Minutes 7/1/2005 Uri
Saint Paul Planning Commission
City Hall Conference Center
15 Kellogg Boulevard West ul(/4 2
2 2055
Minutes of July 1, 2005 CI7 c,
A meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Saint Paul was held Friday, July 1,2005,
at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Center of City Hall.
Commissioners Mmes. Donnelly-Cohen,Faricy, Lu,Morton, Porter, and Trevino;
Present: and Messrs. Aligada, Alton,Anfang,Bellus, Johnson, Kong, Kramer,
Mejia, and Scott.
Commissioners Mmes. *Zimmer Lonetti and *McCall; and Messrs. Coletta, * Dandrea, *Goodlow,
Absent: and Gordon.
*Excused
Also Present: Larry Soderholm,Planning Administrator; Patricia James, Allan Torstenson,
Shawntera Hardy,Emily Ulmer, Jessica Rosenfeld and Kate Fleming, Department of
Planning and Economic Development staff.
I. Approval of minutes of June 17, 2005
MOTION: Commissioner Kramer moved approval of the minutes of June 17, 2005.
Commissioner Lu seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
II. Chair's Announcements
Chair Johnson commented on the impending partial shutdown of State government due to the
failure to approve a budget. He described briefly the results of a meeting Commissioners
Morton, Anfang, and he attended on June 21, 2005, at the Riverfront Corporation to prepare for
the Great River Park Plan.
He announced that he was adding to the agenda for this meeting a letter regarding the Globe site
at E. Seventh and Earl streets. Finally, Chair Johnson discussed information presented at a
national APA audio training session on June 29, 2005, regarding land use law. The most
important topic was the very recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. the City of New
London, which affirmed by a 5-4 vote the authority of local government to use eminent domain
for economic development purposes. Another case, was the Minnesota Supreme Court's decision
supporting metropolitan government in Lake Elmo v. the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council.
III. Planning Administrator's Announcements
Larry Soderholm also commented on the Kelo v. City of New London case, saying that the
Supreme Court's decision has no immediate effect in Minnesota because state law already makes it
clear that municipalities can condemn property for economic development purposes. Mr.
Soderholm announced that PED has been reorganized to have three geographic team—West,
Central, and East. Finally, he announced that he attended the Sensible Land Use Coalition lunch
this week on the Central Corridor. The speaker,who has worked on transit corridors around the
country for many years,has concluded that(a)building LRT doesn't significantly affect a
metropolitan area's market strength in relation to other metro areas; (b)building LRT does
promote lifestyles that are less auto-dependent; (c)there is a development response to LRT that can
be large-scale around LRT stops,neighborhood infill within half a mile of the line, and enhances
downtowns; and(d)an LRT line focuses much more of the metro region's growth on the corridor.
IV. Zoning Committee
OLD BUSINESS
#05-098-650 McDonald's USA, LLC-Conditional Use Permit for a fast food restaurant
(reconstruct existing business). (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.
NEW.BUSINESS
#05-108-945 Daniel Huneke-Establish Legal Nonconforming Use status as a triplex.
(Emily Ulmer, 651/266-6591)
MOTION: Chair Morton moved to remand this to the Zoning Committee meeting on
July 7, 2005. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
#05-114-048 St. Joseph's Hospital - Conditional Use Permit for a helistop with modification of
distance requirement from residential uses (250 ft. required, 225 ft. and 110 ft. proposed.)
(Emily Ulmer, 651/266-6591)
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.
#05-104-562 Bradford Merwin-Revocation of permit establishing legal nonconforming use
status for a duplex due to noncompliance with conditions. (Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation to
approve revocation of permit. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
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#05-104-469 Stillwater Bush 40 Acre Study - Zoning study to determine consistency and
compatibility of the current zoning classification with established development patterns and
goals for the study area. (Patricia James, 651/266-6639)
MOTION: Commissioner Morton moved the Zoning Committee's recommendation of
approval of rezoning the properties in the study area currently zoned RT1 to R3. The motion
carried unanimously on a voice vote. Mejia abstained.
#05-108-947 Westwav Terminal Co. - Conditional Use Permit for two additional storage tanks
located in the flood fringe RC2 district, not elevated on fill above the regulatory flood
protection elevation. (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.
V. Comprehensive Planning Committee
Chair Johnson stated that Commissioner Donnelly-Cohen will continue as Chair of the
Comprehensive Planning Committee.
Mr. Soderholm stated the CIB Committee will be discussing the Planning Commission's letter
about re-evaluation of the CIB's citizen participation process at their next meeting, July 11, 2005,
at 3:30 p.m. He would like some representatives from the Planning Commission to attend.
Allen Lovejoy and Emily Ulmer will attend from the staff.
VI. Neighborhood and Current Planning Committee
(Shawntera Hardy, 651/266-6562)
District 6 Residential Design Guidelines.
MOTION : Commissioner Trevino moved on behalf of the committee that the District 6
Residential Design Guidelines be released for public review and that a public hearing on them
be set for July 15,2005. The motion carried on a voice vote of 14-1 (Lu).
New Thinking About Neighborhood Parking-Mr. Soderholm gave a report about neighborhood
parking based on the recent book by Donald Shoup called The High Cost of Free Parking, which
argues that parking should be subject to market pricing and discipline.
VII. Long-range Planning Committee
Commissioner Bellus briefly described the series of meetings the committee is arranging with
invited speakers to talk about the amount of change that happens in the city in a 20 or 25-year span.
The next meeting will be on July 28, 2005, at 8:00 a.m. Jessica Rosenfeld will send email to all the
Planning Commissioners giving the meeting place.
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VIII. Communications Committee
No report.
IX. Task Force Reports
Commissioner Kramer gave a report on the Phalen/Atlantic I Task Force and requested approval of
a letter to send to the Port Authority in support of its applications for clean-up grants for the Globe
Roofing site along E. Seventh St. The are two community open houses scheduled; July 12th at
Midwest Special Services, 900 Ocean Street, and July 19th at Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church,
1275 Magnolia Ave.East, at 5:30-7:30 p.m.
MOTION : Chair Kramer moved the Planning Commission authorize sending the letter. The
motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
Commissioner Anfang gave a report on the Great River Park planning project. Commissioners
Alton, Anfang, and Zimmer Lonetti will serve as delegates, and Chair Johnson will serve as an
alternate.
Commissioner Anfang gave a report on the Mississippi River Critical Area Task Force,which is
working on identifying prohibited,permitted, and conditional uses in the River Corridor zoning
districts.
X. Old Business
None.
XI. New Business
None.
XII. Adjournment
10:00 a.m.
Planning Commission Members: PLEASE call Kate Fleming, 651/266-6573, if unable to attend.
•
Recorded and prepared by
Kate Fleming, Planning Commission Secretary
Planning and Economic Development Depaitiuent,
City of Saint Paul
Respectfully submitted, Approved /5 2 D
(Date)
Larry S der olm ue cCall
Planning dministrator Secretary of the Planning Commission
PED\Fleming\Minutes\2005 5