Title
Amending Chapter 66 of the Legislative Code pertaining to the Ford Districts (Leg. Code §§ 66.900 Ford Districts and 66.931 Ford District Dimensional Standards by zoning district). (Public hearing closed October 6, 2021.)
Body
WHEREAS, on September 17, 2017 the City Council commenced the redevelopment phase of Ford Motor Company’s former Twin City Assembly Plant (“Ford Site”) by adopting the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan (“Master Plan”) and adding new ordinances to the zoning code under Leg. Code §§ 66.900 to 66.950 (“Ford Ordinances”) which, under Leg. Code § 66.911, are “designed specifically for the Ford site for use with the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan, which provides additional standards for specific building types and standards to address sustainability objectives”; and
WHEREAS, Zoning Code § 61.801(b), based on Minnesota Statutes § 462.357, Subd. 4, provides that amendments to the Zoning Code may be initiated by the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Ford Ordinances and the Master Plan established various standards for each zoning district within the Ford Site, now branded as “Highland Bridge,” to facilitate, with other policy objectives, a balance in building mass and transition space to public rights-of way through the application of so-called “area” standards, which include building setbacks, building lot coverage and open space lot coverage, building mass, density and floor area ratio standards for each Ford Site zoning district; and
WHEREAS, following the adoption of the Master Plan and the Ford Ordinances, as permitted under Leg. Code § 66.952, the documents have been thrice amended; first on April 10, 2019, second on September 19, 2019, and again on May 6, 2020; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Leg. Code § 66.952, the Ford Site “master developer” was also required to prepare a plat of the Ford Site which was subsequently submitted and approved by the City on November 20, 2019; and
WHEREAS, the Ford Site plat effectively divided the Ford Site into 36 development parcels and also dedicated to the public various land parcels deemed necessary for public rights-of-way and park and open space areas within the Ford Site as envisioned under the Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, with the adoption of the Master Plan, Ford District ordinances and Ford Site plat, the Ford Site master developer, together with its sub-developers, have begun to submit Ford Site development proposals which were reviewed by City planning and zoning staff against the Master Plan standards and the Ford District ordinances; and
WHEREAS, City planning staff review of the initial development applications caused them to determine that the regulations of Lot Coverage by Open Space and Green Roof Areas as Open Space, envisioned under present Master Plan standards and their associated Ford Site ordinances, presented difficulties in evaluating and applying them to development applications and, with the certain knowledge that future development applications will be forth coming, planning staff recommend that amendments to these standards be considered in light of these difficulties; and
WHEREAS, for example, City planning staff note that it is difficult to implement the Lot Coverage by Open Space and Green Roof Areas as Open Space concepts under the Master Plan with other Master Plan area regulations which are applicable to building setbacks, floor area ratios, lot coverage by buildings, and design standards intended to set a “soft edge” between private buildings and public sidewalks in order to create a comfortable and attractive pedestrian environment within the Ford Site as envisioned under the Master Plan, with actual site-specific conditions like parcel size or topography; and
WHEREAS, City planning staff further advise that the Master Plan’s vision for Functional Green Roofs as a means to improve stormwater management, reduce greenhouse gases, reduce urban heat island effect, and promote sustainable and efficient energy use is compromised by a lack of specificity in the language of the Master Plan for calculating bonuses; and
WHEREAS, on May 5, 2021 the City Council passed RES-21-686 asking Planning Commission to initiate a study of amending the Ford Site Master Plan as it relates to Open Space Lot Specific Standards; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee, on June 2, 2021, forwarded its recommendation to the Planning Commission for initiation of a zoning study for Zoning Code amendments corresponding to proposed amendments to the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan;
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on July 23, 2021 and the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee of the Saint Paul Planning Commission, having reviewed the public hearing testimony and a memorandum containing analysis provided by staff, provided a recommendation for consideration by the Saint Paul Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, on August 20th, 2021 the Planning Commission, based upon the Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee Committee’s August 13, 2021 memorandum and all the public testimony received in response to the proposed Master Plan Amendments and recommendations regarding corresponding amendments to the Ford District Zoning, all of which are incorporated herein by reference; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, based upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission, as substantially set forth in the Planning Commission resolution #21-41 and the report of commission staff dated August 20, 2021, both of which shall be incorporated herein by reference; and
NOW, THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
Section 1
That Saint Paul Legislative Code, Chapter 64, Article V, § 64.500 Specific regulations by zoning districts is hereby amended as follows:
Chapter 66. Zoning Code - Zoning District Uses, Density and Dimensional Standards
ARTICLE IX. 66.900. FORD DISTRICTS
Table 66.931. Ford District Dimensional Standards
|
Building Type by Zoning District (a) |
Floor Area Ratio |
Lot Width |
Building Width |
Building Height (feet) |
Lot Coverage |
Building Setback (feet) (g) |
|
|
(Min.- Max.) |
Min. (feet) |
Max. (feet) |
Min. |
Max. |
Max. by Buildings (f)(j |
ROW (h) (Min.- Max.) |
Interior Min. |
|
F1 river residential |
|
One-family dwelling |
0.25 - 1.5 |
60 |
60 |
20 |
48 |
40% |
10 - 40 |
10 |
|
|
Multi-unit home |
0.25 - 1.5 |
80 |
60 |
20 |
48 |
40% |
10 - 40 |
10 |
|
Townhouse, rowhouse |
0.25 - 1.5 (b) |
20 (b) |
150 |
20 |
48 |
50% (b) |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Carriage house |
0.25 - 1.5 |
n/a |
60 |
n/a |
30 |
40% |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
F2 residential mixed low |
|
Townhouse, rowhouse |
1.0 - 2.0 |
20(b) |
350 |
30 |
55 |
50% (b) |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Multifamily |
1.0 - 2.0 |
n/a |
n/a |
30 |
55 |
70% |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Carriage house |
1.0 - 2.0 |
n/a |
60 |
n/a |
30 |
per main building |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Live/work |
1.0 - 2.0 |
30 |
150 |
30 |
55 |
70% |
5 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Nonresidential or mixed |
1.0 - 2.0 |
n/a |
500 |
30 |
55 |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (i) |
|
F3 residential mixed mid |
|
Townhouse, rowhouse |
1.0 - 4.0 |
20 (b) |
350 |
30 |
65 (c) |
50% (b) |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Multifamily |
2.0 - 4.0 |
n/a |
n/a |
40 |
65 (c) |
70% |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Live/work |
2.0 - 4.0 |
30 |
150 |
40 |
65 (c) |
70% |
5 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Nonresidential or mixed |
2.0 - 4.0 |
n/a |
500 |
40 |
65 (c) |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (i) |
|
F4 residential mixed high |
|
Townhouse, rowhouse |
3.0 - 6.0 |
20 (b) |
350 |
48 |
75 (d) |
50% (b) |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Multifamily |
3.0 - 6.0 |
n/a |
n/a |
48 |
75 (d) |
70% |
10 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Live/work |
3.0 - 6.0 |
30 |
150 |
48 |
75 (d) |
70% |
5 - 20 |
6 (i) |
|
Nonresidential or mixed |
3.0 - 6.0 |
n/a |
500 |
48 |
75 (d) |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (i) |
|
F5 business mixed |
|
Multifamily |
2.0 - 4.0 |
n/a |
n/a |
40 |
65 (e) |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (i) |
|
Nonresidential or mixed |
2.0 - 4.0 |
n/a |
500 |
40 |
65 (e) |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (i) |
|
F6 gateway |
|
Nonresidential or mixed |
1.0 - 3.0 |
n/a |
500 |
30 |
65 |
70% |
5 - 15 |
6 (h)(i) |
Min. - Minimum Max. - Maximum ROW - Public Right-of-Way n/a - not applicable
Notes to table 66.931, Ford district dimensional standards:
(a) Building types are described and defined in Chapter 6 of the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan.
(b) The minimum lot width figure for townhouses is per unit. Where land under each unit constitutes an individually described lot and all other land required for yards, parking and access constitutes “common” properties jointly owned by the owners of the units, the floor area ratio, lot width, and lot coverage requirements shall be applied to the entire parcel.
(c) A maximum building height of seventy-five (75) feet may be permitted with a minimum ten (10) foot stepback from all minimum setback lines for all portions of the building above a height of twenty-five (25) feet.
(d) All portions of a building above a height of twenty-five (25) feet shall be stepped back a minimum of ten (10) feet from all minimum setback lines. The maximum building height may exceed seventy-five (75) feet, to a maximum of one hundred ten (110) feet, subject to the following conditions:
(1) A minimum of one (1) acre of buildable land in the F1, F2, F3, and/or F4 districts shall have been dedicated or conveyed to the city for public use for parks, playgrounds, recreation facilities, trails, or open space, in excess of the amount of land required to be dedicated for parkland at the time of platting. Such dedication of the additional parkland must be consistent with the criteria for parkland dedication in section 69.511, and is subject to city council approval.
(2) Maximum developable gross floor area of dedicated land from (c)(1), based on its underlying zoning, may be transferred and added to development allowed in an F4-zoned area, in compliance with other applicable requirements for the district or building, such as FAR, setbacks and open space coverage.
(e) Building height may exceed sixty-five (65) feet, to a maximum of seventy-five (75) feet, with a minimum ten (10) foot stepback from all minimum setback lines for all portions of the building above a height of thirty (30) feet, except for corner elements and portions of the building facing the civic square identified in the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan, Chapter 8.
(f) Portions of a parking structure that are less than one story above grade, as defined in Section 60.208, and serve as amenity space shall be excluded from lot coverage by buildings in lot coverage calculations. A building that provides Functional Green Roof Area that faces the right of way, civic areas, central stormwater feature, and/or city parks as specified in the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan, can receive a 1% lot coverage bonus for every 1% of Functional Green Roof provided, up to a 5% lot coverage bonus.
(g) Building setback is the horizontal distance between a lot line and the nearest above-grade point of a building. An interior setback is measured from an interior lot line, which is a lot line separating a lot from another lot or lots. A public right-of-way (ROW) setback is measured from a lot line that is not an interior lot line: a lot line separating a lot from a street, alley, or public way.
(h) Maximum building setback shall apply to at least sixty (60) percent of the building facade along the right-of-way. Buildings shall be setback a minimum of thirty (30) feet, with no maximum setback, from a lot line separating a lot from Mississippi River Boulevard.
(i) No setback is required for building walls containing no windows or other openings when the wall meets the fire resistance standards of the Minnesota State Building Code and there is a Common Interest Community (CIC) or recorded maintenance easement that covers the affected properties.
(j) bonus.
Section 2.
These amendments shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after its passage, approval and publication.