Council adopts comp plan amendment to keep Geneva Meadows at 60 units

The City of St. Paul Park council on Oct. 20 adopted Resolution 17-58, a comprehensive-plan amendment adjusting the density guidance for the Geneva Meadows subdivision so the development remains at its current 60 units rather than being recalculated to a higher number under Metropolitan Council net acreage rules.

Consultant Nate Sparks of WSB explained the Met Council reviewed the city’s net-to-gross acreage calculations and determined that certain deductions — a railroad right-of-way, a road right-of-way that serves Cottage Grove, a pipeline easement and an unbuildable buffer adjacent to the railroad — cannot all be excluded from the parcel’s net acreage. The Met Council’s position would yield higher allowable units under the city's former assumption; the amendment changes the city’s comp plan guidance for that parcel to 2 units per acre to match the current 60-unit proposal.

“If we make the amendment, it would make the development be the same as what it is,” Sparks said.

Council members said they prefer to preserve the lower unit count for this project rather than allow the developer to add more units to meet the Met Council’s recalculation. Council member Swenson reported the planning commission recommended forwarding the amendment by a 3–1 vote.

The council voted to adopt Resolution 17-58 on a 5-0 vote. Council discussion indicated that the city will use the amendment to maintain the development’s current design and to present a united front in subsequent negotiations with the Met Council as the matter proceeds.

Ending: The amendment allows city staff and the developer to proceed with Met Council negotiations and with subsequent permitting and preliminary plat steps under the updated comp plan guidance; additional follow-up with regional agencies and the planning commission will continue.