Title
Amending the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan to accommodate a proposed project by the University of Saint Thomas.
Body
WHEREAS, Project Paul, LLC (Ryan), Capital City Properties (CCP), Friends of Highland Ball, St. Paul Parks Department (Parks), and Weidner Apartment Homes (Weidner), File #23-011-392 and #23-011-403, applied to amend the Zoning Code pertaining to the Ford districts and the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan (Master Plan), under the provisions of Zoning Code § 61.801(b) and § 66.951, for property located at 2192 Ford Parkway, et al, Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 17-28-23-13-002 et al; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Planning Commission, on April 28, 2023, held a public hearing at which all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard pursuant to said application in accordance with the requirements of § 61.303 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Planning Commission on May 26, 2023, based on the evidence presented to its Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee and at the Planning Commission public hearing as substantially reflected in the minutes, recommend approval of amendments 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, for the reasons set forth in Planning Commission Resolution No. 23-20 and denial of amendment 3, for the reasons set forth in Planning Commission Resolution No. 23-19 to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, based upon duly received the recommendations of the Planning Commission, as substantially set forth in the commission’s said resolutions of recommendation and denial as well as the reports of commission staff under Zoning Files #23-011-392 and #23-011-403, which shall be incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, with Planning Commission’s recommendations, the City Council also duly received the reports of commission staff under Zoning Files #23-011-392 and #23-011-403, which recommended approval of the requested amendments to the Zoning Code and the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan (Master Plan) for the reasons stated in the reports which had also been recommended by the Commission’s Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee which the Council hereby adopts and incorporates by reference as the Council’s statements of legislative reasoning and intent regarding the said requested amendments to the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan and the requested amendments to the Saint Paul Zoning Code; and
WHEREAS, following a public hearing on the requested amendments to the Zoning Code and the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan (Master Plan) pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 462.357 and Legislative Code § 61.801 and § 66.951, in response to the application of Project Paul, LLC (Ryan), Capital City Properties (CCP), Friends of Highland Ball, St. Paul Parks Department (Parks), and Weidner Apartment Homes (Weidner), File #23-011-392 and #23-011-403, to amend the Zoning Code pertaining to the Ford districts and the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan (Master Plan), the City Council, based upon all the files, reports and testimony, hereby approves recommends the following amendments:
1. Exempt civic & institutional uses/buildings from the minimum FAR requirement in all F districts in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan and Zoning Code Sec. 66.931. Update design standards G17 and G19 in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan.
2. Add civic & institutional uses as a separate land use category in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan Table 4.7 and Zoning Code Sec. 66.942 with maximum parking thresholds per Zoning Code Sec. 63.207.
3. Do not exempt Exempt civic & institutional uses from the 20 surface parking space maximum in the southeasterly F6 district as established in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan.
4. Exempt civic & institutional uses/buildings from the maximum ROW setback and building façade placement requirement in all F districts in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan and Zoning Code Sec. 66.931.
5. Generalize the Shared Transportation Corridor narrative to highlight connection locations and modes in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan. Clarify that development in this area must preserve pedestrian and bicycle connections from the CP Spur to Highland Bridge through the development site with opportunities for future transit service. Clarify that the location of public easement(s) must be agreed upon prior to final site plan approval. Remove the dimension table and unnecessary components of exhibits.
6. Relocate Míča Park to meet the needs of the proposed UST development and add open space to meet parkland dedication requirements and improve the usable parkland area, as depicted in the Open Space System map, in the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan. Update the Open Space System map and add language to clarify that final location and design are subject to approval by the City. Update the summary of Community Green Space (Míča Park) in the Master Plan. Defer to the Department of Parks and Recreation for final location and design.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN: BE IT RESOLVED, after considering all public testimony, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby adopts the amendments to the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan to accommodate a proposed project by the University of Saint Thomas
Section 1
That the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan shall be amended to reflect the said master plan amendments approved above; and, further, that staff of the Planning Commission is hereby directed to update the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan to reflect the said approved amendments as set forth in Attachment 1 to the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee’s Report to the Planning Commission dated May 26, 2023; and
Section 2
That the following sections of the Saint Paul Zoning Code under Article IX, §§ 66.900 entitled “Ford Districts” shall be amended to read as set forth in Attachment 2 to the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee’s Report to the Planning Commission dated May 26, 2023; and, further, that the said amendments are provided to the City’s municipal code reporter service:
1. Leg. Code § 66.931 entitled “Ford district dimensional standards table” and the footnotes to Leg. Code § 66.931; and,
2. Leg. Code § 66.942 entitled “Ford district vehicle parking standards.”
Section 3
The amendments to the Ford Site (Highland Bridge) Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan under Section 1 shall become effective as of the date of effectiveness of the ordinance amendments approved under Section 2.
Section 4
The ordinance amendments under Section 2 shall become effective thirty (30) days after passage, approval, and publication once in the official newspaper.