Title
Adoption of the Hamline, Victoria, and Western Station Area Plans.
Body
WHEREAS, Mayor Coleman asked the Planning Commission to prepare a Central Corridor Development Strategy, which is a vision and strategy for how University Avenue and the downtown area should grow and change in response to the planned investment in the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) line; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council adopted the Central Corridor Development Strategy on October 24, 2007 as a chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Central Corridor Development Strategy recommended station area planning as a next step to further plan for desired development along the Central Corridor; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Coleman asked the Planning Commission to establish a community Steering Committee to prepare seven Station Area Plans for Westgate, Raymond, Fairview, Snelling,
Lexington, Dale, and Rice; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council adopted the Central Corridor LRT Station Area Plans for Rice, Dale, Lexington, Snelling, Fairview, Raymond, and Westgate, plus the Introduction chapter and Implementation chapter, called Moving Forward, as addenda to the Central Corridor Development Strategy, a chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, on October 22, 2008; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission established the Hamline, Western, and Victoria Station Area Planning Steering Committee to oversee the station area planning process for the "infill" stations, with members appointed by the Planning Commission chair; and
WHEREAS, the Steering Committee was representative of the affected areas in terms of geography, constituencies, and areas of expertise; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Steering Committee was to oversee the process, and to ensure consistency in approach between station areas and policy consistency with the Central Corridor Development Strategy, and other chapters of the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the bulk of the work to develop the station area plans was done through an open public process using a combination of focus groups; public roundtables; design workshops or charrettes; and open houses; and
WHEREAS, the Steering Committee completed its work on July 14, 2010, and recommended three draft station area plans to the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held public hearings on the drafts plans on February 18, 2011, notice of which was sent to the Early Notification System list, individuals and organizations on the Central Corridor notification list, and all property owners within the station areas; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission considered the public testimony, both verbal and written, and developed responses and recommended minor modifications to the plan language in response to the testimony; and
WHEREAS, the responses and recommendations are incorporated in a memo to the Commission from its Comprehensive Planning Committee, dated April 7, 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission is authorized under Minnesota Statutes Section 462.355(2) and Chapter 107 of the Saint Paul Administrative Code to recommend to the Mayor and City Council amendments to the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, on April 15, 2011, the Saint Paul Planning Commission by its resolution #11-27 recommends to the Mayor and City Council adoption of the Central Corridor LRT Station Area Plans for Hamline, Victoria, and Western, as addenda to the Central Corridor Development Strategy, a chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby adopts the Central Corridor LRT Station Area Plans for Hamline, Victoria, and Western, as addenda to the Central Corridor Development Strategy, a chapter of the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan, with the changes as recommended by the Planning Commission, contingent upon review as required by the Metropolitan Council.