Title
Memorializing a City Council decision to grant the appeals of Jon Knutson, on behalf of Loucks, and Carolyn Wolf, on behalf of Tegra, from the Board of Zoning Appeals decision denying two zoning variances from City Council Resolution 23-1442 for a hotel at United Village Block D (where 43.1% window and door openings are proposed for façade length [a 6.9% variance] and 23.3% for façade area [a 6.7% variance], below the required 50% and 30%) at 1560 University Avenue West.
Body
WHEREAS, On January 26, 2026, John Knutson (“Applicant”), applied to the Board of Zoning Appeals (“BZA”) in BZA File: DSIBZA-000290-2026, concerning the construction of a hotel at 1560 University Avenue West (“Hotel”), for two variances from the design standards of City Council Resolution 23-1442, which requires that for new commercial buildings facing arterial streets like University Avenue, window and door openings must comprise at least 50% of the length and 30% of the area of the ground floor façade; and
WHEREAS, The north façade of the Hotel, which faces University Avenue, does not meet the City of Saint Paul’s (“City”) design standards as currently designed and the project sought the following variances:
1) 43.1% is proposed for the length of openings, for a variance of 6.9%.
2) 23.3% is proposed for the area of openings, for a variance of 6.7%; and
WHEREAS, The Hotel is located in a T4M zoning district and in the Green Infrastructure District Overlay and commonly known as 1560 University Avenue West, and legally described as UNITED VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT LOT 1 BLK 2 (PIN: 342923320027); and
WHEREAS, City Council Resolution 23-1442 requires window and door openings for new commercial buildings facing arterial streets like University Avenue to comprise of at least 50% of the length and 30% of the area of the ground floor façade; and
WHEREAS, Section 61.601 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code authorizes the City to grant variances; and
WHEREAS, The application was duly noticed for a public hearing, having sent written notice on February 5, 2026, to property owners within 350 feet of the property before the BZA; and
WHEREAS, On February 17, 2026, the BZA, in accordance with Section 61.601 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, duly conducted a public hearing on the Applicant’s variance request where all persons interested in said application were afforded the opportunity to present testimony either in-person at the hearing or by the prior submission of written testimony for the record; and
WHEREAS, At the public hearing, the BZA considered the application, a staff report dated January 26, 2026, which contained a recommendation to approve Applicant’s request for variances and is incorporated into this resolution by reference, and testimony from the Applicant as set forth in the BZA’s adopted minutes which are incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, The BZA, upon closing the public hearing, and based upon all the records and testimony received, including the report and recommendation of the BZA staff dated January 26, 2026, as substantially reflected in the minutes, moved to deny the requested variances for failure to establish finding three, practical difficulties; and
WHEREAS, The motion to deny the application was seconded, but failed on a three to one (3-1) vote; and
WHEREAS, Section 61. 203 (b) of the Saint Paul Legislative Code provides in part: [f]our (4) members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of its business; provided, that no action may be taken unless at least four (4) members vote in favor of such action; and
WHEREAS, A subsequent motion to approve the variance was made, but failed to receive a second, for reasons stated on the record; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute §15.99 subdivision 2 (b) provides in part: [w]hen a vote on a resolution or properly made motion to approve a request fails for any reason, the failure shall constitute a denial of the request provided that those voting against the motion state on the record the reasons why they oppose the request; and
WHEREAS, On February 18, 2026, Carolyn Wolf, on behalf of Tegra, and the Applicant, pursuant to Section 61.702 (a) of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, duly filed an appeal from the BZA’s February 17, 2026, determination in this matter under Zoning Appeal Application BZA File No. 000290-2026 and requested a hearing before the City Council for the purpose of re-considering the actions taken by the BZA; and
WHEREAS, The appeal to City Council was assigned DSIAPP-000338-2026, and the matter was set for a hearing on March 11, 2026; and
WHEREAS, On February 25, 2026, City staff sent notice of the hearing to property owners within 350 feet of the Property; and
WHEREAS, On March 11, 2026, and pursuant to Section 61.702 (b) of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, a public hearing was duly conducted by the City Council where all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard; and
WHEREAS, Following public testimony, having considered the application, the reports, the statements made before the BZA and the BZA’s minutes and staff report, the City Council found errors in the BZA’s application of finding three, practical difficulties; and
WHEREAS, The City Council found that finding three, practical difficulties, had been met and made a motion to adopt staff’s recommendation to grant the appeal, thereby granting the requested variances; and
WHEREAS, The motion passed seven to zero (7-0) granting the variance request; and
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Saint Paul, having considered the Appellants’ application, and all the reports, records and minutes in this matter including the BZA staff report, hereby grants Applicants’ zoning variance application; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Council, in support of its decision, hereby adopts as its own and hereby incorporates by reference, the staff’s recommendation as set forth in the staff report dated January 26, 2026; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That the City Clerk provide a copy of this memorialization resolution to the Zoning Administrator, Yaya Diatta, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and to the Appellants, Jon Knutson and Carolyn Wolf, on behalf of their respective associations Loucks, Tegra, and Snelling-Midway Redevelopment, LLC.