Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Saint Paul public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
11 issues in zoning with medium priority
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.