Developer presents concept plan for BNSF parcel; council signals cautious support

A developer outlined a conceptual plan on Oct. 20 for a large, multi-phase housing project on land owned by BNSF in the eastern portion of the River’s Edge area, and the City of St. Paul Park council gave preliminary support for the project to proceed to environmental study and preliminary plat stages.

Nate Sparks of WSB, the city’s consultant, said the proposal before the council would contain “just shy of about a thousand units” — a mixture of single-family lots, townhomes and apartment sites — spread across roughly 250 acres. The concept includes about 12 acres of parks and roughly a 5-acre neighborhood commercial site, and would require either a new Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) or a refresh of an earlier AUAR, Sparks said.

“This would be the BNSF property,” Sparks said. “It would be bringing this back into what we had anticipated it being originally and why this was brought into the city in the first place.”

Reid Schultz, representing Tamarack Land Development, said the company is a Minnesota-based developer working with national homebuilders. Schultz said the developer envisions a mix of lot sizes and housing types to meet market demand and to meet the Met Council’s density requirements. He estimated the environmental and engineering review (traffic counts, traffic study, utility feasibility) would take about nine to 12 months and that buildout could span several years, with a market-driven pace that could stretch to roughly a decade for full completion.

“The product types being proposed here are products that are being currently sold in this market,” Schultz said. “We think that these product types would be supported and well received for this community.”

Council members pressed the developer and consultant on several community concerns: reducing overall density where feasible, connecting new roads to existing city streets for circulation and utilities, bedrock and groundwater issues that could affect foundation choices, and whether apartment structures would exceed three stories. Mayor Franke said the city prefers housing over an industrial or rail-yard use on the land but made clear the scale of development will create fiscal and service pressures.

“I would much rather have some nice homes, trails, parks and roads than a railyard,” Mayor Franke said.

Council member questions reflected infrastructure and safety concerns. Council member Conrad asked about slab-on-grade versus basement construction in areas with bedrock and whether the city’s fire department could respond to taller apartment buildings; the developer said building configuration is still under consideration and that the team will work with the city and fire officials as plans progress.

Sparks and council members noted that the Met Council’s current and proposed long-range policies affect minimum density targets. Sparks said the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan targeted about 3 units per acre in parts of the city and that the Met Council’s 2050 guidance could expect higher densities (he cited a 7 units-per-acre figure as a future policy benchmark). That context was part of council discussion about whether to seek higher density in some small areas to meet regional policy while keeping most of the plan lower density.

Council members advised the developer to continue environmental review and preliminary engineering and to include rail crossing and right-of-way discussions with the railroad. Mayor Franke and other council members said they want the developer to prioritize lower density where feasible and to pursue road connections that reduce traffic pressure on neighborhood corridors.

Sparks summarized the council’s message: the consensus was to let the developer proceed with studies and to return with more detailed preliminary plats and environmental analyses. The council took no formal vote on the concept; staff and the developer will return with required studies and formal plat and permitting requests.

Ending: The developer will advance the proposal to the EAW/AUAR and preliminary plat stage, and the city will review traffic and utility studies, Met Council guidance and potential road connections; public hearings and additional council review will follow before any rezoning or final approvals.