City Council ADU Study
For more information, visit st.paul.gov/adu
On February 7, 2018, the City Council passed a resolution initiating a zoning study to consider amending the locational standard for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to include five additional areas of the city—Mounds Park area of Dayton’s Bluff and Planning Districts 1 (Eastview-Conway-Battlecreek-Highwood), 3 (West Side), 7 (Thomas Dale), and 9 (West Seventh). Currently ADUs are only allowed in the area one-half mile from University Avenue between Emerald Street and Lexington Parkway. The Planning Commission directed staff to seek citywide input on potential expansion of ADUs.
Base on public hearing testimony, the Planning Commission forwarded a recommendation on the City Council that included three changes:
- Allow ADUs citywide.
- Eliminate the 5,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size requirement for ADUs located within a principal structure.
- Permit ADUs in the RL zoning district (only located in District 1).
The Planning Commission report from May 24, 2018 can be found at: https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/files/Media%20Root/Planning%20%26%20Economic%20Development/ADU%20ZoningStudyAmendment%20PC%2006-01-18.pdf.
City Council Public Hearing
The City Council held a public hearing on recommended Zoning Code amendments pertaining to the establishment of accessory dwelling unit as a permitted accessory use citywide, eliminating the minimum lot area for ADUs within a principal structure, and permitting ADUs in the RL – one-family large lot residential district.
The hearing was held before the City Council on August 15. The final adoption of the ordinance is to be put to vote on September 12, 2018 (at end of video). You can view the presentation and hear public comments in the video below.
SAPCC ADU Study
At the April 12, 2018 SAPCC Board meeting, Anton Jerves, Senior City Planner of Planning & Economic Development for the City of St. Paul, presented about the potential of a city-wide ADU ordinance. The Council approved an ADU ordinance in 2016 and encouraged the City to revisit the Task Force’s decision. Information about the Task Force and how they came to their decision can be found below.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) became a topic of hot contention in the Twin Cities in 2015. Residents in our community have strong and conflicting feelings about ADUs. In order to bridge the gap, our Land Use Committee created an ad hoc committee on ADUs to study the issue further in September of 2015. The committee was tasked with studying the multitude of opinions on ADUs in the Twin Cities and elsewhere and then present their findings in two public meetings.
On January 14, 2016, the St. Anthony Park Community Council Board of Directors (the Council) unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Proposed Zoning Text Revisions regarding accessory dwelling units (ADUs) along the Green Line.
SAPCC’s Board of Directors weighed the ADU Task Force’s recommendations at their January meeting, passed along to the Board by the Land Use Committee. The Board sent a letter to the City’s Zoning and Planning Commission regarding both the Task Force’s recommendations and the City’s ADU Green Line Corridor Proposal. After an initial letter from the Board went through the Land Use Committee, the Executive Committee revised the letter to better reflect the complex views in our community on ADUs.
Read the February 5, 2016 letter here: SAPCC revised TOD ADU ordinance letter
The 2015-2016 Task Force
On March 16, 2015, the ADU Task Force presented their findings in a public meeting. Below you will find information from the meeting including a summary.
SAP ADU summary powerpoint
The ADU Task Force released a DRAFT recommendation and hosted a meeting to gather public feedback on October 5, 2015 at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Draft recommendation – SAP ADU 8-26-15
SAP ADU Task Force Final Recommendation 11-18-15
SAP ADU presentation 10-5-15 ppt
ADU Summary – General Responses – March 2015
ADU Summary – Design Responses – March 2015
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