Commission approves restriping to add parking at 401 Royalston with tree‑island condition

The Minneapolis Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and variances that allow the property at 401 Royalston Avenue North to increase on‑site parking from 70 stalls to 80 by restriping existing pavement rather than adding new impervious area.

City planning staff explained the site covers roughly 92,000 square feet and includes an elevated western area separated by about a 10‑foot retaining wall. The site was previously used for industrial and truck parking and retains nonconforming rights from when it was zoned I‑2; the property was rezoned as DT‑1 with a downtown parking overlay as part of a 2023 rezoning study. Staff said converting truck‑oriented parking to passenger‑vehicle parking produces a more efficient layout; that reconfiguration is what will yield the additional 10 spaces.

Staff recommended approval with conditions intended to reduce urban heat-island effects. The conditions require adding tree islands so that no parking space is more than 50 feet from an on‑site deciduous tree; staff said the west parking area can accommodate the required islands. The staff report noted that the change would not expand paved area and would not alter existing utilities or access.

At the hearing the applicant represented by Chris and Andrew Cunningham requested flexibility on the tree‑island requirement, saying the islands would cost approximately $30,000 and that adding them would reduce the net new spaces to six. The applicant asked whether the islands could be delayed or phased; staff and commissioners indicated the city’s condition aims to balance added parking with landscaping to mitigate heat island effects.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit and the variances as conditioned (9–0). The applicant must complete the site-plan items, including the tree and landscaping work, as part of permitting.