Minutes 3/24/2006 Saint Paul Planning Commission RECEDED
City Hall Conference Center MAY o 8 2006
15 Kellogg Boulevard West
CITY CLERK
Minutes March 24, 2006
A meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Saint Paul was held Friday, March 24, 2006,
at 8:00 a.m. in the Conference Center of City Hall.
Commissioners Mmes. Donnelly-Cohen,Faricy, Lu,McCall,Morton,Porter, Smitten
Present: and; and Messrs. Aligada,Alton,Bellus, Commers, Cudahy, Johnson,Kong, Kramer,
Mejia and Nelson.
Commissioners Ms. *Trevino, and Messrs. Dandrea, *Goodlow, *Gordon
Absent:
*Excused
Also Present: Larry Soderholm,Planning Administrator; Allan Torstenson, Lucy Thompson, Penny
Simison, Shawntera Hardy, Christina Danico, Gary Peltier,Tom Beach and Wendy
Lane from LIEP, Casey MacCallum(intern), and Kate Fleming, Depai tiiient of
Planning and Economic Development staff.
I. Swearing in of New Members
Mr. Jon Commers,Ms.Kristina Smitten,Mr. Gauis Nelson and Mr.Bob Cudahy were sworn in as
Saint Paul Planning Commission members by Ms. Shari Moore, City Clerk.
II. Approval of minutes March 10, 2006.
MOTION: Commissioner Johnson moved approval of the minutes of March 10, 2006.
Commissioner Bellus seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
III. Chair's Announcements
No announcements
RECEIVED
1 MAY
Per.9-9-4
IV. PUBLIC HEARING: Stryker George precinct Plan Summary
Item from the Neighborhood and Current Planning committee.
(Lucy Thompson, 651/266-6578)
Lucy Thompson gave the staff report.
Chair Alton read the rules of procedure for the public hearing and announced that notice of the
public hearing was published in the Legal Ledger on March 9,2006. Flyers summarizing the plan
and announcing the public hearing were distributed to every residence and business in the planning
area.
The following people spoke:
1. Ms. Karen Reed,481 S. Wabasha, Saint Paul,Mn 55102. Ms Reed is with the
Neighborhood Development Alliance on the West Side, a non profit community development
corporation. Ms. Reed indorses the plan and the product and wants to thank the design center for
getting many opinions and what use to be old commercial area is now becoming residential. The
work that has been done on the street lighting has made it safer for pedestrians and the needs of the
neighborhood and it was a great plan and process.
2. Ms. Carol Swenson, 79 W.Isabel Street, Saint Paul,MN????Ms. Swenson wanted to express
Support for this plan and the process, the elements for the plan are strong in reinforcing the type of
development that the organization wanted to see. The streetscape and having those improvements
beginning to happen first in the attention to the pedestrians done first. Ms. Swenson stated the
plan and process is supported by the neighborhood.
MOTION: Commissioner Lu moved to close the public hearing and refer the matter back to
the Neighborhood and Current Planning Committee but to accept any written testimony until
4:00 p.m. on March 24, 2006. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion.
The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
V. Forum on Population Issues for the Comprehensive.Plan:
The Comprehensive Planning Committee will sponsor four forums of experts to discuss issues
and trends that are likely to impact Saint Paul's future.
This forum will run from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. (Penny Simison, 651/266-6554)
- Mr. Tom Gillaspy, Minnesota State Demographer
- Paul Mattessich, Wilder Foundation
- Steve Schellenberg and Cindy Porter, Saint Paul Public Schools
- Mark VanderSchaaf, Metropolitan Council
Mr. Tom Gillaspy spoke on the demographic changes and the three types of trends and issues in
Saint Paul. The first group of trends and issues were on; college enrollment growth, daytime&
evening populations are different,aging may change residential preferences, aging of the
workforce may create a tight labor market and population growth depends on economic growth.
Trends and issues II; aging will have many unpredicted consequences; government will loose
2
many people with critical skills in the next two to five years,Tax base and expenditures will be
affected by aging population.
Trends and issues III; while population is not changing, people are the changing people comes the
potential to.
Mr. Paul Mattessich discussed the top ten trends and why they matter. Mr. Mattessich spoke on
each of the following concerns; diversity, the education gap,poverty's impacts, suburbanization,
increased numbers of older people, "questioning mood"regarding publicly funded services,
increase in immigrants,housing cost burden, mismatch:jobs and housing and regional growth.
Mr. Steve Schellenberg and Cindy Porter gave a brief pop quiz: on how well do you know the
Saint Paul City and School Districts? Mr. Schellenberg showed charts on enrollments of students
in public and non-public and charter schools. He spoke of trends by race and ethnicity, second
languages spoken in their homes and school,mobility and stability by race and the racial change
by area.
Mr. Mark Vander Schaff spoke on the Good News and Bad News from the U.S Census. He listed
the good news as; for planning purposes, much citywide data is now available annually from the
American community Survey(ACS). This includes; Demographic (sex, age,race, and household
type, Social(education,ancestry, language) and Housing(age, ownership, value, affordability).
The bad news was; questionable accuracy(indicates that Saint Paul population in households
declined by 20,000 between 2002 and 2004) and not available at sub-city level.
Ms. Theresa Heiland,Merriam Park Community Council, 1684 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul,Mn
55104. Ms. Heiland asked about the maps pertaining to the Saint Paul Schools and the geography
of influence in the area south of University Avenue are the well off neighborhoods,yet there are
few Saint Paul students living there, such as in Merriam Park. She asked for clarification the
difference for non public, charter and public schools,are they separate, and if so is there a forum
where they get together and talk about how they can influence each other.
Mr. Schellenberg answered no.
Ms. Shawntera Hardy asked for a break down of the African American data. It appears that the
African Immigrants population is lumped into that data and also the Hispanic population there are
very different dynamics in terms of the income, educational attainment and the success of those
students and would encourage having the data analyzed. Also with the increase of 40%in ethnic
students, with regard to teachers,how does that play into educational success when the teachers
don't understand the students.
VI. Zoning Committee
OLD BUSINESS
#06-018-991 Emmett Booker—Conditional Use Permit for a 3-unit cluster development with
variances of side yard setback(9ft. each side required; 7 ft.each side requested)and lot area
(9,000 sq. ft.required, 8,640 sq. ft. available). (Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Planning Commission's recommendation to deny
the Conditional Use Permit. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
3
NEW BUSINESS
#06-047-485 Ilya Konkov—Appeal of a Planning Administrator decision to deny a
lot split(Zoning File#05-202-383) 811 White Bear Ave.,NW corner at Ross.
(Allan Torstenson, 651/266-6579)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to deny the
appeal of a Planning Administrator. The motion to deny carried unanimously on a voice vote.
#06-047-517 Louise 0/Neil-Appeal of a Planning Administrator decision to deny a lot
split(Zoning file#06-014-461) 701 Summit Ave.,between St. Albans and Grotto.
(Allan Torstenson, 651/266-6579)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to deny the
appeal of a Planning Administrator. The motion to deny carried unanimously on a voice vote.
#06-047-258 Arch Service Providers—Conditional Use Permit for a transitional housing
facility with 60 residents. 135 Colorado St. E.,NE corner at Clinton.
(Jessica Rosenfeld, 651/266-6560)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation that the
case be laid over to the Zoning Committee. The motion passed on a vote of 16-1 (Kramer).
#06-047-269 Mary Sanders—Establish Legal Nonconforming Use status as a duplex.
1501 Asbury St.,NW corner at Nebraska. (Yang Zhang, 651/266-6659)
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.
#06-045-985 Hoc Nguyen—Conditional Use Permit for outdoor used auto sales with 25
vehicles offered for sale and 38 vehicles total permitted on the property(23 total vehicles
allowed under current permit) (Yang Zhang, 651/266-6659)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to deny the
conditional use permit. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
#06-045-338 Herbal Miracle—Change of Nonconforming Use from home repair and carpet
business to herbal mail order business. 962 Forest Ave.,NW corner at Case.
(Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
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.
4
#06-047-195 St. Croix Partners—Conditional Use Permit for a multiple family development
with a leasing arrangement similar to a rooming house(permit required by action of City
Council) xx Territorial Rd.,NW corner at Berry St. (Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to approve
the conditional use permit with conditions. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
#06-046-051 Metro Metals Corporation—Conditional Use Permit for operation of indoor
metal shredder in conjunction with existing legal motor vehicle salvage operation.
2676 Doswell Ave., SW corner of Doswell and beltline Ry.
(Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
Commissioner Morton reported the application was rejected.
#06-046-997 Target—A Variance of the off street parking requirements in order to
construct a new Super Target. The new retail store requires 820 parking spaces, 640 spaces
are provided for a variance of 180 off street parking spaces. 1300 University Ave.,W.
(Tom Beach, 651/266-9086)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to approve
the variance with conditions. The motion carried on a vote of 13-3 (Commers,Nelson,Bellus)
1 abstention (Aligada).
#06-018-065 Target—Site Plan Review to construct a new Super Target. 1300 University
Ave., W. (Tom Beach, 651/266-9086)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to approve
the site plan. The motion carried on a vote of 14-2(Commers,Nelson) 1 abstention (Aligada).
VII. Comprehensive Planning Committee
Chair Donnelly-Cohen gave report and announced the meeting will be Tuesday,April 4, 2006.
There have been five task force committees established for the five chapters for the
Comprehensive Plan. Chairs for the following groups will be; Commissioner Kramer, for land
use, Commissioner Faricy, for transportation, Commissioner Bellus, for housing, Commissioner
Gordon, for parks and Commissioner Johnson, for water. There will also be community
participants in each task force and Commissioner Donnelly-Cohen asked for two more
Commissioners in addition to the Chairs to participate. Penny Simison will send out information,
but expect the meetings to begin in June, 2006.
VIII. Neighborhood and Current Planning Committee
Commissioner McCall announced the next meeting will be on Wednesday,March 29, 2006, and
gave the agenda.
IX. Long-range Planning Committee
5
XI. Task Force Reports
No report
XII. Old Business
None
XIII New Business
None
XIV. Planning Administrator's Announcements
Mr. Soderholm reported on recent City Council and HRA decisions.
XV. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
Recorded and prepared by
Kate Fleming, Planning Commission Secretary
Planning and Economic Development Depai lnient,
City of Saint Paul
Respectfully submitted, Approved 5 mac-' 00j
(D e)
LAM
Larry od holm aril Porter
Planni Administrator Secretary of the Planning mmission
PED\Fleming\March 24,2006
6