[I. CALL TO ORDER]
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COMMISSIONER. VICE CHAIR DEFINITELY CAN. COMMISSIONER HOFFMAN, COMMISSIONER SWANSON HERE. VICE CHAIR STEINWALL HERE. COMMISSIONER NORTH HERE. THANK YOU. AND THEN WE HAVE CHAIR DYBVIG, COMMISSIONER TOMAS JIMÉNEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER ODEBRECHT ABSENT AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. SINCE THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MINUTES TO APPROVE. AND NOW THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE OPEN FORUM. BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE
[1. Case No. CD2026-017: Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment for Curve Crest Boulevard from RDP to HMU to satisfy Metropolitan Council affordable housing requirements – (Staff Reviewer: Jason Zimmerman, 651-430-8821, jzimmerman@stillwatermn.gov)]
AND NOR DO WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA. SO THIS BRINGS US TO THIS AFTERNOON'S BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CASE NUMBER CD 2026 017. MR. ZIMMERMAN, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL MAKING THE EFFORT TO BE HERE FOR THIS MEETING. THAT'S NOT OUR USUAL TIME. IT SHOULD BE FAIRLY QUICK. WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A COMP PLAN AMENDMENT. IT'S AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR FOR SIX PARCELS. IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU MIGHT ASK WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. THERE'S NO PROJECT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.IT TYPICALLY IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE AMENDING THAT LAND USE PLAN. IN THIS CASE, WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT MAKING THIS CHANGE BECAUSE STAFF HAS BEEN MOVING FORWARD, APPLYING FOR A METROPOLITAN COUNCIL GRANT TO HELP FUND SOME OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WORK. AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE IS YOU HAVE TO MEET ALL THEIR STANDARDS AROUND PROVIDING THE RIGHT HOUSING DENSITIES TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND AT SOME POINT BETWEEN WHEN OUR LAST PLAN WAS APPROVED AND NOW, WHETHER IT WAS DUE TO ANNEXATIONS OR OTHER CHANGES, STAFF AT MET COUNCIL ALERTED US TO THE FACT WE ARE 15 UNITS SHORT, AND THAT IS NOT IN TERMS OF UNITS THAT ARE BUILT, BUT IN TERMS OF OUR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE 15 MORE UNITS. AND THEY DO THAT BY HOW MUCH LAND YOU HAVE GUIDED AT A MINIMUM DENSITY OF 12 UNITS AN ACRE. SO AT SOME POINT WE FELL SHORT. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE QUITE ENOUGH LAND GUIDED AT THAT DENSITY. AND THEY SAID IT'S A VERY EASY FIX. YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO THINGS. YOU CAN EITHER UP YOUR MINIMUM DENSITY ON LAND THAT'S ALREADY GUIDED TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL. SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR HIGHWAY MIXED USE HAS A MINIMUM 12 UNITS AN ACRE. YOU COULD UP THAT TO 13 UNITS AN ACRE OR 14 UNITS AN ACRE, BUT THAT WOULD APPLY ACROSS THE WHOLE SECTION OF THE CITY THAT IS GUIDED THAT WAY. OR YOU COULD FIND A FEW PARCELS THAT AREN'T THAT DON'T ALLOW RESIDENTIAL, AND WE GUIDE THEM TO A DESIGNATION THAT WOULD ALLOW RESIDENTIAL AT THAT MINIMUM ACREAGE. WE LOOKED AT BOTH. THE FIRST OPTION IMPACTS MANY MORE PROPERTIES ACROSS THAT WHOLE SOUTHERN SWATH OF THE CITY. AND THEN WE NOTICED THAT THERE'S THIS SMALL SECTION OF SIX PARCELS JUST OFF CURVE CREST, WHICH ARE KIND OF ON AN ISLAND UNTO THEMSELVES. THIS IS PROPERTY THAT IS GUIDED FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PARK ALONG WITH THE HOSPITAL. THAT IS A EQUIVALENT TO A ZONING DISTRICT WE'RE PLANNING TO GET RID OF AS WE UPDATE OUR ZONING CHAPTER. AND IT KIND OF FITS NICELY INTO A FEW OTHER ZONING DESIGNATIONS. SO IT'S SOMETHING WE WERE GOING TO BE GETTING RID OF ANYWAY. AND WE THOUGHT AS LONG AS THAT IS SOMETHING WE WERE PLANNING TO ADDRESS IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, MAYBE THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO TO GUIDE THESE, MAKE US ELIGIBLE. AND THE HONEST TRUTH IS WE'LL BE REVISITING THIS IN 5 OR 6 MONTHS ANYWAY. SO WHATEVER WE DO NOW GETS US OVER THAT THRESHOLD AND WE'LL TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT IT IN LIGHT OF THE WHOLE CITY AND IN 5 OR 6 MONTHS. SO WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU IS A PROPOSAL TO TAKE THESE SIX PARCELS. I THINK THERE ARE FOUR BUILDINGS THERE CURRENTLY, THE FUNERAL HOME AND A COUPLE MEDICAL BUILDINGS. THERE ARE TWO KIND OF BUILDING PADS OR SPOTS THAT ARE NOT BUILT ON, AND IT WOULD BE REGARDING THEM FROM THAT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PARK TO HIGHWAY MIXED USE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THAT DESIGNATION JUST TO THE EAST SIDE OF STILLWATER BOULEVARD, KIND OF ACROSS. THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS IS THE USES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE ARE ALL USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THE HIGHWAY MIXED USE GUIDANCE ANYWAY, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS THAT RESIDENTIAL USE, WHICH IS THE MISSING COMPONENT THAT THAT WE DON'T HAVE. AND JUST BASED ON THE ACREAGE AND THE DENSITIES, IF WE REGARDED THESE AND THE MET COUNCIL'S CALCULATIONS, THAT GIVES US THE CAPACITY FOR 18 ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS. WE NEED 15. SO IT'S A NICE WAY TO SAY WE MEET THAT THRESHOLD. AND SO IF WE REGARD THIS, THEN WE'RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THAT GRANT, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY THEN FUND THAT SMALL AREA PLAN FOR THAT WHOLE AREA TO THE WEST. IN TERMS OF OUR STANDARDS, THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC IN CODE ABOUT HOW WE EVALUATE WHETHER A LAND USE CHANGE IS APPROPRIATE OR NOT. I POINTED OUT IN OUR MEMO THE DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE IN THE
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LAND USE PLAN FOR THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PARK, WHICH IS REALLY FOCUSED ON OFFICE, CAMPUS MEDICAL USE AND THE HIGHWAY MIXED USE, WHICH IS A MIX OF EVERYTHING, WHICH INCLUDES THOSE SORTS OF USES, BUT AGAIN, ALSO INCLUDES RESIDENTIAL USES. SO WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING THAT CHANGE, DOES THAT SEEM LIKE IT FITS? AND THE OTHER THING WE DO IS KIND OF LOOK AT THIS SITE WITHIN THE BROADER CONTEXT. AND HERE THIS IS KIND OF A SWING AREA. IT COULD REALLY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOSPITAL AND KIND OF THAT MEDICAL CAMPUS YOU USE TO THE WEST, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE ATTACHED VERY NICELY TO THAT HIGHWAY MIXED USE TO THE EAST. AND SO AS STAFF VIEWED IT, WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS UNREASONABLE TO KIND OF GO WITH THIS, THIS LAND USE CHANGE, WHICH IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH THE AREA, BUT ALSO GETS US OVER THAT THRESHOLD AND MAKES US ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANT. WE DID SEND OUT PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONS NOT ONLY TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WITHIN 350FT, BUT WHENEVER YOU DO A LAND USE CHANGE, IT GOES TO OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OAK PARK HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON COUNTY. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS. BROWNS CREEK DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS. SO AS WE BRING OUR APPLICATION FORWARD AND SUBMIT THIS TO COUNCIL, WE'LL INCLUDE THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL. A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED, JUST LIKE FOR A ZONING CHANGE.I DON'T SEE ANYONE HERE AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE'LL OPEN AND CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN ANY DISCUSSION THAT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WANTS TO HAVE BEFORE WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. THIS WOULD, IN THEORY, BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THIS ALONG QUICKLY TO MAKE OUR APPLICATION DEADLINE, SO I WILL LEAVE IT THERE AND STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. GENTLEMEN, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU DO? YEAH. SO I FORGET THE EXACT HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE MIXED USE. WOULD THIS BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL HEIGHT SO THAT WE CAN GO VERTICAL IN THAT AREA AND PROVIDE FOR FOR ADDITIONAL UNITS? SO SO YES AND NO. ON THE ONE HAND, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE LAND USE GUIDANCE. AND IT KIND OF DESCRIBES ROUGHLY WHAT KIND OF MASSING, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN ACTUAL STANDARDS BECAUSE ALL THE STANDARDS ARE IN OUR ZONING DISTRICTS. AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AT THIS TIME REZONING THESE PARCELS. THAT WOULD PROBABLY COME AFTER WE COMPLETE OUR WHOLE LAND USE PLAN. AND IF IT WERE TO STAY THIS WAY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING IT AT THAT HIGHWAY MIXED USE, I THINK THE CURRENT HIGHWAY MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT ALLOWS UP TO FIVE STOREYS. I THINK THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ZONING DISTRICT CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR.
SO IN THEORY, IT COULD ALLOW FOR AN EXTRA STORY. AS WE REDO OUR ZONING CODE, WE'LL PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT THAT DISTRICT AND SEE IF THAT HEIGHT STILL MAKES SENSE. AND WE MAY DECIDE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE INCREASED OR THERE MAY BE PLACES WHERE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT IS, IT MAKES SENSE. AND WE COULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS STRETCH IN LIGHT OF THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT DECISION NOW, BUT IT KIND OF HINTS AT WHAT WE MAY WANT TO DO WHEN WE REVISIT OUR LAND USE PLAN AND OUR ZONING DISTRICTS. I HAD ONE QUESTION, AND SINCE A CHANGE IN THE COMP PLAN NECESSITATES ULTIMATELY REZONING AND THESE SIX PARCELS, IF I'VE GOT IT RIGHT, ARE ALL FULLY DEVELOPED. NOT ALL FOUR OF THE SIX. FOUR OF THE SIX.
YEAH. OKAY. AND WE ASSUMING THAT WE MADE NO CHANGE TO THE HIGHWAY MIXED USE STANDARDS, WOULD WE THROW ANY OF THESE DEVELOPED AND ALSO ASSUMING THAT WE REZONE IT AS WE SHOULD, RIGHT. DO WE THROW ANY OF THESE EXISTING BUILDINGS OR USES INTO NONCONFORMITY? HAVE WE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT? RIGHT. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK IN DETAIL AT EVERY SINGLE SETBACK.
YOU'D HAVE TO GO INTO THE BUILDING PLANS AND CALCULATE THAT. BUT GENERALLY THE HIGHWAY MIXED USE DISTRICT IS MORE ACCOMMODATING AND HAS KIND OF ALLOWS MORE. SO INSTEAD OF GOING FROM A LESS RESTRICTIVE TO A MORE RESTRICTIVE DISTRICT, WHICH MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS, WE'RE GENERALLY GOING TO A IF WE WOULD REZONE GOING TO A MORE OR A LESS RESTRICTIVE BUT MORE ACCOMMODATING DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS SOME OF THE SETBACKS AND HEIGHTENED THINGS WOULD ALL BE ALLOWED UNDER THIS THIS HIGHWAY MIXED USE AGAIN AS WE GOT FURTHER ALONG AND WE REEVALUATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN SIX MONTHS, WE SAY, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOESN'T FIT. HONESTLY, WE COULD WE COULD ASSIGN A NEW LAND USE THAT MAKES SENSE. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REZONING, BUT THAT POINT WOULD ALREADY KNOW IF WE HAVE THE GRANT OR NOT. AND SO IT BECOMES KIND OF A MOOT POINT. AND WE JUST LOOK AT THEM IN TERMS OF OUR LARGER LAND USE PLAN. SO FOR THE TIME BEING, I THINK IT'S FINE AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS. BUT IF WE DID RUN INTO SOME STICKY QUESTIONS DOWN THE ROAD, WE STILL WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST THAT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? WELL, THEN I BELIEVE WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP AMENDMENT FOR CURVE
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CREST BOULEVARD. SEEING NO ONE, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, DISCUSSION OR MOTION. WE MOTION TO RECOMMEND OR THIS WOULD BE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL. SO MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL. WE APPROVE. K CD 2026 017 THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND. I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION. THANK YOU.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING I, I ANYBODY OPPOSED ANYBODY TOO SHY TO SPEAK. OKAY. ALRIGHT, SO THE SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THIS COMP PLAN AMENDMENT BE APPROVED. ANYTHING FURTHER? NO. THANK YOU. THEN WE'LL ADJOURN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.