Title
Amending Chapter 60 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to the District 9 Gateway Zoning Study. (Public hearing held on May 9, 2012)
Body
WHEREAS, the District 9 Area Plan Summary was adopted by the Saint Paul City Council on July 7, 2010, and contains strategies in the areas of housing, jobs and economic development, community development, land use, historic preservation and aesthetics; and
WHEREAS, on June 22, 2011, the City Council passed a resolution (CF #11-1213) requesting that the Planning Commission undertake a zoning study to assess whether the zoning classification of several "gateway" parcels near the W. 7th/Grand/Ramsey intersection furthers the Jobs & Economic Development and Housing strategies identified in the District 9 Area Plan Summary; and
WHEREAS, the study area boundaries were generally identified as Grand/Ramsey on the north and east, Smith Avenue on the south and east, Forbes Avenue on the south and west, and 35E on the north and west; and
WHEREAS, at the same time, the City Council placed a one-year moratorium on the issuance of zoning and building permits or approvals in the study area (CF #11-74); and
WHEREAS, all but two of the parcels (those currently zoned B3) within the study area were rezoned in October 2011 as part of the District 9 Residential Zoning Study and the District 9 Commercial Zoning Study
WHEREAS, staff met with community residents and business owners to provide background on the zoning study, present planning precedents, discuss the neighborhood's vision for the gateway and get feedback on potential new zoning options; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission released the study recommendations on January 27, 2012; and
WHEREAS, the study recommended rezoning the two B3 parcels to T3 and retaining the R4 and T1 zoning for the remainder of the parcels in the study area; and
WHEREAS, the study together with public input leads to the conclusion that T1 concluded that T3 zoning: 1) is consistent with the District 9 Area Plan Summary and the Land Use chapter of the Comprehensive Plan; 2) will allow a level of density and mix of uses appropriate to this higher-intensity gateway will follow historic patterns of denisity in the West Seventh Commercial District surrounding this gateway, in which retail uses on the ground floor with residential uses on the second are the norm; 3) is a good transition to the T2 zoning along W. 7th, and
from the low-density mixed-use buildings on Ramsey Hill to the T1 zoning on Smith Avenue, as well as a good transition between the B5 zoning on the United/Children's campus and the single-family residential uses immediately south zoning/land use southwest of the study area; and 4) maintains adequate light and air for the small, pioneer-era homes that abut these properties on their soughern boundaries; 5) requires compliance with design standards that will improve the pedestrian character of Grand/Ramsey, and soften the transition between commercial and residential uses; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on March 9, 2012, notice of which was published in the St. Paul Legal Ledger on February 13, 2012, and at which all interested persons were invited to speak and were heard; and
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2012, the Planning Commission, after duly considering all public testimony, recommended rezoning of the B3 General Business parcels within the District 9 Gateway Zoning Study area to T3 Traditional Neighborhood, and found that T3 zoning:
• is consistent with the District 9 Area Plan Summary and the Land Use chapter of the Comprehensive Plan;
• is consistent with site-specific future development objectives identified by the community, including:
§ improve the visual appearance and vitality of the gateway area;
§ improve Grand/Ramsey as a pedestrian connection between Ramsey/Summit Hill, Irvine Park and the Mississippi River through both private development /land use and pedestrian amenities in the public right-of-way;
§ better integrate (provide a better transition between) commercial uses on the major thoroughfares with the adjacent residential neighborhood fabric;
§ attain a more "urban" character to the gateway with less surface parking and more street enclosure via buildings that frame the street;
§ increase density along Grand/Ramsey; and
§ further larger neighborhood goals of livability and vitality.
• allows a level of density and mix of uses appropriate to this higher-intensity gateway;
• is a good transition to the T2 zoning along W. 7th, and between the B5 zoning on the United/Children's campus and the residential zoning/land use southwest of the study area; and
• requires compliance with design standards that will improve the pedestrian character of Grand/Ramsey Street, and soften the transition between commercial and residential uses; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing before the City Council was conducted on May 2 and 9, 2012, at which all interested persons were given an opportunity to be heard, the Council having considered all the facts and recommendations concerning the proposed zoning amendments, pursuant to the authority granted by and in accordance with the procedures set forth in Minnesota Statutes §462.357;
WHEREAS, it was determined, due to an error in the required notice that there was confusion regarding the date of the May 2, 2012 public hearing, that and an additional public hearing date was necessary was held on May 2, 2012, while, and, in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 462.357, an additional public hearing was therefore duly set and noticed for May 9th at 3:30 p.m.; and
WHEREAS, following the public hearing conducted on May 2, 2012, the Council, moved that the new zoning classification for existing B3 parcels in the study area be amended from T3, as recommended by the Planning Commission, to T1; and
WHEREAS, the Council findings that T1 zoning for these parcels is:
• More consistent with the District 9 Area Plan Summary and the Land Use chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and is more consistent with site-specific future development objectives identified by the community, including:
o improves the visual appearance and vitality of the gateway area;
o improves Grand/Ramsey as a pedestrian connection between Ramsey/Summit Hill, Irvine Park and the Mississippi River through both private development /land use and pedestrian amenities in the public right-of-way;
o better integrates (provides a better transition between) commercial uses on the major thoroughfares with the adjacent residential neighborhood fabric;
o attains a more "urban" character to the gateway with less surface parking and more street enclosure via buildings that frame the street; and
o furthers the larger neighborhood goals of livability and vitality.
• Allows a level of density and mix of uses appropriate to this transitional gateway; and
• Allows a better transition to the historic two-story mixed-buildings along W. 7th as well as between the T1 zoning on the Smith Avenue side of the block and the residential zoning/land uses south of the study area as well as the townhomes of Ramsey Hill west of the study area;
Now, Therefore,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
SECTION 1
That the Zoning Map of Saint Paul, incorporated by reference in 60.303 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code, is hereby amended as follows:
PIN # Existing Zoning New Zoning
01-28-23-41-0162 B3 T1
01-28-23-41-0161 B3 T1
SECTION 2
This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after its passage, approval and publication.