Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Saint Paul public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
22 issues in zoning
1201 Rice Street rezone
Rice Holding Co LLC is seeking to rezone 1201 Rice Street from traditional neighborhood to general business district — first reading only, with a final vote ahead.
Snelling-University Commercial Development District liquor licenses
The council is creating a special commercial district around Snelling and University that would allow seven on-sale liquor licenses beyond the normal citywide limits, spread across four quadrants of the intersection. The hearing was continued to October 14, so the outcome isn't final yet.
Goodrich Avenue zoning appeal
A resident challenged a Board of Zoning Appeals ruling on a building permit at 2094 Goodrich Avenue; the Council denied the appeal, letting the permit approval stand.
Fence variance at 775 Edmund Avenue
A denied fence variance was appealed and is now recommended for approval at 1.5 feet over the limit, for a total height of 8.5 feet.
Street Co-Naming Procedures
The city is considering a formal set of standard operating procedures for honorary street co-namings and reviewing how street naming currently works under Sec. 73.04. This affects how residents and organizations can propose honoring individuals on city streets.
Supportive housing variance denials (Sherburne and Farrington)
The council finalized denials of two appeals seeking zoning variances for supportive housing facilities — 24 residents at 418 Sherburne Avenue and 11 residents at 519 Farrington Street. Both had been rejected by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Supportive housing variances denied
Two appeals tried to overturn zoning board denials of supportive housing facilities — 24 residents at 418 Sherburne Ave and 11 at 519 Farrington St. The council denied both appeals unanimously, so neither facility can proceed under those variances.
Release of 4(d) affordable housing covenant at 556 Gotzian Street
The board freed a Ward 7 property from its 4(d) affordable housing covenant restrictions. That means the property is no longer bound by affordability requirements going forward.
213 Bates Avenue rezoning
AuMer Development Group wants to rezone 213 Bates Avenue from residential to traditional neighborhood. It cleared first reading; the final vote is scheduled for June 10.
Green roof lot coverage fix
Final adoption of a scrivener's-error fix that lets projects add lot coverage when they provide functional green roof space.
Temporary T-Mobile cell tower near Pilgrim Baptist Church
A 76-foot monopole with temporary cell antennas goes up at 732 Central Avenue West for one year, after a nearby tower was decommissioned and left a coverage gap in Frogtown and Summit-University — including E911 service. One neighbor raised health, property value, and visual concerns; the council sided with restoring connectivity.
Cell tower antennas at 732 Central Avenue West
An interim use permit allows temporary cellular antennas on a 76-foot monopole after a public hearing where two people testified.
Definition of Rooming House
The city's moratorium study proposes capping sober houses at 10 residents, replacing automatic reasonable-accommodation approvals with a registration system, and keeping current separation distances (330 ft for sober houses, 1,320 ft for supportive housing). Residents near corridors like University Avenue and West 7th, where conversion demand clusters, could see the most impact.
Downtown 2050 plan and 2050 comprehensive plan update
The city is starting its once-a-decade comprehensive plan update, with downtown prioritized first — including new zoning recommendations aimed at fixing downtown's lack of street-level retail-ready buildings. A $250,000 consultant contract is being finalized, with draft policies due in spring 2027.
Business Sign Zoning Code Study
The council launched a study of the city's rules for business signs — changes could eventually affect what signage local shops can put up.
Rental application fee repeal
The council gave final approval to banning rental application fees, so renters applying for apartments in Saint Paul won't pay those upfront costs anymore.
Pre-eviction notice period extended to 60 days
Renters now get 60 days' notice before eviction instead of 30, at least temporarily, in response to Operation Metro Surge's displacement of immigrant families. The council rejected exempting Public Housing Agency properties, arguing no landlord should be carved out of tenant protections.
Drive-through and zoning study
After nearly two years, the drive-through zoning study returns February 18. The Planning Commission wants to ban new restaurant and coffee-shop drive-throughs, but council members are split — citing small businesses, parents, residents with disabilities, late-night food access, and ward-level safety realities.
Drive-through regulations, Version 2
The revised drive-through ordinance drops any ban and instead requires bigger buffers around homes and transit, larger stacking lanes, and walk-up window standards. The public hearing continues next week before final adoption.
10-foot fence variance at Phalen Boulevard
The state wants a 10-foot security fence around the BCA headquarters at Maryland and Phalen; the zoning board deadlocked, and the council's decision is laid over to February 18.
Baillon Company rezone at 500 Broadway
Four light-industrial parcels were rezoned to central business-district zoning, clearing the way for the 500 Broadway redevelopment.
Strengthening the Saint Paul Separation Ordinance
The city's 2004 separation ordinance limits how city employees interact with federal immigration enforcement, and a rewrite is underway. Draft language exists and is being vetted by the city attorney and mayor's office, with a first reading planned at a regular council meeting. Councilmembers are divided between moving fast and getting the legal footing right.