridor Initiative, planning for the Riverview (West Seventh), University Avenue, and Great Northern transit corridors and for Ayd Mill Road, and neighborhood plans for the West Side, Dayton's Bluff, Selby Avenue, and Hamline-Midway. How well do all of these concepts and plans fit together? The Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan try to ensure that the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. Saint Paul is not an island. Implementing major plans depends in large part on public and private resources beyond the control of city government. The Regional Blueprint of the Metropolitan Council makes revitalization of the central cities and older suburbs a tog priority. In Saint Paul half the housing units and much of the infrastructure were built before World War II. Like other older American cities, Saint Paul needs supportive policies and pro- grams from higher levels that affect broader real estate markets and private location decisions to foster reinvestment and redevelopment and to imple- ment regional policy. The current round of planning provides an opportunity for reinvestment in older parts of the metropolitan area. State law requires all Tv✓in Cities municipalities to update their comprehensive plans by the end of 1998. Saint Paul's last citywide Land Use Plan was written in 1980 and has not been updated, although many neighborhood plans have been developed since then. At the end of 1998, Saint Paul's Comprehensive Plan will be part of an up-to-date regional growth management strategy that has strength- ening the urban core as one of its basic goals. Many land use recommendations are implemented through zoning. Recent changes in Minnesota law require that zoning be consistent with municipal land use plans. Therefore, this Land Use Plan wi11 carry more legai clout than the 1980 Land Use Plan carried and the City will have to keep the Comprehensive Plan up-to-date. Cr�rnprehc� Plan y 2,2 Purpose of the Land Use Plan The generaI purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: 1. To set a framework for preserving and enhancing existing communities, commercial and industrial districts, and the natural environment,.and to ensure that this framework is supported by transportation and other Comprehensive Plan policy 2. To encourage private investment. 3. To guide public investments in urban presenraUon, revitatization, and redevelopment. 4. To stimulate and coordinate actions among private, nonprofit, and public development organizations and provide a framework for community stakeholders. 5. To outline govemmental actions that will help meet the needs of people for land for housing, employment, business opportunity, recreation, edu- cation, and other uses. More specific purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: • To support the Comprehensive Plan themes of providing for growth, enhancing the quality of place, and supporting community weli-being. • To identify the major redevelopment and revitalization opportunities in the city and establish criteria for evaluating them. • To provide land use themes and guides that communiry groups can use in their planning and that the Planning Commission can use in reviewing neighborhood plans and proposed development. • To promote a balance of land uses in the city to strengthen the city's tax base. • To encourage and assist real estate developers to make investments in Saint Paul at a time when government subsidies for urban reinvestment are constrained. • To inter-relate land use and transportation to minimize traffic congestion and to reduce dependence on automobiles. • To take advantage of antzcipated regional growth by attracting a signifi- cant share of residential, commerc4al, and industrial development to Saint Paul. • To take advantage of regional and national trends in urban development, such as brownfield reclamation, mixed use, traditional neighborhood design, and ecological development patterns. 10 cit�� c�t 5t. �a�a� � ' � � � � � � � � � �', � �� 2.3 Time Frame The broad horizon for this plan is 2020, consistent with the Metropolitan Council's projections for population, households, and employment. By state law, the plan will need to be updated at least every ten years, but more fre- quent amendment will be required if the plan is to keep pace with chan�es that cannot be predicted. 2.4 Land Use Plan Strategies Strategy 7: A Vtaf City Center Downtown Saint Paul, including the riverfront and the Capitol Area, will continue to be the primary center of the East Metro area, and should be a weli-rounded downtown where people live, work and shop and enjoy cul- tural and recreational opportunities. Strategy 2: {Veighborhoods as Urban Vllages Saint Paul will continue to be a city of diverse neighborhoods. Each wiil be a good place to live and raise a family and invest in a house. Each will have housing suitable for people at different stages of life and with different incomes. Traditional neighborhood design wi11 be maintained because it supports healthy community life. Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth Redevelopment opportunities are often linked to changes in transportation systems. Old land use pattems ate changing along the river and the rail- road corridors. Land use patterns in the city are still adjusting to the free- way system. Efforts to increase public transportation ridership will also pre- sent redevelopment opportunities. Redevelopment should be focused on transportation corridors. Strategy 4: Environmentat Stewardship Saint Paul is reclaiming its river heritage. By 2020, most of the river valley will be green and the river park system will be more fully developed. Industry will also remain in several areas of the River Corridar. Most neigh- borhoods wiil be connected to the river by trails and natural landscaping along ravine edges. The city's air, water, and soils should alt be cleaner. Ct�na�rPeh t°n� i�'e Plcxn i i q�,��3� The Set#ing EXISTING LAND USE, SUMMARY Type oF Land Use Percent Residential 35 Commercial Industrial Parks and Open Space Public and Insritutlonal Rivers Lakes, Wetlands Vacant 3.1 Existing Land Use Saint Paul is about 56 square miles in size. One third of the land area is in residenYial use, and of that, 87 percent is occupied by single family homes and duplexes. A summary of land use by major category is shown to the left. A more compiete breakdown is inciuded in Appendix B. q Most land uses in Saint Paul will not change. They're built and they're 14 going to stay. The question is whether they will be viable and healthy. The 13 challenge for both public and private leaders is to guide the city and the q region so that the private market for existing buildings and neighborhoods 9 remains (or becomes) strong and people reinvest in Saint Paul. 14 Between 1990 and 2020, approximately five percent of the land in the city source: i9as 1and use survey by PEn, �11 be redeveloped. Since this five percent is the land most likely to be updated. used differently, it is where the Land Use Plan places the most attention. Smail changes in stable neighborhoods are also very important for the preservation of the city. Change is continuous in al] parts of the city. The urban village theme in the Land Use Plan provides objectives for ongoing, smaller changes in stable neighborhoods. 3.2 Land Use Trends and Assumptions The main Yrends and assumptions that underlie the recommendations in this Land Use Plan are as follows: Opportunity for growth. From 1998 to 2020 the'IWin Cities region is pro- jected to grow and Saint Paul can e}cpect to share in the growth by adding 9,000 households and i&,000 jobs. 2. More transportation options. Although freeways and automobiles wilI continue to be the primary mode of transportation, there will be increas- ing reliance on public transportation, bicycling and walking. 12 c".iYy e�F st. Pau? � �� 3. Competitive advantages of a centra] ciry. Downtown and older city neighborhoods have a sense of place and history that is special in a re�ion where suburbs predominate. Large infrastructure investments are already in place and have additional capacity. The mi�cture of people and businesses and housing types and architectural sryles and parks—all within walking distance— creates market opportunities. The city must remain competitive and retain and attract residents, businesses, and institutions. 4. Building the citywide economic base. Economic development is at least as much an issue of jobs and human capital as it is an issue of real estate development. Redevelopment sites in the city should provide significant numbers of jobs that pay family-supporting wages for skilis that fit Saint Paul warkers. The Land Use Plan supports economic development in the downtown, the neighborhood retail areas, and industrial districts. 5. Helping the environment. For the health of the planet, how we live in � urban settings is jusY as important as protecting wildemess, forests, and farmlands. The preservation and enhancement of the urban environment � � ��, � � � � � �' � � is a key ingredient in the region's quality of life. Appendix A expands on this list, giving 17 trends and assumptions for land use planning in Saint Paul. Ob,jective 3.3 Equitabie Metropolitan Development The research of the National League of Cities shows that over the years the economic destinies of central cities and their suburbs are interdependent. Metropolitan areas that have tolerated central city decay have a poorer quality of life, which eventually hurts the suburbs' economic attractiveness to national and intemational investors. Geographically there is increasing physical distance between rich and poor people across the 'Itvin Cities metropolitan area. The trends of increasing poverty and its physical concentration need to be reversed. To change the trend, the City of Saint Paul and community organizations need to keep working on local improvements. But their efforts, no matter how wise and dedicated, will achieve only partial success unless they are matched by action at higher leveis in the public and private sectors. The tendency of housing markets in this country is for newly built homes on the metropolitan edge to be bigger and more costly than older homes near the center. This tendency has been supported by govemmental invest- Cc�rxiprehc°r��i�•E Ffan 13 q�,��3� ment in infrastnxcture, by tax policies (e.g., the mortgage interest deduction and the use of the locat property tax for education), and by the distribution of subsidized housing. These mega-policies in Minnesota and the United States help make central cities in our country different and o8en less vibrant from central cities in Canada and Europe. Policies: 3.3.1 Saint Paul will support an increase in the number of jobs and hous- ing units in the city, and will try to focus growth along transit corridors, thereby supporting the strategies of the Metropolitan Council's Regional Blueprint. 3.32 The City will continue to work with the Metro East Development Partnership to foster connections and cooperation between Saint Paul and its suburbs. 3.3.3 The City will advocate changes to tax and infrastructure policies at the state and federal levels to enhance the opportunities of the central cities and older suburbs in residential, commercial, and industrial real estate markets. 3.3.4 The City should express its interests with regard to how suburban East Metro communities develop. The City supports holding employment centers inside the I-694 beltway, maintaining fairly tight urban growth boundaries, and preserving rural character outside the urban service area. The City opposes the creation of "Edge City" concentrations like the Bloomington strip. 3.3.5 The City should e�press its support and, where appropriate, join in housing programs and projects that contribute to balanced populations (age and income) in communities and neighborhoods throughout the East Metro area. Objective 3.4 River Landforms The relationsMp between the Mississippi River and Saint Paul's develop- ment pattem runs through this whole plan—in Section 4.3 about the down- town riverfront; in Section 6.2 about redevelopment opportunities down- stream from the downtown; in Section 6.5 about redevelopment opportuni- ties along the West Seventh Street corridor; and in Sections 7.1 and 72 about environmental stewardship. During the 1990s, the re-emergence of the river as a key to Saint Paul's identity is seen in the planning and public investment which is setting the stage for new private development. 14 City� nt St. Pcut I r � � � � � � � � � � � A side-benefit of the focus on the river is a new appreciation of the city's landform and how all parts of the city were sculpted by glaciers and the river. Protection of the river corridor and its bluffs will be further addressed in revision of the River Corridor (Critical Area) Plan that will follow adop- tion of this Land Use Plan. Policy: 3.4.1 The City will work to protect and enhance the topographic features of the city, such as the bluffs, ravines, hills, overlooks, ponds, and wet- lands. The City will promote development that is consistent with enhanc- ing the city's physical setting. ( ��«.�� I �� _. s " �.': ".:Xi :,;; �. �»� .* � . '��_. -`�� . � � -.. .��.. Figure B City Landform and Neighborhoods 3.5 Ten Principles for City Development �' The recent Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework, a planning � report for the downtown and central riverfront, contains ten principles that are applicable throughout the city. � � � � Policy: 3.5.1 As development opportunities arise and projects are designed, the City will refer to the Ten Principles for guidance and consistency over time. Com,�srehezzsi�•e Plarf 15 16 City� of S€. Pcul � I � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 f qg-��3 � Gcampreh�•risive Pfan 17 St�'ate�y 1: A Vital, Growing City Center A number of trends demonstrate and support revitalization of the down- town--declining office vacancy rates, major private construcYion, public transportation improvements, increasing number of empty nester house- holds, and deveIopment of riverfront amenities. In 1998 there is a record- setting amount of construction underway in the downtown. Lowertown is already recognized nationally as a successful model of a downtown urban village. The Metropolitan Council's regional policies now support invest- ment at the urban core. Objective 4.1 Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework Implementation The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework is a plan for the downtown and central riverfront completed in 1997. It has won both state and national awards. Policy: 4.1.1 The City, together with many downtown partners, wiil promote the main land use themes of the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework • Re-greening of the doumtown river valley (Great River Park concept) • Bringing people to the riverbanks and bIuff lines • Connectivity, or complementarity, of each land use with others nearby • Creating new mixed use urban villages to frame the office core • Designing streets to accommodate transit, bikes, and pedestrians as well as cars • Improving the public realm beginning with Wabasha Street • Downtown parks as centers for development • Designing buildings and promoting land uses to meet the street and increase pedestrian activity on the sidewalks • Continuous urban fabric so that Yhe streets are interesting for pedestrians Figure C shows major land use directions for the downtown. 18 eity� c�f 5t. P�ut r � � � � � � �J � � � � � � � � � IJ Objective 4.2 A Complete Downtown Mix (Office, Retaii, Government, Arts, Entertainment, Visitors, and Housing) Policies: 4.2.1 Downtown Saint Paul should retain its position as the "capital" of the East Metro region; both the City and business organizations should promote it as such. East Metro residents should feel proud of their down- town and want to take visitors there. 4.2.2 Downtown Saint Paul should continue to evolve as more than a central business district. It should have all of the land uses of a healthy downtown—office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations, and housing. People should live, work, and recreate downtown. 4.2.3 The City supports the building design guidelines in the Saint Pau! on the Mississippi Development f7amework, which emphasize the urban design quality of buildings at the street level. Each building, including parking ramps, should contribute to the life of the street and contribute to the public realm. This is especially important for the Wabasha-Saint Peter corridor, the Rice Park and Mears Park areas, and the other pro- posed urban village areas. Figure C: "{ t/�� " Downtown Land Use Directions � Cenaprehsn;r'v�e PI�n 19 4.2.4 As the downtown grows, more public parking must also be built; but, at the same time, the City and downtown employers should work pro-actively to improve bus service, increase bus ridership, and provide for bicycling and walking to work. Objective 4.3 Riverfront Development 4.3.1 Figure C and Figure O(page 39) show the best current ptans for sites along the downtown riverfiront—the Upper Landing, Shepard koad, Harriet Island, Wabasha-Robert, the land around the former Department of Revenue Building. Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections The State Capitol Area is a beautiful amenity and state employment is a large stable economic base for the ciry. 4.4.1 The Capitol Area should become an anchor far reinvestment and infill development in the surrounding areas through cooperative actions by the city and state governments, private developers, and community development corporations. See Figure D. 4.4.2 The City government agrees with the land use concepts in the Comprehensive Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol Area done in 1997 by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board. See Figure E. Even though the plan identifies a Capitol "campus," new buildings should be designed as an open part of the city. They should relate to the streets and communities outside the campus; the edges of the campus should not seem closed off or unneighborly. 4.4.3 The City will encoarage state offrce development and leasing to select Saint Paul sites that help to link the Capitoi with downtown and to intermix state office and downtown buildings. As a second priority, other city locations, weII connected to the capitol area on major streets, may be appropriate for some state office buildings. 20 �.[�� c�f St_ �aut � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Figure D a�`�� Development Areas Around the State Capitol Figure E Capitol Area Land Use � Cc�mpPahc:rtsiU'e P#c�'tt 21 Objective 4,5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages Figure F Urban Viliage Opportanities Downtown 4.5. i The City's goal is to build 3,000 housing units in iinked urban villages around the downtown and on the West Side flats by 2020 (see Figure F) and create live-work environments throughout the downtown. Preliminary planning should proceed for all potential urban village locations, recognizing that beFore construction starts priorities among the altematives will need to be set both for public investment and for market absorption. In 1998 the four sites indicated on the map are the priorities for planning. (Note: A more detailed discussion of opportunities for new housing is found in Section 5,4.) Emerging Urban Vliages proposed Urban Vllages 1. Concord-Robert 6. Northeast Quadrant 17. Lower Landing 2. Irv'me Park 7. Fitzgerald Park �2. The Esplanade 3. Rice Park 8. Northwesi Aark 73. South Wabasha 4. West Seventh 9. Upper Landing Bridgehead 5. Lowercown '10. Kellogg Mall '14, Harriet Island 22 CIt' OT St. F+cfAI � � ��t� � 4.5.2 For downtown urban villages, the Design Center should promulgate � design guidelines that will be helpful for new development attracted by the opportunities and that can be suppor[ed through land sales and financing L agreements and through the City's site plan review process. (In the down- town zoning districts, all urban village ]and uses are already permitted.) � � � � � � �, �' � � � � � � t Cc>rz�preheza��'�,�e Pl�n 23 St�ate�y 2: Neighborhoods as Urban �Ilages Saint Paut is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizarions. It is long-standing City policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Figure G Suburban ^Pod^ During the 1990s a new national movement cailed New Urbanism advo- Developmeni Compared to Traditional Neighborhood Design cates "urban villages" or "traditional neighborhood development;' two terms used to describe physical development pattems which closely resem- ble most of Saint Paul's neighborhoods. The popularity of traditional neigh- borhood development will help the marketing of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Source: Town Planning Collaborative, Minneapolis 24 Cfi�� c�i St. P�u7 . Suburban "POD" Development Land �ses segregated, arterial tra�c congestion Traditional Neghborhood Development Land uses compact and integrated, short trips � c��-�t3 Urban villages are contrasted with the dominant trend of auto-dependent � suburbs with their subdivisions of homogeneous housing, large business parks, and shopping malls ringed by asphalt. (See Figure G.) New Urbanists � � � � � � � � � � � � criticize this dominant suburban development pattern on environmental, sociological, and economic �rounds. Many suburbs are now trying to recre- ate the physical sense of community that Saint Paul neighborhoods already have. (See Figure H.) The Livable Communities Program of the Metropolitan Council, which makes urban development grants to municipalities, is based largely on wban village principles. This is not to suggest that there is one mold for city neighborhoods. There are many physical foYms for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, for exam- ple: • Saint Anthony Park: Most like the "pure village" model with a small com- mercial center and well-defined neighborhood boundaries. • Macalester Groveland: Small commercial centers scattered at almost every intersection of coliector streets. • Highland Park: One laTge shopping district that is a hybrid of pedestrian and automobile site planning. • Battle Creek: SunRay Shopping Center and Suburban Avenue together make an even larger automobile-scaled center for a post-Worid War II neighborhood. As mentioned in the previous section on downtown, Saint Paul has a few large, cleared sites where new urban villages may be built. But it is even more important for the city to use traditional neighborhood development concepts for protecting and reinforcing the strengths of the city's existing neighborhoods. Objective 5.1 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Policies: 51.1 The City, neighborhood organizations, developers and realtors should use the urban village principles listed below, which are con- densed from the Charter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, for assessing neighborhoods and promoting the advantages of city living. � • Good neighborhoods are compact and pedestrian-friendly. - • Good neighborhoods have a mixture of land uses. • Good neighborhoods have a broad range of housing types. !' • Good neighborhoods are designed to support mass transit with appropriate land uses and densities within walking distance of public �� transportation. � C�trr�prehc:risi�•� Plan 25 Figure H Comparison of New Urbanism and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Good neighborhoods have commercial, civic, and institutional activity embedded, not isolated in remote, single-use complexes. • Good neighborhoods have schooLs within walking and short bicycling 3istance for most children. • Good neighborhoods have a range of park facilities, from tot-lots to vil- lage greens to ballfields to community gardens. (Large parks and conser- vation areas serve as boundaries between neighborhoods.) • Good neighborhoods are safe and secure. • In good neighborhoods, the architecture and landscaping physically define the streets and public places. Seaside, FL, is the best-known New Ur6anist community in the country. It +s 80 acres in size and has 550 housing units (6.9 units per gross acre). The residential core of the Snelling-Hamline neighbor- hood, shown here at a corre- sponding scale, is about 120 acres with 670 housing units (5.6 units per gross acre). Similarities: New Urbanist Communities and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Grid of streets and alleys • Pedestrian scale blocks • Can walk to shops and transit • Institutional buildings within neighborhood • Mixture of houses, duplexes, and apartments • Porches in front; garages in back 26 iity> af St. Fc�ul �. t 5.1.2 Neighborhood planning participants should consider the social and � economic factors implied in the notion of "village" as well as physical design factors, which are emphasized on the precedin� list. Of course, � social and economic factors are sometimes beyond the control of either the nei�hborhood or even the City. Available responses may only partial- ly address underlying problems. � � 1_i Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Deve{opment 52.1 In traditional neighborhoods, the City will support compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity. Mixed use reduces transportation time and cost. National surveys show � that, on average, city residents drive only half as many miles per year as suburban dwellers, primarily because each trip is shorter in the city. � � � � � � � � 52.2 At neighborhood commercial centers, the City, in collaboration with individual neighborhoods and business districts, will give more attention to the pedestrian realm and wil] implement design guidelines for pedes- trian districts, beginning with a half-dozen prototype areas. (See Figure I for candidate areas for pedestrian-oriented design guidelines.) If design guidelines for neighborhood commercial centers take the form of regula- tions, they might work through the City's site plan review process or the creation of design districts. Any regulatory process should have a fast- track for plans that clearly support the village center concept. Urban vil- ]age design concepts can be promoted through public education and neighborhood planning. 5.2.3 The design guidelines for pedestrian-oriented village centers should include the following: • Buildings out to the sidewalk • Parking lots to the side and rear of buildings, not in front • Parking lots screened from the street • Human-scale lighting • Architecture that respects the neighborhood context • Windows to the sidewalk � 5.2.4 To promote the workability of mixed land uses, the City will use zoning, licensing and environmental regulations to prevent and mitigate land use conflicts along boundaries between residential areas and com- � 1� mercial or industrial areas. ��,,►3� � Ct>IXi�FIC�"fP.73SFVE ]'�uTt Q7 FigureJ Design Guidelines for Pedestrian Overlay Districts 28 Cityr nt'5t. Pau7 Figure I Pedestrian Neighborhood Co�nmercia) Centers , � , � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Objective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values 5.3.1 Each of the seventeen planning districts in the city should have life- cycle housing, that is, a mixture of single-family houses, townhouses, condominiums, apartments, and seniors housing. People of all ages should be able to live conveniently in every part of the city. 5.3.2 The City will support expansion of the range of housing values in each neighborhood, especially in low-income areas. As govemment hous- ing programs shrink, it becomes even more essential to the whole city that every neighborhood find a self-sustaining niche in the real estate market. Every neighborhood should provide for a sound economic housing invest- ment. 5.3.3 The Planning Commission will propose for consideration a Zoning Code amendment allowing accessory ("mother-in-law") apartments in owner-occupied, large single family houses. Accessory units are current- ly illegal in Saint Paul. Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing 5.4.1 The City will promote building new housing to meet the growing market of empty nesters as the baby boom ages. There is a substantial growing demand for market rate townhouses, condominiums and apart- ments with high amenities. Figure K shows how the market for city living could grow in Saint Paul aver the next twenty years. 1997 1998 2010 2020 7�4etrit go�ey . ; `�9sis Gf $prawl �•;. x E{llnbA� ��tg7 `$f$'te�171t�17g'� ":: ��5"" � ;.��" ; H �� H ; ��,_ � .'# ��E�!re�€ � '. 16lprket .: �� '�Y.t��66iriccdCbnbYa� �� -,�{ial�c'�� i!� � w � .., 3:r3aw�s�nFxaflnq • ;. .; 6uiMin9"s" -;. , � (�g �," � ; 4.Irffiki3evdqpiaata�' . i-S`,inaH.#�ltWSehDtds'- L11FierP.iMaqiilslms x:; l�srrekimpravemert� � • Pututc�i}f ., —flnaaSCtmas " '�e�i'e'I�cBS -:�'; a�� Figure K Market for New Urban Housing � CUm,pr�hc:aasi�.�e Plan 29 5.4.2 The City will support private market efforts to build enough new housing to provide a net increase of 6,000 more housing units by 2020. The City accepts the Metropolitan Council allocation of 9,000 more house- holds for Saint Paul as an appropriate, though ambitious, target for growth. New housing should supplement the eacisting stock with new types, complement existing neighborhoods, and strengthen their position in the housing market. Realization of this objective is contingent on mar- ket factors that cannot be easily predicted. Three thousand more house- holds can be housed in e�sGng housing units that were vacant in the base year of 1990. (Vacancy rates in existing housing, that is vacant homes and apartments for sale or for rent, were quite high at six percent.) This leaves a goal of 6,000 net additional housing units to be constructed. Demolition is likely to remove 1,500 units, raising the new construction goal to 7,500. Given slow growth from 1990 to 1998, the city's goal is to have 340 new housing units built per year unti12020. While this may seem to be a large number in a built-up city, it is less than the 10,000 units added between 1970 and 1990. Figure L shows where major sites with potential for new housing are located. Geographically, the goal far housing growth (net increase in housing units, 1990-2020) can be broken down as folIows: D�wntown ancl Rire�'r�nf 3,00(k PIanni�rg Dis�et� I anii 3. exc�pt river flats . 1ti0 Pianniitg Dis�recfs 2, � and 5 6t?f? Plai€nuig Di5tti�s 6, 7, I i7; 11, arid 3,2 900 i�tanni�€g i3isericcs s, 9� t3, i4. I�, �nd ts sf7a Gity�ic2� near �te�gh&orha�d eer�Ye�s �c trus Iin�s �antJ Cit�vicle=��cessory apartmenfs 3afl �at�t �,a� (Appendix B lists potential sites for housing development). 5.4.3 In 1999, the Pianning Commission will ask district councils and community development corporations to help in identifying housing development opportunities throughout the city that are consistent with the objectives of the Land Use and Housing chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. Citywide coordination is essential in order to meet the goal of 9,000 net additional housing units by 2020. Without neighborhood leadership and a sense of fair play among all the neighborhoods in the city, the NIMBY ("not in my back yard") reflex to preserve vacanC lots and oppose addi- tionai housing will almost certainly come forward. Seattle and Portland are examples of cities that work with neighborhood organizations to 30 iit�� af St. �av1 � � � � � � � � � � � � �� achieve city housing goals that support urban villages, transportation altematives, and control suburban sprawl. 5.4.4 The City will use the following guidelines for sites for new housing: • Sites close to amenities where residential value will be sustained over time should be developed with housing. • Housing sites along major transportation corridors and near com- mercial centers should meet the mazkEt demand for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. • Prime sites for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments should be protected from other development that prevents their develop- ment as such. I Objective 5.5 Coordinated Land Use and Transportation � Transportation access and traffic impacts are dominant factors in peoples' decisions about where to live or to open a business. The Transportation Policy Plan, which is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, contains � the City's objectives for protecting neighborhoods from traffic, supporting economic development, and giving citizens transpor[ation choice. � � � 5.5.1 The City will coordinate transportation planning and air quality analysis with land use planning. Coordination is needed from the general level of transportation system design, to corridor studies, down to site plans for new buildings. Ccarr�,pr�hirz�i�.•� PI�n 31 q � .It33 Figure L Potential Housing Development Sites 5.5.2 The City will encourage more housing and jobs to locate along high- service bus routes (15-minute headways during rush hours; 30-minute headways in the off-peak). This recommendation is discussed in more detail in Section 6.8 of this report. Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Large parking lots erode the charm of traditional neighborhoods that were developed in the streetcar era. Surface parking should not be allowed to wreck a neighborhood. Case studies by the Department of Planning and Economfc Development have found that any commerciai area where more land is devoted to parking than to buildings is a bad place for pedestrians. A place like Grand Avenue and Lexington is pedestrian friendly: parking is just barely adequate; it is distributed around and behind buildings; it does not ovenvheim the pedestrian character of the street; and there are enough buildings to define the public realm on the sidewalk . 5,6.1 In pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial centers, the City will support the provision of just enough commerciat parldng in small parking lots fitted into available space. The City will limit the number of curb cuts on commercial blocks. Parking lots should be Iocated at the side or rear of buildings, and primary business entrances should be ori- ented to the sidewalk. (Please refer to the related Sections 5.22 and 52.3.) 5.6.2 As bus service improves, the City will consider reductions in off- street parking requirements for businesses located on bus lines with fre- quent service p 5-minute headways during peak hours; 30-minute head- ways during non-peak hours). Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Parks and open space provide urban amenity and are part of the public realm that shapes urban development. The Parks and Recreation Plan is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and it contains City policy and maps for the park system. The major strategies of the Parks and Recreation Plan are to shape the physical character of the city, to build communiry within neighborhoods, and to focus public resources innovatively. In next five years, expansions of city park lands are planned at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, along Shepard Road, and on the Highwood bluffs. 32 �.ity> �£ St. Fjuui � � LJ r Li � � � L l; � IJ � � E� � � ' � ' ( More is said about parks and land use in Chapter 7 on Environmental Stewardship.) 5.7.1 Community gardening is highly consistent with community-building objectives and is supported by the City. Community �ardens are best located on unbuildable lots or on excess right-of-way or little-used park land where there is suitable soil and access for gardenin�. The City will grant long-term leases on these types of properties so that gardens will benefit from year-to-year improvements. The City will not generally grant long-term leases for community gardening projects on buildable lots where there is clear development potential. 5.7.2 In open space planning, the City will take advantage of opportuni- ties to enhance awareness, enjoyment and protection of its topography and natural setting, the Mississippi River corridor and its tributaries and the bluffs rising from the river, and to strengthen connections to and among natural corridors. Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Institutions and major employers often give identity to the surrounding community, as in the case of Hamline-Midway, Macalester-Groveland, Cathedral Hill, many Catholic parishes, the historic breweries, and 3M. Some institutions have beautiful buildings and campuses and some offer special services that enrich neighborhood life. But institutions and major employers are often subject to major changes. Hospitals have consolidated, and converted buiidings to other health functions. Colleges have expanded; Metro State moved to Dayton's Bluff. Parochiai schools have consolidated; public schools went through a cycle of closings and now are building new schools. Houses of worship have gone through cycles as congregations have moved to the suburbs and been replaced by different congregations or have sold the old property for a different land use. State government, which has approximately 12,000 employees in the city, has dealt with recurring questions about whether to lease or build, whether to disperse or cluster in Saint Paul, whether to locate in the Capitol Area or the downtown or in cheaper locations around downtown with surface parking. Plant closings (Whirlpool, Amhoist, Schmidt, West Publishing, Stroh's) have hit neighbor- hoods hard. In recent years, more institutions and businesses have joined collaborations for community improvement. Some examples are the Campus Compact, Concordia's neighborhood participation, Macalester's High Winds fixnd, Cc>niprehe.ri�i�,�e Pl�rn 33 ��'►133 Metro State and 3M's contributions to the Phalen Corridor Initiative, and projects of the Greater Saint Paul Tomorrow Program led by local founda- tions. (Figure M) Figure M Anchoring Institutioes and Employers Poticies: 5,8.1 The City will encourage and support significant collaborations between institutions and their surrounding communities, such as the ones listed above that are already taking place. 5.8.2 When an institution located in a neighborhood seeks to expand, the Department of Planning and Economic Development should maintain channels for dialogue and try to manage potenUal conflict between The institution and the neighborhood. 5.8.3 Colleges and certain smaller institutions that have landmark build- ings and park Iike grounds in the residential grid contribute strongiy to neighborhood character and quality and provide valuable community resources. Accommodation of their continued presence and heakh should be supported and their positive neighborhood impact strength- ened as changes are made. 3a z:iry� nr sr. f�aral � � � � � � 1 � � � � � � � � � � � � a �,�� 5.8.4 The City will participate with the Saint PaulSChoo1 District to pro- mote neighborhood improvement in conjunction with school construc- tion or major remodelin�. 5.8.5 Neighborhood organizations should capitalize on major local employers and institutions as nei�hborhood economic engines, which may hire local folks, may buy from local suppliers of goods and services, and may invest in nei�hborhood improvement. Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation Saint Paul's Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC), created in 1976, is charged with recommending important sites, buildings, and districts that embody the city's history to the City Council. (See Figure N for locally desig- nated Heritage Preservation Districts.) Initially historic designation was lim- ited to high-style buildings and mansions of the wealthy. Now it is often a part of the revitalization strategies of middle and working class neighbor- hoods; half of the housing units in the city were built before World War II. Policies: 5.9.1 Many parts of the city have historic character and infill construction and renovation generally should respect the traditional character of the immediate neighborhood, even where it is not legally required. 5.9.2 The City Council has previously directed that consideration be given to the preparation of an Historic Preservation Plan for Saint Paul, The scope and usefulness of a plan and the resources available for it wili be assessed. At a minimum, planning for historic preservation in the City in the near future should address 1) building code requirements that may be inconsistent with effective reuse of historic properties and maintenance of historic character, and 2) alternatives to historic district designation that would protect the character of more neighborhoods in a cost-effective way. Possible additional methods might include voluntary design guide- lines, more public education, training for lenders, tax incentives, city loan programs, neighborhood conservation districts, and regulatory flexibility on parking standards and zoning and building codes. 5.9.3 Preserving historic character often adds substantial cost to redevel- opment; it is difficult, and often impossible, to cover this cost with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its part- ner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available financial incentives and recommend means for improvement. � CUmprehc:zzsive P3an 35 Figure N Local Heritage Preservation District 36 Ci�> oF St. Pa�r1 � I a �,,�33 � St�ate�y 3: Corridors for Growth � � � � � Changes in transportation and manufacturing have left several corridors with vacant and underused land which should be reclaimed. Recent corridor studies have brought to public awareness several large redevelopment sites with potential for housing, jobs and increased tax base. Studies or plan implementation are happening in the River Corridor, the University Avenue (Midway) Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northern (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh (Riverview) Corridor. (See Figure A on page 3.) Much of the underused or vacant, and often polluted, industrial land lies within these corridors. While other uses wi11 be possible and appropriate in � some cases, this land is a primary resource for industrial growth. Since 1960, and continuing in the 1990s, land is being reclaimed for modern � industrial development at the rate of approximately 30 acres per year. Land inventory, market demand, and need for economic opportunity and central city growth would support a more rapid rate of reclamation. T.and inventory � and demand would support a rate in the neighborhood of 50 acres per year for the next 20 years. Cleanup and redevelopment costs are the chief obsta- cle to a faster rate of reclamation. � � � � Objective 6.1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Policies: 6.1.1 The City will continue working with community and business orga- nizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several opportunities are interconnected. � 6.12 In corridor redevelopment programs, the City will seek new ways for integrating business and industrial job creation with housing develop- ment and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. Lj � ' 6.1.3 The City and the Saint Paul Port Authority will work with the State of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council, and the private sector to achieve a significant increase in the rate at which underused and vacant industri- al land is reclaimed. ` C�n�prehe.rzsa�.�e F'Ic�n 37 Objective 6.2 River Corridor While the Mississippi River was responsible for Saint Paul's origin and much of its livelihood, the river's ecology and dramatic geography were largely ignored in the decades of industrial development. Today the com- munity intention to "return to the riveY' is clear, an intention symbolized by the Greening of the Great River Park and the enthusiastic volunteer support it has generated. Perhaps the biggest change in the use of land in Saint Paul over the last two decades has been the exit of heavy industrial uses from the downtown and western portions of the river corridor (e.g., Amhoist, elevators, Kaplan Scrap Metal, tank farms, Soo Line Intermodal Yard). This change enables reconnection of the urban fabric to the river. Establishment of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) along with significant progress in cleaning the river's water and earlier improvement of open space such as Crosby Farm Park and Harriet island have all added to the momentum of change, upstream from Robert Street, from heavy industry to mixed use. -. [2tVER £ORRId6R PEAihINING SINCE THE 189Q tAN6 flSE PLAFJ . S�ittC Paul Mississtppi i�iu�r �rrido� Flan I:iuerfront Pre-de�r�lt�pm�nt i?Ian Missis�ipgi �7ati�n�I Hiver anci Recreatic�n Area Flan Saint Pau� �r Valte}r Iandscape Inventor� S�srst Paul ort the 1trlissfssippi Bevel�pment � . Policies: t98i � 19&7 T944 I995 , I:99Z 6.2.1 The City will maintain a high priority on appropriate management of the River Corridor and will support changes consistent with enhance- ment of the cortidor's natural ecology within an urban segment of the river. Generalized land ase and large sites with redevelopment potential are shown on Figure O. 6.22 The City wilI continue to improve public access and recreational uses where possible throughout the corridor. 62.3 The urban villages across the Robert and Wabasha bridges from downtown are envisioned to be miactures of existing and new buildings and also mixtures of land uses--residential, office, and some retail and industrial. Some low-intensity land uses will be replaced by redevelop- ment. Urban village areas should have a finer pattem of streets than the current industrial park configuration. 6.2.4 The City supports continuation of industrial uses in appropriate por- tions of the corridor as indicated on Figure O. (Also see Figure R on page 43 for Yhe West Seventh reach of the River Corridor.) Modifications or � Cit�� c�f sa. P�;ut � , , � � � � � � , � � � � � � � � � �II , -;�;, --.�.a,=- ��..,- _. ° - -� � v�= �' `+� 3r � _ N �� u . % � •�� {n �.. E `i��\ `' i��, Y " W ` � ��j kS'd . �� p-�� .J. . .� . ..L�: �. � �2 �; i` •.��. F. % 'qxw q��•=`��"y�Y'. 1 .��no,^ v!� u a � � ;�: `�;� �s �ti '..'� ��T.�. �t ;k• s'. ..;e *.+ . � vj� ; ?j. '� �. r.:�e�> ^P �"` :`'µ ' s £ _ �q�: e.g� S �i ¢.' �°k^3: <" �, � +,8�'„A. ' % _t Y � " :�.�. . _._ I �Concord - Robert ' �M, Park Restoration (Commercial) '. Ceniral River Flais '1 (Miued Use Study Area) Harriet Island / S. Bridgehead Esplanade (Urban Yllages) ��rt (IndusVial Study Area) ,'� Highwood �° .a (more houses)�„�, ,.:...., —.�. ir , � � P Industry Burld�ardt (Housing) additions to industrial uses in the corridor should be supported only when they have no adverse impact on water quality or air quality for the corridor and adjacent neighborhoods, and when they do not substantial- ly impair the visual character of the corridor from adjacent neighbor- hoods or from the river itself. 62.5 New development in the floodplain or within 300 feet of the ordi- nary high water mark should have a relationship to the river, a need for a river location, and/or should enhance the river environment. (Environmental policies for the River Corridor can be found in Sections 7.1 and 72.) Cnsza,preha�zzsi�.�e Plc�n 39 Figure O River Corridor South Development Opportunities Objective 6.3 University Avenue Corridor Figure P University Avenue The University Avenue Corridor study was prepared by University UNITED in 1988. Since then the Midway Marketplace redevelopment has restored the Midway as the city's primary regional shopping center. The Frogtown end of University Avenue kas witnessed the growth of Asian businesses. The west end of University Avenue is being revitalized by the Westgate redevelopment and the rehabilitation of buildings near University and Raymond: The Midway now has a strong market for office space. Planning is underway in 1998 for improving bus service on both I-94 and on University Avenue, for beautifying University Avenue, and for more redevel- opment sites. 6.3.1 Figure P shows redevelopment sites and general land use policy for the University Avenue Corridor. 6.3.2 New urban housing, offices, retail, and industrial development should all contribute through density and site design to the ridership base for public transportation on the University Avenue and I-94 bus routes. Already, these routes have the highest ridership in the 'IWin Cities. In 1997 Ramsey County designated the Midway (University Avenue) Comdor and the Riverview (West Seventh) Corridor as the top priority corridors for public transportation improvements in the East Metro area. 6.3.3 Future redevelopment planning and efforts to redesign University Avenue itself should find ways to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping ("big box" retail) work for pedestrians, who are often bus riders and aLso to enhance the storefront, pedestrian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue. Development Also see 6.7.2 on City support for the Midway regional shopping area. Opportunities 40 City> of St. Isau! � , � � � , � � � � � ' � � � � �� IJ' a$'�� Objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor The Phalen Corridor Initiative is a model for neighborhood revitalization work. It is a community partnership among residents, businesses, service agencies, and different levels of govemment. It is tying economic develop- ment, workforce development, human services, and housing rehabilitation together. Policies: 6.4.1 The goals for physical development along the Phalen Corridor are: • To create a mix of new jobs (up to 2000) • To increase the tax base • To be economicaily sustainable • To be integrated and compatible with the area's natural amenities and historic neighborhoods 6.42 The planned land uses along the Phalen Corridor are as shown in Figure Q, There are ten significant redevelopment sites along the corri- dor; the biggest ones are the Williams Hill Industrial Park, Hamm's Brewery, and Phalen Village. � Corrigrehen�iU�e Plan 41 6.4.3 The City and the Port Authority will continue to support and seek Figure Q funding for Phalen Boulevard and the other infrastructure necessary to Phalen Corridor prepare the redevelopment sites for sale. Development Opportunities 6.4.4 The City will support the strengthening of the urban village charac- teristics of neighborhoods along the Phalen Corridor, particularly at Phalen Village and East Seventh and Arcade, by making good connec- tions (pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, as well as vehicles) between the corridor and neighborhoods. 6.4.5 The Phalen Corridor should also be an amenity, with a trail and nat- ural landscaping on ravine edges. Objective 6.5 West Seventh Street (Riverview) Corridor As mentioned previously, the Riverview Corridor, the western portion of the larger river corridor, has been designated by Ramsey County as one of the two priority corridors for public transportation improvements because it runs from downtown to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Intemational Airport, where it meets the Hiawatha Corridor, and runs on to the Mall of America. Planning studies of the West Seventh Corridor are underway and there are several redevelopment opportunities along it. The downtown end is anchored by the new RiverCentre conference facility, the new Science Museum and the new hockey arena. The Brewery neighborhood recently received a Livable Communities grant from the Metropolitan Council for housing revitalization. Severai redevelopment sites along the corridor have views of the river valley. The transit potential of the Riveroiew Corridor depends on new develop- ment more than it does in the Midway. Located on a land terrace between the river valley and the upper bluffs, the corridor is a"thin" strip of neigh- borhoods. The transit ridership base along the corridor can be increased if land use decisions for redevelopment sites are supportive of transit. Proacimity to downtown and other employment centers, transit potential, and, particularly, the river and its bluffs give the corridor high potential for residential development. 6.5.1 The planned land uses for redevelopment sites along the Riverview Corridor are shown in Figure R. 6.52 A primary goal of redevelopment planning for the Riverview Corridor is transit-oriented development. The mix of land uses, densities, and site plan arrangements should augment the ridership base and make riding public transit an atTractive option. The City will join with Ramsey County in advocating public transportation improvements in the corridor. 42 CiFyr t�t 5c. Pacal �� i � � � � � � , � � � � � ' C 6 S.3 Along West Seventh Corridor bluffs, development should take full advantage of the views and amenity of the river valley, while at the same time improving views from the river to the bluff lines and protecting the ecology of the river. 6.5.4 The southwest end of the corridor at the river is an important gate- way to Saint Paul adjacent to the international airport. Landscaping and signage and improvement of adjacent development and pedestrian areas are among the improvements needed to change its character to that of an inviting urban neighborhood and business center and entrance to Saint Paul. ��I13 Figure R West Seventh Corridor Development Opportunities � �'c?niprehen�iv� I�I�zn 43 Figure S Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern (Como) Corridor Planning for the Great Northern Corridor began in 1996 and started by focusing on the redevelopment of the Maxson Steel/Dale Street Shops area. But the whole corridor is seen as running from the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis through the Empire Builder Industrial Park near I-35E, at which point the Great Northern and Phalen Corridors meet. Taken together, the two corridors have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to imple- ment the Great Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corri- dor. See Figure S. 6.6.2 The City will e�ctend Pierce Bufler Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improve truck routes to I-35E. 6.6.3 The City will encourage work to determine the feasibility of com- muter rail service on Yhe BN tracks attd work on the vision of extensive reforestation along the corridor to provide an amenity for all of the Midway neighborhoods. 6.6.4 There should be further study of the potential of the Dale-Como area to become an urban village with major new housing development near the new Front Street Elementary School under construction. � , � � � � � '� ci�y� �f sr. �au7 , , � L� LJ Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites For many types of business, the best sites have good freeway access. 6.7.1 The City will promote redevelopment of sites with �ood freeway access. Sites that are currently candidates for redevelopment are shown on Figure T. 6.7.2 Regional shopping centers are continuing to develop along I-94 , around SunRay and in the Midway between Snelling and Lexington. These are the two strongest retail locations in the city for capturing the � trade of large residential populations and east-west commuters. The City will be supportive of these two centers and help them hold Saint Paui's share in the marketplace. � � � ' r� 0 � , � � � � Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors More townhouses and apartments in a neighborhood contribute to the aggregate purchasing power that sustains neighborhood business. Take Grand Avenue, for example. People presume that Grand Avenue is a suc- q8�� Figure T Freeway Corridor Development Opportunities ' Cc�rn,�srehc°iasi�,•e Plcrn 45 Figure U Housing Development Opportunities Along Bus Corridors cessful commercial street because of the neighboring higher-income resi- dential streets; they miss the fact Grand Avenue also has a high concentra- tion of apartments. In fact, 58 percent of Summit Hitl households are renters compared with 46 percent citywide. 6.8.1 As opportunities arise along neighborhood bus corridors, townhous- es, apartments and condominiums should be built in order to help to support both the public transportation system and neighborhood com- mercial centers. Neighborhoods with a good mix of incomes can suc- cessfully include many rental buildings. At a minimum, new housing development within a quarter of a mile of public transportation lines should have at least ten housing units per net acre, which is the mini- mum needed to support local bus service. ' � , , , � Figtere U shows where major redevelopment or housing infill sites are � located along primary bus routes. The focus areas for housing infiil are within a quarter of a mile of nodes in the bus system. � ro �. HwsLW e1W narlMm auburOs _ FosevllMGMx ToUOfMend � UOwnloYln MlnMepolit ` % To Mlmn�olls Mn1MtNn➢�f NleweCq LOrtItbl l I To Maplawood WII antl nortlrm w4wbe \ To519� Mllh antl Oakota Couirty roFOrtsmmnq, ' Hbwmhe CoMdn Alryott mW MellotAmaAm O rm.naawmmoreiucmn�rc verewrcdma � PXmerytnmkaWmacoMtlua —� sKma.ya.renW�naenmr waia�rrvx.rmipro�mwmm �� PdaMel�mlorNm Focbe�evlwMdU To 3M dntl � aaamm tYEYfb6 ��... _ a R 46 C.Ity� i)I JL. PU'C�3 , , � � � , � � ' ' , , � � St�ate�y 4: Environmental Stewardship The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework says that the ability of the city to balance the needs of the economy, the community, and the physical environment determines the city's quality of life, which in turn provides a primary competitive advantage in the global economy. This three-way balancing of the economy, the community, and the environment over a long time period is the goal of "sustainable development." It is defined as meeting our needs today without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Land use planning can support sus- tainable development by helping to do the following: reduce the number and distance of trips; improve the livability of neighborhoods with urban densities; protect and restore wetlands and natural habitats; provide habitat corridors for wildlife; promote ecological storm water management; and protect solar energy access. Objective 7.1 Mississippi Nationai River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) Tier II Status Policies: 7.1.1 The City will continue to enforce bluff, shoreland, and wetland pro- tection measures adopted in 1982. These measures which prohibit devel- opment on steep slopes, require setback from bluff lines and water, and limit alteration of the natural environment will be reviewed and improved as necessary as the River Corridor Plan is updated. � 7.1.2 During 1998 and 1999, the City is revising the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and will adopt policies and regulations to achieve MNRRA Tier II status, making the city eligible for federal funding , from the National Park Service for river-related projects. Some of the issues for Tier II planning are: LJ �� • preseroing native plants, wildlife, and archeological sites • careful planning for a 300-foot shoreline zone • increasing natural landscaping along shorelines, bluffs, and bluff crests • reducing storm water run-off and the chemicals in run-off • identifying incentives for industrial land on the river to be used by businesses that need river locations � �c>zrtptefic€a�i�.•e P3an 47 �$-1 l 33 Figure V Surface Water and the River Corridor , • increasing tourism and recreational use of the river and improving ' public access to the river 7.1.3 The City has existing shoreline regulations for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act and will re-evaluate them as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. 7.1.4 The City will continue to promote the vision of the Great River Park and to support the reforestation projects of Greening of the Great River Park. The reforestation effort applies to all types of land uses in the river corridor, not just to parks and residential areas. 48 City= of Sc. Paui � , , � , � � � l , � Objective 7.2 Topographic Features and Sensitive Resources Sensitive natural resources in Saint Paul are illustrated by maps of natural areas, slopes, and groundwater in appendix D of this report (p.71) in addi- tion to Figure V, Surface Water Systems (p. 48). Poiicies: 7.2.1 The City will integrate its plans with the work of the DNR`s metro regional Greenways and Natural Areas Collaborative. This metro area collaborative has identified high quality native habitat remnants and is seeking state funding to link the remnants into greenways, which will provide continuous habitat corridors to support native plant species and wildiife. The greenways will also improve park and trail systems. Greenway opportunities usually follow rivers, drainage courses, and bluff lines. The mapping done in 1997 shows more greenway opportunities in the East Metro area than elsewhere. The collaborative is working with MNRRA, the Metro Parks Commission and local citizens. 7.2.2 The City, neighborhood organizations and environmental groups should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River visually with nat- ural landscaping along ravine edges (Phalen Corridor, 'IYout Brook, Shepard Davem, Ayd Mill, etc.) and along bluffs facing the river valley. Where feasi- ble, surface water systems—ponds, wetlands, and streams—should also be restored. , 7.2.3 The City, together with other govemment units, should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River by completing the parkway and trail systems that provide access to the river valley and eatend the influ- � ence of the river vailey further into neighborhoods. (These systems are already planned in detail in the Parks and Recreation Plan.) � 72.4 Realtors and groups doing neighborhood improvement and market- ing should take greater advantage of sites with river valley views. Sites , on the West Side, Mounds Park, Dayton's Bluff, and Payne Phalen enjoy beautiful views even though they are not directly on a river bluff. r , � LJ 7.2.5 On the freeways, the City and affected neighborhood groups will ask MnDOT to stop mowing the slopes a safe distance from the shoulders of the pavement and allow natural vegetation and trees to grow wild so that the freeways will look more like Highway 61. c�g-�13 3 ' Cc?mpr�heri�i�,�e Plan 49 Objective 7.3 Air Quality: Transportation and Industry Automobiles are the largest single source of air pollution in American cities. Policies: 7.3.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. 7.3.2 The City and Yhe Port Authority through regulation, enforcemertt, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to minimize any negative environmental effects of industry in the city, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Policies: 7.4.1 The City will promote the use of natural stormwater management solutions. The central theme for reducing the ecological impact of storm drainage includes slowing down stormwater to minimize peak flows, allowing poliutants to settIe out and promoting infiltration. Some of the techniques used by the City and identified in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework are: upland buffers, swales, set- tling basins, created wetlands and public education on nonpoint source pollution. 7.4.2 New stormwater ponds will be designed according to the guidelines in the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District's Watershed Management Plan dated May 1997. 7.4.3 All projects that go through the City's Site plan review process are required to provide for erosion and sediment control as specified in the Ramsey County Sediment and Erosion Control Handbook {Zoning Code 62.108). 7.4.4 At this time, the City is not required by the Department of Natural Resources to adopt a shoreland ordinance. The City has existing shore- line regulation for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act, which will be re-evaluated as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. The City does not need shoreland development regulations for lakes because all lakeshore property in the City is publicly owned. 50 iity nt St. Paul � , , , � � � �J 7.4.5 The City wiil develop a stormwater management program in response to the stormwater discharge permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The stormwater management pro�ram will address structural controls, areas of new development, roadways, flood control, pesticide and fertilizer use, illicit discharges and improper dis- posal, sanitary sewers, construction site runoff, consttuction of storm sewers and public education. 7.4.6 The City will incorporate the above or equivalent standards and per- mit requirements into its local stormwater management plan. This plan will be completed two years from the completion of the Middle Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization's plan. Objective 7.5 Soil Cleanup/Srownfie{d Reclamation , Poi�� 7.5.1 The City will continue to redevelop sites with contaminated soil as � rapidly as the funding for soil cleanup and site preparation and the legal steps for acquiring poliuted land permit. Roughly speaking there are 1,000 acres of polluted, old industrial sites in the city. Ideally, the City � would need about $20 million dollars per year for the next 20 years to redevelop all of these sites. (Redevelopment costs include acquisition, relocation, and infrastructure as well as land clean-up.) Most of the sites � are best-suited to industrial re-use, but a significant number of polluted sites should be transformed to residential or commercial land uses. � � Objective 7.6 Airport Noise The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts ' through runway design, flight pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise insulation programs. IJ � , �� LJ The official MSP Airport Noise Policy Area (See Figure N� encompasses a portion of the Highland Park area of Saint Paul in Zone 4, the outer most noise zone described in the Metropolitan Development Guide Aviation Policy Plan as "a transitional area where aircraft noise e�cposure might be considered moderate." All of the area in Saint Paul is in the outer portion of this zone which is a one-mile buffer zone. The Policy Plan states "The area is considered transitional because potential changes in airport and air- craft operating procedures could lower or raise noise levels." Co�r�prehe.r:si�,•e Plan 51 �$'l! 33 The airport noise zone shows no impact on Saint Paul from the use of Runway 22, the "east-wesY' runway, not because take offs and landings here have no impact, but because they are so infrequent relative to opera- tions on the other runways. Runway 22 is little-used at times of high-vol- ume air traffic because of conflict with the major "north-south" runways. Flights using this runway are more apt to occur during the night when the disturbance is more serious for a residential area. When this runway is used, a band of neighborhoods through Highland, Macalester-Groveland, and even Summit Hiil are affected. It is not possible to mitigate airport noise in these areas through land use changes. No increase in noise impact for Saint Paul is projected from changes in the use of Runway 22, or with completion of the new north-south runway anticipated for 2003. Holman Field, the Saint Paul Downtown Airport, is an important intermedi- ate airport in the regional system used primarily for corporate aircraft. Facilities for corporate aircraft parking and operations are being e�cpanded, and this use can be eacpected to grow. A new instrument landing system cunently being installed is responsible for some of the recent changes affecting sunounding areas including a revised glide slope (air space that must remain clear of obstructions for landing and take of� and lights at runway e}densions. While consideration is being given to updating the air- port plan completed in 1992, no significant change in use of the airport is planned for or anticipated. Helicopter operations by military units at Holman Fie1d have produced some of the most serious noise problems for nearby residential areas. This disturbance has been reduced over the last few years both by reduction in the number of helicopters based here and by replacement of some of the noisiest aircraft with quieter models. No sites planned for residential development lie within the noise zones for Holman field See Figure Z. The Ravoli Bluff site lies just outside Zone 4, the transitional zone, at its northem end, and the northeast quadrant of down- town Saint Paul (Lowertown) lie just outside the zone. Airport-related noise has not been identified as an issue in planning work with the residential community in Lowertown and should not be a problem for these sites unless the noise pattem changes. Policies: 7.6.1 MSP and Holman Field airports are both very important to Saint Paul's economy and quality of life. The City supports maintaining and improving them in their present locations with full attention to noise mit- igation. 52 Cit�� 3t st. Pcut , � , � i ! �� 1 1 � ' ' � IJ !J ' u EJ Figure W Current MSP Airport Noise Zones Figure X Saint Paul Downtown Airport Noise Zones c�g-� ! 33 1 Camprehcrri�i�.�� Pla�n SS 7.6.2 The City will continue to monitor MSP airport noise impact and any changes in MSP plans that might change the impact on Saint Paul neigh- borhoods. Support for sound insulation in structures may be an appro- priate measure within the noise zone and within the noise pattern for Runway 22's less frequent flights. 7.6.3 Changes in use that might alter the noise zones for Holman Field would be of concem to the City because of the proximity of residential areas including sites for new development. 7.6.4 Current zoning for adjacent areas is generally compatible with the Hotman Field airport. An eariier effort to create a special zoning district for airport protection was dropped because of liability for the costs rep- resented by restrictions on use, and no new special zoning is planned. Glide slopes are consuited in the Cfty's review process in any review of development within the airspace. 7.6.5 To ensure an early response to any proposa] that would obstruct general airspace, the City will notify the Minnesota Department of 'IYansportation of any proposed construction or aiteration that would exceed a height of 200 feet above ground level or exceed the height of an imaginary surface extending outward at an upward siope of 100:1 from the nearest point of an airport runway at the earliest reasonable opportunity and at least 3o days in advance. Objective 7'.7 Access to Solar Energy State law requires Land Use Plans to address solar energy access. During the 1980s the Planning Commission developed a Zoning Code amendment allowing property owners with solar energy systems to establish solar access rights across their neighbors' property. However, there was so littie public demand for solar zoning that the zoning amendment was never adopted. Property owners with solar energy systems apparently were satis- fied that the risk of shading was negligible or they could anange private solar easements with their neighbors. 7.7.1 The City supports the conservation of fossil fuels and increased use of solar and wind energ}; but does not find a need for municipa] regula- tion of solar access. 54 LZfy' of 5'C. Ftt'ul tY , � Implementation � � � � , ' , , t7 � � ' , ' lJ , 8.1 Citywide Land Use Map The Citywide Land Use Map is Figure Y. It is a concept map that conveys policy directions. It does not provide specific land use designations for indi- vidual parcels of land. There are two reasons for not doing a citywide map that is parcel-specific. First, most of the property in the city will simply stay in the same land use category it is now; land use planning apart from the current zoning is unnecessary. (Maintenance and reinvestment may be desirable in these areas, but not changes in land use.) Second, unlike the clear separation of land uses found typically found in suburbs, the Saint Paul Land Use Plan seeks to increase the fine-grained mixture of different land uses. Fine- grained land use patterns must be planned and illustrated in neighborhood plans, one small area at a time. To show all of the parcels in the city, the zoning maps divide the city into 44 different sheets. Citywide mapping is too coarse. 8.2 Citywide Redevelopment Opportunities Map The major redevelopment opportunities throughout the city are shown on Figure Z. 8.3 Neighborhood Planning One of Saint Paul's greatest strengths is the commitment of residents to their neighborhoods. Over the last twenty years, neighborhoods have done many neighborhood plans. Approximately 40 district plans and small area plans have been adopted by the city government as components of the Comprehensive Plan. (Figure AA shows where small area plans have been done.) Many of the plans have been very effective and have led to public improvements and private reinvestment. Now, as the citywide Comprehensive Plan is being updated, it is a good time to reaffirm and clarify the role of neighborhood plans. �$ ' Cr>mpreheztsive Plc�n 55 . �_ �_ �. , ��±� � � i� ::/ � i, � � �, r�� j, ��.�. � �� ,% � �i ��`� ° •-� - � _�� ` / V � � ---- �. � �� '� �� ; . �.� , . . , �• :, � v ��`o; ;• �tl��, � i-� � �, i !•, .��i 1!� � � � :�i I � � �;�i I��b� �� ` d� ,a. � �..�:�. �� . ��i�� 7/ � i �_, � f� , � �� 8 � 3 � � � � V q ' W � ` 4 T � � 'l � . � � � 8 �i� � �� 57 N �8�� - `�� - ; � � �' ; e � �� rr �= J� � � 7 w ,$ e�n as � ` aa��rais � m �V � m � � m °w° � � � �n � ' b` Q > > �ur�s 2 C7 � � N �! ""' �, ,�■ '�� ,\ � � /. Figure Z Rsdevelopmeirt Opportunities Map The new Comprehensive Plan, according to a change in state law, will be stronger. Zoning must be consistent with the plan, and the plan must be updated at least every ten years. Thus, neighborhood plans that are part of the Comprehensive Plan must also be up-to-date and consistent with city- wide plans. Maintaining consistency has become more difficult in the 1990s because, given tight City budgets, more neighborhood plans are being done independently of PED and the Planning Commission. Coordination between city staff and neighborhood planning committees has been looser. 8.3.1 Area (Neighborhood) Plans. Saint Paul's strong tradition of neigh- borhood planning should continue. Though most are properly "neighbor- hood" plans, the term "area plaa" is used to encompass special district or corridor plans as well. Besides meeting a range of local neighborhood or special area needs, area plans should represent specific application of City development policy to a particular area, and should inform city plan- ning about local needs and opportunities. The Planning Commission will publuh guidelines to describe those aspects of City deveiopment policy that need to be addressed in area plans. Upon review of an area plan, the Planning Commission will recommend an area plan summary for adop- tion as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan. 8.3.2 Area Plan Swnmaries. The City will adopt summaries of neigh- borhood or oYher area plans as addenda to Yhe Comprehensive Plan when recommendations appropriate for the City's development poiicy are included. The summaries should present an overview of the plans, highlighung those recommendations that refine City land use and other policy for the area and the high-priority acGons to be taken by City gov- emment. Copies of the full ptans will be availabie at PED for reference. 8.3.3 Planning Commission and City Council Approval. Area plan summaries need to be reviewed and approved by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The Planning Commission checks plans for consistency with adopted City policies; in the event of policy discrepancies, the Planning Commission will try to resolve the differ- ences and maintain the intemal consistency of the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission sends its recommendations to the Ciry Councii for adoption. 8.3.4 The following further describe continued area planning: a. Comprehensive Plan in two parts. The citywide chapters of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published as a set. Area plan summaries that are approved by the City as components of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published in a matching ringbinder. The Comprehensive Plan must be manageabie in size and format to be widely used, and this can only be done if area plans are in summary form. 58 City� of St. PauF , � u , L I �� 1 � `1 ' �J ' C� C I , ' � b. Previously adopted area plans. Area plans adopted as amend- ments to the Comprehensive Plan between January, 1958 and 1999 will retain their status as originally adopted until they are ten years old. Plans that are more than 10 years old as of adoption of this policy in 1999 will retain their current status as Comprehensive Plan amendments until a review, updating and summary can be completed. A five-year period (to the end of 2004) is allowed for replacement or deletion of older plans. c. Ten-Year Review. Any area plan appended to the comprehensive plan must be reviewed and updated or re-certified by the tenth anniver- sary of its adoption. The Planning Commission review of an updated plan, or one simply recommended for re-certification, will be the same as for a new area plan summary. In the case of an area plan adopted as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan prior to 1999, a summary (updated) wi91 need to be prepared for re-certification d. PED staff assistance. Planning assistance for doing new neighbor- hood plans or for reviewing and summarizing previously adopied ones wili be provided by PED staff through normal priority-setting processes. PED works together with community groups in deciding priorities. ��-'��3 Figure AA Small Area Plans, 1998 ' Cc>mpreficaaz�is.•e F�lan 59 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions Appendix F identifies a number of zoning changes that would implement recommendations in the Land Use Plan. Some of the key changes are: • Design standards for downtown urban viIlages • A zoning district for new urban villages outside the downtown • Design standards for pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial cen- ters • Rezonings along the River Corridor and the other redevelopment corri- dors, when ready • Rezonings for new housing development State law provides that zoning must be made consistent with the new Comprehensive Plan within six months of the plan's adoption, putting the zoning deadline in mid-1999. Some types of rezoning may be done that fast, but realistically, it will take the City several years to get some of the zoning text amendments done that are proposed in this plan. 8.5 Capital Improvements Many of the redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization proposals in this plan will require capital improvement investments by the City. The list below is incomplete, but it suggests the type of public investments that will be needed to carry out recommendations in this ptan. • Phalen Boulevard • Riverfront improvements/urban village infrastructure • Stormwater settling basins, ponds, other low-impact techniques • Housing site redevelopment • Neighborhood commercial center streetscapes and infrastructure • Bus system amenities • Major transit system investments • Industrial redevelopment infrastzucture, e.g., Pierce Butler e�ctension, other truck routes for Great Northem Comdor • Downtown streetscape improvements • Continue trail system development 8.5.1 The Planning Commission will continue to support the Capital Improvement Budgeting process and the work of the Capital Improvement Budget Committee by revising the Capital Allocation Policy for the 1999 funding cycle. Revision should include simplification of the policy for greater effectiveness and priorities which will further imple- mentation of the updated Comprehensive Plan. 60 City� nf St. Pau.t L , � , , , 1 �1 ' � � � 8.6 Intergovernmental Action Many recommendations of this plan require inter�ovemmental coordina- tion and funding: • State/metro infrastructure investments to strengthen central cities • Housing subsidies changed or compensation from state level to communities carryin� the costs of affordable housing • Brownfield reclamation • Urban transportation and ISTEA funding • Public transit systems investment • State govemment offices—locations in Saint Paul • Livable Communities Program • School sites as a neighborhood revitali2ation investment • Metro greenways program of DNR 8.7 Urban Design All of the work done on the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework has given city leaders a fresh appreciation for the role urban design can play in providing vision for the City and in executing details. 8.7.1 The City will support the Design Center as a primary means for implementation of the vision articulated by the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework with a high level of attention to the Framework's urban design principles. 8.72 The City will continue to encourage improvement of safety through design as outlined in Design for Public Safety. , 8J.3 The City will expand use of design guidelines in its site plan review process as a means of implementing design policies adopted through small area planning and other special area design studies. �, Implementation of Design District capability, allowing stronger enforce- ment of design guidelines, should be explored if further experience with ' C , ' guidelines in the site plan review process is not satisfactory. 8.7.4 Improvement of neighborhood and special district quality should be further supported by: • Continued support of heritage preservation measures, • A zoning district for new urban villages outside of the downtown, • Design Standards for pedestrian-oriented commercial centers, • Rezonings along the river corridor and the other redevelopment corridors when ready, and • Rezonings with appropriate community planning for new housing development. c�g,1133 ' Ccxriprehera4i�•e P3un 61 Appendices Land Use Trends and Assumptions 1. Growth in city population, households, and jobs. Saint Paul needs to pian for more growth between 2000 and 2020 than the city has had in the 1980s and 1990s. For the Twin Cities region, the State Demographer and the Metropolitan Council project 650,000 additional people (for a total population of 3.1 million) and 330,000 additional households between 1995 and 2020. The metropolitan growth strategy based on the regional projec- tions suggests that Saint Paul plan for increases of at least 22,000 people, 9,000 households, and 13,000 jobs in Saint Paul by the year 2020, The Saint Paul Planning Commission agrees with the household projection as a basis for planning, but has set a higher target for jobs of 18,000. Following is the City's forecast which shows the magnitude of growth that forms a basis for this plan: 199Q 26C�U 2L}1U 2E12fi H€iuseht3�ds IIE1,4fH3 +2,40(3 +4,€l{H� -r3;OQ0 EmgTt�ym�nt I73,i7Q6 �6 �4 -�-�k f70UU -r 3,fl(30 Prrgutaatian �72,QtHI -r4,{�(J4 +i 1;f�Q0 -r 7,0EH1: 2. Attracting people and business to the city. In simple terms, people, businesses, and institutions should be attracted to live, work, and invest in Saint Paul because they like the quality of city life here and they have confi- dence in the city's future. 3. Metro support for revitalizing the urban core. For Saint Paul to meet the growth projections, Metropolitan Council support is necessary. The Metropolitan Council's "Metro 2040" pian, which projects an estimated $1.6 billion savings in infrastructure costs, calls for more compact develop- ment pattems, revitalization of the urban core, and targeting certain areas for job development. 4. Shrinldng financial role of public sector in redevelopment. Public programs that subsidize redevelopment (CDBG, URAP, HOME, Livable Communities, etc.) have received smaller and smaller shares of public bud- gets over the past decade. Now redevelopment requires partnerships with multiple stakeholders and investors and greater market discipline. 62 City> r�f St. Paui ' Errata Table, Section 1., Appendix A, page 62 Empioyment figures in the printed table aze incorrect. The table should read as follows: Hoaseholds Employment Population i990 iio,aoo 175,000 272,000 z000 ao�o +z,aoo -�,000 +g,Ot?0 -�5,000 �a,aoo }t 1,000 io�a - zoio �ro��' +3;000 - I19,Q{�6:- + 5,00� : 293;fl0Q ` + 7,0�0 294;00� � ' S. Fewer freeway and sewer e�ctensions; higher infrastructure main- tenance costs. As the metropolitan infrastructure ages, it will require more maintenance and replacement. Fewer resources will be allocated to ' expansions of hi�hways and sewer systems. 6. Continued reliance on the automobile, but with a counter trend , toward walldng, birycles, and public transportation. Major retail, office and industrial sites must have good vehicular access and parking. In t older neighborhoods, local retail can do well with smaller parkin� lots beside and behind the commercial buildings. ' 7. More mixed use development based on "New Urbanism" princi- ples. In the contemporary search for community, there is a risin� aware- ness that physical planning for whole communities should draw together a , mixture of land uses in close proximity, strengthening the "urban village" pattern. 8. Higher public awareness of river ecology. Environmental knowl- edge and awareness continue to grow, placing more attention on the bal- ance between urbanization and natural systems. 9. Continued industrial park redevelopment. Port Authority industrial sites have been in steady demand and represent the most continuous urban redevelopment program in the city. There will continue to be strong demand for clean industrial land with good truck access. 10. Continued growth of office employment both downtown and in homes. If the Minnesota economy continues to be healthy, downtown Saint Paul can capture its share of office growth by offering a special sense of place (East Coast or European features such as narrow streets, small blocks, and human scale) that is different from Minneapolis and virtually the opposite of suburban centers. On neighborhood commercial strips many stores have been converted to office space. There is a strong trend toward home-based businesses and of live/work housing designs. 11. Steady neighborhood retail demand and volatile "big box" retail ' market. In neighborhood locations, smaller shops can be successful on specialty items and in special market niches (for example, ethnic foods and ' products). The vacancy rate in neighborhood commercial space is low in comparison either to previous years or to most Eastem or Midwestern cities. In the discount and big box retail segment, Saint Paul has less than � its market share, especially given the city's moderate-income population; but these businesses seem to be risky. Retail in the downtown seems to depend primarily on the number of downtown employees and residents. ' �g`� � � Cc�ni,�sreht�z�sive Plun 63 12. Some institutions are growing, others are contracting. State gov- emment continues to rebuild and relocate offices even though there is little overall growth. Colleges and other educational institutions continue to grow. Public schools at all levels need more space due to the children of baby boomers and immigrants. Hospitals have undergone great changes. Nonprofit agencies have multiplied and occupy a lot of neighborhood com- mercial space. 13. Growing opportunity for new urban housing. Regionally, as the population ages, there is a growing demand for urban housing for smaller households, empty nesters, and live/work lifestyles. In Saint Paul, there are growing numbers of younger immigrant families who may want to buy homes in the city and whose presence as an ethnic community would add to the stability and vitality of their neighborhoods. There is a large demand for low-income housing, which sometimes competes with neighborhood reinvestment objectives. 14. Significant need to increase the city tax base. The Saint Paul property tax base per household is among the lowest in the metropolitan area. The School District, Ramsey County, and the City all share the need to raise values downtown, in commercial and industrial areas, and in neigh- borhoods with depressed values. 15. Need for workforce development and more jobs. Even though the city had 192,000 jobs in 1996, the highest number ever, poverty is a major problem in the city. VYith welfare reform, hard-to-employ people urgently need work readiness skills, training, and jobs. If old industrial sites are redeveloped and the downtown grows, Saint Paul could add 18,000 jobs between 1990 and 2020. 16. Iu►a►igration continues, but the Southeast Asian shaze will taper off: Over 30,000 Southeast Asians now live in Saint Paul, and this number may rise to 40,000 in ten years. Immigration rates are high nation- ally, so Saint Paul will continue to receive a share. 17. Integration of schools, public safety, and quality of life factors. Good land use planning is one of many factors that contribute to the health and strength of the city. Physical, social, and economic development need to be better connected in the city. 64 Cit�� nf St. Puul � ' � Existing Land Use and Projected Change This best-available data on existing land use is from a 1988 survey updated ' with significant known changes to 1998. An existin� land use map, not included in most copies of this plan, is available from PED. � u L I 1I ' � ' L1 lJ � � � ' � ' Existing i.aad Use �.8.1t� - �5�.. . . - 1�CI'85 . -.. % O� �O� -: Resideniial,'£otaI YZ,554 34.7 Residential, SingI� Pam�Iy R,85i i�esi�le�iat,-I?uptex � i,i36- Resideniial, I1+IUlti-Famiiy �,577 Gomrt�erc�al 1 „�35 4.2 intlii5triai 4,964 13.� Puhlic and Tnstitufion 3,fl�9 8.5 Park� and�tJ�gen Space=- - �- 4,f>43 L'2:� -- Rivers, Iakes, Wetlaniis 3,398 9.4 Vacani 5.019 13.� Airport �93 `2,2 bCtteT"* I84 f�.a Total 36,t45 *ee�vir�inental prAtection. majt�r rights-crt way, park3rtg, unkncawn The most significant changes anticipated in land use over the next twenty years are 1) shifts from vacant land to residential and industrial or commer- cial/industrial uses, Z) intensification of uses within current use classifica- tions such as updated industrial use, higher residential density, more inten- sive use of prime business areas including downtown, and 3) more mixed use. Under the policies established, these changes will represent accom- modation of a larger share of regional increase in households and econom- ic activity; strong economic revitalization of the city's downtown and major business areas including the Midway; steady progress in recycling of under- used and polluted industrial land; strengthening of traditional neighbor- hoods under urban village principles, intensification of uses in corridors to support more effective transit., and some shift away from industrial uses in the river corridor in favor of restoration/appreciation of the corridor's nat- ural character and new access for compatible activity. Residential Land Use An increase of some 204 acres in residential use will come mostly from the vacant category. The Koch Mobil site is the largest single site where residential (mixed use) development can be anticipated. Development of this site would represent a transformation of 65 acres of land presently c�g-1 l33 ' �anz,{sreh�:rasii�e Flan 65 seriously polluted from former industrial uses. The following table shows anticipated residentiai development by major geographic divisions. Actual intensity of development will depend on a number of factors including both refinement of land use and density specifications in small area planning and market eacperience. Projscted Resideniial tleveicpment by 2024 by Sub Area Area Maj�r-; Infili Net l�iew Acres Added Sites �[TniYSJ {Uxtits} �Units} ; �m�r� ��t �i��nc �,c� 3,�0o t oa nistrict I,3 ex�egt riv�r ffars Tf}fi ta4 i 6t7 13 I7isizicts 2 �, 5 � t24 62� 33 T�isericrs 6, 7> t�. 71, kz 7�t7 z� �2v 3s L)t5tiit�t5 8. � I3, 14. k5, ib 7i�Q: 3QU I,�3t�fl 47 1�ccessary t�pts_ city tntizte 3C�o Tc�ta! S,�2fl 6�t} 6,f24(T 2Z9 Residential Development Opportunities to Fulfill the City's Share of Metropolitan Housing Growth • PED'S Northwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 900 units Some Potential Major Sites: - Burlington Pond - Como-Mackubin - Frogtown scattered sites - Larpenteur-Cohansey - Oakland Village scattered sites - Rice-Arlington - Snelling-Brewster high-rise - Troutbrook-)ackson - Raymond-Energy Park - Raymond-University - Capitol Heights • PED's Northeast Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing ConstrucUOn: 500 units Some Potential Major Sites: - 3M Distribution Center - Cemstone - West of Harding High School - Hazel-E. Fifth St. - North Arlington Ave. - Phalen Village - Rivoli Bluff 66 City+ c3F St. #��u1 ' � • PED's Southwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 800 units Some Potential Major Sites: , L1 � - ADM site - Holm and Olson - Koch-Mobil - Shepard-Davem - Selby Ave./Summit University scattered sites • PED's Southeast Quadrant of City (Includes Downtown) Target for ' Net New Housing Construction:3,100 units G I Some Potential Major Sites: - North Quadrant - Lowertown/River Gardens - Harriet IsIand Urban Village - South Wabasha Bridge Head - Highwood sites - Esplanade site - Other downtown sites L� LJ � Residential Densities ' The wide range of residential densities in Saint Paul neighborhoods includes 2- 3 units per acre in suburban-style development in the Highwood area, 5-8 units per acre in more solidly single-family areas with ' 40-60-foot lots (Macalester Groveland, Como, Hazel Park), 10-15 units per acre in many traditional neighborhood blocks with 40-foot lots, a number of duplexes and 3-story apartment buildings facing major streets (Hamline- ' Midway, the West Side), 30+ units per acre for some blocks which combine apartments facing Grand Avenue with large single family homes facing � Summit Avenue, and 40-60 units per acre at the largest multi-family struc- tures. In spite of the significance of the number of new housing units pro- jected to accommodate more of the region's growth, impact on the overall ' density for the City will be slight. Increases in residential density that are locally significant can be expected downtown, and on key riverfront sites. At scattered locations near neighborhood business centers and transit ' routes, attached-unit development that can be anticipated is in the 10-15 unit per acre range. Market experience indicates that the same is true for downtown and river front "urban village" sites, though substantially higher ' densities could be realized at some downtown sites and in the University Avenue corridor. ' ��"�� ' Cc�zr�,prehc�rtsi�.•e Plan 67 Industrial Land and Employment Related Land Uses Most projected job growth will occur through intensificatlon of activity in areas already in business and industriai use. Industrial development in indus- trial parks opened by the Saint Paul Port Authority has averaged approxi- mately 30 acres per year since 1960 and continues at about that rate during the 1 g9os. A cunent list of idenrified sites of 10 acres or more with varying degrees of potentlal for industrial redevelopment totals just over 1,000 acres. Smaller identified sites add 62 acres. Most of this land is currently underused but classified as industrial. Approacimately 265 acres of the total inventory is cunently classified as vacant land., though 180 acres of this in the Pig's Eye Lake area will more likely be preserved as open space. Industrial redevelopment is projected to continue at the rate of some 30 acres per year. Both the inventory of land with redevelopment potential and demand for land would support more rapid growth. The primary constraint on the rate at which underused and/or polluted land can be recycled to productive use supportive of city and regional growth objectives is the limi- tation on available resources for site preparation, including site assembly, infrastructure construction, and pollution remediation. Industrial development/redevelopment will most likely occur in these areas over the next five years: AISITICIPATED lNDIJSTRIAI dE1tElORINF�T; II�STRIAL: PAitKS ANF) IQENTf�IEA SIFES 5ite Acr�s I�tai� 15 M�s�� S��IfDale Str�i SE�c�ps �4 Arizn�€�n jacksfln . 14 Gt�ITiam E�ili'; 4€� Pha��n Carridar 6p Tatai IT9 Some shifts will occur in industrial land, but subtractions and additions to the total supply could balance over thz period. A reduction of industrial land in the range of 140-170 acres is anticipated in the river corridor. Other employment-related redevelopment will represent, for the most part, intensification of uses without a change in their land use category, as well as some greater intermixing of uses. Significant change by land use catego- ry cannot be projected. 68 c:ity� r�t St. Pcut , LJ ' e � , ' � � Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan 1. Review Zonin� Code to support new urban villa�es and enhance flexibili- ty at large-scale redevelopment sites: Downtown in B-4 and B-5 zones. Full range of land uses is already per- mitted. Design guidelines can be advocated by the Design Center. Design guidelines can usually be implemented by the HRA through redevelop- ment controls. New urban villages outside the B-4 and B-5 zones. A new "Urban Village (UV)" zoning district should be created. It would be a combina- tion of permitting mixed use, setting design guidelines, and providing an efficient process for public review. 2. At existing urban viilage (neighborhood) centers: (a) review opportunities to create more multi-family zoning; (b) reduce parking requirements for ' new development, perhaps by 20 percent; (c) require new commercial buildings to be built out to the sidewalk�.g., at least 40% of the lot LJ 11 � � � ' ' � � frontage to be built within ten feet of the front lot line; (d) require parking lots to be built to the side and rear�.g., no more than 60 percent of the lot frontage can be occupied by parking. 3. Decide whether any of the downtown design guidelines from the Saint Pau1 on the Mississippi Development Framework (pp. 38-48) should be put into the Zoning Code, e.g., "extroverted" building design with doors and windows facing the sidewalk; design at downtown "gateways" and along "prime edges," buildings of appropriate scale, etc. 4. Make zoning map revisions along: (a) the River Corridor; (b) University Avenue Corridor; (c) Phalen Corridor; (d) Great Northern Corridor; (e) Riverview Corridor. 5. For developable sites along freeways and major arterial streets, rezone land now (1999) if the desired future land use is known. For sites where the future land use is not known, the land can be designated as a"study area" and the current zoning can be left in place. 6. Rezone land for residential development when the Planning Commission's work with district councils identifies sites and appropriate zoning categories for them. q �-! 1 �3 � Cc�m�rrehc:ztsi�•e F'lan 69 7. Propose an accessory apartment ordinance to permit "mother-in-law" apartments in homes greater than 2,000 square feet if it is determined that the provision can be restricted to owner-occupied homes. 8. Enact higher tree planting standards in the River Corridor and maybe in the proposed greenway corridors. 9. Add a general provision to the zoning code requiring notification of MnDOT for any proposed construction exceeding 200 feet in height for protection of generai air space. 70 �if� c�F St. Paui ' ' , ' � ' , ' � � ' � ' � � ' ' ' , Sensitive Resources �1�'�� 33 � � i � 7 � N ¢ R � GC Q � O 01 � > N C � � � N c6 � � � U N � � � y � i .� i 3 � °= '� � =3� � �� .� O >__ � � O � m rn a m � m a N o m a�i m 0 0 a " � � � _ c � � � (1 T � c Q1 3 �p O ; U � N o E C7 t �� U a � m y o a�C C7 � N N � O � Ct>IYi�'tPf:�'Ft:XI51Y'!; ��esi1 71 ' � ' ' � , ' ' � , , ' ' � , ' ' � -� � , , . � � �� _ `�?�� , � � � �; " � � , ,, ;' t�", � , �, � a � 't . . .. , cP .. -� � , - �v �a -� . 'i .: �! -� ss ,-: �- 'c _ • 5 . " ,t-; i""'.�'s"„ .� .vw Y aa: ` �'� � �-; y � ._�� 9 � � _' x Z r�1 . � 7�� . �' � .3 ., �� f L `"E' Yk ,� a . � k ' � j �� J � � � �.- � `, �. 3 � � ♦ � 9 � � 9 ~ �� '��'� ,,.'�' � _"' � y �� c � � q � r � y N`S , P°w:P°\ss . Cg i� . .i'� � � � y aa � � �� a a%' ; r • sy ': H � � �':.. f � � � F �g-�► 3 I 1 $ ' °c" J e1 . \,( � k L� 4 $ '�.... l\� �'' i W AC �3�`�� r ap �/�� I ; $ `V I LS 1S �` � Ir. T , �- � m l � �" ' , ' N'� ,.�e �>e� �, g l 6r a 3 . . : � �.r- . C 3Wf( y ��) �• � � J�A % W dtlR'G �� A' � ✓� '4. � `� 'Yf . �� Pe 6[ �:_� � .� (i` :"' w/�v) �. •• � � ��„ " � y. � t ° ;:� ,:aa � � 's: �� _:. .. � ��s a»�o �' p.ID �, ., �4, �C$ g, aairc � ^� � � � .�� '` "�rowe" YS ..� �1 ,� � �� ` � Q .� W ��:�, � � �-« �„ , '� ` � i s . .''� § ^� ..� � l; SMO V � �.' � � ,� '#• A '� ��^'A R :¢ �� • X �,� 3�� RS YM�ll:N t ^ F _ ` i � � g 3 � � ' , ,. :. ' £ : x-.1 3Y NJ1.°tA3t N @�. g'�. �� ,�� t � k '� A• . Q � ( 43 < �S �� M 4 P I � � s �� 3 � a � � ' & . � 4 �aYeM3 .,iv. � 24' ��3i&�m ,�a �' v w � � ✓"9N Y23 C w ? $'` p. ' . � ; + , y a � � ... u' . T Y e < � .. .: L � 4 � . .� aov.w� �ar acsuwi aa i :,mm; •. ; �` '� � s � " �3n✓ yozv u . .. >, _ � � � 1 3�n r i .�,�W.,£. . .S; _ �C �i ¢ : P. ^,�TR. ( � � tl " •• •+¢ �, � 5 ".�:: ��T.+n?ro n .ew@`dd :ae.Y, 1n+3r3U I�i � 'i � � �. �g, � � � � a'^�iK 9 ` fl 3h N�2fJ T ..:� a�5<.�y._ . � .n/.�: -.' »^ �. �. x 4�; A�S y . � . . '_'� #�• 6 0. � . . . ' . . - '_ " . . . �. �» :...--- _ - v^ - _ ' W L � L O q �� O � � � � O N N � m w Op � � O r g m � Q Q a �^ ,O ^ O � i.f. v+ N W a 0 � c N m '" o N C C � � � �\ � � � ,'� N 35 , ' C't)T33�FPC�EtX2�IL`€; P�Q'If 73 Saint Paul Sewer Plan: Tier I Requirements This technical appendix includes the following: • Adopted community forecasts of households and employment • Map: sanitary sewer interceptor service areas (not complete at the time of this draft) Management of Inflow and Infiltration • Management of Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities • Map showing existing onsite wastewater disposal facilities Cqmns�ity Fareeasts af horiseAnlds and empk�ent 7 94(� 2t#€�€} - 2Ui R 2U�� P�i�uI2tic�n ��2.t3t}Q ' '2�6,CYQD 287,t1(3fJ 294,� Hotlsehplds ' 11(#,t3t1U S�2,tiQ4 I Ib,t1LiQ I i 9;t)Q(} Erilpl�ytrietit I7S,f3�t I'S�,#�t# I88,fl�Q 393;tIDD Management of Inflow and Infiltration Inflow and Infiltration Program In 1986, the City developed a plan to address Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) as part of the City's Sewer Separation Program and NPDES(National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The primary goal was to identify and to remove inflow sources, such as connected rainleaders, area drains and catch basins from the City's Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Service Areas Map 74 Cit�� ot St. Fffu1 ' u ' sanitary sewer system. The City Council adopted the Public Works' Rainleader Disconnect Plan in February of 1986. Under this plan, a volun- tary rainleader disconnection program was conducted in 1986 and 1987. ' This program emphasized providing public information, technical advice and a rebate offer. The Rainleader Disconnection Ordinance became effec- f' � , ' � � � l_J t _I � � � C , ' ' tive at the end of 1987. The City continues to enforce this ordinance. Beginnin� in 1988, the next phase of the I/I Program focused on the elimi- nation of locations where combined sewage overflow occurred (regulators). The process of eliminating a regulator involves: identifying inflow sources, removing these inflow sources from the City's sanitary sewer system, moni- toring to verify that the regulator could safely be eliminated, and finally eliminating the regulator. Accomplishments of Inflow/Infiltration Prograa► • 30o alley catch basins and 298 street catch basins located in the public rightofway were disconnected from the City's Sanitary Sewer System • 99% of Saint Paul's commercial properties disconnected rainleaders and area drains • 99% of Saint Paul's residential properties disconnected rainleaders • 245 regulators were removed from the City's sewer system Continuing efforts of the the City's I/I program include enforcement of the Rainleader Disconnect Ordinance and elimination of all regulators from the City's Sanitary Sewer System by June 30, 2001, as detailed in the City's cur- rent NPDES permit. The City is also addressing I/I through the City's Sewer Rehabilitation Plan which proposes spending $5,300,000 annually over the next 20 years, beginning in 1998. As the sewer system is videotaped and inspected, sources of inflow and infiltration will be identified. These areas will then be prioritized into projects with corrective action including replacement, pipe lining and joint sealing. On-Site Wastewater Disposal Facilities General Within the City of Saint Paul, there are approximately 200 homes utilizing individual onsite facilities for disposal of their wastewater. The map on page 76 shows the locations of the existing septic systems within the City of Saint Paul. The greatest concentration of individual sewage treatment systems is in the South Highwood area. Much of this area is not currently served by public sanitary sewer facilities. The City of Saint Paul permits the building and usage of individual sewage treatment systems in areas of the city that are not served by public sewer c��—�133 , Cc7rxapreherisive Pl�rcn 75 Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities Map or are unable to connect to an existing sewer system. The City's manage- ment program for onsite sewage treatment includes provisions for the reg- ulation and monitoring of all individual sewage treatment systems. The maintenance, design, construction and location of septic systems are required to conform with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota Rules 7080, Minnesota State Building Code, Minnesota Plumbing Code and Minnesota Water Well Construction Code. OnSite System Management The Ciry of Saint Paul ordinances regulate the installation of new onsite systems as well as the maintenance and reviews of existing systems. A per- mit issued by a City License, Inspections and Environmental Protection offi- cial must be attained prior to any new installation, alteration, repair or e�tension of any sewage treatment system. The Saint Paul manageinent and controi program implements the current Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) standards and includes: • inspection of new systems • inspection and maintenance of existing systems • correction of nonconforming systems • testing of water suppiy wells. Inspection of New Systems New individual sewage treatment systems require a construction permit issued by the City's building official. The building official is licensed by the MPCA and is responsible for administration and enforcement of the design, 76 Crf�r ctt St. #T�[�1 ' 1 ' construction and installation provisions of the City ordinances relating to septic systems. The permit must include the identification and location of various physical features and characteristics, ground slope, details of the ' proposed installation, soil and percolation test data, location of an altemate site and a site evaluation as well as evidence of compliance with all state , l� I L� , ' ' and other jurisdiction regulations, including Minnesota Rules 7080. No altemative or experimental systems are allowed. Inspection and Maintenance of E�tisting systems Existing systems must be inspected and maintenance reviews conducted at least once every 2 years by a MPCA certified inspector or pumper. Each septic tank must be maintained in proper operating conditions at all times. Septic tanks are required to be pumped as inspection indicates or at least once every 2 years. Septic tank pumping must be performed by a MPCA licensed pumper and must be reported to City officials. City officials man- age the maintenance of all septic systems; monitoring and filing the inspec- tion reports, and see that the necessary pumping is performed. Correcrion of Nonconforming Systems Those systems not found to be in compliance with the provisions indicated in the City ordinance must be modified and brought into compliance within 10 months with the exception of those built between May 27, 1989 and , )anuary 23, 1996 which are allowed 5 years. If the system is an eminent health threat, corrections must be made within 90 days. Seepage pits, cesspools or leaching pits are considered to be failing systems and must be , upgraded, replaced, or the use of these systems discontinued within 10 months of notice of noncompliance. ' I � , Testing of Water Supply Wells Water supply wells located on properties with individual sewage treatment systems must be tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate every 2 years. Random sample testing of water from private wells for EPA's primary pollu- tants is conducted by City officials. Enforcement The Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection enforces , the provisions outlined above of the recently amended Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 50, regulating the installation and maintenance ' reviews of individual treatment systems. A copy of this ordinance is includ- ed on page #. The building official has the authority to inspect and review all individual treatment systems. This official may , � • issue orders to revoke or suspend permits where work is not performed in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, • require property owners to stop use of a system that is operating in a q a-�13 ' Cr�znpreh��ra5a'�.•e Plurt 77 ' manner creating a hazard to the public health, safety or welfare, ' • condemn a dwelling that is a hazard to the public or the dwelling occu- pants, and • require correction of any defective system. � The City will consider variances to this code if there is undue hardship on the properiy owner, as long as there is no threat to public health, safety or ' welfare. , � � , ' , ' � , L� ' � ;�� 78 tityr nt Sf. Pcut , ' ' Credits � �I l _J , � ' C � l_�' ' Il ' The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* Joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte' Jennifer Engh* Carole Faricy Litton Field, Jr. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee* Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell* David McDonell' Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Treichel* Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *COmprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Development Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Larry Soderholm, Planner-in-Charge Ken Ford Report Production , )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist ' , � The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ancestry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. q g-1 l �3 ' Ccam�rrehc°nsi�•e Pl�zn 79 SUIV�MARY AND GENERAL POLICY The Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for Community Review October 1998 The Saint Pau{ Planning Commission ��-1133 Contents Introduction The Setting for a New Plan Plan Ysion and Themes Ten Principtes for City Development Geography and Environment Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Downtown Saint Paul Corridors for Growth 7}ansportatfon Economic Opportunity Community Development Regionallnterdependenee 5 6 7 10 11 12 16 17 21 22 25 26 �9,-ll� Comprehensive Plan 3 Introduction T his document, in draft form for communiry review, is a new summary and general policy chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. It provides a broad statement of the City's development policy and, as an overview of the entire plan, helps to clarify the interrelationship of the other chapters. The sum- mary includes general policy in the areas of Economic Development and Community Development which, though supported by policies in all func- tional areas, is not found in other chapters. When the 1998-1999 plan update is completed, the citywide portion of the Plan will consist of the fol- lowing chapters: Directions for 2000, Plan Summary and General Policy Land Use Plan (1998, Recommended by the Planning Commission) Housing (Community Review Draft published October, 1998) "I7ansportation (Adopted 1997) Parks and Recreation (Adopted 1997) Library Services (Adopted 1996) River Corridor Plan (Adopted 1987 (to be updated 1999) Implementation A storm water management plan will be added at a later time, after the management plans for all of the watershed districts within the City are complete, as required by law. A sewer plan will be added in 1999. ��,�� 33 Comprehensive Plan 5 The Setting for a New Plan Some of the most important trends that the Saint Paul community is responding to in the effort to forge new development policy can be briefly described as follows: The "IWin Cities region will grow over the next 20 years, adding some 550,000 people and 300,000 households according to the projections of the Metropolitan Council. The region has addressed its cosUy sprawling devel- opment pattem and acknowledged that a sustainable future requires more effective accommodation of growth within built-up areas, including the central cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Increased use of cars along with more households and without continued eacpansion of the highway system into the hinterland means that increasing traffic could well detract from the area's quality of life without alternative movement systems and new land use patterns. Both neighborhoods and business districts of Saint Paul which reflect the city's historic urban character well are highly valued today. New urbanist approaches to development gaining popularity throughout the country are evidence of a new realization of the value inherent in the historic neighbor- hood grid and sidewalk-and-neighborhood-street-connected living-shop- ping-working that prevails in a variety of forms in much of Saint Paul. The effort well along to plant 25,000 trees, re-establishing something of the nahual character of the Mississippi River corridor, is but one indication of a high level of commitment, broadly shared, to better stewardship of our nat- ural environment and renewed appreciation and enjoyment of Saint Paul's outstanding river bluff setting. The departure of some heavy industry has created new opportunity to meet this objective. Market confidence, the sometimes intangible factor that causes people to see a particular neighborhood as a sound opportunity for investment in housing or business, varies widely across Saint Paul. There's ample demon- stration of strong attraction for the urban neighborhoods the City provides. There's evidence as well that some neighborhoods are not secure and that careful strategy is required to support reinvestment. A regional shortage of housing affordable even to moderate and low-wage workers, and a very low vacancy rate for rental housing are aspects of the housing market that regional and City policy must address. There is also a growing network of vigorous partnership efforts involving business and resident organizations, non-profit organizations, city, county and state governments and the Saint Paul Schools addressing physical, 6 City of St. Paal q�.�t33 economic and social needs, rebuilding community, working to redress the lack of confidence where it exists. The Midway, Saint Paul's extensive business area between the two down- towns, is attracting new business investment today as it has for several years, and downtown Saint Paul is experiencing a rebirth with major new corporate buiiding investment, a wealth of new cultural facilities, and a �rowing housing market. Urban analysis and e�cperience in the United States is leading many to realize new economic potential for central city neighborhoods and their populations that have suffered from the disinvest- ment inherent in the physical and economic development patters of recent decades. And Saint Paui is well "above average" for its success in buiiding its economy, expanding economic opportunity by an increase of some 7,000 jobs in the 1990s. Plan �sion and Themes We envision a future Saint Paul that is the best of its present and past: strong neighborhood communities, a vital downtown area, growing busi- ness and industry, easy, inviting connections among neighborhoods and districts and with our river and natural topography. One of Saint Paul's strengths is its traditional neighborhood fabric, made up of the strong and diverse communities within its borders. Our neighbor- hoods offer housing opportunities that are affordable and attractive to people within a very broad income range. As more and more business and living opportunities become concentrated in neighborhood business centers and near transit corridors, public transit, bicycles and walkways will become more acceptable means of transportation contributing to an improved environment. In our vision, downtown Saint Paul is a thriving 24-hour business, cultural and entertainment center, as well as a highly desirable urban residential location. New business and industry, well integrated with existing neigh- borhoods and new housing opportunities, have replaced the polluted land and outdated infrastructure of the Phalen Corridor to the east and the Great Northern Corridor to the west. University Avenue and West Seventh Street have become attractive corridors with strong business centers, new resi- dential developments and pedestrian amenities attractive to transit riders. The Mississippi River Corridor, while continuing to accommodate a wide Comprehensive Plan variety of urban users, offers a vast green refuge at the city's heart, exten- sive new opportunities for public enjoyment, and an anchor for the park and trail system that shapes the entire city and strengthens the visibility of its natural setting. Three themes capture the opportunities and needs of this vision. �'rl'OWt�I Saint Paul welcomes new opportunities for growth. Saint Paul can realize new vitality by claiming a significant share of the new growth anricipated for the region. Opportunities are being defined in severai key areas: on the downtown riverfront, along the Phalen and West Seventh Corridors, in the Great Northem Corridor through Frogtown, in the Midway and along University Avenue. )ob opportunities continue to expand. New business and cultural faciliUes open downtown. Likewise, the housing market reflects the growth pattern. Business development and housing con- cems recognize that neither will be at its best unless both grow in an inte- grated and complementary fashion. Quality of Place We cherish our place on tl►e river and intend that places throughout St. Paul wi/I offer beauty and delight. A new level of concern for quality of place is evident in our neighborhoods and in downtown and riverfront development. Highland Village and reno- vation in the University/Raymond area are representative of business cen- ters throughout the City where this same intent to build with a quality wor- thy of our urban architectural heritage is evident. We have learned that sus- tainable success requires places designed to serve the community funcUon- ally, aesthetically and socially. Quality of place for Saint Paul means: ■ Neighborhoods that attract people and make them want to stay; ■ Attractive housing that meets a wide variety of needs; ■ Business districts that invite walking, promote community interaction and are safe; ■ Strong, positive visual interest for pedestrians, bikers, walkers and riders; g City of St. Paul ■ Visual and physical connection to the city's natural base of land, water �� ► 3 3 and clean air: and ■ Industry that blends harmoniously with its urban neighbors. WeII-be111�F we��-being for saint Pau� citizens depends on economic growth and life-supporting jobs, as well as cultural, educational and recreational opportu- nities, including community services that nurture family and individual life. Saint Paul's commitment to well-being for families and individuals is evi- dent in its sustained interest in economic development, its newly expanded community effort in work force development, in the housing policy's emphasis on a broad range of housing opportunity, and in the main themes of the 1996 Community Development Agenda: ■ An Even Better Place to Raise Children means a community commit- ment to education, child care and family-supporting neighborhoods. ■ No 11uce with Poverty means expansion of job opportunities appropri- ate for Saint Paul households and preparation of citizens for the emerging job market. ■ High Qualiry Ciry Living means the creation of safe, economically diverse neighborhoods with quality housing at a broad range of prices, participation in all aspects of community life without racial or ethnic barriers, and continued physicai improvement of the city ■ EJfectrve Civic Collaboradon means that our efforts are stronger and more productive because we are working well together with shared objectives: the City, neighborhood organizations, the business commu- nity, Ramsey County, the State of Minnesota, the Saint Paul Public Schools, private service providers and foundations. Comprehensive Plan 9 Ten Principles for City Development ♦ General Policy 1. Ten Principles for City Development The following princi- ples, originally developed as part of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," have been established as guiding principles for general development in Saint Paul. 1. �oke a sense of place. With each change, Saint Paul will work for a strengthened sense of place that reflects the city's natural beauty and exceptional heritage. 2. Restore and establish the unique urban ecology. Reconnection of our urban fabric to the Mississippi River that drew the area's original inhabi- tants will promote a balance between urban and natural systems throughout Saint Paul. 3. Invest in the pablic realm. The public realm sets the stage for develop- ment and provides the network of connections. We will maintain and enhance this investment, designing improvements to promote safety and quality with an emphasis on improving the pedestrian environment. 4. Broaden the mix oflcmd uses. We will take advantage of the diversity of activity that is recognized as a special advantage of an older city. Residence, work and cultural opportunities in close proximity can reduce travel costs and enrich community life. 5. Improve connectiviry. improvement of urban life in Saint Paul will occur by facilitating movement, access and connection among activities and places. 6. Ensure that buildings support broader city goals. Saint Paul wili con- sider each addition to the community fabric as an opportunity to enhance its broader location. �. Build on epsting strengths. We wil] make every effort at city and neighborhood levels to recognize and enhance the treasures we have in our economic, cultural, architectural and natural heritages. 8. Preserve and enhance heritage resources. Saint Paui will continue to preserve and enhance its rich legacy of historic resources. 9. Provide a balanced network for movement. Provisions will be made for movement by car, public transportation, bicycle and on foot in a bal- anced manner throughout Saint Paul. ip City of St. Paul 10. Foster public safety. We will keep public safery at the forefront in design (j � -�13� and management of the public realm and apply safety criteria in the � evaluation of any proposed private development. Geography and Environment The Mississippi River and its dramatic bluffs drew the earliest settlers to the area and remain the strongest definers of Saint Paul as a piace. Diminishing heavy industry and years of progress in cleaning up the river have created new opportunities for enhancement of the setting, improve- ment of environmental quality, and access to the area's strong natural fea- tures. A retum to the river is an opportunity to strengthen quality of place at the heart of Sainc Paul and, with connections and extensions along the tributaries, throughout all of Saint Paul. � GP2. Topography and the Natural Environment. Saint Paul will strengthen its identity by reinforcing its topography and natural environment. This is the first goal of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Supporting policies from the Land Use and the Parks and Recreation chap- ters include: ■ Implementatlon of the land use themes from "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," ■ Creation of new access to the riverbanks and bluff lines, ■ Promotion of the vision of the Great River Park, ■ Conformance of policies and ordinances with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Management plan, ■ Restoration of greenway and natural habitat linkages, ■ Reconnection of neighborhoods to the river with natural landscaping and, where possible, restoration of surface water in tributary corridors, and ■ Appropriate development of sites with river valley views. � GP3. Water Resources. Saint Paul will continue to protect its water resources in accordance with its water resources policy, including: Comprehensive Plan 11 ■ Promotion of natural storm water management solutions, including enforcement of standards for storm water detention ponds, connection of catch basins to the storm sewer system, ■ Enforcement of erosion and sediment control measures, ■ Completion of a watershed management plan for Saint Paul after the management plan for the Middle Mississippi River Water Management Organization is completed in 1999, and ■ Continuation of public education measures outlined in the Water Resources plan. � GP 4. wastewater Facilities. A comprehensive sewer plan update (Tier II) will be completed in 1999. In the meantime, improvement of wastewater handling in Saint Paul will conrinue through established measures, which include: ■ Complete elimination of storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer system through removal of any remaining rain leader/storm sewer connections and eradication of leaks in the sewer system, ■ Identification of current status and future needs of wastewater flows, ■ Continuation of the management program for on-site sewage treatment systems, which requires regular inspection of all systems, correction of nonconforming systems and testing of water supply wells. Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Saint Paul is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizations. It has been a long-standing city policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of those neigh- borhoods. The `"Iraditional Neighborhood Design" and "New Urbanism" movements represent recognition of the value of Saint Paul's neighbor- hoods in contrast to typical suburban development. New Urbanist practices provide some direction for maintaining and enhancing the strengths of our existing neighborhoods. � GPS. Neighborhoods as Urban Vliages. Opportunities to live, work and shop in close proximity will reinforce the urban viliage characteristics of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Improvements and new developments should con- 12 City ofSt. Paul tribute to a high quality, visually inviting, pedestrian-friendly environment. ry C� � � 33 `1 "� Land Use and Housing chapter policies support: ■ Application of urban village principles in neighborhood planning and development, ■ Recognition of the variety of physical forms that make for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, ■ Compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity, ■ Emphasis on pedestrians in neighborhood business centers, supported by design guidelines for designated pedestrian-oriented village centers, ■ Building and landscape design that define public areas and strengthen a sense of place, ■ Diversity of housing type and cost at the neighborhood level, ■ Attention to social and economic factors, along with physical planning and development, and ■ A balanced transportation system. � GP 6. Take Care of the Housing We Have. Most of the current and future resi- dents of Saint Paul will live in the city's existing housing stock. Original construction and on-going investment yield a high level of quality in many Saint Paul neighborhoods that have strong attraction in the regional hous- ing market today. In some neighborhoods, a pattern of disinvestment has led to deterioration and declining values. Housing chapter policies include: ■ Continue and eacpand efforts to enhance the city's traditional neighbor- hood design. ■ Continue a commitment to the preservation of historically and architec- turally significant buildings and neighborhoods. ■ Step up code enforcement matched with additional resources for repair and rehabilitation. ■ Strategicaliy focus efforts to stem deterioration and declining values. ■ Improve management and maintenance of rental property. � GP 7. Meet New Housing Market Demand. Households the children have left, and newer households they haven't yet joined, represent growing segments of the area housing market for at least the next decade. Households in this Comprehensive Plan 13 market are looking for altematives to the single family home with its own yard: townhouses, condominiums and other properties more easily main- tained or left for a week of travel. Renters make up a portion of this market. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Encourage the production of 300-400 housing units a year, primarily attached units attractive to growing segments of the regional housing market most amenable to urban neighborhood opportunities. ■ Promote good design solutions for housing that meets newer market needs and complements existing Saint Paul neighborhoods, designs that use the smaller development sites creatively and that provide for housing in mixed-use nighborhood centers. ■ Encourage the production of rental housing. ■ Encourage innovative development through regulatory reforms. � GP 8. Ensure Availability of Affordable Housing. A generally stronger housing market, the almost total absence of any new production of rental housing in any price range, and the reduction in federal funding for rental assis- tance are all putting pxessure on the portion of the city's housing stock that is affordable to lower income households. In some instances, the price of that housing is being bid up to the point where it is no longer affordable. In others, lack of continuing investment has resulted in physical deterioration and demolition. The need for such affordable housing exists throughout the metropolitan region. Relative to most communities, Saint Paul has a large supply of well- managed low cost housing. Since there are challenges to that supply, preservation is the City's primary objective, though the construction of new low-cost units will be required as well if redevelopment is to meet the needs of Saint Pau] neighborhoods. Encouragement of much more ade- quate provision of housing opportunities throughout the region is also part of the City's strategy. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Challenge the region to ensure that each metropolitan community provides a full range of housing choices in order to meet the needs of households at all income levels. ■ Work with public, private and philanthropic partners to identify and secure significant additional resources to enable the preservation and constnzction of affordable housing, both within the city and throughout the region. 14 City ofSL Paul ■ Preserve existing federaly assisted housing tluough partnership efforts �� r V`"� with HUD and other area agencies and support continued good maintenance and modernization of the public housin� supply. ■ Stimulate the construction of a modest number of new affordable housing units each year, particularly in neighborhoods where affordable housing is in limited supply. ■ Support a variety of initiatives that will allow lower income households to move into home ownership. ■ Link services with affordable housing. ■ In partnership with Ramsey County and other private and non-profit agen- cies, implement the provisions of the Saint Paul/Ramsey County t7ve-Year housing and Homeless Services Plan as it is adopted by the City Council. ■ Preserve and improve existing privately-owned rental housing units. � GP9. Neighborhood Treffic and Parking. Provisions for traffic and other means of circulation will enhance neighborhood environments and support community connections. ZYansportation chapter policies support: ■ Priority for neighborhood traffic control, ■ Attention to neighborhood character in the design of traffic and parking facilities, ■ Enhancement of pedestrian environments, ■ Use of smaller circulator buses and neighborhood transit hubs in a redesigned transit system, ■ Continued enhancement of the parkway system, and ■ Continued use of permit parking to protect residential areas adjacent to high parking demand commercial and institutional uses. � GP 10. PedesVian Safety and Quality. Saint Paul will strengthen the quality of the pedestrian experience in residential and business areas. "I7anspor-tation and Land Use chapter policies support: ■ Compact "urban village"neighborhoods with commercial, civic and institutional activity, _ ■ Physical definition of streets and public places by architecture and landscape design, Comprehensive Plan 15 ■ A neighborhood traffic calming program, ■ Physical changes, where appropriate, to slow traffic and protect pedes- trians, and ■ Street, building design and a mix of uses downtown to promote pedes- trian use. Downtown Saint Paul Downtown Saint Paul fulfills many roles. It is an important regional office center and home base for major corporations, a civic/government center for the State of Minnesota and the IWin Cities metropolitan region, a civic center for the east metro region and the city, an entertainment and cultura] center of significance to the state, and a distinctive urban residential neigh- borhood. While it shares a loss of retaii dominance with other downtowns, it retains a retail core, and new retail strength can be anticipated as a com- plement to the growth of other functions downtown. � GP 11. Vbrant Downtown. The city, business community, state govemment and cultural institutions, as well as the Saint Paul community at large, will work together to ensure that downtown growth continues and that each increment of new development and renovation contributes to the down- town's most vibrant future. Building on the strength of its setting, history and character, we will guide development of the public and private realms to realize the objectives of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." This ptan and the Land Use, Housing, and Parks and Recreation chapters of the Comprehensive City Plan support: ■ Continued development of Wabasha Street as a main thoroughfare connecting the Minnesota Capitoi, the Mississippi River and the west side community through the downtown, ■ Continued evolution of downtown with all the uses that make it a vital 24-hour community and center for the east metro region: office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations and housing, ■ Development of building design guidelines and circulaUon improve- ments which emphasize a quality environment for pedestrians, 16 City of St. Paul a��i� ■ Full attention to pedestrians, bicycles, transit and traffic movement in the design of street improvements, ■ Realization of the land use concepts of the Comprehensive City Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol area, and continued development of the Capitol campus as an open part of the city related comfortably to down- town and adjacent communities, and ■ Investment in transportation and public access infrastructure to facili- tate the redevelopment of the riverfi'ont downtown. � GP 12. Access and Parking Downtown. E�tpansion of parking facilities down- town wili be needed for increments of growth. These should be balanced with substantiai improvement to transit as weil as bicycle and walking access. The need for parking space also should be reduced by collaborative management of parking resources and by incentives for car pools and tran- sit use. � GP 13. Residential Downtown. The residential role of downtown Saint Paul will increase substantially, with perhaps as many as 3,000 new housing opportunities in linked urban villages in and around the business district. Urban village opportunities are outlined in the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Corridors for Growth Ciorridors that have served transportation throughout Saint Paul's history structure the city and are the lifelines of connection and access. Changes in transportation have left several corridors with vacant and under-used land that is an important resource for a period of growth. Recent corridor studies have identified major opportunities to create jobs and housing in the River Corridor, the Midway/University Avenue Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northem (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh Corridor. � GP 14. Corridor Development. Work should continue with community and business organizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several growth opportunities are interconnected. in the process, Saint Paul will seek new ways to inte- Comprehensive Plan 17 Figure A: Five Corridors for Growth grate business and industriai job creation with housing development and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. � GP 15. River Comdor. Saint Paul will continue to give high priority to the transformation of the River Corridor, particularly the downtown and west- em portions. This corridor is evolving from a heavy industrial past into a renewed center for activity and enjoyment of Saint Paul's natural setting. The "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework" communicates the vision and the guidelines for development of the central portion of the River Corridor. While the Framework itself is not an element of the Comprehensive Plan, its principles and vision are endorsed as appropriate for that portion of the River Corridor. The Land Use, TYansportation, and Parks and Recreation chapters support: ■ Continuation of appropriate improvement and development of the River Corridor as a priority, making sure changes are consistent with the enhancement of its natural ecology, ■ Mixed use urban viliage development to extend the urban fabric back to the river, ■ Improvement of public access and recreational uses throughout the corridor, �g CityofSt. Paul ��33 ■ Continuation of industrial uses in portions of the corridor identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Restriction of new development in the floodplain (or within 300 feet of the water) to those entities which have a relationship to the river, need a river location or can enhance the river environment, ■ Transportation investments that emphasize pedestrian opportunities and strengthen neighborhood connections, and ■ Maintenance of Shepard Road and Wamer Road as principal transporta- tion arteries. � GP 16. University Avenue Corridor/Midway. Continued investment in the Midway Corridor will support its strong potential for business development as a readily accessible area between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. University Avenue should continue to be developed as both a transit conidor and a mixed use business street, serving city and neighbor- hood needs. The Land Use and "I7ansportation chapters support: ■ Redevelopment at key sites that are identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Higher densities of households and employment along the corridor that require and support better transit, ■ Redesign and redevelopment to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping area comfor[able for pedestrians and to enhance storefront, pedes- trian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue, and ■ Establishment of Yhe "central corridor"(of which University Avenue is a spine) as the top priority for the development of transitways, busways and/or LRT, in the region. � GP 17. Phalen Corridoc The Phalen Corridor initiative should be carried through and serve as a model for neighborhood revitalization work. The Land Use and Transportation chapter policies support: ■ Redevelopment of significant sites within the corridor and continued pursuit of the corridor's integrated goals, ■ Continued work to fund construction of the boulevard and other infra- structures, and ■ Development and connections that will strengthen the urban village characteristics of neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor. Comprehensive Plan ig � GP 18. Open Space and River Connections. In comdor planning and develop- ment, close attention must be paid to environmental quality, and Saint Paul must take advantage of opportunities to enhance and extend the open space network formed by the river corridor, bluffs, parks and parkways. Neighborhood connections to the Mississippi River Corridor will be enhanced along river tributaries such as the Phalen Corridor, through appropriate trail and road connections, infrastructure design, and land use planning and regulation. � GP 19. West Seventh Sveet (Riverview) Corridoc Reinvestment evident in West Seventh neighborhoods and along the street itself are evidence of new life in this corridor. Tank farms between the street and the river corri- dor have given way to a new business park and new opportunities for other neighborhood development. New planning underway wiil set direction for a new entry to Saint Paul at the southeast end, a stronger community busi- ness street here and new housing and business opportunity. A good portion of our opportunities for a new and better relationship with the river lie within this corridor which has recently been identified as the Riverview Transit Corridor by Ramsey County and included in this plan's identified major corridors for transit improvement. The Land Use and Transportation chapters support: ■ Increased housing and transit-supportive development ■ Development that takes maarimum advantage of river corridor views ■ Appropriate improvement of public transit in this corridor linking down- town Saint Paul to the intemational airport and the southwest metro region, and ■ A re-designed entry to the City at the river. � GPZO. Great Northern (Como) Corridor. A 1997 plan provides direction for redevelopment of the Ma}cson Steel/Dale Street Shops area and a vision for this larger corridor of which it is a part. The entire corridor with the railroad as its spine runs from the Phalen Corridor at 35E through the Empire Builder Industrial Park and west to the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis. This Corridor and the Phalen Corridor have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs with relat- ed neighborhood development that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 20 City of St. Paul Plan chapters support: ��,�13� • Implementation of the Great Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and redevelopment planning for additional corridor sites. • Extension of Pierce Butier Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improvement of truck connections to 35E. • Reforestation of the extended corridor, strengthening its ameniry value for all Midway neighborhoods. • Further study of the urban village potential of the Dale/Como area with new housing near the new Front Street Elementary School. Transportation The public facilities for movement within a city, the system for transportation and circulation in all its forms, shape the city and create value for places with- in it. In recent years, a new set of values has begun to influence our trans- portation system, values that place at least as much priority on the quality of places as on the speed and ease of travel through them. In view of increased congestion projected with regional and city growth, as well as the commuting needs of the city's population, strong efforts are needed to improve public transit and to develop land use approaches that will reduce travel needs. � GP21. Travel and System Management. The city needs to encourage fewer and shorter trips and promote altematives to single-occupant automobiles. Policies to accomplish this in the Transportation chapter include: ■ Full support for an acceptable and adequately funded bus system, ■ In cooperation with other agencies, investment in the infrastructure necessary for transit, car pools, biking and walking, ■ Management of land use to reduce trips and promote altemative modes of travel, and ■ Promotion of regional development and investments that support altemative transportation modes and reduce trips, including a better balance between jobs and housing, and reduction of "sprawl" development. Comprehensive Plan 21 Corridors p�ovide excellent service along major corridors (limited stop "spines") and better intra- and inter-neighborhood service, with a continued strong focus on regular route service to the downtown and concentration on regular- route weekday service. Recommended corridors are iilustrated in the pro- posed Transit Corridors Map. (p.17) Economic Opportunity Economic development is weli established as a clear priority for Saint Paul, and healthy economic growth is a well recognized reality today. Compared to other parts of the region, the city is lacking in readily avail- abie land for industrial use, a deficit that is being addressed in par[ by cleanup of land polluted by earlier industrial uses. A city with such com- 22 ciry of st. Pau1 Figure B: Transit � GP22. Trensporta6on Corridors. Redesign of the bus system should occur to plexities and competing interests as Saint Paul can present a challenging � $�� and costly environment for business development, a situation addressed by many measures in recent years, but one requiring continuing attention. The city's large work force gives it a strong strategic advantage for eco- nomic growth, but carefully targeted efforts are needed to connect that work force successfully with emerging economic opportunity. Other strate- gic advantages include the ciry's location, its strength as a civic and gov- emment center, and its educational, cultural and community resources. Therefore, high priorities for Saint Paul now are: ■ to ensure that land resources with potential for business use are made available and used to their maximum economic and community benefit; ■ to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment in the city for new and existing businesses, and; ■ to improve the education, skill and work-readiness level of the popula- tion for emerging economic opportunity. Other portions of this summary address the vitality of places for business in special districts and neighborhoods as well as potential for special corridor development. Background sources for the summary policies which follow include the Economic Development Strategy adopted in 1990; the Citywide Economic Agenda prepared for Mayor Coleman in 1994; and the continuing collabora- tive work with community, business and education partners, particularly on the task of shaping a work force development strategy appropriate for today's economy and Saint Paul's population. � GP23. Land Resources: Under-used Land and Brownfield Reuse. The city will take full advantage of the under-used land in Saint Paul for continuing growth and fulfill the commitments of its Brownfield's Showcase Community designation. In partnership with the Port Authority and commu- nity-based organizations, it will identify under-used and/or polluted land and provide a mechanism for quantifying remediation costs and identifying responsible parties. Then it will establish a yearly program for leveraging and investing scarce resources for remediation of the sites with the highest priority. ^�^ GP24. Intensive Use of Industrial Land. Density of living-wage jobs will be a primary factor in determination of appropriate reuse of city sites with industrial and/or business potential. Office uses may offer greater potential than industrial development at some previously-industrial sites. Comprehensive Plan 23 �^ GP25. Integrated Neighborhood ImprovemenL Development of any major land area for business and industrial use should be regarded as an opportunity for integrated improvement of the larger neighborhood of which it is a part. � GP26. Business Developmenc Collaboration. There must be an effort to con- tinue the support and improvement of strong collaborative working relation- ships between major economic development agencies. These include the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Saint Paul Port Authority, the Capital City Partnership, the Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation and the Metro East Development Partnership. Communication and collaboration between resi- dents and businesses is especially important in neighborhood planning. � GP27. Business Development Industry Ciusters. In collaboration with the Economic Development Partnership, the city must nurture the growth of industries, especially those within globaliy-competitive clusters with an established base in the east metro region (printing, machine tools, medical devices, computers and software, finance) as well as entry-level opportuni- ty sectors (retail, hospitality, human and personal services, health care, manufacturing and business and automotive services). The Mayor's Information Technology Council is an example of an industry/government partnership building on the strengths of the community for a particular seg- ment of industriai growth. �^ GP28. Business Development Business Resources. With the help of the Business Review Council, Saint Paul will ensure that its department ser- vices and regulatory measures will be responsive to changing needs and foster business growth and appropriate accommodation of businesses in neighborhoods and business districts. In addition, the city will provide active outreach through the Business Resources Center of the Department of Planning and Economic Development to businesses that need informa- tion or other assistance. � GP29. Work Force Development By overcoming deficiencies in education and training, Saint Paul can e3cpand economic opportunity for its citizens. It must work as a full partner in the Community Employment Partnership to provide support to job seekers through community-based Work Resource Hubs and to provide support to employers through a private-sector work force development agency. The public schools should partner with the pri- vate sector, ensuring that graduates gain the skills appropriate to employer needs in the 21 st century. Regional coordination of work force develop- ment also should be encouraged. 24 ciry of st. Paul � GP 30. Work Force Readiness: Social Support. Saint Paul will support Ramsey q�� 1 t �� County and service-providing agencies in their efforts to improve the avail- ability of qualiry child care so that this is not an obstacle to participation in the work force for parents. The city will encourage adequate state and fed- eral funding for child care and other family support, and recognize trans- portation, housing, chiid care and other family support as components of economic development in neighborhood pianning. Community Development �n the Community DevelopmentAgenda completed in 1996 by a broad part- nership, a"community development" is defined as "the act of working together to ensure that Saint Paul is a nurturing environment for families and individuals and a good place to do business."Most of the components of the Comprehensive Plan outlined here have a bearing on community development by this definition. Most of the city's role in response to the four major strategies of the Communiry DevelopmentAgenda is spelled out in the other components of this plan. � GP31. Community Development With a broad community partnership, Saint Paul can continue to support the Community Development Agenda initia- tives: An Even Better Place to Raise Children, No T7vice With Poverry, High Qualiry Ciry Living and Effective Civic Collaboration. City govemmenYs role includes: ■ Collaborative leadership and program work for economic and work force development, as outlined elsewhere in this document, ■ Planning and development work for improved physical quality, improved transportation and improved housing opportunities, and ■ Supportive collaboration and mayoral leadership, where appropriate, for progress in areas where the city does not have the major program role, including education, child care, and welfare reform. � GP32 Centers for Community Life. The city, in partnership with its commu- nities, will work to strengthen the community building role of parks and recreation centers by providing for safe and secure access, programming that contributes to stabie neighborhoods and the removal of barriers to par- Comprehensive Plan 25 ticipation, as outlined in the Parks and Recreation chapter. The city will continue to support partnership efforts to strengthen family and community life, such as Family Resource Centers and Achievement Plus schooLs. � GP33. Inclusive Community We have no tolerance for racism and intend to provide the broadest access possible to all benefits of community life in Saint Paul, free from barriers based on race or ethnicity. Regional Interdependence Saint Paul's growth and development are intenvoven with those of the entire region. A sustainable future for the "IWin Cities region requires replacement of some of the sprawling growth we can otherwise eacpect at the fringes with more intensive use of the existing urban fabric. Reinvestment in the region's centers is a key commitment of regional growth strategy. Saint Paui's ability to sustain itself as a dynamic urban center has been hampered by inequities in the burden of costs for our present regional development pattem. These inequities reflect a history of private invest- ment and public policy that has supported easy expansion of the region at the cost of disinvestment in the otder centers. � GP 34. Tradrtionai Strengths. To realize the best of what our historic urban fab- ric and new urban development can contribute to the region, Saint Paul will build on its traditional urban neighborhood and city center strengtlis. � GP35. Civic, Business and Culwral Centers. Saint Paul will maintain vital, inviting civic, business and cultural centers at the heart of the city and realize the full potential of other city business centers for additional economic activity. � GP36. Opportcmities for Growth. As a growing city with expanding economic and urban residential opportunitles, Saint Paul will accommodate a signifi- cant share of regional growth in housing and jobs over the nead 20 years, at leasE6,000 additional households and 11,000 additional jobs by the year 2020. 26 City of St. Paul � GP37. Regionai Collaboration. Collaborating with neighboring communities �� and other regional jurisdictions will help Saint Paul achieve development that reinforces a strong, sustainable role for the city and the region as a whole, including improved transit and a broad range of housing choices. � GP38. Shared Costs. Saint Paul will support efforts to correct inequities in taxes, fees and infrastructure investment which perpetuate disinvestment in the central ciry and to shift the priority in the use of public resources to reinvestment. Efforts include those recentiy initiated to review and restruc- ture Sewer Accessibility Charges, restraints on extending the Interstate Highway network, and the targeting of redevelopment resources, including funds for cleanup of polluted land. In particular, the city wili insist on broadly shared responsibility for meeting affordable housing needs. Comprehensive Plan y� The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte* )ennifer Engh * Carole Faricy Litton Field, )r. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee' Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell• David McDonell* Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Tteichel' Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *Comprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Developme�t Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Ken Ford, Planner-in-Charge Report Production )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ances[ry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assisWnce in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activitles. 2g City of St. Paul � �,,, 33 cirY couNCi� AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Cooperation from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accomplish this �_ 2. Author Mike Harris; Locatzon insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. through the Public Works Denarnnent, should encouraee oublic infrastructure that promotes streets and sidewalks t1�at aze nedestrian friendlv and visuall�apnealing are imnortant comnonents to the success of nei� borhoods. 3. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint Paul's Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) �ge� . , , , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote herita�e preservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advisory bo� to the Mayor and Citv Council on herita�e nreservation matters and recommends to the city council sites buildings, and districts to be desi�nated as historic sites. The commission also must review and aprorove buildin�nermits for most tynes of exterior work concerning desi¢xtated buildings and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservafion Districts.) , ' °- "'--„ "'-- " In the case of four of the five local historic districts—Dayton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Pazk and Historic Hill—preservarion has been used quite successfull�s a tool for communitv development and revitalizarion buildin¢ on a primarv asset of these neip^hborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strongassets. and one which distineuishes Uus CitY from surrounding suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelonment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundarion and the Preservation Alliance of Miuuesota, should assess available and potenrial incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. 5. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph.� The City supports the central corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown q �.�� 33 Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 42 ar second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emerging maior employment center. �ood access by_public transit is a hi tg�t nriority objective for all industrial, commercial and residenrial development of the Phalen Comdor. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.] Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 An�� transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incor�orated into the e�sting residential, commercial and environmental character of the corridor. In �articulaz. �hysical changes should respect and compliment nahu�al amenifies in the corridor, such as Crosbv Park, Hidden Falls Pazk and the Mississippi River Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary inh-usion. 8. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiYypartic2pation will be sou t for anv addirional changes in the corridor. including the widenin� and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 9. Author Chris Coleman; Location irrsert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an objective for all redevelopment efforts of the Crreat Northern Corridor. 10. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by plamiing neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taldng the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The Ciry will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reducrion in regional emissions of air nollution as quantified by instruments which measure pollutants such as narticulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitro� dioxide. An example of such an instniment would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored by the Mimiesota Pollurion Control A encv and the Environmental Profection Ag_encv. 11. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to �iiri�ri�e substanrially decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibrarion, and exterior appearance. 12. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Melropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts tt�rough runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si2nificant and nroblematic airport land use impacts for the Citv include the attractiveness of nearbv a �,��3 sites for lone-term parkin fg or auport customers and for storaee and servicin� of rental cazs. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 54 ar new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the internarionsal airoort to take Yhe steas it can to ensure imarovinn compatibility with Saint Paul's existin� residential and commercial chazacter Actions should include: 11 restricting new fli¢,hts over Saint Paul's ne�hborhoods• 21 enforc� federal noise mirigarion requiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatine on-airport space for all car rental storage and services needs. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 14. Author Jay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: # 10 Studv alternatives and prouose amendment to the zoning code which would distin�uish between small and large trucking ouerations. Consider alternatives such as a snecial restrictions on l�e trucking firms and propose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low employee density truckine use of industrial land. The pronosed amendment should act to make consistent with re�azd to truckin¢ uses, the zoning code and hieh density emplovment requirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Polic 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressing intensive use of industrial land ORIGINAL Council File # 14 ' «33 Resolution # Green Sheet # 3 � 6 FtESOLUTION OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA Presented By Referred To Committee: Date o� � 2 0 Land Use Plan 6 WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, following extensive research and public discussion, has 7 recommended a new Land Use Plan for adoption as a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, 8 and 9 10 WIIEREAS, the draft Land Use Plan published in April, 1998, was discussed in numerous public meetings 11 and was the subject of two public hearings before the Planning Commission held on May 22 and June 12, 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1998, and WHEREAS, new policy for land-use-related planning and development decisions is needed to replace the 1980 Plan for Land Use currently in place, and WIIEREAS, the Land Use Plan recommended fulfilis a major portion of the expectations for the comprehensive plan required by the Minnesota Land Planning Act as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.859, and WFIEREAS, under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 473.864, Subd. 2, Saint Paul is required to update its Comprehensive Plan regulazly and to submit an updated Plan by the end of 1998 (or to an extended date), RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul adopts the Land Use Plan as an amendment to the Saint Paul Comprehensive Pian conungent on further review by adjacent communities and the Metropolitan Council, and FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Land Use Plan replaces in its entirety, as a component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, the Plan for Land Use adopted November 11, 1980. q �-1133 ORIGINAL Requested by Department of: Plannin & Eco a c➢evelo eent BY � �!!� Form Appxove Adoption Certified by Council Secretary BY� 8yc Approved by Approved by Mayo : Date � � '�� _, By: By� Adopted by Council: Aate ��bl�q �'&-L�33 CITY GOUNGIL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — �� D� � 3,� �a� Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second buZlet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing near bus service will help support transportation alematives and neighborhood business centers. Cooroerarion from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accom�sh this eoal' 2. Author Mike �Iarrts; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 513 The Citv, throuah the Public Works Department, should encourage vublic infrashucture that promotes streets and sidewalks that are pedestrian frien� and visuall r�appealingare im_portant components to the success of neighborhoods. 3. Author Chris Colenaan; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objecrive 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) ischarged > , ' was created in 1976 to �reserve and promote herita�e roreservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advasor�bod�to the Mayor and City Council on heritagepreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites, buildings, and districts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve buildin�permits for most t}�es of exterior work concerning designated buildangs and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservation Districts.) �Hy b � . lll the case of four of the five local historic districts—Da�+ton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Park and Historic Hi11—�reservation has been used quite successfully as a tool for community development and revitalizarion, buildine on aprimary asset of these neiehborhoods—historic buildi �s. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strong assets, and one which distineuishes this Citv from surroundin¢ suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth parao aph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and character somerimes increases rehabilitafion and redevelopment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its pariner arganizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incentives, financial and otherwise, and recommend means for improvement. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph: The City supports the central comdor beriveen downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. � -1��3 � ; ,�"� � o � 6. Author Chris Codeman; Location page 39 delete in Figure O: " � �31q� �� 7. Author Chris Coleman; Location insen page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emer¢ine major em�lovment center. good access by public transit is a high prioritv ob�ective for all industrial, commercial and residential development of the Phalen Corridor. �This amendment wouZd resuZt in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 8. Author Mike Hart Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Any major transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incorporated into the existing residential. comxnercial and environmental character of the comdor. In narticulaz, �h�sical chanees shouid respect and compliment naturai amenities in the corridor. such as Crosb�Park. Hidden Falls Puk and the Mississinpi Rivez Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary intrusion. 9. Author Jerr,� Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Poft Authority should support and work to implement the Great Northern Comdor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communit�participation will be sou h� t for anv additional changes in the corridor, includin� the wideninP and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 10. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as szzth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an obiective for all redevelopment efforts of the Great Northern Corridor. ll. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page S0: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction in re�ional emissions of air pollution as quantified by instruxnents which measure pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. An exam le of such an instrument would be the Pollut9on Standards Index which is monitored by the Minnesota Pollurion Control Agency and the Environmental Protecrion A ency_ 12. Author.Terry Blakey; Location page S0: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to mnrimize substantiall�decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page Sl into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise unpacts through runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use plauning, and noise unsulation pro�ams. Sianificant and uroblematic airport land use impacts for the City include the attractiveness of nearbv sites for lon -t� erm parkin fg or airport customers and for stora�e and servicing of rental cars. `�1��133 �' � r 5`i �� 14. Author Mike Harris, Location insert page 54 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the intemationsal auport to take the steps it can to ensure improvin� compatibilitv with Saint Paul's existin¢ residential and coznmercial chazacter. Actions shouid include: 11 restricting new flig�ts over Saint Paul's nei�hborhoods: 21 enforcin� federal noise mitigation rec�uiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatin op n-airport space for all caz rental storag. e and services needs, jThis amendment wauld result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 15. Author Tay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: #10 Sludy alternarives and nronose amendment to the zonin¢ code which would distinguish between small and lar�e truckin�operations. Consider altematives such as a special restrictions on lar�e huckine firms and propose the amendment so that it wiil limit large low emplovee densitv truckinQ use of industrial land. Thepro�osed amendment should act to make consistent, with regard to huckine uses, the zonine code and hieh density employment requirements outlined in Ap�endix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressingintensive use of industrialland. i ^� i � Y ��at - il 3 ''! DEPAAThIEN7/OFFICElCAUNCIL DATE IIi171ATED Planning and Economic Development GREEN SHE ' N� 2 3 �$$ CAMACfPEflSON&PHONE . fNR1AVDA INITIAVDATE Q �EPARTMENT OIRECf R � CIN fAUNCIL ASSIGN CCfYATfORNEY CT'CtEflK K0R EOTdp L.66—(577�� NUYBERFOR � � � � MUST BE ON CAUNCIL A ENDA BY (DA7� _ ROUTIN6 O BUOGEf DIRE(.TO � FlN. & MGT. SEflVICES �Iq. - �RDER � MAYOR IOR ASSiSSATfi) � � TOTAL # OF SIGNATURE PAGES (CLIP ALL LOCASIONS FOH SIGNATl1AE) ACT70N FEQUESTED: Signatures, approval. RECOMMENDAnONS: Apprare (n) br Fiejea (Fi) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS MUST ANSW ER TNE FOLLOWING �UESTIONS: A PLANNING COMMISSION _ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION 1. Has this person/firm ever worked untler a contract for Mis departmen[? RH C�6 CAMMITTEE YES NO A SiAFF � 2. Has this person�rm ever been a city employee? na — YES NO _ DiS7qic7 Couai � 3. Does this person/frtm possess a skill no[ normai�y possessetl by any curten[ ciry employee? Ra SUPPORTS WHICH CAUNCIL OBJECfIVE? YES NO � Explain all yea answera on separate sheet anA attach to green sheet INITIATING PFOBLEM, ISSUE, OPPORTUNITV (WIro, What, When, Where. Why): Update of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan; need for a New Land Use Chapter. AWANTAGES iF APPRWED: The City will have a new policy guide for land-use related planning anc� �,e decisions and a basis for negotiation with other governmer��"�'��fiCioiis:`� �E� 15 �995 DISADVANTAGES IFAPPROVED: , � �._ �.$, � , � � - �:.:'xe&e�� i.A ��-.� - �EC Q9 1�� C�� T � Y DISADVANTAGES IF NOTAPPROVED: The City will be out of compliance with state law requirements for update o£ the comprehensive plan. RECEIVED DEC 141998 TOTAI AMOUNT OF 7RANSACTION $ COSTlREVENUE BUDGETEO (CIRCLE aNE) �AY��S wy �CE PUNDING SOURCE ACTIVITV NUMBER FINANCIAL INFORMATION: (EXPLAIN) o�g .� �33 lnterdepartmenta! Memorandum CTI'Y OF SAINI' PAUL Date: December 7, 1998 To: Mayor Coleman � From: Pam Wheeloc ' "� Subject: New Land e Pl - Briefing Memo The draft Land Use Plan enclosed is recommended to you and the City Council by the Plamiing Commission. It is for you to transit the Commission's recommendation to the City Council along with your own recommendation. Some highlights might be helpful for your review: Growth. The Land Use Plan emphasizes accommodation of a significant shaze of the region's growth: more jobs and housing over the next twenty years. The major corridors with identified potential aze highlighted as means for focusing planning and development activity for growth: River Corridor, Midway/University Avenue Corridor, Phalen Corridor, W. Seventh StreetlRiverview Corridor, Great Northern Corridor-as well as freeway development sites. Housing. With respect to housing, the plan identifies market potential for attached units, forms of housing that complement our single-family fabric and provide for somewhat higher densities, particulazly near transit corridors, downtown and at the river. We will need to add in the neighborhood of 300-400 housing units each yeaz to meet the tazgeted growth. (The plan anticipates that the rate of growth will not be even, but will start lower and will accelerate as urban living options in Saint Paul become more attractive in the mazket.) Maps on pages 56 and 57 identify "new urban housing" focus areas at neighborhood centers (p. 56) and redevelopment opportunities throughout the city (p. 57). Downtown and the River. The Land Use Plan incorporates the 10 principles for development from the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework as standards for the entire city (p. 15), and generally endorses the framework's land use directions and design guiiielines. The plan's first major strategy, "A Vita1, Growing City Center (p. 18)," supports a broad, healthy xnix of uses downtown, strong connections with the capitol azea and the river, and adding residential opporiunities in the "urban village" configurations recommended by the Framework. Urban Villages. "Urban village," principles, are emphasized for continued neighborhood development: miaced use, somewhat higher densities, good pedestrian environments and well- integrated transit. The plan notes, however, that the chazacteristics of good wban neighborhoods are reflected in a wide variety of successful neighborhood forms in Saint Paul. qY-1�33 Errvironment (p. 47). Policies on "Environmental Stewazdship" include a commitment to meet MIVRRA "Tier II" status, which means we will modify policies and regulations to be consistent with the 1V�NRRA management plan for the river corridor. This will be part of updating the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, an effort already underway to be completed in 1999. With respect to reuse of under-used and polluted industrial land, the plan notes a current rate of reuse of about 30 acres per yeaz and notes that full use of the inventory over the 20-yeaz period would require some $20 million per year in redevelopment resources. Points of Controversy Industrial l/se in the River Corridor (p. 38, 6.2.4). To some, any remaining industrial use in the river c�rridor is inconsistent with the desired restoration of the corridor's natural chazacteristics. The p12n supports continued industrial use in the existing industrial azeas to the southeast of downtown: The Southport industrial azea (Barge Channel Road) is identified as an"Industrial Study ".4�ea."' The Port Authority is planning for improvements here. The neighborhood plan completed by the West Side Citizens Organization calls for elimination of industrial uses here. Residential Densities. We expected much more concern about increased residential densities ; ,than we have heard. With some exceptions, notably from the northeast azea, when people understand that we aze talking about townhouse densities neaz transit routes or neighborhood centers, with neighborhood planning involved before any rezoning, and about major sites downtown or on the river, the idea of some increased density that will strengthen local housing markets with new alternatives seems to be accepted. Parking Downtown. While the plan supports better transit by encouraging higher densities along ' transit corridors and improvement of bus service (more completely addressed in the tran',sportauon plan) one policy notes that "As the downtown grows, more public pazking must � also be buiit...." Many transit supporters believe this is inconsistent; that if we aze serious about supporting better transit; we should stop adding parking downtown. Neighborhood Planning (Page 55). This subject has generated the most comment from neighborfiood organizations. The plan addresses the changing nature of neighborhood planning=�se., more plans done indegendently of the city through a variety of parinerships-and provideS a new procedure for encouraging consistency with city policies. The Planning Commission will issue guidelines for neighborhood plans to provide an indication of the thiugs they will be looking for on review. After a review of a neighborhood plan, the Plauning Commission will recommend only a suminary to be adopted and incorporated into the CiTy's Comprehensive Plan. The summary will highlight appropriate city actions and those recommendations (such as key land use decisions) that aze appropriate for incorporation in city policy. This has been a point of some contention, since past pracrice has been to adopt neighborhood plans wholesale as amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. After considerable dialogue, there is substantial support for the new (summary) approach. °ib�-1�3a. �. � �F" s�r PL�� 390CiryHa11 TeZephone: 651-266-8510 NormColeman,Mayor /SWestKelloggBoulevm'd Facsimile:651-218-8513 SaW Paut, MN 55702 December 6, 1998 City Council President Dan Bostrom Councilmembers Dear Council President Bostrom and Councilmembers: I am pleased to transmit and recommend for your adoption a new Land Use Plan, a key component of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. This new plan will replace the land use chapter adopted in 1980. A replacement is long overdue. The Planning Commission has sponsored extensive community discussion in the process of arriving at the plan they have recommended. They have seen clearly the opportuniry which our current experience of growth suggests. They haue recognized the resources we haue in under-used land as well as the need to reinforce and protect our valuable tradifional neighborhood fabric. The Land Use Plan formally incorporates the principles arrived at in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework and, I believe, provides a sound basis for continued development decisions and more refined planning for neighborhoods, business districts and corridors. Copies of the draft Suuinxary and General Policy are enclosed so that the Land Use Plan can be seen within the framework of the entire Comprehensive Plan. The sumniary, which as you know is currently under review, helps to clarify the intenelationships among the plan chapters. You aze, of course, awaze that the housing chapter is presently under discussion. The Planning Coxnmission expects to recommend the Housing Plan and the Summary to us eazly in January. I recommend adoprion of the Land Use Plan contingent on the Metropolitan Council and adjacent community reviews still to come. erely, � � Norm Coleman �� Mayor c�� - ( �33 City of St. Paul Office of the City Council 320 City Hall Saint Paul, MN 55102 (651) 266-8570 INTER-DEPARTMEN7AL MEMORANDUM DATE: February 24, 1999 TO: Councilmembers and Legisiative Aides � FROM: Marcia Moermond, Policy Analyst ��"" SUBJECT: Land Use Plan Amendments: Item 27 on Council Agenda Today Attached is a list of all proposed Land Use Plan amendments that have been forwarded to me by Councilmembers over the last severa] weeks. The items aze listed in page number order, according to the page being amended. Ken Ford and I have compiled and discussed the amendments. Where appropriate, he has provided comments on specific amendments. Also attached is the list of questions on the Land t3se Plan submitted by the Council thus far, and PED staff responses to those quesrions. The Council is currently scheduled to amend the Land Use Plan today, and lay it over to March 3 for fmal adoption. Regarding Agenda Item I3umber 25, the Summary and Generat Plan and Item 26 the Housing Plan, the Council is scheduled (according to the Council Workplan for the Comprehensive Plan Chapters adopted on January 27) to next discuss these items on Mazch 3—at which rime it is scheduled to identify issues for staff follow-up and amendment drafting. Therefore, the Council should lay over these plans untii next Wednesday, Mazch 3. Please contact me with any questions or comments on these plans. Please note that this memo and attachments have also been emailed to you. attachments cc: Ken Ford and Lazry Soderholm, PED Gerry Strathman and Nancy Anderson, Council Reseazch Phil Byrne and PeYer Wamer, City Attorney's Office a� -t�� cirY couNCi� PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill developmen� New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Coogerarion from the Metr000litan Council and Metro Transit is �� necessarv to accomplish this eoal. PED Staff Comment: Metro Council is very supportive of somewhat higher density housing near transit. Does the extra language add anything at this point? 2. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. throueh the Public Works Department should encouraee public infrastructure that �� romotes ' . Streets and sidewalks that aze edestrian frienc and visual v annealino are imrnrt�nt aFl�,. �++wP_m,....P�� .....e -....rt,,.,.a.. � PED Staff Comment: This is appropriate reinforcement to add. 3. Author Chris Coteman; Location insert page 42 as second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emereine maior emnlovment center good access bypublic transit is a hi nrioritX obiective for all industrial. commercial and residenrial develo�ment of the Phalen Q� Corridor. jThis amendment woutd result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.J 4. Author Mike Harris; Location inrert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit develooments within the Riverview corridor shouid be incoroorated into the exisrin¢ residen6al. commercial and environmental chazacter of the corridor In narticulaz. nhvsical imnrovements should not disturb naiurai amenities in the corridor such as Crosbv Pazk. Hidden Falls Park and the MississiDniRiver Boulevard Pazk I� � 5. � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTfON FROM PED STAFF FOR #4: 6.5.5 Anv maior transit Pierce Butler Route. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more � sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiri partic�ation will be sou t for °I� 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public ��—iransit access will be an ob�ective for all redevelo�ment efforts of the Crreat Northem Corridor. 1. Author Jerry Blakey; Locarion page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by ptanning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The City will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reduction � in repional emissions of air�ollution as guanrified bv instruments which measure O pollutants such as particulates, sulfur dioacide cazbon monoxide ozone and nitrogen dio�de. An example of such an instrument would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored bv the Minnesota Pollution Control Aeenc� and the Environmental Protection A eg ncv 8. Aufhor Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.2 T'he City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to ��—. �e substantiallv decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appeazance. PED Staff Comment: Virtually all industry has some negative environmental impact. There is a cost associated with decreasing it We cannot assume that the cost is acceptable in all cases of negative environmental impact. 9. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts through runway design, flight ��pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si 'ficant and nroblematic airport land use imnacts for the Ciri include the attractiveness of neazby sites for lone-term pazkin for airport customers and for storage and servicing of rental cazs. 10. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 52 fif3h paragraph: 7.6.1 i14SF-an� Holman Field airports is are-bet3� very important to Saint Paul's economy and qualtiy of life. The � � City supports maintaining and improving this airport H� in its �keir present locations (`� ° with full attenrion to noise mitigation. PED Staff Comment: We believe that the poiicy of general support for both airports in their present locations is important. This is something that the MetropolRan Council will be looking for �r�� in our plan. The City of Minneapolis, which has far greater problems with intemffiional airport operations than we do, nevertheless supports improvemeM of the airport in its present location in their comQrehensive Qlan. 11. Author Mike Harris; Location irrsert page 34 as new first paragraph: 7.6.2. MSP International Airoort is utililized bv Saint Paul's businesses and residents The City should encouraee the airport to be compatable with Saint Paul's existine residenrial and commercial chazacter. Actions that Saint Paui should encourage are• I) restricting new fliehts over Saint Paul's neiehborhoods• 2) enforcing federal noise miti ag tion reyuiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 3) Locating on-airport locations for land uses such ��-1\33 as car rental service and storage. that conflict with Saint Paul land use oals. jThis amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6 3 through 7.6.6.J � ALTERNATE LANGUAGE SUGGESTION FROM PED STAFF FOR #8: 7.6.2. The Citv encouraqes the intemationsal airoort to take the steps it can to ensure improvina compatl �� with Saint Paul's existina residential and commercial character. Actions should include: 1 restrictinq new fliqhts over Saint Paul's neiahborhoods� 2) enforcinq federal noise mitiaati services needs. (This amendment would result in a 2numbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6.5 on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 12. Author Jay Benanav irrsert page ?0 as fourth paragraph: #10 Studv altematives and propose amendment to the zonin� code which would distineuish between small and lazee truckine onerations. Consider altematives such as a snecial restricrions on large trucking firms and nropose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low emplo�ee densit.y ��--Yruckina use of industrial land. The nronosed amendment should act to make consistent vinth re�d to truckin�uses the zoning code and hi density emplovment reauirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Policy 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressine intensive use of industrial land. � � -1133 CITY COUNCtL PROPOSED AMENDMENTS - ADDENDUM TO THE LAND USE PLAN — REDLINE VERSION — 13. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservarion. Saint PauPs Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) ischargch > , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote heritage preservation and the citv's historic chazacter. It is an advisorv bodv to the Mauor and CitXCouncil on heritaee nreservation matters and recommends to the citv council sites. buildin�s, and dishicts to be designated as historic sites. The commission also must review and approve building,,permits for most types of exterior work concernine designated buildin�s and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preseroarion Districts.) - � � . In the case of four of the five locai historic dishicts—Dayton's Bluff. Lowertown. Irvine Park and Historic Hill—nreservation has been used auite successfullv as a tool for communit�develonment and revitalization, build� on a nrimary asset of these neighborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic chazacter is one of our stron¢ assets, and one which distinguishes this Cit +�from surrounding suburban communities. 14. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildines and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelo�ment costs. It is difficuit, and often unpossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Aeritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the storic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available and potential incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. � ^ �g -It 33 CITY COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THE LAND USE PLAN 1. From Councilmember Harris regarding Policy 3.3.4 on page 14: Please explain how the City would express its interests and affect the development of suburban East Metro communiries? At the Metropolitan Council? At the state legislature? At the federal level? Directly to ffie communities themselves? Please elaborate. PED STAFF RESPONSE: Policy development at the metropolitan level is certainly one way. Saint Paul had significant impact on the metropolitan growth strategy through the early participation of the Planning Commission as well as the Mayor and City Council. The City should be heazd at the Metropolitan Council if the growth strategy is not effectively unplemented in subwban areas and if housing goais are not met. At the state legislature certainly: powers of the Metropolitan Council, regional transit, resources for housing, resowces for the Livable Communities accounts. Direct action with communities is very limited; we do review amendments to their comprehensive plans and they review ows. 2. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Downtown Parking Policy, Policy 4.2.4, page 20: Is it counterproducrive to transportation planning and transit initiatives to state in Policy 4.2.4., ihat more parking must be built downtown. PED STAFF RESPOI3SE: The apparent conflict of support for additional pazking along with policies to promote public transit was raised a number of times during community discussion. Downtown parking is driven by market demand (our zoning code does not require parking downtown) and we do not believe that we aze in a position to put a cap on it; that is, to add a prohibition against building the parking they need to the obstacles a company or developer faces in a downtown locarion. We suspect that transit will have to become viable and amactive for much more of the region's population than it is now before a pazking cap is a reasonable option. Other means to encourage transit use and the best overall management of parking resources are probably the measures we have to focus on now. 3. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: Why is Highway 61 not considered a major transit corridor in the east metro? Piease compare traffic counts on Highway 61 to those on Shepazd Road and University Avenue. PED STAFF RESPONSE: The concept of a transit corridor in the City is a route that connects a great deal of popularion and activity along its way as well as leading to significant desrinations. On a transit corridor, both land use and transit provisions can be managed to benefit from each other. Somewhat higher density of activity and population makes good public transit more efficient. Better public transit ariracts those people and activities that want to take advantage of it. q�-1\3` Highway 61 is a high-volume mute. It probably serves a significant number of commuters on buses from fairly long distances, but it is not integrated with residences and business acrivity in a way that gives it promise as a transit corridor. 4. From Councilmem6er Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: [Per Council Research: PED inadvertently omited a response to this issue. The response is forthcoming.] 5. From Councilmember Harris regarding Figure U on page 46: What criteria were used to select transit hubs? Is it volume of transit use? Intersection of transit routes? Was there community involvement? Please describe the public processes used to select hubs. Are there existing plans for these hubs? Do these plans involve land acquisirion or eminent domain? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The figure does not identify transit hubs. It identifies "transit destinations(significant transfer points" which aze idenrified in the Transportation Plan. They were determined by locating important intersecting routes and obvious destination points. There aze not now plans for hubs at these points and the plan does not assume that a major hub facility would be appropriate for all of these. Certainly we should expect to find those places where a major inter-model interchange would enhance the transit system to be among these identified transfer points. This map went through the same public dialogue process as the rest of the land use pian, and, in fact, had earlier community review when the Transportation Plan was developed. 6. From Councilmember Benanav regording I-1 Zoning and Trucking: Because suburban communities like Roseville are now prohibiting trucking operations from locating in their azeas, we need to discourage these businesses from locating in our I-1 district. Trucking companies don't employ a lot of people, they take up a lot of space, and they're very disruptive to neighborhood life. Is there a way to regulate our land use through zoning limiting the type of low density per acre employment? PED STAFF RESPONSE: Given the number of e�sting fums and the importance of a trucking funcrion in some light industrial areas, we think some provision for them is probably necessary. However, it may well make sense to distinguish between small and large trucking firms and limit light industrial areas to small firms. A study to do tlus can be added to the list of zoning implementation measures. 7. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Intermodal Hubs: In the midst of a national "explosion" of intermodal hub activity, what can we do to prevent further expansion of intermodal hubs in Saint Paul? � s -1133 �� PED STAFF RESPONSE: We believe we have done all that we can in the zoning code to limit further expansion of intermodal hub acrivity in the City. We have to rely on aggressive enforcement of the requiretnents for 1,000-foot distance from residenrial property, landscaping and sound barriers, no unreasonable disturbance, and access from truck routes. 8. From Councilmember Benanav regarding Transit: Is it possible or appropriate to reopen the transporation plan to strengthen transit initiatives and altematives, like the Metropass Progam. PED STAFF RESPONSE: While the Transportarion Chapter can certainly be amended, specific programs like this aze probably more effectively dealt with as implementation measures on an annual basis. 9. From Councilmember Benanav regarding LRT. If the transit vision committee gets some broad consensus, which now includes Chamber support, for LRT, should we address that more specifically before we submit the plan? PED STAFF RESPONSE: We can't be confident that we'll have that much cleazer a vision about LRT in time for this submission. This may be a place for a later amendment if the vision that evolves isn't supported by the current plan. 10. Ftom Councitmember Coleman regarding LRT: Does the Land Use Plan in any way determine where an LRT corridor should be developed in the City of Saint Paul? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route. Rather, the Land Use Plan focuses on transit-oriented development. Both the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors have been discussed in the community as options to connect to the Hiawatha Corridor from downtown Minneapolis to the International Airport. LRT is not mentioned in the discussion of either corridor in the Land Use Plan. Za�� Z � a�-11�3 cinr couNCi� QUESTIONS FOR STAFF - ADDENDUM ON THE LAND USE PLAN t- L' s l: � 10. From Councilmember Harris regarding Strategy 3 on pages 37 through 46: How was the Riverview corridor selected as a primary corridor for public transit improvements? What other corridors were considered? What criteria were used for selection? PED STAFF RESPONSE: The six primary and several secondary �ansit corridors were identified in the Transportation Plan and adopted with the adoption of that chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. The factors involved in their selection include: • Established transit routes with high ridership • Interconnections among routes wiUun the city • Access to major activity centers • Major destinations within and outside of the city Interconnections with regional routes DevelopmenUgrowth potential where better transit can be a positive factor The Transportation Plan says of transit corridors: "The Transit Comdor development concept calls for frequent, fast, reliable and efficient transit service, with a high level of transit amenities and transit centers, along linked corridors that haue high job concentrations, population density, transit dependency, and opportunity for redevelopment. The concept can be implemented with the existing bus system, but also can accommodate options for dedicated busways and/or light rail transit." From Councilmember Coleman regarding LRT.• Does the Land Use Plan in any way detemune where an LRT corridor shouid be developed in the City of Saint Paul? REVISED PED STAFF RESPONSE: The Land Use Plan does not specify any LRT route within the City of Saint Paul as a favored route or even menrion LRT in the discussions of the West Seventh and University Avenue corridors. Rather, the Land Use Pian recognizes the benefit that the comdors provide for integrated plamiing of land use changes with transit improvement. makes cleat that the corridor concept does not depend on new meaningful. Policy 79 of the Transportation Plan does say that :ntral corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown riority for development of transitways--busways and(or LRT--in u Y` �� "" � �� s �`'�� r..� �,�_�� 1 1 � LAND USE PLAN � � � I � A Chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for City Caunci! Action � � � � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planning Commission September 25, 1998 �� -1133 � � SAINT PAUL � LAN D USE PLAN A Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan � Draft for City Council Action � Recommended by the Saint Paul Planni�g Commission, Septem6er 25, 1998 � ■ � � � � � � [� 1_� � Cc�naprehd:rasi�.•e Flan i 0��-113�3 � � � � � � � � � � Contents Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) 1 �O Strategy 1: A V"ital City Center Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopment Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship and Urban Amenity Imp]ementation Introduction � 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Setting 3. 3.� 32 Objective 3.3 Objective 3.4 3.5 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process 9 Purpose of the Land Use P1an 10 "fime Frame � � 1'hemes of the Land Use Plan ] 1 E�tistlng Land Use Land Use TTends and Assumptions Equitable Metropolitan Development River Landforms Ten Principles for City Development Strategy 1: A Vital, Growing City Center ��0 Objective 4. ] Saint Pau7 on the Mississippi Development � Fromework Implementation Objective 4.2 The Complete Docvntown Mix Objective 4.3 Riverfront Developmenk � Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections Objective 4.5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages � � � � � {� Su�ategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Viliages lI�O Objective 51 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Development Ob}ective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing Objective 5.5 Balanced'IYansportation System Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation ,2 12 ]2 13 14 15 18 ]9 20 20 20 22 24 25 27 29 29 31 32 32 33 35 a $ -113 3 �` Cc�rnpreherayi�.•e Plan g Strategy 3: Corridors for Redevelopmenf 6 �o Objective 6 1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Objective 6.2 River Corridor Objective 6.3 Midway (University Avenue/I-94 Corridor) objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor Objective 6.5 Riverview/W. Seventh Street Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors Strategy 4: Environmental Stewardship 7 �0 Objective 7.1 Mississippi National River and RecreaTion Area (MNRRA) 'IYer II Status Objective 7.2 Natural Landscape for Topographic Features Objective 7.3 Air Quality: "f7ansportation and Industry Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Objective 7.5 Soii Cleanup/Brownfield Reclamation Objective 7.6 Airport Noise and Airport Objedive 7.7 Access to Solar Energy x /� I�tementation Y�0 81 Citywide Land Use Map 8.2 Map Summary of Redevelopment Opportunities 8.3 Neighborhood Planning 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions 8.5 Capital improvements 8.5 Intergovernmental Action 8.6 Urban Design Appendices 9 �o Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. Land Use Trends and Assumptions Existing Land Use and Projected Change Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan Sensitive Resource Maps Sewers Inflow and Infiltration C red�ts 37 37 38 40 4I 42 44 45 45 4� 47 49 50 50 51 51 54 55 55 55 55 60 60 61 61 62 62 65 69 71 74 79 �� 4 Cif�� ot�5t. Pr�u3 [J �� Land Use Action Agenda (Summary) � �2: .J �isidf �r.?ITf,i �v� i`�li:�'I: IS c ,e ',i�.. - �r n" f •;-° ' t�` C:i �,�Z.. �OT i�tc. Cic��,tf i� �LSI��ai£'S ?�u'�iPL' �:'OZIS.Y?6, � 'J: tC�S, il,t�LtS��:S, � L�� ,�ti�..`� 3"!t3��.t'1C� �L"':�c�.'�i�i:� 4n d��'C�:is fC��t.�1Lr�(": ?"�L`3�`i.°,ti?�rl��?Z ;�PL7�1n.t?�. l i�,�?t'�.�itl.Y�c?�'�S i?: ?.I7.°. L;7??u' �:S,°. �xti{Yt CI��' ?(J �YiCC?td:"CZ, j3��i'C€i�" ZI?1'ijiii�ist II: r`1�1C s.. y% LI�Cd� CO £�-'i,i1L�� piiil'IC � ?? �i .•��Lni1? tt,'rc�n;c'::%�<_:�: si�zt e?�htar7Ces e�is�� cotn ,;un: ll�'� G�i:� Lt!L'' �ic��.,��Qi �}�'Yi�n:�f�.'." � � � � � � The Land Use Plan is one of the chapters of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. Other citywide chapters dea] with Housing, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Libraries, Water Management, Sewers, and the River Corridor. Many neighborhoods also have plans which have been approved previously by the Pianning Commission and the City Council. The City is required to update the Comprehensive Plan in 1998. The current land use plan was adopted in 1980. After public hearings and consideration of the public comments, the Planning Commissiott will forward the plan to the City Council. The City Council wiil review it and submit it to the Metropolitan Council, which is coordinating municipal plans throughout the metropolitan area as part of its regional growth management program. After receiving the Metropolitan Council's comments, the City Council will adopt the final plan. Change in the city is continuous; there are small changes in stable neighbor- � hoods and large changes in redevelopment areas. This plan puts most of it's emphasis on areas where redevelopment is happening or should happen dur- � ing the next ten or twenty years. But it also recommends the urban village concept as a goa] for smaller changes within fully developed neighborhoods. � During the next decade the city has an opportunity to grow by building new housing. With the metropolitan region growing and baby boomers becom- . ing empty nesters, there is a market for downtown and townhouse living. � Saint Paul's goal is to build 400 new housing units per year and to add 9.000 households in the city between 199Q and 2�20. � � The 1990s have seen more economic growth in the city than housing growth. The goal of the Land Use Plan is to achieve I8,00o net additional jobs between 1990 and 2020, which is double the Metropolitan Council's job growth projection for Saint Paul. � Cc��n,�rehzn4i�,•e Plan 5 q�-��33 Strategy 1: A Vital City Center Downtown should continue to be the "capital" of the East Metro area, a center of business, govemment, culture, entertainment, and hotels. • Downtown, including the Capitol Area and the central riverfront, will grow by roughly 9,000 more jobs and 3,000 more housin� units by 2020. The Land Use Plan affirms the policies of the Saint Paul on fhe Mississippi Development FYamework, which is the downtown and riverfront plan completed in 1997. Key policies that reflect Framework conclusions include: building new urban villages, improving public spaces beginning with Wabasha Street, and designing buildings to meet the sidewalk and promote public life on downtown streets. Strategy 2: Neighborhoods as Urban Villages • The ciTy is composed of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood should have a range of housing types suitable for people at all stages of life and a range of housittg prices. Each neighborhood needs to have a successful niche in the housing market so that home values rise paraliel to increas- es in the metropolitan housing market. • Having transportation altematives to the automobile is an important benefit of city living. Saint Paul neighborhoods should be accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. New housing and more jobs should be located along the University Avenue and West Seventh Street Corridors, which are the two highest priority public trattsportation corri- dors in the city. • Neighborhood commercial strips built during the streetcar era should be preserved and retain their pedestrian-oriented design. Commercial build- ings should be located along the sidewalk. In these areas the Zoning Code should no longer allow parking lots in front of new buildings, except for gas stations. • 4,50o new housing units need to be built outside of the downtown area by 2020. (ASSUming 1,500 units will be demolished, the net growth will be 3,000 units.) The Planning Commission will ask neighborhood organi- zations to help plan where this housing can be developed throughout the city. 6 L:iPj�� ot 3t. FGUi � � i � � � � � � � � � � � � Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth • In addition to downtown, redevelopment efforts over the ne�ct 20 years should focus on five corridors: the River Corridor; Universiry Avenue and the Midway; the Phalen Corridor; the West Seventh Corridor; the Great Northem (Como) Corridor. These corridors include many large redevelop- ment sites that can be linked to�ether and can provide new economic vitality to the neighborhoods near them and to the city as a whole. They provide good opportunity for linking new housing, jobs and transportation. � • Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill redevelopment. New urban housing near bus service wiil help to support transportation alternatives and neighborhood busi- ness centers. • Cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields (polluted industrial sites) is a high priority for the city. Significant public funding is necessary to level the playing field between these sites and suburban greenfields. Regional, state, and federal assistance is necessary to accomplish this importani task. Figure A: Five Corridors for Growih ��.��33 �' CL�TI3,�YE�7f.'XiSd4'� F']tX1i f Strategy 4: Environmentai Stewardship In the River Corridar, the City recognizes that there will be a shift away from industry and toward recreation, housing, and mixed use. The river will continue to be a working river and industries, especially river- dependent industries, wili continue to be located along segments of Shepard Road and downstream from the Robert Street bridge. • The city's natural topography relates most of the ciry to the river. Bluffs, ravines, and wetlands should be protected and enhanced as urban amenities. • The City supports the green corridors project of the state DNR, which plans to fund the restoration and pxotection of land with native habitats and to connect them with parks and trails. In Saint Paul, the river valley and the Troutbrook Reach are parts of the DNR plan. Implementation Neighborhood planning is essential to refine and implement citywide land use policies. But with dozens of existing full-length neighborhood plans, the City's Comprehensive Plan has become unmanageable and difficult to understand. In the future, the City Councii, on recommendation from the Pianning Commission, will adopt summaries of neighborhood (or other sub-area) plans that highlight decisions appropriate to Ciry development poiicy. When neighborhood plans are adopted, discrepancies between adopted citywide plans and neighborhood plans must be reconciled so that the Comprehensive Plan is intemally consistent. • As soon as this ptan is adopted, the City will undertake revision of the Zoning Code to make its maps and regulations consistent with the pIan. There will be public participation in the zoning revisions. Pubiic investments are needed to initiate major land use changes. The Land Use Plan contains a list of capital budget investments for redevei- opment projects and neighborhood revitaiization activities. Intergov-em- mental funding is needed for pollution clean-up, public transit, housing, redevelopment and major infrastructure costs. Urban design concepts need to be effectively applied to development projects in the city. The Saint Paul Design Center has recentIy been established through the collaboration of a number of organizations. Its mission can be advanced through utilization of this Land Use Plan as well as through public education, neighborhood planning, and design guidelines or regulations. 8 c.it�� e�t St. �au1 � r � introduction � � � � � � �� A 2.1 Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the Metropolitan Land Planning Process The Land Use Plan is the city's "floor plan" for development. There are many major development concepts and neighborhood improvement strate- gies taking form in Saint Paul. Some examples are the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development FYamework, the Phalen Corridor Initiative, planning for the Riverview (West Seventh), University Avenue, and Great Northern transit corridors and for Ayd Mill Road, and neighborhood plans for the West Side, Dayton's Bluff, Selby Avenue, and Hamline-Midway. How well do all of these concepts and plans fit together? The Saint Paul Land Use Plan and the other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan try to ensure that the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. Saint Paul is not an island. Implementing major plans depends in large part on public and private resources beyond the control of city government. The Regional Blueprint of the Metropolitan Council makes revitalization of the central cities and older suburbs a tog priority. In Saint Paul half the housing units and much of the infrastructure were built before World War II. Like other older American cities, Saint Paul needs supportive policies and pro- grams from higher levels that affect broader real estate markets and private location decisions to foster reinvestment and redevelopment and to imple- ment regional policy. The current round of planning provides an opportunity for reinvestment in older parts of the metropolitan area. State law requires all Tv✓in Cities municipalities to update their comprehensive plans by the end of 1998. Saint Paul's last citywide Land Use Plan was written in 1980 and has not been updated, although many neighborhood plans have been developed since then. At the end of 1998, Saint Paul's Comprehensive Plan will be part of an up-to-date regional growth management strategy that has strength- ening the urban core as one of its basic goals. Many land use recommendations are implemented through zoning. Recent changes in Minnesota law require that zoning be consistent with municipal land use plans. Therefore, this Land Use Plan wi11 carry more legai clout than the 1980 Land Use Plan carried and the City will have to keep the Comprehensive Plan up-to-date. Cr�rnprehc� Plan y 2,2 Purpose of the Land Use Plan The generaI purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: 1. To set a framework for preserving and enhancing existing communities, commercial and industrial districts, and the natural environment,.and to ensure that this framework is supported by transportation and other Comprehensive Plan policy 2. To encourage private investment. 3. To guide public investments in urban presenraUon, revitatization, and redevelopment. 4. To stimulate and coordinate actions among private, nonprofit, and public development organizations and provide a framework for community stakeholders. 5. To outline govemmental actions that will help meet the needs of people for land for housing, employment, business opportunity, recreation, edu- cation, and other uses. More specific purposes of the Saint Paul Land Use Plan are: • To support the Comprehensive Plan themes of providing for growth, enhancing the quality of place, and supporting community weli-being. • To identify the major redevelopment and revitalization opportunities in the city and establish criteria for evaluating them. • To provide land use themes and guides that communiry groups can use in their planning and that the Planning Commission can use in reviewing neighborhood plans and proposed development. • To promote a balance of land uses in the city to strengthen the city's tax base. • To encourage and assist real estate developers to make investments in Saint Paul at a time when government subsidies for urban reinvestment are constrained. • To inter-relate land use and transportation to minimize traffic congestion and to reduce dependence on automobiles. • To take advantage of antzcipated regional growth by attracting a signifi- cant share of residential, commerc4al, and industrial development to Saint Paul. • To take advantage of regional and national trends in urban development, such as brownfield reclamation, mixed use, traditional neighborhood design, and ecological development patterns. 10 cit�� c�t 5t. �a�a� � ' � � � � � � � � � �', � �� 2.3 Time Frame The broad horizon for this plan is 2020, consistent with the Metropolitan Council's projections for population, households, and employment. By state law, the plan will need to be updated at least every ten years, but more fre- quent amendment will be required if the plan is to keep pace with chan�es that cannot be predicted. 2.4 Land Use Plan Strategies Strategy 7: A Vtaf City Center Downtown Saint Paul, including the riverfront and the Capitol Area, will continue to be the primary center of the East Metro area, and should be a weli-rounded downtown where people live, work and shop and enjoy cul- tural and recreational opportunities. Strategy 2: {Veighborhoods as Urban Vllages Saint Paul will continue to be a city of diverse neighborhoods. Each wiil be a good place to live and raise a family and invest in a house. Each will have housing suitable for people at different stages of life and with different incomes. Traditional neighborhood design wi11 be maintained because it supports healthy community life. Strategy 3: Corridors for Growth Redevelopment opportunities are often linked to changes in transportation systems. Old land use pattems ate changing along the river and the rail- road corridors. Land use patterns in the city are still adjusting to the free- way system. Efforts to increase public transportation ridership will also pre- sent redevelopment opportunities. Redevelopment should be focused on transportation corridors. Strategy 4: Environmentat Stewardship Saint Paul is reclaiming its river heritage. By 2020, most of the river valley will be green and the river park system will be more fully developed. Industry will also remain in several areas of the River Corridar. Most neigh- borhoods wiil be connected to the river by trails and natural landscaping along ravine edges. The city's air, water, and soils should alt be cleaner. Ct�na�rPeh t°n� i�'e Plcxn i i q�,��3� The Set#ing EXISTING LAND USE, SUMMARY Type oF Land Use Percent Residential 35 Commercial Industrial Parks and Open Space Public and Insritutlonal Rivers Lakes, Wetlands Vacant 3.1 Existing Land Use Saint Paul is about 56 square miles in size. One third of the land area is in residenYial use, and of that, 87 percent is occupied by single family homes and duplexes. A summary of land use by major category is shown to the left. A more compiete breakdown is inciuded in Appendix B. q Most land uses in Saint Paul will not change. They're built and they're 14 going to stay. The question is whether they will be viable and healthy. The 13 challenge for both public and private leaders is to guide the city and the q region so that the private market for existing buildings and neighborhoods 9 remains (or becomes) strong and people reinvest in Saint Paul. 14 Between 1990 and 2020, approximately five percent of the land in the city source: i9as 1and use survey by PEn, �11 be redeveloped. Since this five percent is the land most likely to be updated. used differently, it is where the Land Use Plan places the most attention. Smail changes in stable neighborhoods are also very important for the preservation of the city. Change is continuous in al] parts of the city. The urban village theme in the Land Use Plan provides objectives for ongoing, smaller changes in stable neighborhoods. 3.2 Land Use Trends and Assumptions The main Yrends and assumptions that underlie the recommendations in this Land Use Plan are as follows: Opportunity for growth. From 1998 to 2020 the'IWin Cities region is pro- jected to grow and Saint Paul can e}cpect to share in the growth by adding 9,000 households and i&,000 jobs. 2. More transportation options. Although freeways and automobiles wilI continue to be the primary mode of transportation, there will be increas- ing reliance on public transportation, bicycling and walking. 12 c".iYy e�F st. Pau? � �� 3. Competitive advantages of a centra] ciry. Downtown and older city neighborhoods have a sense of place and history that is special in a re�ion where suburbs predominate. Large infrastructure investments are already in place and have additional capacity. The mi�cture of people and businesses and housing types and architectural sryles and parks—all within walking distance— creates market opportunities. The city must remain competitive and retain and attract residents, businesses, and institutions. 4. Building the citywide economic base. Economic development is at least as much an issue of jobs and human capital as it is an issue of real estate development. Redevelopment sites in the city should provide significant numbers of jobs that pay family-supporting wages for skilis that fit Saint Paul warkers. The Land Use Plan supports economic development in the downtown, the neighborhood retail areas, and industrial districts. 5. Helping the environment. For the health of the planet, how we live in � urban settings is jusY as important as protecting wildemess, forests, and farmlands. The preservation and enhancement of the urban environment � � ��, � � � � � �' � � is a key ingredient in the region's quality of life. Appendix A expands on this list, giving 17 trends and assumptions for land use planning in Saint Paul. Ob,jective 3.3 Equitabie Metropolitan Development The research of the National League of Cities shows that over the years the economic destinies of central cities and their suburbs are interdependent. Metropolitan areas that have tolerated central city decay have a poorer quality of life, which eventually hurts the suburbs' economic attractiveness to national and intemational investors. Geographically there is increasing physical distance between rich and poor people across the 'Itvin Cities metropolitan area. The trends of increasing poverty and its physical concentration need to be reversed. To change the trend, the City of Saint Paul and community organizations need to keep working on local improvements. But their efforts, no matter how wise and dedicated, will achieve only partial success unless they are matched by action at higher leveis in the public and private sectors. The tendency of housing markets in this country is for newly built homes on the metropolitan edge to be bigger and more costly than older homes near the center. This tendency has been supported by govemmental invest- Cc�rxiprehc°r��i�•E Ffan 13 q�,��3� ment in infrastnxcture, by tax policies (e.g., the mortgage interest deduction and the use of the locat property tax for education), and by the distribution of subsidized housing. These mega-policies in Minnesota and the United States help make central cities in our country different and o8en less vibrant from central cities in Canada and Europe. Policies: 3.3.1 Saint Paul will support an increase in the number of jobs and hous- ing units in the city, and will try to focus growth along transit corridors, thereby supporting the strategies of the Metropolitan Council's Regional Blueprint. 3.32 The City will continue to work with the Metro East Development Partnership to foster connections and cooperation between Saint Paul and its suburbs. 3.3.3 The City will advocate changes to tax and infrastructure policies at the state and federal levels to enhance the opportunities of the central cities and older suburbs in residential, commercial, and industrial real estate markets. 3.3.4 The City should express its interests with regard to how suburban East Metro communities develop. The City supports holding employment centers inside the I-694 beltway, maintaining fairly tight urban growth boundaries, and preserving rural character outside the urban service area. The City opposes the creation of "Edge City" concentrations like the Bloomington strip. 3.3.5 The City should e�press its support and, where appropriate, join in housing programs and projects that contribute to balanced populations (age and income) in communities and neighborhoods throughout the East Metro area. Objective 3.4 River Landforms The relationsMp between the Mississippi River and Saint Paul's develop- ment pattem runs through this whole plan—in Section 4.3 about the down- town riverfront; in Section 6.2 about redevelopment opportunities down- stream from the downtown; in Section 6.5 about redevelopment opportuni- ties along the West Seventh Street corridor; and in Sections 7.1 and 72 about environmental stewardship. During the 1990s, the re-emergence of the river as a key to Saint Paul's identity is seen in the planning and public investment which is setting the stage for new private development. 14 City� nt St. Pcut I r � � � � � � � � � � � A side-benefit of the focus on the river is a new appreciation of the city's landform and how all parts of the city were sculpted by glaciers and the river. Protection of the river corridor and its bluffs will be further addressed in revision of the River Corridor (Critical Area) Plan that will follow adop- tion of this Land Use Plan. Policy: 3.4.1 The City will work to protect and enhance the topographic features of the city, such as the bluffs, ravines, hills, overlooks, ponds, and wet- lands. The City will promote development that is consistent with enhanc- ing the city's physical setting. ( ��«.�� I �� _. s " �.': ".:Xi :,;; �. �»� .* � . '��_. -`�� . � � -.. .��.. Figure B City Landform and Neighborhoods 3.5 Ten Principles for City Development �' The recent Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework, a planning � report for the downtown and central riverfront, contains ten principles that are applicable throughout the city. � � � � Policy: 3.5.1 As development opportunities arise and projects are designed, the City will refer to the Ten Principles for guidance and consistency over time. Com,�srehezzsi�•e Plarf 15 16 City� of S€. Pcul � I � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 f qg-��3 � Gcampreh�•risive Pfan 17 St�'ate�y 1: A Vital, Growing City Center A number of trends demonstrate and support revitalization of the down- town--declining office vacancy rates, major private construcYion, public transportation improvements, increasing number of empty nester house- holds, and deveIopment of riverfront amenities. In 1998 there is a record- setting amount of construction underway in the downtown. Lowertown is already recognized nationally as a successful model of a downtown urban village. The Metropolitan Council's regional policies now support invest- ment at the urban core. Objective 4.1 Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework Implementation The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework is a plan for the downtown and central riverfront completed in 1997. It has won both state and national awards. Policy: 4.1.1 The City, together with many downtown partners, wiil promote the main land use themes of the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework • Re-greening of the doumtown river valley (Great River Park concept) • Bringing people to the riverbanks and bIuff lines • Connectivity, or complementarity, of each land use with others nearby • Creating new mixed use urban villages to frame the office core • Designing streets to accommodate transit, bikes, and pedestrians as well as cars • Improving the public realm beginning with Wabasha Street • Downtown parks as centers for development • Designing buildings and promoting land uses to meet the street and increase pedestrian activity on the sidewalks • Continuous urban fabric so that Yhe streets are interesting for pedestrians Figure C shows major land use directions for the downtown. 18 eity� c�f 5t. P�ut r � � � � � � �J � � � � � � � � � IJ Objective 4.2 A Complete Downtown Mix (Office, Retaii, Government, Arts, Entertainment, Visitors, and Housing) Policies: 4.2.1 Downtown Saint Paul should retain its position as the "capital" of the East Metro region; both the City and business organizations should promote it as such. East Metro residents should feel proud of their down- town and want to take visitors there. 4.2.2 Downtown Saint Paul should continue to evolve as more than a central business district. It should have all of the land uses of a healthy downtown—office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations, and housing. People should live, work, and recreate downtown. 4.2.3 The City supports the building design guidelines in the Saint Pau! on the Mississippi Development f7amework, which emphasize the urban design quality of buildings at the street level. Each building, including parking ramps, should contribute to the life of the street and contribute to the public realm. This is especially important for the Wabasha-Saint Peter corridor, the Rice Park and Mears Park areas, and the other pro- posed urban village areas. Figure C: "{ t/�� " Downtown Land Use Directions � Cenaprehsn;r'v�e PI�n 19 4.2.4 As the downtown grows, more public parking must also be built; but, at the same time, the City and downtown employers should work pro-actively to improve bus service, increase bus ridership, and provide for bicycling and walking to work. Objective 4.3 Riverfront Development 4.3.1 Figure C and Figure O(page 39) show the best current ptans for sites along the downtown riverfiront—the Upper Landing, Shepard koad, Harriet Island, Wabasha-Robert, the land around the former Department of Revenue Building. Objective 4.4 State Capitol Connections The State Capitol Area is a beautiful amenity and state employment is a large stable economic base for the ciry. 4.4.1 The Capitol Area should become an anchor far reinvestment and infill development in the surrounding areas through cooperative actions by the city and state governments, private developers, and community development corporations. See Figure D. 4.4.2 The City government agrees with the land use concepts in the Comprehensive Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol Area done in 1997 by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board. See Figure E. Even though the plan identifies a Capitol "campus," new buildings should be designed as an open part of the city. They should relate to the streets and communities outside the campus; the edges of the campus should not seem closed off or unneighborly. 4.4.3 The City will encoarage state offrce development and leasing to select Saint Paul sites that help to link the Capitoi with downtown and to intermix state office and downtown buildings. As a second priority, other city locations, weII connected to the capitol area on major streets, may be appropriate for some state office buildings. 20 �.[�� c�f St_ �aut � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Figure D a�`�� Development Areas Around the State Capitol Figure E Capitol Area Land Use � Cc�mpPahc:rtsiU'e P#c�'tt 21 Objective 4,5 Sites for Housing and New Urban Villages Figure F Urban Viliage Opportanities Downtown 4.5. i The City's goal is to build 3,000 housing units in iinked urban villages around the downtown and on the West Side flats by 2020 (see Figure F) and create live-work environments throughout the downtown. Preliminary planning should proceed for all potential urban village locations, recognizing that beFore construction starts priorities among the altematives will need to be set both for public investment and for market absorption. In 1998 the four sites indicated on the map are the priorities for planning. (Note: A more detailed discussion of opportunities for new housing is found in Section 5,4.) Emerging Urban Vliages proposed Urban Vllages 1. Concord-Robert 6. Northeast Quadrant 17. Lower Landing 2. Irv'me Park 7. Fitzgerald Park �2. The Esplanade 3. Rice Park 8. Northwesi Aark 73. South Wabasha 4. West Seventh 9. Upper Landing Bridgehead 5. Lowercown '10. Kellogg Mall '14, Harriet Island 22 CIt' OT St. F+cfAI � � ��t� � 4.5.2 For downtown urban villages, the Design Center should promulgate � design guidelines that will be helpful for new development attracted by the opportunities and that can be suppor[ed through land sales and financing L agreements and through the City's site plan review process. (In the down- town zoning districts, all urban village ]and uses are already permitted.) � � � � � � �, �' � � � � � � t Cc>rz�preheza��'�,�e Pl�n 23 St�ate�y 2: Neighborhoods as Urban �Ilages Saint Paut is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizarions. It is long-standing City policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Figure G Suburban ^Pod^ During the 1990s a new national movement cailed New Urbanism advo- Developmeni Compared to Traditional Neighborhood Design cates "urban villages" or "traditional neighborhood development;' two terms used to describe physical development pattems which closely resem- ble most of Saint Paul's neighborhoods. The popularity of traditional neigh- borhood development will help the marketing of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Source: Town Planning Collaborative, Minneapolis 24 Cfi�� c�i St. P�u7 . Suburban "POD" Development Land �ses segregated, arterial tra�c congestion Traditional Neghborhood Development Land uses compact and integrated, short trips � c��-�t3 Urban villages are contrasted with the dominant trend of auto-dependent � suburbs with their subdivisions of homogeneous housing, large business parks, and shopping malls ringed by asphalt. (See Figure G.) New Urbanists � � � � � � � � � � � � criticize this dominant suburban development pattern on environmental, sociological, and economic �rounds. Many suburbs are now trying to recre- ate the physical sense of community that Saint Paul neighborhoods already have. (See Figure H.) The Livable Communities Program of the Metropolitan Council, which makes urban development grants to municipalities, is based largely on wban village principles. This is not to suggest that there is one mold for city neighborhoods. There are many physical foYms for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, for exam- ple: • Saint Anthony Park: Most like the "pure village" model with a small com- mercial center and well-defined neighborhood boundaries. • Macalester Groveland: Small commercial centers scattered at almost every intersection of coliector streets. • Highland Park: One laTge shopping district that is a hybrid of pedestrian and automobile site planning. • Battle Creek: SunRay Shopping Center and Suburban Avenue together make an even larger automobile-scaled center for a post-Worid War II neighborhood. As mentioned in the previous section on downtown, Saint Paul has a few large, cleared sites where new urban villages may be built. But it is even more important for the city to use traditional neighborhood development concepts for protecting and reinforcing the strengths of the city's existing neighborhoods. Objective 5.1 Urban Villages: A Theme with Variations Policies: 51.1 The City, neighborhood organizations, developers and realtors should use the urban village principles listed below, which are con- densed from the Charter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, for assessing neighborhoods and promoting the advantages of city living. � • Good neighborhoods are compact and pedestrian-friendly. - • Good neighborhoods have a mixture of land uses. • Good neighborhoods have a broad range of housing types. !' • Good neighborhoods are designed to support mass transit with appropriate land uses and densities within walking distance of public �� transportation. � C�trr�prehc:risi�•� Plan 25 Figure H Comparison of New Urbanism and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Good neighborhoods have commercial, civic, and institutional activity embedded, not isolated in remote, single-use complexes. • Good neighborhoods have schooLs within walking and short bicycling 3istance for most children. • Good neighborhoods have a range of park facilities, from tot-lots to vil- lage greens to ballfields to community gardens. (Large parks and conser- vation areas serve as boundaries between neighborhoods.) • Good neighborhoods are safe and secure. • In good neighborhoods, the architecture and landscaping physically define the streets and public places. Seaside, FL, is the best-known New Ur6anist community in the country. It +s 80 acres in size and has 550 housing units (6.9 units per gross acre). The residential core of the Snelling-Hamline neighbor- hood, shown here at a corre- sponding scale, is about 120 acres with 670 housing units (5.6 units per gross acre). Similarities: New Urbanist Communities and Saint Paul Neighborhoods • Grid of streets and alleys • Pedestrian scale blocks • Can walk to shops and transit • Institutional buildings within neighborhood • Mixture of houses, duplexes, and apartments • Porches in front; garages in back 26 iity> af St. Fc�ul �. t 5.1.2 Neighborhood planning participants should consider the social and � economic factors implied in the notion of "village" as well as physical design factors, which are emphasized on the precedin� list. Of course, � social and economic factors are sometimes beyond the control of either the nei�hborhood or even the City. Available responses may only partial- ly address underlying problems. � � 1_i Objective 5.2 Mixed Land Uses/Mixed Use Deve{opment 52.1 In traditional neighborhoods, the City will support compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity. Mixed use reduces transportation time and cost. National surveys show � that, on average, city residents drive only half as many miles per year as suburban dwellers, primarily because each trip is shorter in the city. � � � � � � � � 52.2 At neighborhood commercial centers, the City, in collaboration with individual neighborhoods and business districts, will give more attention to the pedestrian realm and wil] implement design guidelines for pedes- trian districts, beginning with a half-dozen prototype areas. (See Figure I for candidate areas for pedestrian-oriented design guidelines.) If design guidelines for neighborhood commercial centers take the form of regula- tions, they might work through the City's site plan review process or the creation of design districts. Any regulatory process should have a fast- track for plans that clearly support the village center concept. Urban vil- ]age design concepts can be promoted through public education and neighborhood planning. 5.2.3 The design guidelines for pedestrian-oriented village centers should include the following: • Buildings out to the sidewalk • Parking lots to the side and rear of buildings, not in front • Parking lots screened from the street • Human-scale lighting • Architecture that respects the neighborhood context • Windows to the sidewalk � 5.2.4 To promote the workability of mixed land uses, the City will use zoning, licensing and environmental regulations to prevent and mitigate land use conflicts along boundaries between residential areas and com- � 1� mercial or industrial areas. ��,,►3� � Ct>IXi�FIC�"fP.73SFVE ]'�uTt Q7 FigureJ Design Guidelines for Pedestrian Overlay Districts 28 Cityr nt'5t. Pau7 Figure I Pedestrian Neighborhood Co�nmercia) Centers , � , � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Objective 5.3 Range of Housing Types and Values 5.3.1 Each of the seventeen planning districts in the city should have life- cycle housing, that is, a mixture of single-family houses, townhouses, condominiums, apartments, and seniors housing. People of all ages should be able to live conveniently in every part of the city. 5.3.2 The City will support expansion of the range of housing values in each neighborhood, especially in low-income areas. As govemment hous- ing programs shrink, it becomes even more essential to the whole city that every neighborhood find a self-sustaining niche in the real estate market. Every neighborhood should provide for a sound economic housing invest- ment. 5.3.3 The Planning Commission will propose for consideration a Zoning Code amendment allowing accessory ("mother-in-law") apartments in owner-occupied, large single family houses. Accessory units are current- ly illegal in Saint Paul. Objective 5.4 Market for New Housing 5.4.1 The City will promote building new housing to meet the growing market of empty nesters as the baby boom ages. There is a substantial growing demand for market rate townhouses, condominiums and apart- ments with high amenities. Figure K shows how the market for city living could grow in Saint Paul aver the next twenty years. 1997 1998 2010 2020 7�4etrit go�ey . ; `�9sis Gf $prawl �•;. x E{llnbA� ��tg7 `$f$'te�171t�17g'� ":: ��5"" � ;.��" ; H �� H ; ��,_ � .'# ��E�!re�€ � '. 16lprket .: �� '�Y.t��66iriccdCbnbYa� �� -,�{ial�c'�� i!� � w � .., 3:r3aw�s�nFxaflnq • ;. .; 6uiMin9"s" -;. , � (�g �," � ; 4.Irffiki3evdqpiaata�' . i-S`,inaH.#�ltWSehDtds'- L11FierP.iMaqiilslms x:; l�srrekimpravemert� � • Pututc�i}f ., —flnaaSCtmas " '�e�i'e'I�cBS -:�'; a�� Figure K Market for New Urban Housing � CUm,pr�hc:aasi�.�e Plan 29 5.4.2 The City will support private market efforts to build enough new housing to provide a net increase of 6,000 more housing units by 2020. The City accepts the Metropolitan Council allocation of 9,000 more house- holds for Saint Paul as an appropriate, though ambitious, target for growth. New housing should supplement the eacisting stock with new types, complement existing neighborhoods, and strengthen their position in the housing market. Realization of this objective is contingent on mar- ket factors that cannot be easily predicted. Three thousand more house- holds can be housed in e�sGng housing units that were vacant in the base year of 1990. (Vacancy rates in existing housing, that is vacant homes and apartments for sale or for rent, were quite high at six percent.) This leaves a goal of 6,000 net additional housing units to be constructed. Demolition is likely to remove 1,500 units, raising the new construction goal to 7,500. Given slow growth from 1990 to 1998, the city's goal is to have 340 new housing units built per year unti12020. While this may seem to be a large number in a built-up city, it is less than the 10,000 units added between 1970 and 1990. Figure L shows where major sites with potential for new housing are located. Geographically, the goal far housing growth (net increase in housing units, 1990-2020) can be broken down as folIows: D�wntown ancl Rire�'r�nf 3,00(k PIanni�rg Dis�et� I anii 3. exc�pt river flats . 1ti0 Pianniitg Dis�recfs 2, � and 5 6t?f? Plai€nuig Di5tti�s 6, 7, I i7; 11, arid 3,2 900 i�tanni�€g i3isericcs s, 9� t3, i4. I�, �nd ts sf7a Gity�ic2� near �te�gh&orha�d eer�Ye�s �c trus Iin�s �antJ Cit�vicle=��cessory apartmenfs 3afl �at�t �,a� (Appendix B lists potential sites for housing development). 5.4.3 In 1999, the Pianning Commission will ask district councils and community development corporations to help in identifying housing development opportunities throughout the city that are consistent with the objectives of the Land Use and Housing chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. Citywide coordination is essential in order to meet the goal of 9,000 net additional housing units by 2020. Without neighborhood leadership and a sense of fair play among all the neighborhoods in the city, the NIMBY ("not in my back yard") reflex to preserve vacanC lots and oppose addi- tionai housing will almost certainly come forward. Seattle and Portland are examples of cities that work with neighborhood organizations to 30 iit�� af St. �av1 � � � � � � � � � � � � �� achieve city housing goals that support urban villages, transportation altematives, and control suburban sprawl. 5.4.4 The City will use the following guidelines for sites for new housing: • Sites close to amenities where residential value will be sustained over time should be developed with housing. • Housing sites along major transportation corridors and near com- mercial centers should meet the mazkEt demand for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. • Prime sites for townhouses, condominiums, and apartments should be protected from other development that prevents their develop- ment as such. I Objective 5.5 Coordinated Land Use and Transportation � Transportation access and traffic impacts are dominant factors in peoples' decisions about where to live or to open a business. The Transportation Policy Plan, which is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, contains � the City's objectives for protecting neighborhoods from traffic, supporting economic development, and giving citizens transpor[ation choice. � � � 5.5.1 The City will coordinate transportation planning and air quality analysis with land use planning. Coordination is needed from the general level of transportation system design, to corridor studies, down to site plans for new buildings. Ccarr�,pr�hirz�i�.•� PI�n 31 q � .It33 Figure L Potential Housing Development Sites 5.5.2 The City will encourage more housing and jobs to locate along high- service bus routes (15-minute headways during rush hours; 30-minute headways in the off-peak). This recommendation is discussed in more detail in Section 6.8 of this report. Objective 5.6 Neighborhood Business Parking Large parking lots erode the charm of traditional neighborhoods that were developed in the streetcar era. Surface parking should not be allowed to wreck a neighborhood. Case studies by the Department of Planning and Economfc Development have found that any commerciai area where more land is devoted to parking than to buildings is a bad place for pedestrians. A place like Grand Avenue and Lexington is pedestrian friendly: parking is just barely adequate; it is distributed around and behind buildings; it does not ovenvheim the pedestrian character of the street; and there are enough buildings to define the public realm on the sidewalk . 5,6.1 In pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial centers, the City will support the provision of just enough commerciat parldng in small parking lots fitted into available space. The City will limit the number of curb cuts on commercial blocks. Parking lots should be Iocated at the side or rear of buildings, and primary business entrances should be ori- ented to the sidewalk. (Please refer to the related Sections 5.22 and 52.3.) 5.6.2 As bus service improves, the City will consider reductions in off- street parking requirements for businesses located on bus lines with fre- quent service p 5-minute headways during peak hours; 30-minute head- ways during non-peak hours). Objective 5.7 Parks and Open Space Parks and open space provide urban amenity and are part of the public realm that shapes urban development. The Parks and Recreation Plan is another chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and it contains City policy and maps for the park system. The major strategies of the Parks and Recreation Plan are to shape the physical character of the city, to build communiry within neighborhoods, and to focus public resources innovatively. In next five years, expansions of city park lands are planned at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, along Shepard Road, and on the Highwood bluffs. 32 �.ity> �£ St. Fjuui � � LJ r Li � � � L l; � IJ � � E� � � ' � ' ( More is said about parks and land use in Chapter 7 on Environmental Stewardship.) 5.7.1 Community gardening is highly consistent with community-building objectives and is supported by the City. Community �ardens are best located on unbuildable lots or on excess right-of-way or little-used park land where there is suitable soil and access for gardenin�. The City will grant long-term leases on these types of properties so that gardens will benefit from year-to-year improvements. The City will not generally grant long-term leases for community gardening projects on buildable lots where there is clear development potential. 5.7.2 In open space planning, the City will take advantage of opportuni- ties to enhance awareness, enjoyment and protection of its topography and natural setting, the Mississippi River corridor and its tributaries and the bluffs rising from the river, and to strengthen connections to and among natural corridors. Objective 5.8 Institutions and Major Employers in Neighborhoods Institutions and major employers often give identity to the surrounding community, as in the case of Hamline-Midway, Macalester-Groveland, Cathedral Hill, many Catholic parishes, the historic breweries, and 3M. Some institutions have beautiful buildings and campuses and some offer special services that enrich neighborhood life. But institutions and major employers are often subject to major changes. Hospitals have consolidated, and converted buiidings to other health functions. Colleges have expanded; Metro State moved to Dayton's Bluff. Parochiai schools have consolidated; public schools went through a cycle of closings and now are building new schools. Houses of worship have gone through cycles as congregations have moved to the suburbs and been replaced by different congregations or have sold the old property for a different land use. State government, which has approximately 12,000 employees in the city, has dealt with recurring questions about whether to lease or build, whether to disperse or cluster in Saint Paul, whether to locate in the Capitol Area or the downtown or in cheaper locations around downtown with surface parking. Plant closings (Whirlpool, Amhoist, Schmidt, West Publishing, Stroh's) have hit neighbor- hoods hard. In recent years, more institutions and businesses have joined collaborations for community improvement. Some examples are the Campus Compact, Concordia's neighborhood participation, Macalester's High Winds fixnd, Cc>niprehe.ri�i�,�e Pl�rn 33 ��'►133 Metro State and 3M's contributions to the Phalen Corridor Initiative, and projects of the Greater Saint Paul Tomorrow Program led by local founda- tions. (Figure M) Figure M Anchoring Institutioes and Employers Poticies: 5,8.1 The City will encourage and support significant collaborations between institutions and their surrounding communities, such as the ones listed above that are already taking place. 5.8.2 When an institution located in a neighborhood seeks to expand, the Department of Planning and Economic Development should maintain channels for dialogue and try to manage potenUal conflict between The institution and the neighborhood. 5.8.3 Colleges and certain smaller institutions that have landmark build- ings and park Iike grounds in the residential grid contribute strongiy to neighborhood character and quality and provide valuable community resources. Accommodation of their continued presence and heakh should be supported and their positive neighborhood impact strength- ened as changes are made. 3a z:iry� nr sr. f�aral � � � � � � 1 � � � � � � � � � � � � a �,�� 5.8.4 The City will participate with the Saint PaulSChoo1 District to pro- mote neighborhood improvement in conjunction with school construc- tion or major remodelin�. 5.8.5 Neighborhood organizations should capitalize on major local employers and institutions as nei�hborhood economic engines, which may hire local folks, may buy from local suppliers of goods and services, and may invest in nei�hborhood improvement. Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation Saint Paul's Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC), created in 1976, is charged with recommending important sites, buildings, and districts that embody the city's history to the City Council. (See Figure N for locally desig- nated Heritage Preservation Districts.) Initially historic designation was lim- ited to high-style buildings and mansions of the wealthy. Now it is often a part of the revitalization strategies of middle and working class neighbor- hoods; half of the housing units in the city were built before World War II. Policies: 5.9.1 Many parts of the city have historic character and infill construction and renovation generally should respect the traditional character of the immediate neighborhood, even where it is not legally required. 5.9.2 The City Council has previously directed that consideration be given to the preparation of an Historic Preservation Plan for Saint Paul, The scope and usefulness of a plan and the resources available for it wili be assessed. At a minimum, planning for historic preservation in the City in the near future should address 1) building code requirements that may be inconsistent with effective reuse of historic properties and maintenance of historic character, and 2) alternatives to historic district designation that would protect the character of more neighborhoods in a cost-effective way. Possible additional methods might include voluntary design guide- lines, more public education, training for lenders, tax incentives, city loan programs, neighborhood conservation districts, and regulatory flexibility on parking standards and zoning and building codes. 5.9.3 Preserving historic character often adds substantial cost to redevel- opment; it is difficult, and often impossible, to cover this cost with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its part- ner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, should assess available financial incentives and recommend means for improvement. � CUmprehc:zzsive P3an 35 Figure N Local Heritage Preservation District 36 Ci�> oF St. Pa�r1 � I a �,,�33 � St�ate�y 3: Corridors for Growth � � � � � Changes in transportation and manufacturing have left several corridors with vacant and underused land which should be reclaimed. Recent corridor studies have brought to public awareness several large redevelopment sites with potential for housing, jobs and increased tax base. Studies or plan implementation are happening in the River Corridor, the University Avenue (Midway) Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northern (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh (Riverview) Corridor. (See Figure A on page 3.) Much of the underused or vacant, and often polluted, industrial land lies within these corridors. While other uses wi11 be possible and appropriate in � some cases, this land is a primary resource for industrial growth. Since 1960, and continuing in the 1990s, land is being reclaimed for modern � industrial development at the rate of approximately 30 acres per year. Land inventory, market demand, and need for economic opportunity and central city growth would support a more rapid rate of reclamation. T.and inventory � and demand would support a rate in the neighborhood of 50 acres per year for the next 20 years. Cleanup and redevelopment costs are the chief obsta- cle to a faster rate of reclamation. � � � � Objective 6.1 Corridor Planning and Redevelopment Policies: 6.1.1 The City will continue working with community and business orga- nizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several opportunities are interconnected. � 6.12 In corridor redevelopment programs, the City will seek new ways for integrating business and industrial job creation with housing develop- ment and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. Lj � ' 6.1.3 The City and the Saint Paul Port Authority will work with the State of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council, and the private sector to achieve a significant increase in the rate at which underused and vacant industri- al land is reclaimed. ` C�n�prehe.rzsa�.�e F'Ic�n 37 Objective 6.2 River Corridor While the Mississippi River was responsible for Saint Paul's origin and much of its livelihood, the river's ecology and dramatic geography were largely ignored in the decades of industrial development. Today the com- munity intention to "return to the riveY' is clear, an intention symbolized by the Greening of the Great River Park and the enthusiastic volunteer support it has generated. Perhaps the biggest change in the use of land in Saint Paul over the last two decades has been the exit of heavy industrial uses from the downtown and western portions of the river corridor (e.g., Amhoist, elevators, Kaplan Scrap Metal, tank farms, Soo Line Intermodal Yard). This change enables reconnection of the urban fabric to the river. Establishment of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) along with significant progress in cleaning the river's water and earlier improvement of open space such as Crosby Farm Park and Harriet island have all added to the momentum of change, upstream from Robert Street, from heavy industry to mixed use. -. [2tVER £ORRId6R PEAihINING SINCE THE 189Q tAN6 flSE PLAFJ . S�ittC Paul Mississtppi i�iu�r �rrido� Flan I:iuerfront Pre-de�r�lt�pm�nt i?Ian Missis�ipgi �7ati�n�I Hiver anci Recreatic�n Area Flan Saint Pau� �r Valte}r Iandscape Inventor� S�srst Paul ort the 1trlissfssippi Bevel�pment � . Policies: t98i � 19&7 T944 I995 , I:99Z 6.2.1 The City will maintain a high priority on appropriate management of the River Corridor and will support changes consistent with enhance- ment of the cortidor's natural ecology within an urban segment of the river. Generalized land ase and large sites with redevelopment potential are shown on Figure O. 6.22 The City wilI continue to improve public access and recreational uses where possible throughout the corridor. 62.3 The urban villages across the Robert and Wabasha bridges from downtown are envisioned to be miactures of existing and new buildings and also mixtures of land uses--residential, office, and some retail and industrial. Some low-intensity land uses will be replaced by redevelop- ment. Urban village areas should have a finer pattem of streets than the current industrial park configuration. 6.2.4 The City supports continuation of industrial uses in appropriate por- tions of the corridor as indicated on Figure O. (Also see Figure R on page 43 for Yhe West Seventh reach of the River Corridor.) Modifications or � Cit�� c�f sa. P�;ut � , , � � � � � � , � � � � � � � � � �II , -;�;, --.�.a,=- ��..,- _. ° - -� � v�= �' `+� 3r � _ N �� u . % � •�� {n �.. E `i��\ `' i��, Y " W ` � ��j kS'd . �� p-�� .J. . .� . ..L�: �. � �2 �; i` •.��. F. % 'qxw q��•=`��"y�Y'. 1 .��no,^ v!� u a � � ;�: `�;� �s �ti '..'� ��T.�. �t ;k• s'. ..;e *.+ . � vj� ; ?j. '� �. r.:�e�> ^P �"` :`'µ ' s £ _ �q�: e.g� S �i ¢.' �°k^3: <" �, � +,8�'„A. ' % _t Y � " :�.�. . _._ I �Concord - Robert ' �M, Park Restoration (Commercial) '. Ceniral River Flais '1 (Miued Use Study Area) Harriet Island / S. Bridgehead Esplanade (Urban Yllages) ��rt (IndusVial Study Area) ,'� Highwood �° .a (more houses)�„�, ,.:...., —.�. ir , � � P Industry Burld�ardt (Housing) additions to industrial uses in the corridor should be supported only when they have no adverse impact on water quality or air quality for the corridor and adjacent neighborhoods, and when they do not substantial- ly impair the visual character of the corridor from adjacent neighbor- hoods or from the river itself. 62.5 New development in the floodplain or within 300 feet of the ordi- nary high water mark should have a relationship to the river, a need for a river location, and/or should enhance the river environment. (Environmental policies for the River Corridor can be found in Sections 7.1 and 72.) Cnsza,preha�zzsi�.�e Plc�n 39 Figure O River Corridor South Development Opportunities Objective 6.3 University Avenue Corridor Figure P University Avenue The University Avenue Corridor study was prepared by University UNITED in 1988. Since then the Midway Marketplace redevelopment has restored the Midway as the city's primary regional shopping center. The Frogtown end of University Avenue kas witnessed the growth of Asian businesses. The west end of University Avenue is being revitalized by the Westgate redevelopment and the rehabilitation of buildings near University and Raymond: The Midway now has a strong market for office space. Planning is underway in 1998 for improving bus service on both I-94 and on University Avenue, for beautifying University Avenue, and for more redevel- opment sites. 6.3.1 Figure P shows redevelopment sites and general land use policy for the University Avenue Corridor. 6.3.2 New urban housing, offices, retail, and industrial development should all contribute through density and site design to the ridership base for public transportation on the University Avenue and I-94 bus routes. Already, these routes have the highest ridership in the 'IWin Cities. In 1997 Ramsey County designated the Midway (University Avenue) Comdor and the Riverview (West Seventh) Corridor as the top priority corridors for public transportation improvements in the East Metro area. 6.3.3 Future redevelopment planning and efforts to redesign University Avenue itself should find ways to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping ("big box" retail) work for pedestrians, who are often bus riders and aLso to enhance the storefront, pedestrian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue. Development Also see 6.7.2 on City support for the Midway regional shopping area. Opportunities 40 City> of St. Isau! � , � � � , � � � � � ' � � � � �� IJ' a$'�� Objective 6.4 Phalen Corridor The Phalen Corridor Initiative is a model for neighborhood revitalization work. It is a community partnership among residents, businesses, service agencies, and different levels of govemment. It is tying economic develop- ment, workforce development, human services, and housing rehabilitation together. Policies: 6.4.1 The goals for physical development along the Phalen Corridor are: • To create a mix of new jobs (up to 2000) • To increase the tax base • To be economicaily sustainable • To be integrated and compatible with the area's natural amenities and historic neighborhoods 6.42 The planned land uses along the Phalen Corridor are as shown in Figure Q, There are ten significant redevelopment sites along the corri- dor; the biggest ones are the Williams Hill Industrial Park, Hamm's Brewery, and Phalen Village. � Corrigrehen�iU�e Plan 41 6.4.3 The City and the Port Authority will continue to support and seek Figure Q funding for Phalen Boulevard and the other infrastructure necessary to Phalen Corridor prepare the redevelopment sites for sale. Development Opportunities 6.4.4 The City will support the strengthening of the urban village charac- teristics of neighborhoods along the Phalen Corridor, particularly at Phalen Village and East Seventh and Arcade, by making good connec- tions (pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, as well as vehicles) between the corridor and neighborhoods. 6.4.5 The Phalen Corridor should also be an amenity, with a trail and nat- ural landscaping on ravine edges. Objective 6.5 West Seventh Street (Riverview) Corridor As mentioned previously, the Riverview Corridor, the western portion of the larger river corridor, has been designated by Ramsey County as one of the two priority corridors for public transportation improvements because it runs from downtown to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Intemational Airport, where it meets the Hiawatha Corridor, and runs on to the Mall of America. Planning studies of the West Seventh Corridor are underway and there are several redevelopment opportunities along it. The downtown end is anchored by the new RiverCentre conference facility, the new Science Museum and the new hockey arena. The Brewery neighborhood recently received a Livable Communities grant from the Metropolitan Council for housing revitalization. Severai redevelopment sites along the corridor have views of the river valley. The transit potential of the Riveroiew Corridor depends on new develop- ment more than it does in the Midway. Located on a land terrace between the river valley and the upper bluffs, the corridor is a"thin" strip of neigh- borhoods. The transit ridership base along the corridor can be increased if land use decisions for redevelopment sites are supportive of transit. Proacimity to downtown and other employment centers, transit potential, and, particularly, the river and its bluffs give the corridor high potential for residential development. 6.5.1 The planned land uses for redevelopment sites along the Riverview Corridor are shown in Figure R. 6.52 A primary goal of redevelopment planning for the Riverview Corridor is transit-oriented development. The mix of land uses, densities, and site plan arrangements should augment the ridership base and make riding public transit an atTractive option. The City will join with Ramsey County in advocating public transportation improvements in the corridor. 42 CiFyr t�t 5c. Pacal �� i � � � � � � , � � � � � ' C 6 S.3 Along West Seventh Corridor bluffs, development should take full advantage of the views and amenity of the river valley, while at the same time improving views from the river to the bluff lines and protecting the ecology of the river. 6.5.4 The southwest end of the corridor at the river is an important gate- way to Saint Paul adjacent to the international airport. Landscaping and signage and improvement of adjacent development and pedestrian areas are among the improvements needed to change its character to that of an inviting urban neighborhood and business center and entrance to Saint Paul. ��I13 Figure R West Seventh Corridor Development Opportunities � �'c?niprehen�iv� I�I�zn 43 Figure S Great Northern Corridor Objective 6.6 Great Northern (Como) Corridor Planning for the Great Northern Corridor began in 1996 and started by focusing on the redevelopment of the Maxson Steel/Dale Street Shops area. But the whole corridor is seen as running from the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis through the Empire Builder Industrial Park near I-35E, at which point the Great Northern and Phalen Corridors meet. Taken together, the two corridors have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 6.6.1 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to imple- ment the Great Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corri- dor. See Figure S. 6.6.2 The City will e�ctend Pierce Bufler Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improve truck routes to I-35E. 6.6.3 The City will encourage work to determine the feasibility of com- muter rail service on Yhe BN tracks attd work on the vision of extensive reforestation along the corridor to provide an amenity for all of the Midway neighborhoods. 6.6.4 There should be further study of the potential of the Dale-Como area to become an urban village with major new housing development near the new Front Street Elementary School under construction. � , � � � � � '� ci�y� �f sr. �au7 , , � L� LJ Objective 6.7 Freeway Development Sites For many types of business, the best sites have good freeway access. 6.7.1 The City will promote redevelopment of sites with �ood freeway access. Sites that are currently candidates for redevelopment are shown on Figure T. 6.7.2 Regional shopping centers are continuing to develop along I-94 , around SunRay and in the Midway between Snelling and Lexington. These are the two strongest retail locations in the city for capturing the � trade of large residential populations and east-west commuters. The City will be supportive of these two centers and help them hold Saint Paui's share in the marketplace. � � � ' r� 0 � , � � � � Objective 6.8 Neighborhood Bus Corridors More townhouses and apartments in a neighborhood contribute to the aggregate purchasing power that sustains neighborhood business. Take Grand Avenue, for example. People presume that Grand Avenue is a suc- q8�� Figure T Freeway Corridor Development Opportunities ' Cc�rn,�srehc°iasi�,•e Plcrn 45 Figure U Housing Development Opportunities Along Bus Corridors cessful commercial street because of the neighboring higher-income resi- dential streets; they miss the fact Grand Avenue also has a high concentra- tion of apartments. In fact, 58 percent of Summit Hitl households are renters compared with 46 percent citywide. 6.8.1 As opportunities arise along neighborhood bus corridors, townhous- es, apartments and condominiums should be built in order to help to support both the public transportation system and neighborhood com- mercial centers. Neighborhoods with a good mix of incomes can suc- cessfully include many rental buildings. At a minimum, new housing development within a quarter of a mile of public transportation lines should have at least ten housing units per net acre, which is the mini- mum needed to support local bus service. ' � , , , � Figtere U shows where major redevelopment or housing infill sites are � located along primary bus routes. The focus areas for housing infiil are within a quarter of a mile of nodes in the bus system. � ro �. HwsLW e1W narlMm auburOs _ FosevllMGMx ToUOfMend � UOwnloYln MlnMepolit ` % To Mlmn�olls Mn1MtNn➢�f NleweCq LOrtItbl l I To Maplawood WII antl nortlrm w4wbe \ To519� Mllh antl Oakota Couirty roFOrtsmmnq, ' Hbwmhe CoMdn Alryott mW MellotAmaAm O rm.naawmmoreiucmn�rc verewrcdma � PXmerytnmkaWmacoMtlua —� sKma.ya.renW�naenmr waia�rrvx.rmipro�mwmm �� PdaMel�mlorNm Focbe�evlwMdU To 3M dntl � aaamm tYEYfb6 ��... _ a R 46 C.Ity� i)I JL. PU'C�3 , , � � � , � � ' ' , , � � St�ate�y 4: Environmental Stewardship The Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework says that the ability of the city to balance the needs of the economy, the community, and the physical environment determines the city's quality of life, which in turn provides a primary competitive advantage in the global economy. This three-way balancing of the economy, the community, and the environment over a long time period is the goal of "sustainable development." It is defined as meeting our needs today without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Land use planning can support sus- tainable development by helping to do the following: reduce the number and distance of trips; improve the livability of neighborhoods with urban densities; protect and restore wetlands and natural habitats; provide habitat corridors for wildlife; promote ecological storm water management; and protect solar energy access. Objective 7.1 Mississippi Nationai River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) Tier II Status Policies: 7.1.1 The City will continue to enforce bluff, shoreland, and wetland pro- tection measures adopted in 1982. These measures which prohibit devel- opment on steep slopes, require setback from bluff lines and water, and limit alteration of the natural environment will be reviewed and improved as necessary as the River Corridor Plan is updated. � 7.1.2 During 1998 and 1999, the City is revising the River Corridor chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and will adopt policies and regulations to achieve MNRRA Tier II status, making the city eligible for federal funding , from the National Park Service for river-related projects. Some of the issues for Tier II planning are: LJ �� • preseroing native plants, wildlife, and archeological sites • careful planning for a 300-foot shoreline zone • increasing natural landscaping along shorelines, bluffs, and bluff crests • reducing storm water run-off and the chemicals in run-off • identifying incentives for industrial land on the river to be used by businesses that need river locations � �c>zrtptefic€a�i�.•e P3an 47 �$-1 l 33 Figure V Surface Water and the River Corridor , • increasing tourism and recreational use of the river and improving ' public access to the river 7.1.3 The City has existing shoreline regulations for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act and will re-evaluate them as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. 7.1.4 The City will continue to promote the vision of the Great River Park and to support the reforestation projects of Greening of the Great River Park. The reforestation effort applies to all types of land uses in the river corridor, not just to parks and residential areas. 48 City= of Sc. Paui � , , � , � � � l , � Objective 7.2 Topographic Features and Sensitive Resources Sensitive natural resources in Saint Paul are illustrated by maps of natural areas, slopes, and groundwater in appendix D of this report (p.71) in addi- tion to Figure V, Surface Water Systems (p. 48). Poiicies: 7.2.1 The City will integrate its plans with the work of the DNR`s metro regional Greenways and Natural Areas Collaborative. This metro area collaborative has identified high quality native habitat remnants and is seeking state funding to link the remnants into greenways, which will provide continuous habitat corridors to support native plant species and wildiife. The greenways will also improve park and trail systems. Greenway opportunities usually follow rivers, drainage courses, and bluff lines. The mapping done in 1997 shows more greenway opportunities in the East Metro area than elsewhere. The collaborative is working with MNRRA, the Metro Parks Commission and local citizens. 7.2.2 The City, neighborhood organizations and environmental groups should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River visually with nat- ural landscaping along ravine edges (Phalen Corridor, 'IYout Brook, Shepard Davem, Ayd Mill, etc.) and along bluffs facing the river valley. Where feasi- ble, surface water systems—ponds, wetlands, and streams—should also be restored. , 7.2.3 The City, together with other govemment units, should reconnect neighborhoods to the Mississippi River by completing the parkway and trail systems that provide access to the river valley and eatend the influ- � ence of the river vailey further into neighborhoods. (These systems are already planned in detail in the Parks and Recreation Plan.) � 72.4 Realtors and groups doing neighborhood improvement and market- ing should take greater advantage of sites with river valley views. Sites , on the West Side, Mounds Park, Dayton's Bluff, and Payne Phalen enjoy beautiful views even though they are not directly on a river bluff. r , � LJ 7.2.5 On the freeways, the City and affected neighborhood groups will ask MnDOT to stop mowing the slopes a safe distance from the shoulders of the pavement and allow natural vegetation and trees to grow wild so that the freeways will look more like Highway 61. c�g-�13 3 ' Cc?mpr�heri�i�,�e Plan 49 Objective 7.3 Air Quality: Transportation and Industry Automobiles are the largest single source of air pollution in American cities. Policies: 7.3.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by planning neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taking the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. 7.3.2 The City and Yhe Port Authority through regulation, enforcemertt, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to minimize any negative environmental effects of industry in the city, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibration, and exterior appearance. Objective 7.4 Water Quality: Drainage Basins, Site Planning and Individual Action Policies: 7.4.1 The City will promote the use of natural stormwater management solutions. The central theme for reducing the ecological impact of storm drainage includes slowing down stormwater to minimize peak flows, allowing poliutants to settIe out and promoting infiltration. Some of the techniques used by the City and identified in the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework are: upland buffers, swales, set- tling basins, created wetlands and public education on nonpoint source pollution. 7.4.2 New stormwater ponds will be designed according to the guidelines in the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District's Watershed Management Plan dated May 1997. 7.4.3 All projects that go through the City's Site plan review process are required to provide for erosion and sediment control as specified in the Ramsey County Sediment and Erosion Control Handbook {Zoning Code 62.108). 7.4.4 At this time, the City is not required by the Department of Natural Resources to adopt a shoreland ordinance. The City has existing shore- line regulation for the river pursuant to the state Critical Areas Act, which will be re-evaluated as part of the MNRRA Tier II Study. The City does not need shoreland development regulations for lakes because all lakeshore property in the City is publicly owned. 50 iity nt St. Paul � , , , � � � �J 7.4.5 The City wiil develop a stormwater management program in response to the stormwater discharge permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The stormwater management pro�ram will address structural controls, areas of new development, roadways, flood control, pesticide and fertilizer use, illicit discharges and improper dis- posal, sanitary sewers, construction site runoff, consttuction of storm sewers and public education. 7.4.6 The City will incorporate the above or equivalent standards and per- mit requirements into its local stormwater management plan. This plan will be completed two years from the completion of the Middle Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization's plan. Objective 7.5 Soil Cleanup/Srownfie{d Reclamation , Poi�� 7.5.1 The City will continue to redevelop sites with contaminated soil as � rapidly as the funding for soil cleanup and site preparation and the legal steps for acquiring poliuted land permit. Roughly speaking there are 1,000 acres of polluted, old industrial sites in the city. Ideally, the City � would need about $20 million dollars per year for the next 20 years to redevelop all of these sites. (Redevelopment costs include acquisition, relocation, and infrastructure as well as land clean-up.) Most of the sites � are best-suited to industrial re-use, but a significant number of polluted sites should be transformed to residential or commercial land uses. � � Objective 7.6 Airport Noise The Metropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts ' through runway design, flight pattems and scheduling, land use planning, and noise insulation programs. IJ � , �� LJ The official MSP Airport Noise Policy Area (See Figure N� encompasses a portion of the Highland Park area of Saint Paul in Zone 4, the outer most noise zone described in the Metropolitan Development Guide Aviation Policy Plan as "a transitional area where aircraft noise e�cposure might be considered moderate." All of the area in Saint Paul is in the outer portion of this zone which is a one-mile buffer zone. The Policy Plan states "The area is considered transitional because potential changes in airport and air- craft operating procedures could lower or raise noise levels." Co�r�prehe.r:si�,•e Plan 51 �$'l! 33 The airport noise zone shows no impact on Saint Paul from the use of Runway 22, the "east-wesY' runway, not because take offs and landings here have no impact, but because they are so infrequent relative to opera- tions on the other runways. Runway 22 is little-used at times of high-vol- ume air traffic because of conflict with the major "north-south" runways. Flights using this runway are more apt to occur during the night when the disturbance is more serious for a residential area. When this runway is used, a band of neighborhoods through Highland, Macalester-Groveland, and even Summit Hiil are affected. It is not possible to mitigate airport noise in these areas through land use changes. No increase in noise impact for Saint Paul is projected from changes in the use of Runway 22, or with completion of the new north-south runway anticipated for 2003. Holman Field, the Saint Paul Downtown Airport, is an important intermedi- ate airport in the regional system used primarily for corporate aircraft. Facilities for corporate aircraft parking and operations are being e�cpanded, and this use can be eacpected to grow. A new instrument landing system cunently being installed is responsible for some of the recent changes affecting sunounding areas including a revised glide slope (air space that must remain clear of obstructions for landing and take of� and lights at runway e}densions. While consideration is being given to updating the air- port plan completed in 1992, no significant change in use of the airport is planned for or anticipated. Helicopter operations by military units at Holman Fie1d have produced some of the most serious noise problems for nearby residential areas. This disturbance has been reduced over the last few years both by reduction in the number of helicopters based here and by replacement of some of the noisiest aircraft with quieter models. No sites planned for residential development lie within the noise zones for Holman field See Figure Z. The Ravoli Bluff site lies just outside Zone 4, the transitional zone, at its northem end, and the northeast quadrant of down- town Saint Paul (Lowertown) lie just outside the zone. Airport-related noise has not been identified as an issue in planning work with the residential community in Lowertown and should not be a problem for these sites unless the noise pattem changes. Policies: 7.6.1 MSP and Holman Field airports are both very important to Saint Paul's economy and quality of life. The City supports maintaining and improving them in their present locations with full attention to noise mit- igation. 52 Cit�� 3t st. Pcut , � , � i ! �� 1 1 � ' ' � IJ !J ' u EJ Figure W Current MSP Airport Noise Zones Figure X Saint Paul Downtown Airport Noise Zones c�g-� ! 33 1 Camprehcrri�i�.�� Pla�n SS 7.6.2 The City will continue to monitor MSP airport noise impact and any changes in MSP plans that might change the impact on Saint Paul neigh- borhoods. Support for sound insulation in structures may be an appro- priate measure within the noise zone and within the noise pattern for Runway 22's less frequent flights. 7.6.3 Changes in use that might alter the noise zones for Holman Field would be of concem to the City because of the proximity of residential areas including sites for new development. 7.6.4 Current zoning for adjacent areas is generally compatible with the Hotman Field airport. An eariier effort to create a special zoning district for airport protection was dropped because of liability for the costs rep- resented by restrictions on use, and no new special zoning is planned. Glide slopes are consuited in the Cfty's review process in any review of development within the airspace. 7.6.5 To ensure an early response to any proposa] that would obstruct general airspace, the City will notify the Minnesota Department of 'IYansportation of any proposed construction or aiteration that would exceed a height of 200 feet above ground level or exceed the height of an imaginary surface extending outward at an upward siope of 100:1 from the nearest point of an airport runway at the earliest reasonable opportunity and at least 3o days in advance. Objective 7'.7 Access to Solar Energy State law requires Land Use Plans to address solar energy access. During the 1980s the Planning Commission developed a Zoning Code amendment allowing property owners with solar energy systems to establish solar access rights across their neighbors' property. However, there was so littie public demand for solar zoning that the zoning amendment was never adopted. Property owners with solar energy systems apparently were satis- fied that the risk of shading was negligible or they could anange private solar easements with their neighbors. 7.7.1 The City supports the conservation of fossil fuels and increased use of solar and wind energ}; but does not find a need for municipa] regula- tion of solar access. 54 LZfy' of 5'C. Ftt'ul tY , � Implementation � � � � , ' , , t7 � � ' , ' lJ , 8.1 Citywide Land Use Map The Citywide Land Use Map is Figure Y. It is a concept map that conveys policy directions. It does not provide specific land use designations for indi- vidual parcels of land. There are two reasons for not doing a citywide map that is parcel-specific. First, most of the property in the city will simply stay in the same land use category it is now; land use planning apart from the current zoning is unnecessary. (Maintenance and reinvestment may be desirable in these areas, but not changes in land use.) Second, unlike the clear separation of land uses found typically found in suburbs, the Saint Paul Land Use Plan seeks to increase the fine-grained mixture of different land uses. Fine- grained land use patterns must be planned and illustrated in neighborhood plans, one small area at a time. To show all of the parcels in the city, the zoning maps divide the city into 44 different sheets. Citywide mapping is too coarse. 8.2 Citywide Redevelopment Opportunities Map The major redevelopment opportunities throughout the city are shown on Figure Z. 8.3 Neighborhood Planning One of Saint Paul's greatest strengths is the commitment of residents to their neighborhoods. Over the last twenty years, neighborhoods have done many neighborhood plans. Approximately 40 district plans and small area plans have been adopted by the city government as components of the Comprehensive Plan. (Figure AA shows where small area plans have been done.) Many of the plans have been very effective and have led to public improvements and private reinvestment. Now, as the citywide Comprehensive Plan is being updated, it is a good time to reaffirm and clarify the role of neighborhood plans. �$ ' Cr>mpreheztsive Plc�n 55 . �_ �_ �. , ��±� � � i� ::/ � i, � � �, r�� j, ��.�. � �� ,% � �i ��`� ° •-� - � _�� ` / V � � ---- �. � �� '� �� ; . �.� , . . , �• :, � v ��`o; ;• �tl��, � i-� � �, i !•, .��i 1!� � � � :�i I � � �;�i I��b� �� ` d� ,a. � �..�:�. �� . ��i�� 7/ � i �_, � f� , � �� 8 � 3 � � � � V q ' W � ` 4 T � � 'l � . � � � 8 �i� � �� 57 N �8�� - `�� - ; � � �' ; e � �� rr �= J� � � 7 w ,$ e�n as � ` aa��rais � m �V � m � � m °w° � � � �n � ' b` Q > > �ur�s 2 C7 � � N �! ""' �, ,�■ '�� ,\ � � /. Figure Z Rsdevelopmeirt Opportunities Map The new Comprehensive Plan, according to a change in state law, will be stronger. Zoning must be consistent with the plan, and the plan must be updated at least every ten years. Thus, neighborhood plans that are part of the Comprehensive Plan must also be up-to-date and consistent with city- wide plans. Maintaining consistency has become more difficult in the 1990s because, given tight City budgets, more neighborhood plans are being done independently of PED and the Planning Commission. Coordination between city staff and neighborhood planning committees has been looser. 8.3.1 Area (Neighborhood) Plans. Saint Paul's strong tradition of neigh- borhood planning should continue. Though most are properly "neighbor- hood" plans, the term "area plaa" is used to encompass special district or corridor plans as well. Besides meeting a range of local neighborhood or special area needs, area plans should represent specific application of City development policy to a particular area, and should inform city plan- ning about local needs and opportunities. The Planning Commission will publuh guidelines to describe those aspects of City deveiopment policy that need to be addressed in area plans. Upon review of an area plan, the Planning Commission will recommend an area plan summary for adop- tion as an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan. 8.3.2 Area Plan Swnmaries. The City will adopt summaries of neigh- borhood or oYher area plans as addenda to Yhe Comprehensive Plan when recommendations appropriate for the City's development poiicy are included. The summaries should present an overview of the plans, highlighung those recommendations that refine City land use and other policy for the area and the high-priority acGons to be taken by City gov- emment. Copies of the full ptans will be availabie at PED for reference. 8.3.3 Planning Commission and City Council Approval. Area plan summaries need to be reviewed and approved by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The Planning Commission checks plans for consistency with adopted City policies; in the event of policy discrepancies, the Planning Commission will try to resolve the differ- ences and maintain the intemal consistency of the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission sends its recommendations to the Ciry Councii for adoption. 8.3.4 The following further describe continued area planning: a. Comprehensive Plan in two parts. The citywide chapters of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published as a set. Area plan summaries that are approved by the City as components of the new Comprehensive Plan will be published in a matching ringbinder. The Comprehensive Plan must be manageabie in size and format to be widely used, and this can only be done if area plans are in summary form. 58 City� of St. PauF , � u , L I �� 1 � `1 ' �J ' C� C I , ' � b. Previously adopted area plans. Area plans adopted as amend- ments to the Comprehensive Plan between January, 1958 and 1999 will retain their status as originally adopted until they are ten years old. Plans that are more than 10 years old as of adoption of this policy in 1999 will retain their current status as Comprehensive Plan amendments until a review, updating and summary can be completed. A five-year period (to the end of 2004) is allowed for replacement or deletion of older plans. c. Ten-Year Review. Any area plan appended to the comprehensive plan must be reviewed and updated or re-certified by the tenth anniver- sary of its adoption. The Planning Commission review of an updated plan, or one simply recommended for re-certification, will be the same as for a new area plan summary. In the case of an area plan adopted as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan prior to 1999, a summary (updated) wi91 need to be prepared for re-certification d. PED staff assistance. Planning assistance for doing new neighbor- hood plans or for reviewing and summarizing previously adopied ones wili be provided by PED staff through normal priority-setting processes. PED works together with community groups in deciding priorities. ��-'��3 Figure AA Small Area Plans, 1998 ' Cc>mpreficaaz�is.•e F�lan 59 8.4 Zoning Code Revisions Appendix F identifies a number of zoning changes that would implement recommendations in the Land Use Plan. Some of the key changes are: • Design standards for downtown urban viIlages • A zoning district for new urban villages outside the downtown • Design standards for pedestrian-oriented neighborhood commercial cen- ters • Rezonings along the River Corridor and the other redevelopment corri- dors, when ready • Rezonings for new housing development State law provides that zoning must be made consistent with the new Comprehensive Plan within six months of the plan's adoption, putting the zoning deadline in mid-1999. Some types of rezoning may be done that fast, but realistically, it will take the City several years to get some of the zoning text amendments done that are proposed in this plan. 8.5 Capital Improvements Many of the redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization proposals in this plan will require capital improvement investments by the City. The list below is incomplete, but it suggests the type of public investments that will be needed to carry out recommendations in this ptan. • Phalen Boulevard • Riverfront improvements/urban village infrastructure • Stormwater settling basins, ponds, other low-impact techniques • Housing site redevelopment • Neighborhood commercial center streetscapes and infrastructure • Bus system amenities • Major transit system investments • Industrial redevelopment infrastzucture, e.g., Pierce Butler e�ctension, other truck routes for Great Northem Comdor • Downtown streetscape improvements • Continue trail system development 8.5.1 The Planning Commission will continue to support the Capital Improvement Budgeting process and the work of the Capital Improvement Budget Committee by revising the Capital Allocation Policy for the 1999 funding cycle. Revision should include simplification of the policy for greater effectiveness and priorities which will further imple- mentation of the updated Comprehensive Plan. 60 City� nf St. Pau.t L , � , , , 1 �1 ' � � � 8.6 Intergovernmental Action Many recommendations of this plan require inter�ovemmental coordina- tion and funding: • State/metro infrastructure investments to strengthen central cities • Housing subsidies changed or compensation from state level to communities carryin� the costs of affordable housing • Brownfield reclamation • Urban transportation and ISTEA funding • Public transit systems investment • State govemment offices—locations in Saint Paul • Livable Communities Program • School sites as a neighborhood revitali2ation investment • Metro greenways program of DNR 8.7 Urban Design All of the work done on the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework has given city leaders a fresh appreciation for the role urban design can play in providing vision for the City and in executing details. 8.7.1 The City will support the Design Center as a primary means for implementation of the vision articulated by the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework with a high level of attention to the Framework's urban design principles. 8.72 The City will continue to encourage improvement of safety through design as outlined in Design for Public Safety. , 8J.3 The City will expand use of design guidelines in its site plan review process as a means of implementing design policies adopted through small area planning and other special area design studies. �, Implementation of Design District capability, allowing stronger enforce- ment of design guidelines, should be explored if further experience with ' C , ' guidelines in the site plan review process is not satisfactory. 8.7.4 Improvement of neighborhood and special district quality should be further supported by: • Continued support of heritage preservation measures, • A zoning district for new urban villages outside of the downtown, • Design Standards for pedestrian-oriented commercial centers, • Rezonings along the river corridor and the other redevelopment corridors when ready, and • Rezonings with appropriate community planning for new housing development. c�g,1133 ' Ccxriprehera4i�•e P3un 61 Appendices Land Use Trends and Assumptions 1. Growth in city population, households, and jobs. Saint Paul needs to pian for more growth between 2000 and 2020 than the city has had in the 1980s and 1990s. For the Twin Cities region, the State Demographer and the Metropolitan Council project 650,000 additional people (for a total population of 3.1 million) and 330,000 additional households between 1995 and 2020. The metropolitan growth strategy based on the regional projec- tions suggests that Saint Paul plan for increases of at least 22,000 people, 9,000 households, and 13,000 jobs in Saint Paul by the year 2020, The Saint Paul Planning Commission agrees with the household projection as a basis for planning, but has set a higher target for jobs of 18,000. Following is the City's forecast which shows the magnitude of growth that forms a basis for this plan: 199Q 26C�U 2L}1U 2E12fi H€iuseht3�ds IIE1,4fH3 +2,40(3 +4,€l{H� -r3;OQ0 EmgTt�ym�nt I73,i7Q6 �6 �4 -�-�k f70UU -r 3,fl(30 Prrgutaatian �72,QtHI -r4,{�(J4 +i 1;f�Q0 -r 7,0EH1: 2. Attracting people and business to the city. In simple terms, people, businesses, and institutions should be attracted to live, work, and invest in Saint Paul because they like the quality of city life here and they have confi- dence in the city's future. 3. Metro support for revitalizing the urban core. For Saint Paul to meet the growth projections, Metropolitan Council support is necessary. The Metropolitan Council's "Metro 2040" pian, which projects an estimated $1.6 billion savings in infrastructure costs, calls for more compact develop- ment pattems, revitalization of the urban core, and targeting certain areas for job development. 4. Shrinldng financial role of public sector in redevelopment. Public programs that subsidize redevelopment (CDBG, URAP, HOME, Livable Communities, etc.) have received smaller and smaller shares of public bud- gets over the past decade. Now redevelopment requires partnerships with multiple stakeholders and investors and greater market discipline. 62 City> r�f St. Paui ' Errata Table, Section 1., Appendix A, page 62 Empioyment figures in the printed table aze incorrect. The table should read as follows: Hoaseholds Employment Population i990 iio,aoo 175,000 272,000 z000 ao�o +z,aoo -�,000 +g,Ot?0 -�5,000 �a,aoo }t 1,000 io�a - zoio �ro��' +3;000 - I19,Q{�6:- + 5,00� : 293;fl0Q ` + 7,0�0 294;00� � ' S. Fewer freeway and sewer e�ctensions; higher infrastructure main- tenance costs. As the metropolitan infrastructure ages, it will require more maintenance and replacement. Fewer resources will be allocated to ' expansions of hi�hways and sewer systems. 6. Continued reliance on the automobile, but with a counter trend , toward walldng, birycles, and public transportation. Major retail, office and industrial sites must have good vehicular access and parking. In t older neighborhoods, local retail can do well with smaller parkin� lots beside and behind the commercial buildings. ' 7. More mixed use development based on "New Urbanism" princi- ples. In the contemporary search for community, there is a risin� aware- ness that physical planning for whole communities should draw together a , mixture of land uses in close proximity, strengthening the "urban village" pattern. 8. Higher public awareness of river ecology. Environmental knowl- edge and awareness continue to grow, placing more attention on the bal- ance between urbanization and natural systems. 9. Continued industrial park redevelopment. Port Authority industrial sites have been in steady demand and represent the most continuous urban redevelopment program in the city. There will continue to be strong demand for clean industrial land with good truck access. 10. Continued growth of office employment both downtown and in homes. If the Minnesota economy continues to be healthy, downtown Saint Paul can capture its share of office growth by offering a special sense of place (East Coast or European features such as narrow streets, small blocks, and human scale) that is different from Minneapolis and virtually the opposite of suburban centers. On neighborhood commercial strips many stores have been converted to office space. There is a strong trend toward home-based businesses and of live/work housing designs. 11. Steady neighborhood retail demand and volatile "big box" retail ' market. In neighborhood locations, smaller shops can be successful on specialty items and in special market niches (for example, ethnic foods and ' products). The vacancy rate in neighborhood commercial space is low in comparison either to previous years or to most Eastem or Midwestern cities. In the discount and big box retail segment, Saint Paul has less than � its market share, especially given the city's moderate-income population; but these businesses seem to be risky. Retail in the downtown seems to depend primarily on the number of downtown employees and residents. ' �g`� � � Cc�ni,�sreht�z�sive Plun 63 12. Some institutions are growing, others are contracting. State gov- emment continues to rebuild and relocate offices even though there is little overall growth. Colleges and other educational institutions continue to grow. Public schools at all levels need more space due to the children of baby boomers and immigrants. Hospitals have undergone great changes. Nonprofit agencies have multiplied and occupy a lot of neighborhood com- mercial space. 13. Growing opportunity for new urban housing. Regionally, as the population ages, there is a growing demand for urban housing for smaller households, empty nesters, and live/work lifestyles. In Saint Paul, there are growing numbers of younger immigrant families who may want to buy homes in the city and whose presence as an ethnic community would add to the stability and vitality of their neighborhoods. There is a large demand for low-income housing, which sometimes competes with neighborhood reinvestment objectives. 14. Significant need to increase the city tax base. The Saint Paul property tax base per household is among the lowest in the metropolitan area. The School District, Ramsey County, and the City all share the need to raise values downtown, in commercial and industrial areas, and in neigh- borhoods with depressed values. 15. Need for workforce development and more jobs. Even though the city had 192,000 jobs in 1996, the highest number ever, poverty is a major problem in the city. VYith welfare reform, hard-to-employ people urgently need work readiness skills, training, and jobs. If old industrial sites are redeveloped and the downtown grows, Saint Paul could add 18,000 jobs between 1990 and 2020. 16. Iu►a►igration continues, but the Southeast Asian shaze will taper off: Over 30,000 Southeast Asians now live in Saint Paul, and this number may rise to 40,000 in ten years. Immigration rates are high nation- ally, so Saint Paul will continue to receive a share. 17. Integration of schools, public safety, and quality of life factors. Good land use planning is one of many factors that contribute to the health and strength of the city. Physical, social, and economic development need to be better connected in the city. 64 Cit�� nf St. Puul � ' � Existing Land Use and Projected Change This best-available data on existing land use is from a 1988 survey updated ' with significant known changes to 1998. An existin� land use map, not included in most copies of this plan, is available from PED. � u L I 1I ' � ' L1 lJ � � � ' � ' Existing i.aad Use �.8.1t� - �5�.. . . - 1�CI'85 . -.. % O� �O� -: Resideniial,'£otaI YZ,554 34.7 Residential, SingI� Pam�Iy R,85i i�esi�le�iat,-I?uptex � i,i36- Resideniial, I1+IUlti-Famiiy �,577 Gomrt�erc�al 1 „�35 4.2 intlii5triai 4,964 13.� Puhlic and Tnstitufion 3,fl�9 8.5 Park� and�tJ�gen Space=- - �- 4,f>43 L'2:� -- Rivers, Iakes, Wetlaniis 3,398 9.4 Vacani 5.019 13.� Airport �93 `2,2 bCtteT"* I84 f�.a Total 36,t45 *ee�vir�inental prAtection. majt�r rights-crt way, park3rtg, unkncawn The most significant changes anticipated in land use over the next twenty years are 1) shifts from vacant land to residential and industrial or commer- cial/industrial uses, Z) intensification of uses within current use classifica- tions such as updated industrial use, higher residential density, more inten- sive use of prime business areas including downtown, and 3) more mixed use. Under the policies established, these changes will represent accom- modation of a larger share of regional increase in households and econom- ic activity; strong economic revitalization of the city's downtown and major business areas including the Midway; steady progress in recycling of under- used and polluted industrial land; strengthening of traditional neighbor- hoods under urban village principles, intensification of uses in corridors to support more effective transit., and some shift away from industrial uses in the river corridor in favor of restoration/appreciation of the corridor's nat- ural character and new access for compatible activity. Residential Land Use An increase of some 204 acres in residential use will come mostly from the vacant category. The Koch Mobil site is the largest single site where residential (mixed use) development can be anticipated. Development of this site would represent a transformation of 65 acres of land presently c�g-1 l33 ' �anz,{sreh�:rasii�e Flan 65 seriously polluted from former industrial uses. The following table shows anticipated residentiai development by major geographic divisions. Actual intensity of development will depend on a number of factors including both refinement of land use and density specifications in small area planning and market eacperience. Projscted Resideniial tleveicpment by 2024 by Sub Area Area Maj�r-; Infili Net l�iew Acres Added Sites �[TniYSJ {Uxtits} �Units} ; �m�r� ��t �i��nc �,c� 3,�0o t oa nistrict I,3 ex�egt riv�r ffars Tf}fi ta4 i 6t7 13 I7isizicts 2 �, 5 � t24 62� 33 T�isericrs 6, 7> t�. 71, kz 7�t7 z� �2v 3s L)t5tiit�t5 8. � I3, 14. k5, ib 7i�Q: 3QU I,�3t�fl 47 1�ccessary t�pts_ city tntizte 3C�o Tc�ta! S,�2fl 6�t} 6,f24(T 2Z9 Residential Development Opportunities to Fulfill the City's Share of Metropolitan Housing Growth • PED'S Northwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 900 units Some Potential Major Sites: - Burlington Pond - Como-Mackubin - Frogtown scattered sites - Larpenteur-Cohansey - Oakland Village scattered sites - Rice-Arlington - Snelling-Brewster high-rise - Troutbrook-)ackson - Raymond-Energy Park - Raymond-University - Capitol Heights • PED's Northeast Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing ConstrucUOn: 500 units Some Potential Major Sites: - 3M Distribution Center - Cemstone - West of Harding High School - Hazel-E. Fifth St. - North Arlington Ave. - Phalen Village - Rivoli Bluff 66 City+ c3F St. #��u1 ' � • PED's Southwest Quadrant of City Target for Net New Housing Construction: 800 units Some Potential Major Sites: , L1 � - ADM site - Holm and Olson - Koch-Mobil - Shepard-Davem - Selby Ave./Summit University scattered sites • PED's Southeast Quadrant of City (Includes Downtown) Target for ' Net New Housing Construction:3,100 units G I Some Potential Major Sites: - North Quadrant - Lowertown/River Gardens - Harriet IsIand Urban Village - South Wabasha Bridge Head - Highwood sites - Esplanade site - Other downtown sites L� LJ � Residential Densities ' The wide range of residential densities in Saint Paul neighborhoods includes 2- 3 units per acre in suburban-style development in the Highwood area, 5-8 units per acre in more solidly single-family areas with ' 40-60-foot lots (Macalester Groveland, Como, Hazel Park), 10-15 units per acre in many traditional neighborhood blocks with 40-foot lots, a number of duplexes and 3-story apartment buildings facing major streets (Hamline- ' Midway, the West Side), 30+ units per acre for some blocks which combine apartments facing Grand Avenue with large single family homes facing � Summit Avenue, and 40-60 units per acre at the largest multi-family struc- tures. In spite of the significance of the number of new housing units pro- jected to accommodate more of the region's growth, impact on the overall ' density for the City will be slight. Increases in residential density that are locally significant can be expected downtown, and on key riverfront sites. At scattered locations near neighborhood business centers and transit ' routes, attached-unit development that can be anticipated is in the 10-15 unit per acre range. Market experience indicates that the same is true for downtown and river front "urban village" sites, though substantially higher ' densities could be realized at some downtown sites and in the University Avenue corridor. ' ��"�� ' Cc�zr�,prehc�rtsi�.•e Plan 67 Industrial Land and Employment Related Land Uses Most projected job growth will occur through intensificatlon of activity in areas already in business and industriai use. Industrial development in indus- trial parks opened by the Saint Paul Port Authority has averaged approxi- mately 30 acres per year since 1960 and continues at about that rate during the 1 g9os. A cunent list of idenrified sites of 10 acres or more with varying degrees of potentlal for industrial redevelopment totals just over 1,000 acres. Smaller identified sites add 62 acres. Most of this land is currently underused but classified as industrial. Approacimately 265 acres of the total inventory is cunently classified as vacant land., though 180 acres of this in the Pig's Eye Lake area will more likely be preserved as open space. Industrial redevelopment is projected to continue at the rate of some 30 acres per year. Both the inventory of land with redevelopment potential and demand for land would support more rapid growth. The primary constraint on the rate at which underused and/or polluted land can be recycled to productive use supportive of city and regional growth objectives is the limi- tation on available resources for site preparation, including site assembly, infrastructure construction, and pollution remediation. Industrial development/redevelopment will most likely occur in these areas over the next five years: AISITICIPATED lNDIJSTRIAI dE1tElORINF�T; II�STRIAL: PAitKS ANF) IQENTf�IEA SIFES 5ite Acr�s I�tai� 15 M�s�� S��IfDale Str�i SE�c�ps �4 Arizn�€�n jacksfln . 14 Gt�ITiam E�ili'; 4€� Pha��n Carridar 6p Tatai IT9 Some shifts will occur in industrial land, but subtractions and additions to the total supply could balance over thz period. A reduction of industrial land in the range of 140-170 acres is anticipated in the river corridor. Other employment-related redevelopment will represent, for the most part, intensification of uses without a change in their land use category, as well as some greater intermixing of uses. Significant change by land use catego- ry cannot be projected. 68 c:ity� r�t St. Pcut , LJ ' e � , ' � � Summary of Zoning and Other Regulatory Changes Proposed in the Land Use Plan 1. Review Zonin� Code to support new urban villa�es and enhance flexibili- ty at large-scale redevelopment sites: Downtown in B-4 and B-5 zones. Full range of land uses is already per- mitted. Design guidelines can be advocated by the Design Center. Design guidelines can usually be implemented by the HRA through redevelop- ment controls. New urban villages outside the B-4 and B-5 zones. A new "Urban Village (UV)" zoning district should be created. It would be a combina- tion of permitting mixed use, setting design guidelines, and providing an efficient process for public review. 2. At existing urban viilage (neighborhood) centers: (a) review opportunities to create more multi-family zoning; (b) reduce parking requirements for ' new development, perhaps by 20 percent; (c) require new commercial buildings to be built out to the sidewalk�.g., at least 40% of the lot LJ 11 � � � ' ' � � frontage to be built within ten feet of the front lot line; (d) require parking lots to be built to the side and rear�.g., no more than 60 percent of the lot frontage can be occupied by parking. 3. Decide whether any of the downtown design guidelines from the Saint Pau1 on the Mississippi Development Framework (pp. 38-48) should be put into the Zoning Code, e.g., "extroverted" building design with doors and windows facing the sidewalk; design at downtown "gateways" and along "prime edges," buildings of appropriate scale, etc. 4. Make zoning map revisions along: (a) the River Corridor; (b) University Avenue Corridor; (c) Phalen Corridor; (d) Great Northern Corridor; (e) Riverview Corridor. 5. For developable sites along freeways and major arterial streets, rezone land now (1999) if the desired future land use is known. For sites where the future land use is not known, the land can be designated as a"study area" and the current zoning can be left in place. 6. Rezone land for residential development when the Planning Commission's work with district councils identifies sites and appropriate zoning categories for them. q �-! 1 �3 � Cc�m�rrehc:ztsi�•e F'lan 69 7. Propose an accessory apartment ordinance to permit "mother-in-law" apartments in homes greater than 2,000 square feet if it is determined that the provision can be restricted to owner-occupied homes. 8. Enact higher tree planting standards in the River Corridor and maybe in the proposed greenway corridors. 9. 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( � � tl " •• •+¢ �, � 5 ".�:: ��T.+n?ro n .ew@`dd :ae.Y, 1n+3r3U I�i � 'i � � �. �g, � � � � a'^�iK 9 ` fl 3h N�2fJ T ..:� a�5<.�y._ . � .n/.�: -.' »^ �. �. x 4�; A�S y . � . . '_'� #�• 6 0. � . . . ' . . - '_ " . . . �. �» :...--- _ - v^ - _ ' W L � L O q �� O � � � � O N N � m w Op � � O r g m � Q Q a �^ ,O ^ O � i.f. v+ N W a 0 � c N m '" o N C C � � � �\ � � � ,'� N 35 , ' C't)T33�FPC�EtX2�IL`€; P�Q'If 73 Saint Paul Sewer Plan: Tier I Requirements This technical appendix includes the following: • Adopted community forecasts of households and employment • Map: sanitary sewer interceptor service areas (not complete at the time of this draft) Management of Inflow and Infiltration • Management of Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities • Map showing existing onsite wastewater disposal facilities Cqmns�ity Fareeasts af horiseAnlds and empk�ent 7 94(� 2t#€�€} - 2Ui R 2U�� P�i�uI2tic�n ��2.t3t}Q ' '2�6,CYQD 287,t1(3fJ 294,� Hotlsehplds ' 11(#,t3t1U S�2,tiQ4 I Ib,t1LiQ I i 9;t)Q(} Erilpl�ytrietit I7S,f3�t I'S�,#�t# I88,fl�Q 393;tIDD Management of Inflow and Infiltration Inflow and Infiltration Program In 1986, the City developed a plan to address Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) as part of the City's Sewer Separation Program and NPDES(National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The primary goal was to identify and to remove inflow sources, such as connected rainleaders, area drains and catch basins from the City's Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Service Areas Map 74 Cit�� ot St. Fffu1 ' u ' sanitary sewer system. The City Council adopted the Public Works' Rainleader Disconnect Plan in February of 1986. Under this plan, a volun- tary rainleader disconnection program was conducted in 1986 and 1987. ' This program emphasized providing public information, technical advice and a rebate offer. The Rainleader Disconnection Ordinance became effec- f' � , ' � � � l_J t _I � � � C , ' ' tive at the end of 1987. The City continues to enforce this ordinance. Beginnin� in 1988, the next phase of the I/I Program focused on the elimi- nation of locations where combined sewage overflow occurred (regulators). The process of eliminating a regulator involves: identifying inflow sources, removing these inflow sources from the City's sanitary sewer system, moni- toring to verify that the regulator could safely be eliminated, and finally eliminating the regulator. Accomplishments of Inflow/Infiltration Prograa► • 30o alley catch basins and 298 street catch basins located in the public rightofway were disconnected from the City's Sanitary Sewer System • 99% of Saint Paul's commercial properties disconnected rainleaders and area drains • 99% of Saint Paul's residential properties disconnected rainleaders • 245 regulators were removed from the City's sewer system Continuing efforts of the the City's I/I program include enforcement of the Rainleader Disconnect Ordinance and elimination of all regulators from the City's Sanitary Sewer System by June 30, 2001, as detailed in the City's cur- rent NPDES permit. The City is also addressing I/I through the City's Sewer Rehabilitation Plan which proposes spending $5,300,000 annually over the next 20 years, beginning in 1998. As the sewer system is videotaped and inspected, sources of inflow and infiltration will be identified. These areas will then be prioritized into projects with corrective action including replacement, pipe lining and joint sealing. On-Site Wastewater Disposal Facilities General Within the City of Saint Paul, there are approximately 200 homes utilizing individual onsite facilities for disposal of their wastewater. The map on page 76 shows the locations of the existing septic systems within the City of Saint Paul. The greatest concentration of individual sewage treatment systems is in the South Highwood area. Much of this area is not currently served by public sanitary sewer facilities. The City of Saint Paul permits the building and usage of individual sewage treatment systems in areas of the city that are not served by public sewer c��—�133 , Cc7rxapreherisive Pl�rcn 75 Onsite Wastewater Disposal Facilities Map or are unable to connect to an existing sewer system. The City's manage- ment program for onsite sewage treatment includes provisions for the reg- ulation and monitoring of all individual sewage treatment systems. The maintenance, design, construction and location of septic systems are required to conform with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota Rules 7080, Minnesota State Building Code, Minnesota Plumbing Code and Minnesota Water Well Construction Code. OnSite System Management The Ciry of Saint Paul ordinances regulate the installation of new onsite systems as well as the maintenance and reviews of existing systems. A per- mit issued by a City License, Inspections and Environmental Protection offi- cial must be attained prior to any new installation, alteration, repair or e�tension of any sewage treatment system. The Saint Paul manageinent and controi program implements the current Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) standards and includes: • inspection of new systems • inspection and maintenance of existing systems • correction of nonconforming systems • testing of water suppiy wells. Inspection of New Systems New individual sewage treatment systems require a construction permit issued by the City's building official. The building official is licensed by the MPCA and is responsible for administration and enforcement of the design, 76 Crf�r ctt St. #T�[�1 ' 1 ' construction and installation provisions of the City ordinances relating to septic systems. The permit must include the identification and location of various physical features and characteristics, ground slope, details of the ' proposed installation, soil and percolation test data, location of an altemate site and a site evaluation as well as evidence of compliance with all state , l� I L� , ' ' and other jurisdiction regulations, including Minnesota Rules 7080. No altemative or experimental systems are allowed. Inspection and Maintenance of E�tisting systems Existing systems must be inspected and maintenance reviews conducted at least once every 2 years by a MPCA certified inspector or pumper. Each septic tank must be maintained in proper operating conditions at all times. Septic tanks are required to be pumped as inspection indicates or at least once every 2 years. Septic tank pumping must be performed by a MPCA licensed pumper and must be reported to City officials. City officials man- age the maintenance of all septic systems; monitoring and filing the inspec- tion reports, and see that the necessary pumping is performed. Correcrion of Nonconforming Systems Those systems not found to be in compliance with the provisions indicated in the City ordinance must be modified and brought into compliance within 10 months with the exception of those built between May 27, 1989 and , )anuary 23, 1996 which are allowed 5 years. If the system is an eminent health threat, corrections must be made within 90 days. Seepage pits, cesspools or leaching pits are considered to be failing systems and must be , upgraded, replaced, or the use of these systems discontinued within 10 months of notice of noncompliance. ' I � , Testing of Water Supply Wells Water supply wells located on properties with individual sewage treatment systems must be tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate every 2 years. Random sample testing of water from private wells for EPA's primary pollu- tants is conducted by City officials. Enforcement The Office of License, Inspections, and Environmental Protection enforces , the provisions outlined above of the recently amended Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 50, regulating the installation and maintenance ' reviews of individual treatment systems. A copy of this ordinance is includ- ed on page #. The building official has the authority to inspect and review all individual treatment systems. This official may , � • issue orders to revoke or suspend permits where work is not performed in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, • require property owners to stop use of a system that is operating in a q a-�13 ' Cr�znpreh��ra5a'�.•e Plurt 77 ' manner creating a hazard to the public health, safety or welfare, ' • condemn a dwelling that is a hazard to the public or the dwelling occu- pants, and • require correction of any defective system. � The City will consider variances to this code if there is undue hardship on the properiy owner, as long as there is no threat to public health, safety or ' welfare. , � � , ' , ' � , L� ' � ;�� 78 tityr nt Sf. Pcut , ' ' Credits � �I l _J , � ' C � l_�' ' Il ' The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* Joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte' Jennifer Engh* Carole Faricy Litton Field, Jr. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee* Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell* David McDonell' Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Treichel* Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *COmprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Development Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Larry Soderholm, Planner-in-Charge Ken Ford Report Production , )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist ' , � The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ancestry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. q g-1 l �3 ' Ccam�rrehc°nsi�•e Pl�zn 79 SUIV�MARY AND GENERAL POLICY The Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan Draft for Community Review October 1998 The Saint Pau{ Planning Commission ��-1133 Contents Introduction The Setting for a New Plan Plan Ysion and Themes Ten Principtes for City Development Geography and Environment Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Downtown Saint Paul Corridors for Growth 7}ansportatfon Economic Opportunity Community Development Regionallnterdependenee 5 6 7 10 11 12 16 17 21 22 25 26 �9,-ll� Comprehensive Plan 3 Introduction T his document, in draft form for communiry review, is a new summary and general policy chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan. It provides a broad statement of the City's development policy and, as an overview of the entire plan, helps to clarify the interrelationship of the other chapters. The sum- mary includes general policy in the areas of Economic Development and Community Development which, though supported by policies in all func- tional areas, is not found in other chapters. When the 1998-1999 plan update is completed, the citywide portion of the Plan will consist of the fol- lowing chapters: Directions for 2000, Plan Summary and General Policy Land Use Plan (1998, Recommended by the Planning Commission) Housing (Community Review Draft published October, 1998) "I7ansportation (Adopted 1997) Parks and Recreation (Adopted 1997) Library Services (Adopted 1996) River Corridor Plan (Adopted 1987 (to be updated 1999) Implementation A storm water management plan will be added at a later time, after the management plans for all of the watershed districts within the City are complete, as required by law. A sewer plan will be added in 1999. ��,�� 33 Comprehensive Plan 5 The Setting for a New Plan Some of the most important trends that the Saint Paul community is responding to in the effort to forge new development policy can be briefly described as follows: The "IWin Cities region will grow over the next 20 years, adding some 550,000 people and 300,000 households according to the projections of the Metropolitan Council. The region has addressed its cosUy sprawling devel- opment pattem and acknowledged that a sustainable future requires more effective accommodation of growth within built-up areas, including the central cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Increased use of cars along with more households and without continued eacpansion of the highway system into the hinterland means that increasing traffic could well detract from the area's quality of life without alternative movement systems and new land use patterns. Both neighborhoods and business districts of Saint Paul which reflect the city's historic urban character well are highly valued today. New urbanist approaches to development gaining popularity throughout the country are evidence of a new realization of the value inherent in the historic neighbor- hood grid and sidewalk-and-neighborhood-street-connected living-shop- ping-working that prevails in a variety of forms in much of Saint Paul. The effort well along to plant 25,000 trees, re-establishing something of the nahual character of the Mississippi River corridor, is but one indication of a high level of commitment, broadly shared, to better stewardship of our nat- ural environment and renewed appreciation and enjoyment of Saint Paul's outstanding river bluff setting. The departure of some heavy industry has created new opportunity to meet this objective. Market confidence, the sometimes intangible factor that causes people to see a particular neighborhood as a sound opportunity for investment in housing or business, varies widely across Saint Paul. There's ample demon- stration of strong attraction for the urban neighborhoods the City provides. There's evidence as well that some neighborhoods are not secure and that careful strategy is required to support reinvestment. A regional shortage of housing affordable even to moderate and low-wage workers, and a very low vacancy rate for rental housing are aspects of the housing market that regional and City policy must address. There is also a growing network of vigorous partnership efforts involving business and resident organizations, non-profit organizations, city, county and state governments and the Saint Paul Schools addressing physical, 6 City of St. Paal q�.�t33 economic and social needs, rebuilding community, working to redress the lack of confidence where it exists. The Midway, Saint Paul's extensive business area between the two down- towns, is attracting new business investment today as it has for several years, and downtown Saint Paul is experiencing a rebirth with major new corporate buiiding investment, a wealth of new cultural facilities, and a �rowing housing market. Urban analysis and e�cperience in the United States is leading many to realize new economic potential for central city neighborhoods and their populations that have suffered from the disinvest- ment inherent in the physical and economic development patters of recent decades. And Saint Paui is well "above average" for its success in buiiding its economy, expanding economic opportunity by an increase of some 7,000 jobs in the 1990s. Plan �sion and Themes We envision a future Saint Paul that is the best of its present and past: strong neighborhood communities, a vital downtown area, growing busi- ness and industry, easy, inviting connections among neighborhoods and districts and with our river and natural topography. One of Saint Paul's strengths is its traditional neighborhood fabric, made up of the strong and diverse communities within its borders. Our neighbor- hoods offer housing opportunities that are affordable and attractive to people within a very broad income range. As more and more business and living opportunities become concentrated in neighborhood business centers and near transit corridors, public transit, bicycles and walkways will become more acceptable means of transportation contributing to an improved environment. In our vision, downtown Saint Paul is a thriving 24-hour business, cultural and entertainment center, as well as a highly desirable urban residential location. New business and industry, well integrated with existing neigh- borhoods and new housing opportunities, have replaced the polluted land and outdated infrastructure of the Phalen Corridor to the east and the Great Northern Corridor to the west. University Avenue and West Seventh Street have become attractive corridors with strong business centers, new resi- dential developments and pedestrian amenities attractive to transit riders. The Mississippi River Corridor, while continuing to accommodate a wide Comprehensive Plan variety of urban users, offers a vast green refuge at the city's heart, exten- sive new opportunities for public enjoyment, and an anchor for the park and trail system that shapes the entire city and strengthens the visibility of its natural setting. Three themes capture the opportunities and needs of this vision. �'rl'OWt�I Saint Paul welcomes new opportunities for growth. Saint Paul can realize new vitality by claiming a significant share of the new growth anricipated for the region. Opportunities are being defined in severai key areas: on the downtown riverfront, along the Phalen and West Seventh Corridors, in the Great Northem Corridor through Frogtown, in the Midway and along University Avenue. )ob opportunities continue to expand. New business and cultural faciliUes open downtown. Likewise, the housing market reflects the growth pattern. Business development and housing con- cems recognize that neither will be at its best unless both grow in an inte- grated and complementary fashion. Quality of Place We cherish our place on tl►e river and intend that places throughout St. Paul wi/I offer beauty and delight. A new level of concern for quality of place is evident in our neighborhoods and in downtown and riverfront development. Highland Village and reno- vation in the University/Raymond area are representative of business cen- ters throughout the City where this same intent to build with a quality wor- thy of our urban architectural heritage is evident. We have learned that sus- tainable success requires places designed to serve the community funcUon- ally, aesthetically and socially. Quality of place for Saint Paul means: ■ Neighborhoods that attract people and make them want to stay; ■ Attractive housing that meets a wide variety of needs; ■ Business districts that invite walking, promote community interaction and are safe; ■ Strong, positive visual interest for pedestrians, bikers, walkers and riders; g City of St. Paul ■ Visual and physical connection to the city's natural base of land, water �� ► 3 3 and clean air: and ■ Industry that blends harmoniously with its urban neighbors. WeII-be111�F we��-being for saint Pau� citizens depends on economic growth and life-supporting jobs, as well as cultural, educational and recreational opportu- nities, including community services that nurture family and individual life. Saint Paul's commitment to well-being for families and individuals is evi- dent in its sustained interest in economic development, its newly expanded community effort in work force development, in the housing policy's emphasis on a broad range of housing opportunity, and in the main themes of the 1996 Community Development Agenda: ■ An Even Better Place to Raise Children means a community commit- ment to education, child care and family-supporting neighborhoods. ■ No 11uce with Poverty means expansion of job opportunities appropri- ate for Saint Paul households and preparation of citizens for the emerging job market. ■ High Qualiry Ciry Living means the creation of safe, economically diverse neighborhoods with quality housing at a broad range of prices, participation in all aspects of community life without racial or ethnic barriers, and continued physicai improvement of the city ■ EJfectrve Civic Collaboradon means that our efforts are stronger and more productive because we are working well together with shared objectives: the City, neighborhood organizations, the business commu- nity, Ramsey County, the State of Minnesota, the Saint Paul Public Schools, private service providers and foundations. Comprehensive Plan 9 Ten Principles for City Development ♦ General Policy 1. Ten Principles for City Development The following princi- ples, originally developed as part of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," have been established as guiding principles for general development in Saint Paul. 1. �oke a sense of place. With each change, Saint Paul will work for a strengthened sense of place that reflects the city's natural beauty and exceptional heritage. 2. Restore and establish the unique urban ecology. Reconnection of our urban fabric to the Mississippi River that drew the area's original inhabi- tants will promote a balance between urban and natural systems throughout Saint Paul. 3. Invest in the pablic realm. The public realm sets the stage for develop- ment and provides the network of connections. We will maintain and enhance this investment, designing improvements to promote safety and quality with an emphasis on improving the pedestrian environment. 4. Broaden the mix oflcmd uses. We will take advantage of the diversity of activity that is recognized as a special advantage of an older city. Residence, work and cultural opportunities in close proximity can reduce travel costs and enrich community life. 5. Improve connectiviry. improvement of urban life in Saint Paul will occur by facilitating movement, access and connection among activities and places. 6. Ensure that buildings support broader city goals. Saint Paul wili con- sider each addition to the community fabric as an opportunity to enhance its broader location. �. Build on epsting strengths. We wil] make every effort at city and neighborhood levels to recognize and enhance the treasures we have in our economic, cultural, architectural and natural heritages. 8. Preserve and enhance heritage resources. Saint Paui will continue to preserve and enhance its rich legacy of historic resources. 9. Provide a balanced network for movement. Provisions will be made for movement by car, public transportation, bicycle and on foot in a bal- anced manner throughout Saint Paul. ip City of St. Paul 10. Foster public safety. We will keep public safery at the forefront in design (j � -�13� and management of the public realm and apply safety criteria in the � evaluation of any proposed private development. Geography and Environment The Mississippi River and its dramatic bluffs drew the earliest settlers to the area and remain the strongest definers of Saint Paul as a piace. Diminishing heavy industry and years of progress in cleaning up the river have created new opportunities for enhancement of the setting, improve- ment of environmental quality, and access to the area's strong natural fea- tures. A retum to the river is an opportunity to strengthen quality of place at the heart of Sainc Paul and, with connections and extensions along the tributaries, throughout all of Saint Paul. � GP2. Topography and the Natural Environment. Saint Paul will strengthen its identity by reinforcing its topography and natural environment. This is the first goal of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Supporting policies from the Land Use and the Parks and Recreation chap- ters include: ■ Implementatlon of the land use themes from "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework," ■ Creation of new access to the riverbanks and bluff lines, ■ Promotion of the vision of the Great River Park, ■ Conformance of policies and ordinances with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Management plan, ■ Restoration of greenway and natural habitat linkages, ■ Reconnection of neighborhoods to the river with natural landscaping and, where possible, restoration of surface water in tributary corridors, and ■ Appropriate development of sites with river valley views. � GP3. Water Resources. Saint Paul will continue to protect its water resources in accordance with its water resources policy, including: Comprehensive Plan 11 ■ Promotion of natural storm water management solutions, including enforcement of standards for storm water detention ponds, connection of catch basins to the storm sewer system, ■ Enforcement of erosion and sediment control measures, ■ Completion of a watershed management plan for Saint Paul after the management plan for the Middle Mississippi River Water Management Organization is completed in 1999, and ■ Continuation of public education measures outlined in the Water Resources plan. � GP 4. wastewater Facilities. A comprehensive sewer plan update (Tier II) will be completed in 1999. In the meantime, improvement of wastewater handling in Saint Paul will conrinue through established measures, which include: ■ Complete elimination of storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer system through removal of any remaining rain leader/storm sewer connections and eradication of leaks in the sewer system, ■ Identification of current status and future needs of wastewater flows, ■ Continuation of the management program for on-site sewage treatment systems, which requires regular inspection of all systems, correction of nonconforming systems and testing of water supply wells. Neighborhoods as Urban Villages Saint Paul is a city of strong, well-known neighborhoods, each with its own character and community organizations. It has been a long-standing city policy to maintain and enhance the unique character of those neigh- borhoods. The `"Iraditional Neighborhood Design" and "New Urbanism" movements represent recognition of the value of Saint Paul's neighbor- hoods in contrast to typical suburban development. New Urbanist practices provide some direction for maintaining and enhancing the strengths of our existing neighborhoods. � GPS. Neighborhoods as Urban Vliages. Opportunities to live, work and shop in close proximity will reinforce the urban viliage characteristics of Saint Paul neighborhoods. Improvements and new developments should con- 12 City ofSt. Paul tribute to a high quality, visually inviting, pedestrian-friendly environment. ry C� � � 33 `1 "� Land Use and Housing chapter policies support: ■ Application of urban village principles in neighborhood planning and development, ■ Recognition of the variety of physical forms that make for good neighborhoods in Saint Paul, ■ Compatible mixed use within single buildings and in separate buildings in close proximity, ■ Emphasis on pedestrians in neighborhood business centers, supported by design guidelines for designated pedestrian-oriented village centers, ■ Building and landscape design that define public areas and strengthen a sense of place, ■ Diversity of housing type and cost at the neighborhood level, ■ Attention to social and economic factors, along with physical planning and development, and ■ A balanced transportation system. � GP 6. Take Care of the Housing We Have. Most of the current and future resi- dents of Saint Paul will live in the city's existing housing stock. Original construction and on-going investment yield a high level of quality in many Saint Paul neighborhoods that have strong attraction in the regional hous- ing market today. In some neighborhoods, a pattern of disinvestment has led to deterioration and declining values. Housing chapter policies include: ■ Continue and eacpand efforts to enhance the city's traditional neighbor- hood design. ■ Continue a commitment to the preservation of historically and architec- turally significant buildings and neighborhoods. ■ Step up code enforcement matched with additional resources for repair and rehabilitation. ■ Strategicaliy focus efforts to stem deterioration and declining values. ■ Improve management and maintenance of rental property. � GP 7. Meet New Housing Market Demand. Households the children have left, and newer households they haven't yet joined, represent growing segments of the area housing market for at least the next decade. Households in this Comprehensive Plan 13 market are looking for altematives to the single family home with its own yard: townhouses, condominiums and other properties more easily main- tained or left for a week of travel. Renters make up a portion of this market. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Encourage the production of 300-400 housing units a year, primarily attached units attractive to growing segments of the regional housing market most amenable to urban neighborhood opportunities. ■ Promote good design solutions for housing that meets newer market needs and complements existing Saint Paul neighborhoods, designs that use the smaller development sites creatively and that provide for housing in mixed-use nighborhood centers. ■ Encourage the production of rental housing. ■ Encourage innovative development through regulatory reforms. � GP 8. Ensure Availability of Affordable Housing. A generally stronger housing market, the almost total absence of any new production of rental housing in any price range, and the reduction in federal funding for rental assis- tance are all putting pxessure on the portion of the city's housing stock that is affordable to lower income households. In some instances, the price of that housing is being bid up to the point where it is no longer affordable. In others, lack of continuing investment has resulted in physical deterioration and demolition. The need for such affordable housing exists throughout the metropolitan region. Relative to most communities, Saint Paul has a large supply of well- managed low cost housing. Since there are challenges to that supply, preservation is the City's primary objective, though the construction of new low-cost units will be required as well if redevelopment is to meet the needs of Saint Pau] neighborhoods. Encouragement of much more ade- quate provision of housing opportunities throughout the region is also part of the City's strategy. Housing Chapter policies include: ■ Challenge the region to ensure that each metropolitan community provides a full range of housing choices in order to meet the needs of households at all income levels. ■ Work with public, private and philanthropic partners to identify and secure significant additional resources to enable the preservation and constnzction of affordable housing, both within the city and throughout the region. 14 City ofSL Paul ■ Preserve existing federaly assisted housing tluough partnership efforts �� r V`"� with HUD and other area agencies and support continued good maintenance and modernization of the public housin� supply. ■ Stimulate the construction of a modest number of new affordable housing units each year, particularly in neighborhoods where affordable housing is in limited supply. ■ Support a variety of initiatives that will allow lower income households to move into home ownership. ■ Link services with affordable housing. ■ In partnership with Ramsey County and other private and non-profit agen- cies, implement the provisions of the Saint Paul/Ramsey County t7ve-Year housing and Homeless Services Plan as it is adopted by the City Council. ■ Preserve and improve existing privately-owned rental housing units. � GP9. Neighborhood Treffic and Parking. Provisions for traffic and other means of circulation will enhance neighborhood environments and support community connections. ZYansportation chapter policies support: ■ Priority for neighborhood traffic control, ■ Attention to neighborhood character in the design of traffic and parking facilities, ■ Enhancement of pedestrian environments, ■ Use of smaller circulator buses and neighborhood transit hubs in a redesigned transit system, ■ Continued enhancement of the parkway system, and ■ Continued use of permit parking to protect residential areas adjacent to high parking demand commercial and institutional uses. � GP 10. PedesVian Safety and Quality. Saint Paul will strengthen the quality of the pedestrian experience in residential and business areas. "I7anspor-tation and Land Use chapter policies support: ■ Compact "urban village"neighborhoods with commercial, civic and institutional activity, _ ■ Physical definition of streets and public places by architecture and landscape design, Comprehensive Plan 15 ■ A neighborhood traffic calming program, ■ Physical changes, where appropriate, to slow traffic and protect pedes- trians, and ■ Street, building design and a mix of uses downtown to promote pedes- trian use. Downtown Saint Paul Downtown Saint Paul fulfills many roles. It is an important regional office center and home base for major corporations, a civic/government center for the State of Minnesota and the IWin Cities metropolitan region, a civic center for the east metro region and the city, an entertainment and cultura] center of significance to the state, and a distinctive urban residential neigh- borhood. While it shares a loss of retaii dominance with other downtowns, it retains a retail core, and new retail strength can be anticipated as a com- plement to the growth of other functions downtown. � GP 11. Vbrant Downtown. The city, business community, state govemment and cultural institutions, as well as the Saint Paul community at large, will work together to ensure that downtown growth continues and that each increment of new development and renovation contributes to the down- town's most vibrant future. Building on the strength of its setting, history and character, we will guide development of the public and private realms to realize the objectives of the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." This ptan and the Land Use, Housing, and Parks and Recreation chapters of the Comprehensive City Plan support: ■ Continued development of Wabasha Street as a main thoroughfare connecting the Minnesota Capitoi, the Mississippi River and the west side community through the downtown, ■ Continued evolution of downtown with all the uses that make it a vital 24-hour community and center for the east metro region: office, retail, government, culture, entertainment, visitor accommodations and housing, ■ Development of building design guidelines and circulaUon improve- ments which emphasize a quality environment for pedestrians, 16 City of St. Paul a��i� ■ Full attention to pedestrians, bicycles, transit and traffic movement in the design of street improvements, ■ Realization of the land use concepts of the Comprehensive City Plan for the Minnesota State Capitol area, and continued development of the Capitol campus as an open part of the city related comfortably to down- town and adjacent communities, and ■ Investment in transportation and public access infrastructure to facili- tate the redevelopment of the riverfi'ont downtown. � GP 12. Access and Parking Downtown. E�tpansion of parking facilities down- town wili be needed for increments of growth. These should be balanced with substantiai improvement to transit as weil as bicycle and walking access. The need for parking space also should be reduced by collaborative management of parking resources and by incentives for car pools and tran- sit use. � GP 13. Residential Downtown. The residential role of downtown Saint Paul will increase substantially, with perhaps as many as 3,000 new housing opportunities in linked urban villages in and around the business district. Urban village opportunities are outlined in the "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework." Corridors for Growth Ciorridors that have served transportation throughout Saint Paul's history structure the city and are the lifelines of connection and access. Changes in transportation have left several corridors with vacant and under-used land that is an important resource for a period of growth. Recent corridor studies have identified major opportunities to create jobs and housing in the River Corridor, the Midway/University Avenue Corridor, the Phalen Corridor, the Great Northem (Como) Corridor, and the West Seventh Corridor. � GP 14. Corridor Development. Work should continue with community and business organizations and other units of government on planning and redevelopment projects along corridors where several growth opportunities are interconnected. in the process, Saint Paul will seek new ways to inte- Comprehensive Plan 17 Figure A: Five Corridors for Growth grate business and industriai job creation with housing development and the improvement of existing neighborhoods. � GP 15. River Comdor. Saint Paul will continue to give high priority to the transformation of the River Corridor, particularly the downtown and west- em portions. This corridor is evolving from a heavy industrial past into a renewed center for activity and enjoyment of Saint Paul's natural setting. The "Saint Paul on the Mississippi Development Framework" communicates the vision and the guidelines for development of the central portion of the River Corridor. While the Framework itself is not an element of the Comprehensive Plan, its principles and vision are endorsed as appropriate for that portion of the River Corridor. The Land Use, TYansportation, and Parks and Recreation chapters support: ■ Continuation of appropriate improvement and development of the River Corridor as a priority, making sure changes are consistent with the enhancement of its natural ecology, ■ Mixed use urban viliage development to extend the urban fabric back to the river, ■ Improvement of public access and recreational uses throughout the corridor, �g CityofSt. Paul ��33 ■ Continuation of industrial uses in portions of the corridor identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Restriction of new development in the floodplain (or within 300 feet of the water) to those entities which have a relationship to the river, need a river location or can enhance the river environment, ■ Transportation investments that emphasize pedestrian opportunities and strengthen neighborhood connections, and ■ Maintenance of Shepard Road and Wamer Road as principal transporta- tion arteries. � GP 16. University Avenue Corridor/Midway. Continued investment in the Midway Corridor will support its strong potential for business development as a readily accessible area between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. University Avenue should continue to be developed as both a transit conidor and a mixed use business street, serving city and neighbor- hood needs. The Land Use and "I7ansportation chapters support: ■ Redevelopment at key sites that are identified in the Land Use chapter, ■ Higher densities of households and employment along the corridor that require and support better transit, ■ Redesign and redevelopment to make the auto-oriented regional shop- ping area comfor[able for pedestrians and to enhance storefront, pedes- trian-oriented commercial centers along the avenue, and ■ Establishment of Yhe "central corridor"(of which University Avenue is a spine) as the top priority for the development of transitways, busways and/or LRT, in the region. � GP 17. Phalen Corridoc The Phalen Corridor initiative should be carried through and serve as a model for neighborhood revitalization work. The Land Use and Transportation chapter policies support: ■ Redevelopment of significant sites within the corridor and continued pursuit of the corridor's integrated goals, ■ Continued work to fund construction of the boulevard and other infra- structures, and ■ Development and connections that will strengthen the urban village characteristics of neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor. Comprehensive Plan ig � GP 18. Open Space and River Connections. In comdor planning and develop- ment, close attention must be paid to environmental quality, and Saint Paul must take advantage of opportunities to enhance and extend the open space network formed by the river corridor, bluffs, parks and parkways. Neighborhood connections to the Mississippi River Corridor will be enhanced along river tributaries such as the Phalen Corridor, through appropriate trail and road connections, infrastructure design, and land use planning and regulation. � GP 19. West Seventh Sveet (Riverview) Corridoc Reinvestment evident in West Seventh neighborhoods and along the street itself are evidence of new life in this corridor. Tank farms between the street and the river corri- dor have given way to a new business park and new opportunities for other neighborhood development. New planning underway wiil set direction for a new entry to Saint Paul at the southeast end, a stronger community busi- ness street here and new housing and business opportunity. A good portion of our opportunities for a new and better relationship with the river lie within this corridor which has recently been identified as the Riverview Transit Corridor by Ramsey County and included in this plan's identified major corridors for transit improvement. The Land Use and Transportation chapters support: ■ Increased housing and transit-supportive development ■ Development that takes maarimum advantage of river corridor views ■ Appropriate improvement of public transit in this corridor linking down- town Saint Paul to the intemational airport and the southwest metro region, and ■ A re-designed entry to the City at the river. � GPZO. Great Northern (Como) Corridor. A 1997 plan provides direction for redevelopment of the Ma}cson Steel/Dale Street Shops area and a vision for this larger corridor of which it is a part. The entire corridor with the railroad as its spine runs from the Phalen Corridor at 35E through the Empire Builder Industrial Park and west to the Bridal Veil Industrial Park in Minneapolis. This Corridor and the Phalen Corridor have the potential to provide a ribbon of new industry and household-supporting jobs with relat- ed neighborhood development that runs between several of the city's older neighborhoods. 20 City of St. Paul Plan chapters support: ��,�13� • Implementation of the Great Northem Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and redevelopment planning for additional corridor sites. • Extension of Pierce Butier Road into the Dale Street Shops site and improvement of truck connections to 35E. • Reforestation of the extended corridor, strengthening its ameniry value for all Midway neighborhoods. • Further study of the urban village potential of the Dale/Como area with new housing near the new Front Street Elementary School. Transportation The public facilities for movement within a city, the system for transportation and circulation in all its forms, shape the city and create value for places with- in it. In recent years, a new set of values has begun to influence our trans- portation system, values that place at least as much priority on the quality of places as on the speed and ease of travel through them. In view of increased congestion projected with regional and city growth, as well as the commuting needs of the city's population, strong efforts are needed to improve public transit and to develop land use approaches that will reduce travel needs. � GP21. Travel and System Management. The city needs to encourage fewer and shorter trips and promote altematives to single-occupant automobiles. Policies to accomplish this in the Transportation chapter include: ■ Full support for an acceptable and adequately funded bus system, ■ In cooperation with other agencies, investment in the infrastructure necessary for transit, car pools, biking and walking, ■ Management of land use to reduce trips and promote altemative modes of travel, and ■ Promotion of regional development and investments that support altemative transportation modes and reduce trips, including a better balance between jobs and housing, and reduction of "sprawl" development. Comprehensive Plan 21 Corridors p�ovide excellent service along major corridors (limited stop "spines") and better intra- and inter-neighborhood service, with a continued strong focus on regular route service to the downtown and concentration on regular- route weekday service. Recommended corridors are iilustrated in the pro- posed Transit Corridors Map. (p.17) Economic Opportunity Economic development is weli established as a clear priority for Saint Paul, and healthy economic growth is a well recognized reality today. Compared to other parts of the region, the city is lacking in readily avail- abie land for industrial use, a deficit that is being addressed in par[ by cleanup of land polluted by earlier industrial uses. A city with such com- 22 ciry of st. Pau1 Figure B: Transit � GP22. Trensporta6on Corridors. Redesign of the bus system should occur to plexities and competing interests as Saint Paul can present a challenging � $�� and costly environment for business development, a situation addressed by many measures in recent years, but one requiring continuing attention. The city's large work force gives it a strong strategic advantage for eco- nomic growth, but carefully targeted efforts are needed to connect that work force successfully with emerging economic opportunity. Other strate- gic advantages include the ciry's location, its strength as a civic and gov- emment center, and its educational, cultural and community resources. Therefore, high priorities for Saint Paul now are: ■ to ensure that land resources with potential for business use are made available and used to their maximum economic and community benefit; ■ to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment in the city for new and existing businesses, and; ■ to improve the education, skill and work-readiness level of the popula- tion for emerging economic opportunity. Other portions of this summary address the vitality of places for business in special districts and neighborhoods as well as potential for special corridor development. Background sources for the summary policies which follow include the Economic Development Strategy adopted in 1990; the Citywide Economic Agenda prepared for Mayor Coleman in 1994; and the continuing collabora- tive work with community, business and education partners, particularly on the task of shaping a work force development strategy appropriate for today's economy and Saint Paul's population. � GP23. Land Resources: Under-used Land and Brownfield Reuse. The city will take full advantage of the under-used land in Saint Paul for continuing growth and fulfill the commitments of its Brownfield's Showcase Community designation. In partnership with the Port Authority and commu- nity-based organizations, it will identify under-used and/or polluted land and provide a mechanism for quantifying remediation costs and identifying responsible parties. Then it will establish a yearly program for leveraging and investing scarce resources for remediation of the sites with the highest priority. ^�^ GP24. Intensive Use of Industrial Land. Density of living-wage jobs will be a primary factor in determination of appropriate reuse of city sites with industrial and/or business potential. Office uses may offer greater potential than industrial development at some previously-industrial sites. Comprehensive Plan 23 �^ GP25. Integrated Neighborhood ImprovemenL Development of any major land area for business and industrial use should be regarded as an opportunity for integrated improvement of the larger neighborhood of which it is a part. � GP26. Business Developmenc Collaboration. There must be an effort to con- tinue the support and improvement of strong collaborative working relation- ships between major economic development agencies. These include the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Saint Paul Port Authority, the Capital City Partnership, the Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation and the Metro East Development Partnership. Communication and collaboration between resi- dents and businesses is especially important in neighborhood planning. � GP27. Business Development Industry Ciusters. In collaboration with the Economic Development Partnership, the city must nurture the growth of industries, especially those within globaliy-competitive clusters with an established base in the east metro region (printing, machine tools, medical devices, computers and software, finance) as well as entry-level opportuni- ty sectors (retail, hospitality, human and personal services, health care, manufacturing and business and automotive services). The Mayor's Information Technology Council is an example of an industry/government partnership building on the strengths of the community for a particular seg- ment of industriai growth. �^ GP28. Business Development Business Resources. With the help of the Business Review Council, Saint Paul will ensure that its department ser- vices and regulatory measures will be responsive to changing needs and foster business growth and appropriate accommodation of businesses in neighborhoods and business districts. In addition, the city will provide active outreach through the Business Resources Center of the Department of Planning and Economic Development to businesses that need informa- tion or other assistance. � GP29. Work Force Development By overcoming deficiencies in education and training, Saint Paul can e3cpand economic opportunity for its citizens. It must work as a full partner in the Community Employment Partnership to provide support to job seekers through community-based Work Resource Hubs and to provide support to employers through a private-sector work force development agency. The public schools should partner with the pri- vate sector, ensuring that graduates gain the skills appropriate to employer needs in the 21 st century. Regional coordination of work force develop- ment also should be encouraged. 24 ciry of st. Paul � GP 30. Work Force Readiness: Social Support. Saint Paul will support Ramsey q�� 1 t �� County and service-providing agencies in their efforts to improve the avail- ability of qualiry child care so that this is not an obstacle to participation in the work force for parents. The city will encourage adequate state and fed- eral funding for child care and other family support, and recognize trans- portation, housing, chiid care and other family support as components of economic development in neighborhood pianning. Community Development �n the Community DevelopmentAgenda completed in 1996 by a broad part- nership, a"community development" is defined as "the act of working together to ensure that Saint Paul is a nurturing environment for families and individuals and a good place to do business."Most of the components of the Comprehensive Plan outlined here have a bearing on community development by this definition. Most of the city's role in response to the four major strategies of the Communiry DevelopmentAgenda is spelled out in the other components of this plan. � GP31. Community Development With a broad community partnership, Saint Paul can continue to support the Community Development Agenda initia- tives: An Even Better Place to Raise Children, No T7vice With Poverry, High Qualiry Ciry Living and Effective Civic Collaboration. City govemmenYs role includes: ■ Collaborative leadership and program work for economic and work force development, as outlined elsewhere in this document, ■ Planning and development work for improved physical quality, improved transportation and improved housing opportunities, and ■ Supportive collaboration and mayoral leadership, where appropriate, for progress in areas where the city does not have the major program role, including education, child care, and welfare reform. � GP32 Centers for Community Life. The city, in partnership with its commu- nities, will work to strengthen the community building role of parks and recreation centers by providing for safe and secure access, programming that contributes to stabie neighborhoods and the removal of barriers to par- Comprehensive Plan 25 ticipation, as outlined in the Parks and Recreation chapter. The city will continue to support partnership efforts to strengthen family and community life, such as Family Resource Centers and Achievement Plus schooLs. � GP33. Inclusive Community We have no tolerance for racism and intend to provide the broadest access possible to all benefits of community life in Saint Paul, free from barriers based on race or ethnicity. Regional Interdependence Saint Paul's growth and development are intenvoven with those of the entire region. A sustainable future for the "IWin Cities region requires replacement of some of the sprawling growth we can otherwise eacpect at the fringes with more intensive use of the existing urban fabric. Reinvestment in the region's centers is a key commitment of regional growth strategy. Saint Paui's ability to sustain itself as a dynamic urban center has been hampered by inequities in the burden of costs for our present regional development pattem. These inequities reflect a history of private invest- ment and public policy that has supported easy expansion of the region at the cost of disinvestment in the otder centers. � GP 34. Tradrtionai Strengths. To realize the best of what our historic urban fab- ric and new urban development can contribute to the region, Saint Paul will build on its traditional urban neighborhood and city center strengtlis. � GP35. Civic, Business and Culwral Centers. Saint Paul will maintain vital, inviting civic, business and cultural centers at the heart of the city and realize the full potential of other city business centers for additional economic activity. � GP36. Opportcmities for Growth. As a growing city with expanding economic and urban residential opportunitles, Saint Paul will accommodate a signifi- cant share of regional growth in housing and jobs over the nead 20 years, at leasE6,000 additional households and 11,000 additional jobs by the year 2020. 26 City of St. Paul � GP37. Regionai Collaboration. Collaborating with neighboring communities �� and other regional jurisdictions will help Saint Paul achieve development that reinforces a strong, sustainable role for the city and the region as a whole, including improved transit and a broad range of housing choices. � GP38. Shared Costs. Saint Paul will support efforts to correct inequities in taxes, fees and infrastructure investment which perpetuate disinvestment in the central ciry and to shift the priority in the use of public resources to reinvestment. Efforts include those recentiy initiated to review and restruc- ture Sewer Accessibility Charges, restraints on extending the Interstate Highway network, and the targeting of redevelopment resources, including funds for cleanup of polluted land. In particular, the city wili insist on broadly shared responsibility for meeting affordable housing needs. Comprehensive Plan y� The Saint Paul Planning Commission Gladys Morton, Chair* joe Chavez Esperanza Duarte* )ennifer Engh * Carole Faricy Litton Field, )r. Anne Geisser, Chair, Comprehensive Planning Committee' Dennis Gervais Steve Gordon GeorgeJohnson Soliving Kong Richard Kramer* Timothy Mardell• David McDonell* Cathy Nordin Dick Nowlin* Michael Sharpe* Imogene Tteichel' Mark Vaught Barbara Wencl* *Comprehensive Planning Committee Department of Planning and Economic Developme�t Pamela Wheelock, Director Tom Harren, Northwest Team Leader Ken Ford, Planning Administrator Research and Planning Ken Ford, Planner-in-Charge Report Production )ean Birkholz, Secretary Joan Hagen, Graphic Artist The City of Saint Paul does not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, sex, sex- ual or affectional orientation, age, color, creed, national origin or ances[ry, marital status, religion, veteran status, or status with regard to public assisWnce in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activitles. 2g City of St. Paul � �,,, 33 cirY couNCi� AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND USE PLAN — ADOPTED BY CONCENSUS AT 2/24/99 COUNCIL MEETING — 1. Author Mike Harris; Location page 7, second bullet point: Neighborhood bus lines with high levels of service will be a focus for smaller scale, infill development. New urban housing neaz bus service will help support transportation alernatives and neighborhood business centers. Cooperation from the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit is necessary to accomplish this �_ 2. Author Mike Harris; Locatzon insert page 27 as second paragraph: 5.1.3 The Citv. through the Public Works Denarnnent, should encouraee oublic infrastructure that promotes streets and sidewalks t1�at aze nedestrian friendlv and visuall�apnealing are imnortant comnonents to the success of nei� borhoods. 3. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as third paragraph: Objective 5.9 Heritage Preservation. Saint Paul's Heritage Preservarion Commission (HPC) �ge� . , , , ' was created in 1976 to nreserve and promote herita�e preservation and the citv's historic character. It is an advisory bo� to the Mayor and Citv Council on herita�e nreservation matters and recommends to the city council sites buildings, and districts to be desi�nated as historic sites. The commission also must review and aprorove buildin�nermits for most tynes of exterior work concerning desi¢xtated buildings and districts. (See Figure N for locally designated Heritage Preservafion Districts.) , ' °- "'--„ "'-- " In the case of four of the five local historic districts—Dayton's Bluff, Lowertown, Irvine Pazk and Historic Hill—preservarion has been used quite successfull�s a tool for communitv development and revitalizarion buildin¢ on a primarv asset of these neip^hborhoods—historic buildines. Saint Paul's historic character is one of our strongassets. and one which distineuishes Uus CitY from surrounding suburban communities. 4. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 35 as sixth paragraph: 5.9.3 Preserving historic buildings and chazacter sometimes increases rehabilitation and redevelonment costs. It is difficult, and often impossible, to cover these costs with public resources. The Heritage Preservation Commission, together with its partner organizations including the Historic Saint Paul Foundarion and the Preservation Alliance of Miuuesota, should assess available and potenrial incenrives, financial and otherwise. and recommend means for improvement. 5. Author Chris Coleman and Mike Harris; Location insert page 37 as third paragraph.� The City supports the central corridor between downtown Saint Paul and downtown q �.�� 33 Minneapolis as the top priority for development of transitways--busways and/or LRT--in the City, but this does not preclude consideration of additional corridors. 6. Author Chris Coleman; Location insert page 42 ar second paragraph: 6.4.5 As an emerging maior employment center. �ood access by_public transit is a hi tg�t nriority objective for all industrial, commercial and residenrial development of the Phalen Comdor. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of the current 6.4.5 to 6.4.6 on page 42.] Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 43 as third paragraph: 6.5.5 An�� transit developments within the Riverview corridor should be incor�orated into the e�sting residential, commercial and environmental character of the corridor. In �articulaz. �hysical changes should respect and compliment nahu�al amenifies in the corridor, such as Crosbv Park, Hidden Falls Pazk and the Mississippi River Boulevazd Park and should avoid unnecessary inh-usion. 8. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 44 in second paragraph: 6.61 The City and the Port Authority should support and work to implement the Crreat Northern Corridor Community Vision of 1997 and should support further redevelopment planning for more sites along the corridor. See Figure S. Broad communiYypartic2pation will be sou t for anv addirional changes in the corridor. including the widenin� and extension of the Pierce Butler Route. 9. Author Chris Coleman; Location irrsert page 44 as sixth paragraph: 6.6.5 Good public transit access will be an objective for all redevelopment efforts of the Crreat Northern Corridor. 10. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 73.1 The City will help to reduce air pollution by plamiing neighborhoods where walking, biking, and taldng the bus are attractive alternatives to driving. The Ciry will undertake these efforts to contribute to a reducrion in regional emissions of air nollution as quantified by instruments which measure pollutants such as narticulates, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitro� dioxide. An example of such an instniment would be the Pollution Standards Index which is monitored by the Mimiesota Pollurion Control A encv and the Environmental Profection Ag_encv. 11. Author Jerry Blakey; Location page 50: 7.3.2 The City and the Port Authority through regulation, enforcement, and financing agreements will make all reasonable efforts to �iiri�ri�e substanrially decrease any negarive environmental effects of industry in the City, including air pollution, noise, odors, vibrarion, and exterior appearance. 12. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 51 into fourth paragraph: The Melropolitan Airports Commission reduces airport noise impacts tt�rough runway design, flight patterns and scheduling, land use planning, and noise unsulation programs. Si2nificant and nroblematic airport land use impacts for the Citv include the attractiveness of nearbv a �,��3 sites for lone-term parkin fg or auport customers and for storaee and servicin� of rental cazs. 13. Author Mike Harris; Location insert page 54 ar new first paragraph: 7.6.2. The Citv encoura�es the internarionsal airoort to take Yhe steas it can to ensure imarovinn compatibility with Saint Paul's existin� residential and commercial chazacter Actions should include: 11 restricting new fli¢,hts over Saint Paul's ne�hborhoods• 21 enforc� federal noise mirigarion requiremtns on aircraft at MSP: and 31 Locatine on-airport space for all car rental storage and services needs. [This amendment would result in a renumbering of 7.6.2 though 7.6. S on page 54 to 7.6.3 through 7.6.6.J 14. Author Jay Benanav insert page 70 as fourth paragraph: # 10 Studv alternatives and prouose amendment to the zoning code which would distin�uish between small and large trucking ouerations. Consider alternatives such as a snecial restrictions on l�e trucking firms and propose the amendment so that it will limit lazge low employee density truckine use of industrial land. The pronosed amendment should act to make consistent with re�azd to truckin¢ uses, the zoning code and hieh density emplovment requirements outlined in Annendix A of the Land Use Plan and Polic 24 of the Summarv and General Plan addressing intensive use of industrial land