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Council approves land-use actions to consolidate lots for Sisters of St. Benedict monastery project
Summary
Council approved three resolutions—future land-use amendment, rezoning and final-plat approval contingent on final plat—for a consolidated 2.53-acre monastery campus after a Planning Commission 5–0 recommendation.
The St. Joseph City Council on Jan. 20 approved three land-use resolutions enabling the Sisters of St. Benedict to consolidate multiple outlots and pursue a new monastery campus.
Planner Nate presented the applications: a future land-use amendment, a zoning classification change and a preliminary plat to consolidate several outlots into one contiguous parcel to accommodate a chapel and living quarters. The Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended approval 5–0.
Council acted on three separate resolutions—2026-005 (future land-use amendment), 2026-006 (zoning change) and 2026-007 (final plat)—each contingent on the final plat approval that staff said will return to council in the coming months as the final formal action. The motions passed on voice votes. "Planning Commission recommended 5 to zero approval on all three land use actions," Nate said before the council votes.
No members of the public spoke against the applications at the Planning Commission hearing, and council discussion was procedural. The approvals move the project into final-plat processing; staff noted that easements identified in staff comments have been addressed in updated plans.
Next steps: staff will bring the final plat to council for formal action once the applicants satisfy final plat requirements, at which point construction and permitting processes would follow.
