HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026/05/06 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - Planning Commission - Regular Planning commission study session meeting
May 6, 2026
6:00 p.m.
If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call Laura Chamberlain at 952.924.2573
or the administration department at 952.924.2505.
Planning commission study session
The St. Louis Park planning commission is meeting in person at St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005
Minnetonka Blvd. Members of the public can attend and watch the meeting in person.
Visit bit.ly/slppcagendas to view the agenda and reports.
Agenda
Discussion items
1. Arrive + Thrive implementation tracker
Written reports
2. Summary of zoning code items identified by planning commissioners
Future scheduled meeting/event dates:
May 20, 2026 – planning commission regular meeting
June 3, 2026 – planning commission regular meeting
June 17, 2026 – planning commission regular meeting
July 1, 2026 – planning commission regular meeting
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Planning commission: Study session
Meeting date: May 6, 2026
Agenda item: 1.
1. Arrive + Thrive implementation tracker
Recommended action: No action is being requested.
Policy consideration: There is no policy consideration at this time.
Summary: The city underwent a two-year planning effort from 2023-2025 that resulted in the
Arrive + Thrive gateway plans. These plans established guidance for the future of the three
METRO Green Line Extension light rail stations: Beltline Boulevard, Wooddale Avenue, and
Louisiana Avenue, and the commercial corridor of Excelsior Boulevard west of Highway 100.
Collectively, these areas made up the “gateways” analyzed in the Arrive + Thrive plan. These
gateway plans provided an opportunity to further the vision of these areas while utilizing the
city’s strategic priorities as a planning framework. The project set out to not only create a
planning document, but to emphasize implementation and track progress and successes.
The city council approved the Arrive + Thrive gateway plans on Aug. 4, 2025. Since then, city
staff have been creating an online interactive dashboard to allow staff and the public to track
progress on implementing the actions laid out in the gateway plans. A draft version of the
online tracker is ready for testing. The planning commission is asked to explore the online
tracker before the study session and identify areas that can be refined or made clearer before
it’s fully published.
The tracker is found at this link. Currently, only the Beltline Gateway has information
populated.
Supporting documents: Links to the chapters of the Arrive + Thrive plan, printed copies can be
requested at City Hall:
Chapter 1 - Arrive + Thrive Framework
Chapter 2 - Beltline Gateway Plan
Chapter 3 - Wooddale Gateway Plan
Chapter 4 - Louisiana Gateway Plan
Chapter 5 - West Excelsior Gateway Plan
Chapter 6 - Impact Analysis
Chapter 7 - Implementation
Prepared by: Laura Chamberlain, senior planner
Reviewed by: Jennifer Monson, planning & economic development manager
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Planning commission: Study session
Meeting date: May 6, 2026
Agenda item: 2.
2. Summary of zoning code items identified by planning commissioners
Summary: At the April 8, 2026 study session, the planning commission discussed the draft the
principal and accessory use table taken from Article VII-Use Specific Standards and Article VIII-
Development Standards. During the discussion, commissioners identified a number of elements
within the code in need of updating. Some of the changes were straight-forward and can be
incorporated within phase 2 of the zoning code update (ZCU-2); others were elements that
need more research and discussion, including items related to parking minimums which the
commission will undertake later this year. Staff were asked to summarize the changes and
identify which elements would be addressed during ZCU-2, what elements would be covered
during the parking study and what elements would be covered during phase 3 of the zoning
code update.
Items to be addressed within ZCU- 2
Principal Use and Accessory Use tables
o Add a brief note at the table’s heading to distinguish the principal use table and
accessory use table
Article VIII. Division 1. Performance Standards
o Add a purpose section to be consistent with the other divisions
o Determine if term “Performance Standards” is correct for this division
Sec. 36-223(c) add “unless otherwise approved by the city engineer” to the sentence to
allow for no sidewalk if engineering doesn’t want one installed
Sec. 36-222 – change “adequately consider” to “prioritize”
Sec. 36-224 – replace “hardcover” with “impervious surface” for consistency
Sec. 36-227(a)(2) – update the date to when ZCU Phase 2 is adopted
Sec. 36-235(b)(4) – require accessibility via ramps / curb cuts
Sec. 36-240(c)(8-10) – add actual minimum requirements to these sections. Make sure
we have definitions for each
Items to be looked at via parking study
In-vehicle services: require drive-throughs to accommodate/serve bicycle users?
Purpose statement of Division 3 – conflict in purpose to “prevent congestion” since
parking induces demand and can cause congestion
Maximums for all parking requirements in all districts (except for Parks district)
Standards that accommodate e-bikes and cargo bikes: short term and long term
Expand reductions to parking minimums
o Converting existing parking space(s) to bicycle parking spaces
o Increase the transit reductions
o Based on proximity to bikeways or trails
Items to be addressed in ZCU Phase 3
Sec. 36-225(e) – Make this subsection be stronger / more prominent.
o Make sure there are definitions / illustrations showing what qualifies as a
“pedestrian way” and “driveway crossing”
Prepared by: Laura Chamberlain, senior planner
Reviewed by: Jennifer Monson, planning & economic development manager
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