Title
Waiving the signature requirement for the creation of four individual Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone.
Body
WHEREAS, a Creative Enterprise Zone Entertainment District was created and defined within Saint Paul Legislative Code as that portion of the City of Saint Paul lying within and bounded by the following streets: Beginning at the intersection of North Eustis Street with Wabash Avenue, Wabash Avenue to Vandalia Street, Vandalia Street to the train tracks, follow the train tracks South East to Cleveland Avenue North, Cleveland Avenue North across University Avenue West where it turns into Transfer Road to a point one (1) block due west across the train tracks from West Minnehaha Ave, from the point one (1) block due west across the train tracks from West Minnehaha Ave intersecting Transfer Road to the intersection of Prior Avenue North and West Minnehaha Avenue, Prior Avenue North to the intersection of Hewitt Avenue, from the intersection of Prior Avenue North and Hewitt Avenue due west to Transfer Road, Transfer Road south to Ellis Avenue, Ellis Avenue to Vandalia Street, Vandalia Street to Capp Road, Capp Road North West as it wraps around South to Wycliff Street continued on to the intersection of Wycliff Street and Hersey Street, Hersey Street to West Territorial Road, West Territorial Road to North Eustis Street, and then North Eustis Street to Wabash Avenue; and
WHEREAS, there is now a desire to create Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Safety and Inspections met and discussed with businesses, property owners, Saint Anthony Park Community Council, and Creative Enterprise Zone representatives to discuss the creation of a Creative Enterprise Zone Commercial Development District pursuant to Saint Paul City Charter §17.07.1 and Saint Paul Legislative Code §409.16; and
WHEREAS, given the City’s interests of aligning the boundaries of various types of districts and ensuring public health and safety, the Creative Enterprise Zone Commercial Development District is proposed to have four (4) distinct Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone; and
WHERAS, the four (4) distinct Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone are defined in Exhibit 1, and
WHEREAS, the petition requirement in Saint Paul Legislative Code 409.16(a) calls for written consent of two-thirds of the real estate parcels within the proposed commercial development district as well as owners of two-thirds of the real estate parcels within one hundred (100) fee of the new or expanded commercial development district; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul Legislative Code 409.16(b) allows the city council to waive the requirements for consent signatures if the city council determines that a hardship exists, and in such case the council may, on its own, initiate the process of creating or expanding a commercial development district; and
WHEREAS, the planning commission will be consulted for advice concerning the proposal for the creation of the four (4) Creative Enterprise Zone Commercial Development Districts and will create a report that will verify whether the proposal for the creation of four (4) Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone district is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the city council finds that due to the nature of the number and types of properties in and surrounding the proposed districts, that requiring consent from 2/3 of all owners would create a hardship to the petitioner; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the signature requirement for the petition to create four (4) Commercial Development Districts within the Creative Enterprise Zone is hereby waived; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that once the report of the planning commission is available, as required by Saint Paul Legislative Code §409.16(c), a public hearing will be scheduled to consider the proposals to create the four (4) Creative Enterprise Zone Commercial Development Districts and the city clerk will cause notice of the hearing to be published once in the official newspaper of the city, and mailed notice thereof shall be given by the department of safety and inspections to all owners of land within the areas of the expanded districts, each at least twenty (20) days in advance of the public hearing.