St. Cloud zoning board approves variance to allow 18-foot front-yard encroachment at Park Commerce Court

The St. Cloud Board of Adjustment and Appeals on Wednesday approved a request to allow an 18-foot encroachment into the required 35-foot front-yard setback for a building at 1408 Park Commerce Court, an industrial property in the city's I-2 zoning district (BOA2500004). The board voted 4-0 to grant the variance.

Stephanie Streeter, senior planner with St. Cloud Community Development, told the board the site is in an I-2 Industrial Zoning District that requires a 35-foot front setback but that the applicant’s site plan shows only about 17 feet of setback on one portion of the building. Streeter said a roughly 15-foot strip of green space between the cul-de-sac and the property line sits outside the applicant’s parcel and therefore cannot be counted toward the required setback. “Staff is recommending approval of the requested variance from Land Development Code chapter 3 article 7 section 3.7 0.1 point D 0.1,” Streeter said.

Applicant Andrew Mirage, who identified himself as the property owner and as proprietor of Soldier City Fitness and the nonprofit Salute the Fallen, said the business has outgrown its rented space across the street and needs more room. “We’re needing the space because we’re currently outgrowing the space that we’re in right now,” Mirage said.

Richard Clark, a landscape architect with Osseo Engineering appearing for the applicant, described the site plan and noted the building meets the 35-foot setback on other portions of the lot; the encroachment occurs at one corner where the sidewalk and the non-developable green strip meet. Streeter told the board the applicant would have had to request a variance regardless of design because of the lot’s platting around a cul-de-sac; she noted only one other industrial district in the city is platted similarly.

Board members were reminded the decision must be based on the six factors in the land development code (section 1.3 0.2 point D 0.2 point E). Board member David Mendez confirmed he was moving to approve the application on the basis that the six factors were met; a second was recorded. The board then voted in favor; no members voted against or abstained. The record shows three members absent for the vote.

The variance was approved 4-0. Those recorded present and participating in the vote were Vice Chairman Julian Callegardis, Miriam Trace, Courtney Fetzer and David Mendez; Ronald Hood, George Mathis and Jose Belo Marte were recorded absent. The board’s clerk noted the next meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2025, at 6 p.m.

The approval permits the applicant to proceed with the proposed site plan as presented to staff and the board. The file is listed as BOA2500004 in the board’s docket and the staff report and site plan are in the official record.