Saint Cloud planning panel splits 2-2 after crowded hearing on future land use update

The City of Saint Cloud Planning Commission heard a lengthy public hearing on a multi-year update to the citys future land use map on the evening of the commission meeting in summer 2025; commissioners split 2-2 on a recommendation after hours of testimony from residents and detailed explanation from staff and a consultant.

Consultant Jared Jones, hired to help the city produce the future land use element, told the commission the update responds to rapid regional growth and projections showing demand for more than 17,000 housing units by 2045. Jones said staff revised several proposed commercial designations after public feedback and corrected a map-coloring error that had incorrectly shown medium-density where low-density was intended. "We changed it back not to LDR but to MDR, and that was a mistake," he said, adding, "I do apologize…