Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Alright. I'm gonna call the May 1 meeting of the Saint Paul Planning Commission meeting Saint Paul Planning Commission to order. The first order of business is roll call.

Commissioner Grill? Here. Commissioner Hackney? Commissioner Holst?

Here.

Commissioner Johnson Becker? Commissioner Martinson? Here. Commissioner Presley? Here. Commissioner Riley? Here. Commissioner Starling? Here. Commissioner Tegev? Commissioner Thomas? Six present. Thank you. Next up

is approval of the 04/03/2026 Planning Commission meeting minutes.

So moved.

Minutes moved by Commissioner Martinson.

Second.

Seconded by Commissioner Riley. Is there any discussion on the motion? Alright, seeing no discussion, we'll move forward with the vote. All those in favor?

Aye.

All those opposed? Any abstentions? Alright, the minutes pass. Next up is gonna be the public hearing, but one of the staff members is running behind, and so we're gonna try to, if everyone is comfortable, switch to new business, the informational presentation on the Highland Bridge development update.

Chair, commissioners, good morning. I'll just get this going here. Great. I'm glad we have slides because I have a fun map that, like, bounces around that I was looking forward to showing you. So yay. Good morning everybody. Spencer Miller Johnson on the planning team. I basically serve as like the planning rep for Highland Bridge from our team. But it's a really big team that's working on this project obviously. And this morning we actually have the main project manager of the project, Tia Anderson over here from Economic Development Division.

So I didn't ask her beforehand, but I'm sure if you have any questions she wouldn't mind answering them as well. I just have a little informational update here. I'll go through been going on in Highland Bridge. We're excited to say that there's actually a reasonable amount happening. So good stuff to talk about today.

And then we can take any questions. So as a refresher, Highland Bridge is governed by the Fordside Zoning and Public Road Master Plan. It's also governed by the zoning code, so together those things work to implement the site and build it out. The master plan was originally adopted in September 2017, it's been amended a number of times, but last time we made an amendment was about three years ago, so we've actually got our longest track record so far of not amending it, which is nice. The master plan focuses on a mix of uses and activity, focuses on affordable housing, environmental sustainability, parks, a walkable street grid, and it includes zoning and design standards in it to help build all that out.

Master well, the master plan priorities and vision are defined more clearly in the development plan. And the development plan was put together by the master developer, who was Ryan Companies. They did this, I think, in 2019, 2020. The development plan carved out over 55 acres for parks and open space and 66 acres for private development. The overall site is about 135 acres when you include the CPU Rail spur on the southern end, which was purchased by the University of St.

Thomas a few years ago. A lot of that development plan has actually been completed at this time, which is great. This map shows construction progress on the site as of a few months ago. So it's a few months out of date, but it's pretty close. Light blue indicates completed projects. You can see that that includes a lot of parks and infrastructure in particular, and then also a number of private development blocks. Dark blue shows projects that are under construction. Probably can't see it, but the number 14 there on Boland and Mount Curve should actually now be light blue because it's a completed multi family housing project. It's called the Harkin. But otherwise, this is pretty up to date.

I think the streets East of Cretan II are either in progress or constructed as well. So, working on kind of evolving this map as time passes. The green shows future improvements. So those are several of the things I'm gonna run through here this morning. That's what I've called out there with the red boxes. So those are kind of the key blocks that we have some updates on. Okay, so we'll start with Block 2. Block Two's actually a really critical block for the site. It fronts Ford Parkway, it's a key pedestrian connection into the site. It includes a civic square on the northeastern corner of the site, so a great public space amenity.

It is under construction right now, which is great, and it's expected to be completed this year. It includes a four story mixed use building with 97 units. It also includes three commercial retail buildings that front on Ford Parkway, and it has a daycare facility on the southwestern corner of the site too. In addition to that, there's a diagonal pedestrian connection that connects from Ford Parkway down to the what we call the Civic Plaza, which is the north end of the central stormwater feature. So, bringing people in from the Highland Village area down into the site, that's kind of what was envisioned.

That diagonal pedestrian connection is really important. So glad that this one's moving forward and will be completed later this year. Block 5 is on the Northwest Corner of Woodlawn and Boland. This is planned to be the final phase of the Marvella campus, which is kind of an active adult senior living facility. This project is anticipated to be four stories, 70 units. It's a multi family building. It's just residential. And on Monday, actually, the project just received approval from the BZA because they needed some variances. They're planning in addition to the residential building, they're planning a pedestrian bridge that connects it to the rest of the Marvella campus. So, they needed a variance because of the setback for the pedestrian bridge.

And then, this building's adjacent to Gateway Park, is a great open space amenity, but there's a utility easement on the northeastern corner of the site, so they needed a variance for their setback because of that easement. But BZA approved those in the projects moving forward. Moving along to Block 11. This one's on the Northwest Corner of Cretan And Beechwood. Widener Homes is the developer here, and they're planning a six story, 176 unit mixed use project.

It's essentially a residential project. They've got one commercial space on the Ground Floor, so we call it mixed use, but it's primarily residential. The development team received conditional site plan approval for this one back in January. And so it does look to be moving forward, but unfortunately Dean Weidner, who's the founder of Weidner Homes, actually passed away in March. So because of that, the project team over there has kind of been reshuffling and reorganizing how they approach their projects.

I think the timeline's slowed down a little bit, but they do expect to still move forward this year. We are reviewing the building permits. So we'll keep that one moving as much as we can. Block 16 is just across the street from that, so Southwest Corner Of Crete And Beechwood. This is also a Widener Homes project, so kind of a similar storyline, but we have had a number of pre application meetings with them, and they're looking at doing a similar type of development, like a primarily residential, maybe one or two commercial spaces on the Ground Floor, four or five stories.

And finally, I'm excited to say that we do have a new development partner down on the next phase of row homes. So we have all those row home blocks that Pulte's been developing. South of Pulte's blocks, we now are working with MI Homes out of St. Louis Park. They are proposing to do a 12 unit row home phase here on Block 25.

They've expressed interest in continuing to do this in future blocks, but we're kind of working through them on this phase first to start out, and we'll go from there. But we are reviewing their site plan currently, and they also have a Platt application in, which we're reviewing. So we'll get all those going and work with them to build out these next 12 row homes. So excited to work with them in the future too. Those are the key updates from Highland Ridge. Happy to take any questions. Thank you.

Do you folks have questions? I would be surprised if we did it. Commissioner Martinson.

I have one just brief minor correction. Variance two for the utility easement was laid over for

two weeks. Thank you Commissioner Martinson. That's right, yeah. Laid over because of a noticing error. Thank you.

Yes, Commissioner Martinson is also on the BCA, so has some insight into that. Commissioner Reilly?

You're on. Yes. So

many city halls, so many different approaches. Thank you, Mr. Miller Johnson. I don't know if you can answer this question, but perhaps Ms. Anderson can. Two questions. One, has Ryan now sold all of its parcels? And two, how many different developers have purchased those, whatever you wanna call them, pieces?

Chair, commissioner, good question. Tia, do you know the answer off the top of your head? Orion still maintains ownership of parcels but yeah.

Yeah. I'll I'll try try a try a make a go at this. Chair chair, Commissioner Riley. I don't have the number off the top of my head, but I can probably summarize it for you quite shortly because it is a handful. So Weidner developers owns really the bulk of what is remaining as undeveloped land on the site. So actually I'll probably be easier to. Here, we'll go here. So Weidner owns essentially, I can do my math, I think it's 11 blocks here. They own everything east of the central water feature. And that's gonna be a major part of the development still.

Probably a good almost half of the development is yet to come with them. Project Paul, which is Ryan Companies, continues to retain these areas where the custom homes and the row homes will be developed out. And then those will be sold off whether to MI Homes as the next row home developer or the custom home builders. Marvella does own Block 5 now. And Project Paul Ryan Companies continues to own Block 2. They may subdivide that into various LLCs, but still part

of their

portfolio. And then, and and so in terms of their undeveloped land, it's this other part of Block 2 that's probably the key development that they'll still do. There is a couple of parcels here just South Of Montreal near the CP Spur that University of St. Thomas now owns. Those I believe are still also held by Project Paul Ryan Companies.

And we do expect that these, at least I think this development block here with the it's kind of shown with potential of two two buildings on that site. And then actually part of one of these northern blocks will actually end up being likely purchased by common bond or PPL continuing to do affordable housing development mixed into the site. In addition to any affordable housing that is mixed into some of the wider buildings per the development agreement. I didn't do the math on that. No, it's that's great. You. Enough that you can actually name it.

And I have one follow-up question.

Okay. Real

quick. Then Commissioner Styling.

Is it is it fair to say that both Ryan and Widener are building mixed use buildings?

Yes. Thank you.

Pressure styling.

Was that a trick question?

I don't like it. No.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So in the blocks that Widener Homes or Widener Apartments owns, which is kind of that greenish air. Yep. Yes, that area. Is the plan that all of those are going to be similar to the one that is currently receiving building permits, like six stories, 100 plus plus ish apartment units. Is that the vision? I would just have to answer us with a great deal of hand

waving. Yeah. Chair Gurl, commissioner Starling. The I think it's hard to say. What we've seen so far is yes, that's what they're interested in and what the master plan envisions for those areas, it's pretty high density multifamily housing.

A widener has expressed interest in putting a commercial retail space or commercial kind of restaurant space on the Ground Floor, at least of these first two. And what they're trying to do, and I think you can see the cursor right, is at least their vision that they've described is like making small little neighborhood nodes. So that's where that idea is coming from, where they kinda wanna try to centralize activity and not just let this be like kind of whatever nine, eleven blocks of just, know, the same sort of like level of intensity. So we're liking that idea of trying to centralize some of the vibrancy, especially along the pet and bike streets, if that makes sense. So that's what we're seeing so far.

The zoning districts in these areas allow pretty intense multi family and mixed use development.

If I could just add on to that, Chair Grell, Commissioner Starling, as yeah, everything that Spencer said, the master plan and zoning actually put some of the highest density of the development on that end of the site. We didn't go through master plan pages here, but essentially the idea was as you move away from the river further into the site, that's where we do allow for higher building heights and greater density. But there's a range there. So is it all going to be like this first building? Hopefully it's not, and I don't expect it to be cookie cutter by any stretch.

But it does allow for something akin to this first building. But we have not seen designs for any of that.

If I could ask a follow-up, what would be the minimum capacity for those lots and the maximum in terms of height or number of units?

Chair Guril, Christopher Starling. I don't have the heights off the top of my head, but they typically range from a minimum of three three or four stories to a maximum of about six.

This is testing my brain a little bit. So the the last time I've seen this many times, and I I get confused sometimes between which iteration and what's what's changed since the last time I saw it. So bear with me while I try to phrase this question. At one point, there were overall goals as part of the master plan for the number of units. Are we still on track to meet the goals set in the master plan for the number of units, even if some of those buildings were to say, drop to three instead of six?

Chair Grell, we're on track generally, but the unit count is decreasing from what I think we originally expected when the plan was stopped in 2017. So I think like at the high end we originally were thinking up to like 3,200 units on the site. And now we're entering the range of closer to like 2,600, 2,800 units. At least that's our goal at this time, just because of everything we don't need to name that's happened in the past ten years.

Yes, that makes sense. And I don't want it to sound critical. I'm a big supporter of the plan overall, and I am excited to see some of the conversations about a little more retail, a little more commercial throughout the site. I know when I had seen the first few versions of it, just because of the state of the world at the time, it felt like a lot more residential to retail. And maybe this is just my memory getting foggy after all of the years. But it does feel like there's a bit more of a mix as you flow down the site, I'm excited about that. Other questions for either? Commissioner Holtz.

Just one quick comment. I do appreciate updates like these on projects that we have touched in the past. Hearing this kind of stuff once in a while is I think important and gives us a good perspective on how things turned out from what we thought they were going to be.

Yes, thank you. I had two more questions, but I really don't think they're pertinent to the two of you. I think they're Parks' questions, so I'll save those for a different date and time. Alright, if there's no other questions, thank you so much for your time, guys. Alright, that was the only item under new business. So if folks are comfortable with it, we'll switch back up to the public hearing for the salt storage ordinance. Is there a presentation from staff as part of this, or comments from staff before we would go through the process of reading the rules and opening the hearing.

Chair, thank you. Josh Williams, PD. I was told that the computer wasn't working. It looks like it's on. Okay. I don't know if Sam had a chance to load the presentation.

I don't have. I never got one.

Okay. Well,

oh, well, thank you, Bill, for stepping in. I apologize. I learned this morning that my wife also had an early meeting, and we were did not coordinate, so apologies for that. This presentation is largely similar to what I presented before. I think for purposes of time, I will just skip ahead here.

This is the original presentation, Short version. So the city has what is called an MS4 Metropolitan or excuse me, Municipal Separated Storm and Sanitary Sewer Permit that is pursuant to the Clean Water Act issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. As part of the most recent permit, it's renewed roughly on the same schedule as the comprehensive plan. That permit now requires salt storage language, which essentially gets to we use salt on roads in the winter for deicing, and it relates to the storage, hence salt storage, to ensure that there's not extra chloride getting into the local water supply. So the language that was proposed, which I believe you've all seen, is based on that requirement and a model ordinance from the pollution control agency.

It's kinda something we have to do. So it's not it wasn't staff driven, for example. It was really it's a requirement of that permit and again the language is based on what is required by the pollution control agency. So the question before you today is whether or not to advance that language to the city council for action and and a recommendation.

After after the public hearing. Correct?

Following, yes, the public hearing today. Awesome. Which I know I received one potential question on. I do not believe that individual is here to comment after I discuss the language with her, but yes, following a public hearing.

Alright, are there any questions before we begin the public hearing from commissioners? Okay, seeing no questions, I'll start reading the language and we'll start the public hearing. Thank you.

Thank you.

So, I'm gonna read the following rules and procedures for the public hearing. Today, city of St. Paul Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the regulation of salt storage pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act. Notice of the public hearing was published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Monday, 04/20/2026, and was sent to the early notification system list of recipients and other interested parties. The following rules and procedures will be used in conducting the hearing. Speakers should state their name and address for the record before beginning their testimony. Speakers are requested to limit their remarks to three minutes. Please relate your comments to the salt ordinance text. Each speaker may speak only once.

And speakers are requested to address all questions to me, the chair. Planning commission members may address questions to the speakers and to the staff. At the conclusion of the public hearing, I will ask three times if there are any persons present who wish to be heard. There being no further testimony, there will be a motion that the hearing be closed and take it under advisement by the planning commission. Alright, with that, we'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on this item? Is there anyone here to testify on this item? Is there anyone here to testify on this item? Alright, seeing none, I'll take a motion.

So move. To close the public hearing.

Okay, Commissioner O'Reilly has made a motion to close the public hearing. So the motion would be that the hearing is closed and taken under advisement by the Planning Commission. And then we can do a second motion for moving it. Is that the, yeah, okay. So Commissioner O'Reilly made a motion to close the public hearing, is there a second for

that? Second.

Seconded by Commissioner Styling. Is there any discussion on closing the public hearing? Alright, seeing none, we'll move forward with a vote. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Any abstentions? Alright. And then, is there any discussion on the public hearing or any items before we would move forward with a final motion? Okay, seeing none.

Is there a motion for moving this item?

Council adoption of the salt storage ordinance text amendments contained in the salt storage ordinance study dated 05/01/2026.

Is there a second for that?

Second.

Seconded Seconded by Commissioner Martinson. Is there a discussion on this item? Commissioner Martinson.

I have a question for staff. Is staff able to tell us whether the city is in compliance with the language and its practices and its infrastructure currently? Or will there be changes that we'll have to follow once the language is incorporated into the ordinance? Thank

you, Commissioner, to the Chair. I believe so. I did speak with a member of public works staff recently about this. There have been some issues in the past, I will say with salt storage that they have corrected, ensuring that salt storage, does occur inside a building so it's not subject to rain and so forth. But the indications I got were that the city is in compliance with the proposed ordinance language.

I would also add Commissioner Reilly had previously raised the question of Ramsey County and MnDOT both have responsibilities for roadways in the city of St. Paul. They actually have their own MS4 permits, which is kind of the action item here. Sorry, let me rephrase that. That's what this ordinance language is attached to is that permit.

So they have their own responsibilities for managing their salt storage, so the ordinance does not apply to them directly, but they are responsible for essentially the same things that the ordinance calls for in terms of management of that SALT.

Thank you.

Any other questions or discussion on the item? Alright, seeing no hands. So we have the motion, that was motion by Commissioner Holt, second by Martinson, to move this item forward. We can move forward with a vote. All those in favor?

Aye.

All those opposed? Any abstentions? All right, the item passes. So that was, we're in the public hearing section. That was number three, we've completed that. Just as a note for folks, there was a change there in the language, so we used to be leaving the public hearings open. So if you're hearing some pauses with us, we're sort of reverting to the language that's in this document in our agenda. So if we're a little halting today, we're all just learning the new process. We have nothing for old business, and we completed item four new business, which was that informational presentation. Next up then would be the site plan review.

There was a meeting on April 28 of the site committee, plan and there were two items, 2450 Childs Road, in addition, fourth incinerator solids management building, and then 966 Mississippi River Boulevard South, New construction, Highland Bridge Row Homes, eighth edition. So those two items were on there, and then the May 5 meeting of the site plan review committee is canceled. Their next scheduled meeting will be May 12. And that is it for site plan review. And then next up is announcements.

You all are probably sick of this announcement from me, but I will be on vacation starting this evening through the end of the day on the fifteenth. So, Commissioner Starling has graciously agreed to chair the meeting, and I will be out of cell phone connection for most of that time. So, as of today, you won't see or hear from me for a few weeks. And, I'm sure everyone will enjoy a little break. And then, next up is announcements from the planning director.

Nothing, thanks chair, nothing too crazy. Just wanted to say, looks like we'll have a few items for the May 15 meeting and I'll coordinate with Commissioner Starling to make sure that you've got what you need. But I don't think it'll be anything crazy.

I will hold you to that.

Thank you. And then with announcements, we are adjourned.