Minutes 9/22/2006 AFC,.L,
Saint Paul Planning Commission OCl
City Hall Conference Center 0 9 2006
15 Kellogg Boulevard West tr1 et
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Minutes September 22, 2006 K
A meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Saint Paul was held Friday, September 22, 2006,
at a.m. in the Conference Center of City Hall.
Commissioners Mmes. Faricy,McCall,Morton, Smitten and; and Messrs. Alton,Bellus, Commers,
Present: Cudahy, Gordon,Johnson,Kong,Kramer,Mejia and Nelson.
Commissioners Mmes. *Donnelly-Cohen, *Lu,*Porter, and *Trevino,and Messrs. * Aligada,
*Dandrea, * Goodlow.
Absent:
*Excused
Also Present: Larry Soderholm, Planning Administrator; Penny Simison,Merritt Clapp-Smith, Luis
Pereira, Christina Danico,Jessica Rosenfeld, and Kate Fleming,Depai(Anient of
Planning and Economic Development staff.
I. Approval of minutes September 8,2006.
MOTION: Commissioner Johnson moved approval of the minutes of September 8, 2006.
Commissioner Kramer seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
H. Chair's Announcements
Chair Alton announced Commissioner Aligada has resigned from the Planning Commission and
taken a position as a Federal Public Defender,where the rules of the Federal courts prohibit him
from serving on boards that have authority to make decisions on public business. He will remain
as a representative on the Central Corridor Task Force,which is an advisory body. Mayor
Coleman is expected to appoint someone to fill his position.
III. Planning Administrator's Announcements
Larry Soderholm reported on planning-related business at the City Council for last week and their
agenda for next week. He noted that the McNeely Business School opened at the University of
Saint Thomas as part of their campus expansion,which was a hot issue for the Planning
Commission for several years. He also announced that the Capitol Region and Ramsey-
Washington Metro Watershed District have both adopted their new rules and permitting
processes, which go into effect October 15`. Watershed district staff will join in the City's site
plan review process to see that their standards are incorporated into proposed developments in the
city.
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IV. Zoning Committee
OLD BUSINESS
#06-124-804 BNSF Railway Company—Enlargement of Nonconforming Use Permit to
construct a new crane maintenance building. 1701 Pierce Butler Rt.between Snelling and
Prior. (Merritt Clapp-Smith, 651/266-6547)
AMENDMENTS TO MOTION: Commissioner Kramer on behalf of the committee moved to
amend condition three,striking the word"regular"in the first sentence and inserting "non
emergency", and correcting the name in the second line to be consistent with the official name,
BNSF Railway. Commissioner Gordon seconded the motion. The motion carried
unanimously on a voice vote.
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to approve
the nonconforming use permit with conditions. The motion carried unanimously on a voice
vote.
NEW BUSINESS
Process for Master Site Plan Review for Phase 1 of Bridges of Saint Paul project.
Area generally bounded by Fillmore Avenue,Robert Street, State Street, and the Mississippi
River. (Allan Torstenson, 651/266-6579)
Commissioner Morton reported that the Zoning Committee laid this case over to a future date.
Commissioner Morton announced the next Zoning Committee has been cancelled.
V. Comprehensive Planning Committee
(Penny Simison, 651/266-6554)
- Resolution initiating preparation of Comprehensive Plan 2008,accepting the Scoping Report,
establishing the public participation program.
-Resolution on formation of the Housing Comprehensive Plan Task Force.
-Resolution on formation of the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan Task Force.
-Resolution on formation of the Water Comprehensive Plan Task Force.
MOTION: Commissioner Kramer, on behalf of the Comprehensive Planning Committee,
moved the resolutions in the packet to initiate the preparation of the next comprehensive plan
and accept the Scoping Report, and also to form three task forces for the Housing, Water and
Parks chapters of the plan. Commissioner Bellus seconded the motion. The motion carried
unanimously on a voice vote.
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Commissioner Kramer added that two more task forces will be formed in the coming months for
the transportation and land use chapters.
Larry Soderholm announced the next Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting will be Tuesday,
October 3, 2006, at 4:00 p.m. The topics will be the Mississippi River Critical Area Report and
Recommendations,Parkland Dedication Ordinance,including the staff summary of public
testimony.
VI. Guest Presentation: Discussion about joint issues for the City and Metro Council with,
Song Lo Fawcett, a Metropolitan Council member from Saint Paul.
Song Lo Fawcett presented information about five topics where the work of the Metropolitan
Council is supporting Saint Paul's planning goals and projects—the Livable Communities
Program, affordable housing,regional parks, transportation, and geographic information systems
(GIS). Livable Communities grants to the City of Saint Paul have topped 30 million dollars from
1996 to 2006. In affordable housing the Metro Council has worked with the Minnesota Housing
Financing Agency,the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and Family Housing Fund in
2005.
The Metro Council did an allocation of affordable housing needs to 2020,which calls for Saint
Paul to provide about 2,600 additional units affordable to households making 60 percent of the
median regional income.
The Metro Council provides grants for improvements at regional parks and in 2006 the City is
receiving$14.2 million for parks and trails. The biggest project is $9.2 million for the Como Zoo
and Conservatory.
In transportation,work has begun on the Central Corridor and the Metro Council is seeking FTA
approval for the preliminary engineering stage. The Metropolitan Council is responsible for the
design and construction of the rail,but the planning and development piece of it lies with various
cities. Additional Central Corridor partners are MnDOT,Hennepin and Ramsey Counties,the
cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota.The Hiawatha line has been
very successful; during August total ridership went over one million. With regard to trails, the
Transportation Advisory Board allocated federal funds to new trails in Harriet Island, the Bruce
Vento Nature Sanctuary, along the Lexington Parkway, and an extension of the Midtown
Greenway from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. Ms. Fawcett also advocated passage of the
constitutional amendment to dedicate MVEST revenue to transportation.
Finally, she announced that Metro Council will soon roll out a new Metro GIS data finders
system which will allow users to enter the metro system directly.
Commissioner Faircy asked whether private partnership funding for parks and trails will be
solicited from foundations,or only from private corporations and citizens. Ms. Fawcett
responded that Metro Council will solicit private funding,but not foundation funding.
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There was further discussion about the MVEST proposal,public transit funding, and the Central
Corridor. Commissioner Smitten ask for clarification to the MVEST.
Ms. Fawcett and Denise Engen of the Metro Council staff congratulated the Planning
Commission on its approach to updating the City's comprehensive plan. There was discussion
about the new chapter on water and on affordable housing. Ms.Engen passed out contact
information for Metro Council staff who can help with the various chapters and the internet sites
where all of the legal requirements for the plans can be found.
VII. Neighborhood and Current Planning Committee
No report
VIII. Communications Committee
No report
IX. Task Force Reports
Chair Alton announced the next meeting of the Central Corridor Task Force will be on September
29, 2006,with presentations by Peter Bell, Chair of the Metropolitan Council,Tim Griffin of the
Saint Paul Design Center, and Jack Becker of Forecast Public Art.
Commissioner Smitten stated the next Capitol/Downtown Central Corridor Task Force meeting
will be October 3, 2006 and Peter Bell will also speak to them.
X. Old Business
None
XI New Business
None
XII. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 9:23 a.m.
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Recorded and prepared by
Kate Fleming,Planning Commission Secretary
Planning and Economic Development Department,
City of Saint Paul
Respectfully submitted, Approved /b 0 U�
(D e)
Larry S holm AICP arilyn orter
Planning Administrator Secretary of the Plann' Commission
PED\Fleming\September 22,2006
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