White Bear Lake City Council approves PUD amendment to add 35 parking stalls at Weber Street property

The White Bear Lake City Council voted to approve a planned-unit-development (PUD) amendment and an accompanying zoning ordinance to allow a 35-stall expansion of an existing parking lot on properties along Weber Street.

Planning staff presented the proposal, saying the site was constructed in 1956, expanded in 2012, and that two adjacent lots were purchased in 2024 to accommodate the additional stalls. Staff told the council the comprehensive plan designates the property as public/semi-public and that the PUD amendment is necessary to authorize the proposed changes. "Staff is recommending approval of this item," the presenter said.

The staff presentation identified specific code deviations the PUD would authorize: a zero-foot setback along Weber Street to permit the lot to extend westward; one portion of the lot would contain 13 stalls without an internal parking-island where the code's downtown standard generally requires one island per 10 spaces; and one proposed island would be 7 feet wide where code calls for an 8-foot minimum. Staff said the nonconforming stalls are located nearest the building and that the overall design includes perimeter landscaping and additional on-site green space and stormwater ponding to the west of the site.

Council Member Gorilla asked why the code requires an island for every 10 spaces rather than every 13. Mr. Lindal, the planning staff presenter, said the downtown-focused zoning update intentionally added islands to increase tree canopy and reduce heat effects in large parking areas, and that the applicant had largely fit the standards with limited deviations.

The council moved to adopt a resolution approving the PUD amendment for the properties listed as 1854/1900 Weber Street; the motion passed. The council then moved to adopt the ordinance applying an R-3 traditional residential zoning classification with a PUD overlay to the same property; that motion also passed. The transcript records the motions, seconds and votes but does not identify the names of the mover or seconder, nor does it provide a roll-call tally in the public record.

Planning staff told the council there was no public comment at the planning commission hearing and that the planning commission had recommended approval. After the votes, council members thanked the presenter and proceeded to other business. The council then heard routine communications from the city manager and adjourned.