Title
Temporarily prohibiting any development permits within the District 9 Gateway Parcel which are inconsistent with the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development strategies and Housing Objectives.
Body
WHEREAS, on July 7, 2010, the City adopted a new District 9 Area Plan as an addendum to the City's Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development Strategies calls for the preservation of businesses and jobs in the District while at the same time complementing the District's Housing Objectives; and
WHEREAS, the vacation of a long standing land use on a parcel of land in the District prompted this Council, under City of Saint Paul Ordinance No. 11-5, to initiate a zoning study as well as enact an interim ordinance to preserve the development status quo in the vicinity during the pendency of the zoning study as the Council found that the parcel of land recently vacated by the land use was significant as a "gateway parcel" to District 9 as the said parcel abutted lands to the North, which were zoned B5 Central Business Service and T2 Traditional Neighborhood, while the vacated parcel was zoned B3 General Business; and
WHEREAS, as noted in Ordinance 11-5, this Council determined that the zoning classification of the subject gateway parcel might not further the objectives contained in the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development Strategies or the Area Plan's Housing Objectives given the B5 and T2 zoning classifications of the parcels abutting the gateway parcel and because it was not anticipated at the time of the adoption of the Area Plan's Land Use Mix that the use of the gateway parcel would be vacated; and
WHEREAS, as the zoning study commenced pursuant to Ordinance 11-5 progresses, the Council now finds that the land use classification of those parcels of land beginning at the intersecting point of the centerlines of the northbound I-35E exit ramp/ Thompson Street/ Grand Avenue right-of-way on the west and proceeding east to the intersecting point with the centerline of the Smith Avenue right-of-way, and situated along the south side of Grand Avenue, are logical extensions of the "gateway" parcels concept into the District 9 Area as described under Ordinance 11-5, because these parcels are zoned B3 General Business just as the original gateway parcels were zoned which prompted the enactment of Ordinance 11-5; and
WHEREAS, the Council therefore finds it necessary to request the planning commission to undertake a zoning study to assess whether the B3 zoning classification of these "adjacent gateway parcels," as specified herein, furthers the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development Strategies which call for the preservation of businesses and jobs in the District while at the same time complementing the District's Housing Objectives; and
WHEREAS, during the period in which the said zoning study is underway, the City Council desires to maintain the status quo regarding land use for these adjacent gateway parcels by immediately and temporarily prohibiting the issuance of zoning and building permits or approvals which would permit development of the parcels in the area described herein which would, or could be, inconsistent with the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development Strategies and Housing Objectives, until such time as the planning commission's zoning study of this matter has been completed and the City Council has taken action on the recommendations contained therein; NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul, based upon the findings noted above and for the general welfare of the public, deems it necessary to hereby immediately prohibit the issuance or approval of any zoning and building permits which would permit development within that area of the District 9 Planning District described in this resolution which would or could be inconsistent with the District 9 Area Plan's Job and Economic Development Strategies and Housing Objectives, until the expiration of twelve months as provided in Minn. Stat. § 462.355, Subd. (4), or until such earlier time as the Council has taken action on the recommendations contained in the study; AND,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, as provided in Minn. Stat. § 462.355, Subd. (4), that the Council of the City of Saint Paul will, in conformance with City Charter § 6.05, subsequently enact a separate interim ordinance, consistent with the intent of this resolution as set forth above and, for the purpose of complying with the time limit imposed on interim ordinances under Minn. Stat. § 462.355, Subd. (4), the effective date of the said interim ordinance shall be the effective date of this resolution and, finally, upon the effective date of the said interim ordinance, the regulatory effect of this resolution shall terminate with no additional action on the part of this Council; AND
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED for the purpose of this interim zoning ordinance, that the area of the zoning study and the area which is subject to the said zoning and building permit approval restrictions shall be defined as follows: beginning at a point defined as the intersection of the center lines of the of the northbound I-35E exit ramp/ Thompson Street/Grand Avenue right-of-ways on the west and extending easterly to its intersecting point with the Smith Avenue right-of-way; then southerly along the centerline of Smith Avenue to its intersection with the center point of the Forbes Avenue West right of way; then west along the centerline of the Forbes Avenue West right of way to its intersection with the center point of Douglass Street South; then north along the Douglass Street South right of way to its intersection with the center point of Forbes Avenue West; then all the way west along the centerline of the Forbes Avenue West right of way and proceeding to the center point of the of the northbound I-35E exit ramp right of way as if Forbes Avenue right of way extended in a straight line all the way to the to the center point of the of the northbound I-35E exit ramp right of way; then northeasterly along to the center point of the of the northbound I-35E exit ramp right of way to the beginning point at the intersection of the center lines of the of the northbound I-35E exit ramp/ Thompson Street/Grand Avenue right-of-ways.