St. Francis residents press council over scale, TIF and green space at Triangle PUD hearing

Developers updated the St. Francis Common Council and the public on an initial Planned Unit Development (PUD) plan for the Triangle property at a public hearing on Oct. 7, 2025. The presentation described a multi‑building proposal that shifts the luxury tower to the south, pulls buildings back from Lake Drive to create a greenbelt and pedestrian path, locates structured parking at four stories below grade with a raised central green area and proposes retail and a daycare with dedicated parking.

Mayor Tutai opened the hearing and emphasized this was an initial PUD stage for public comment, not a final approval. The development team said unit mixes and final design details are not yet set; the presenters said the next, detailed PUD plans are expected to come forward in December or January for Planning Commission review.

Developer presenters described several design choices intended to reduce street‑edge impacts: ‘‘we’re pulling the buildings back off the street…create a green belt’’ and a central raised plaza the team called the ‘‘theater of life,’’ where steps and terraces could provide seating and small public activities. The scheme shows parking down at -4 feet so the green space reads as a +6‑foot plaza above.

Residents used the public comment period to press for alternatives to more apartments and for clearer financial analysis. ‘‘I used to be able to look out of my front window and see the lake… I don’t know why we need to have two more apartments,’’ said Laura Delane, who lives across from the Triangle, summarizing a common theme during the hearing. Speakers repeatedly urged the council to prioritize retail, a small grocery or other community amenities rather than additional luxury housing.

Several commenters raised financial and timing questions about Tax Increment Financing (TIF/TID). One resident asked how TIF dollars would be allocated and whether the district or the whole city would bear costs; Mayor Tutai and staff said the use of any TIF to support the project would be worked out later in a development agreement and that further public information on TIDs would be made available. The mayor noted that TID maturity is measured from the district start date, not the date money is spent.

Other objections included concerns about traffic, school pickup times and emergency response: speakers asked whether existing road and public‑safety infrastructure could accommodate a 12–13‑story tower, and whether the city has the apparatus and staffing to support taller buildings. One resident asked for more transparency on developer selection, citing multiple company names tied to a single address and urging additional due diligence on contractor experience.

City staff reiterated process steps: detailed PUD plans will supply traffic and stormwater studies and a development agreement will set out any proposed use of tax‑increment financing and project values before council approval. The council did not vote on the PUD tonight.

What’s next: watch for the developers’ detailed PUD submission to the Planning Commission in December or January, when the public will see specific unit mixes, traffic analysis, stormwater plans and the draft development agreement that would explain any proposed TIF contribution.