Title
Memorializing a City Council decision to approve an application to re-zone 5 parcels of land located at 694 Minnehaha Avenue East, et al. from I-2 general industrial to H2 residential, RM2 medium-density multiple-family residential, and T3 traditional neighborhood.
Body
WHEREAS, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA), the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, and St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, together hereinafter referred to as “Applicant”, under Zoning File No. 25-015-702 applied to rezone five parcels of property located at:
0 Payne Avenue [PIN No. 322922120054, a 3.32 acre parcel that was zoned from I-2 to RM-2 (hereinafter referred to as “Parcel 1”),
0 Minnehaha Avenue [PIN No. 322922120133, a 2.21 acre parcel that was zoned from I-2 to RM-2 (hereinafter referred to as “Parcel 2”),
680 Minnehaha Avenue East [PIN No. 322922120128], a .08 acre parcel that was zoned from I-2 to T-3 (hereinafter referred to as “Parcel 3”),
694 Minnehaha Avenue East [PIN No. 322922120134], a 4.95 acre parcel that was zoned from I-2 to T-3 (hereinafter referred to as “Parcel 4”),
771 Margaret Street [PIN No. 322922110117], a 2.6622 acre parcel that was split zoned I-2 and H-2 to H-2 (hereinafter referred to as “Parcel 5”), and;
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Planning Commission (“Commission”), following a duly conducted public hearing where all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard and based upon that evidence and the report and recommendation of Commission staff and Zoning Committee, duly moved to recommend to the Council of the City of Saint Paul (“Council”) that the Applicant’s petition to rezone Parcels 1 and 2 be approved for the reasons set forth in Commission Resolution No. 25-22, which the Commission adopted on May 30, 2025 and forwarded to the Council for its consideration as Council File ORD 25-46; and
WHEREAS, the Commission, following a duly conducted public hearing where all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard and based upon that evidence and the report and recommendation of Commission staff and Zoning Committee, duly moved to recommend to the Council that the Applicant’s petition to rezone Parcel 5 be approved for the reasons set forth in Commission Resolution No. 25-24, which the Commission adopted on May 30, 2025 and forwarded to the Council for its consideration as Council File ORD 25-46; and
WHEREAS, the Commission, following a duly conducted public hearing where all persons present were given an opportunity to be heard, did not have sufficient votes to support the recommendation of Commission Staff and Zoning Committee, and did not move to approve recommend to the Council that the Applicant’s petition to rezone Parcels 3 and 4. Commission Staff and Zoning Committee recommended approval of the Applicant’s application for the reasons set forth in Commission Resolution No. 25-23, but that Resolution received insufficient votes to be adopted on May 30, 2025, so the Applicant’s petition was forwarded to the Council for its consideration for a public hearing, as Council File PH 25-2; and
WHEREAS, the Commission’s failure to adopt the recommendations of Commission Staff and the Zoning Committee was based upon findings from Commissioners that rezoning Parcels 3 and 4 would constitute “spot zoning.” Commissioners were advised on the record by the Office of the City Attorney that legal review of the application was conducted, and that Office of the City Attorney came to the legal conclusion that rezoning Parcels 3 and 4 is not “spot zoning.”; and
WHEREAS, the Council, following a duly conducted public hearing on PH 25-2, where all persons present were given the opportunity to be heard, brought a motion of intent to Amend the Zoning Code to rezone Parcels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 consistent with the Applicant’s petition and pursuant to the recommendations of Commission Staff and the Zoning Committee. The Council voted to approve the motion of intent, so Ordinance 25-46 came before Council for three readings, occurring on August 6, August 13 and August 20, 2025, and was duly considered by the Council; and
WHEREAS, on August 20, 2025, the matter came on for final adoption before the Council, and at the hearing Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 25-46 to rezone Parcels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and to amend the Zoning Map in Chapter 60 of the Legislative Code, consistent with the Application and the recommendations of the Commission Staff and Zoning Committee; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Saint Paul adopts the findings and recommendations of the staff report dated May 15, 2025, which is incorporated into this resolution by reference; and
BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Saint Paul’s reasons to approve the application to rezone 694 East Minnehaha Avenue, et. al. are as follows:
Rezoning the property is consistent with the long-term vision for this property. The City has long planned for this property to become a dense mixed-use opportunity site;
Rezoning the property will allow the HRA to support the development of significant affordable housing at the site;
Rezoning the property will allow the HRA to redevelop property that has been vacant for 30 years;
Rezoning the property will allow the HRA to convert HRA owned property into taxable private property, satisfying a goal of converting publicly owned property into taxable private property;
Rezoning the property will allow the HRA to improve blighted conditions at the property by redeveloping it into affordable housing using and mixed-use development;
Rezoning the property will allow the HRA to redevelop the property into a walkable and transit-oriented neighborhood;
AND, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these reasons are adopted by the Council as a formalized statement of its legislative rationale for approving the application to amend the Saint Paul Zoning Code and to rezone 694 Minnehaha Avenue East, et al.; AND
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that this Resolution, upon adoption, be provided to the Applicants, and to the Planning and Zoning Administrators