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Commission approves community center CUP at historic church on 41st Ave S with conditions
Summary
The commission approved a conditional use permit to convert a former church at 3148 41st Ave S into a nonprofit‑operated community center, with staff finding the required conditions met and a requirement to record the approval with Hennepin County; residents raised parking, maintenance, outreach and nonprofit capacity concerns.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously Dec. 8 to approve a conditional use permit allowing a community center at the existing religious/institutional building at 3148 41st Avenue South.
City planner Aspen presented the application and told commissioners the building — a Gothic‑revival church with a rear addition in place for nearly a century — would change use from religious/institutional to a community center operated by a nonprofit. Aspen said the six findings for a CUP were met and staff recommended approval subject to recording the action with Hennepin County. Proposed exterior work is limited to an ADA lift and installation of a bicycle rack; a commercial kitchen upgrade was noted in the application.
Ali Gashan, the nonprofit's executive director, described the organization's existing Saint Paul operations and said typical gatherings would be small ("25, 30 people usually"), adding the organization conducts ADR and family‑support programming.
Several Cooper neighborhood residents urged the commission to require stronger operational details and mitigation. Sylvia Gonzalez and others asked for parking mitigation or resident permits, citing increased traffic and past property maintenance problems — Gonzalez said the owner had been fined roughly $15,000 for failing to maintain sidewalks and remove rubbish. Nancy Chu asked for verifiable nonprofit credentials (EIN, Form 990) and questioned the capacity of the named organization to deliver the wide range of promised services.
Staff and commissioners noted that the staff report includes six conditions and that city processes exist to report property maintenance issues. Chair Meyer said the CUP process has limited discretion when findings are met but that conditions can address operational concerns. Commissioner Conley emphasized the importance of community partnership and encouraged neighborhood engagement.
Commissioner Shepherd moved approval; the motion passed on a roll call vote of 6–0. The commission approved the community center CUP with the staff‑recommended conditions, and the applicant was urged to address maintenance and neighborhood outreach going forward.
The permit will be recorded with Hennepin County as required in the staff recommendation; commissioners said residents may use city reporting pathways for maintenance concerns.
