Here is the transcript with speaker names added based on the context and dialogue: [0:21] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** WELCOME, EVERYONE. TODAY IS JULY 15TH AND I CALL TO ORDER PLANNING COMMISSION. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER MEYER. AT THIS TIME I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL. [0:43] **(ROLL CALL.)** **City Clerk Staff:** WE HAVE 6 MEMBERS PRESENT. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** LET THE RECORD SHOW, A QUORUM IS PRESENT. NEXT WE'LL PROCEED TO THE MINUTES. WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 24TH, 2024. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE MINUTES? [1:07] **Commissioner:** SO MOVED. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** IS THERE A SECOND. **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OPPOSED? THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED. WE'LL NOW PROCEED TO ORGANIZE THE AGENDA. WE'RE GOING TO SEPARATE ITEMS INTO CONSENT, DISCUSSION, AND CONTINUANCE. SO CONSENT ITEMS ARE ITEMS THAT WILL BE PASSED WITHOUT DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD. SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO JUST SPEAK IN FAVOR OF AN ITEM, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON THOSE LATER ON FOR CONSENT. BUT IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THEN WE'LL PUT THOSE ITEMS ON DISCUSSION. SO THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT ITEMS 4, 5, 6 [1:54] AND 7 BE PUT ON CONSENT AND THAT ITEM 8 WOULD BE CONTINUED TWO CYCLES TO AUGUST 12TH AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE OF A FAMILY EMERGENCY BY THE APPLICANT. SO IT IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE HERE WILL BE HERE FOR NO. 8 WHICH IS ON THE EMERGENCY SHELTER ON LAKE STREET. [2:15] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THAT ITEM WE'LL BE CONTINUING THAT ITEM TO AUGUST 12TH. YOU WILL STILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO IT TODAY IF YOU WANT TO. WITH THAT WE'LL GO OVER OTHER ITEMS TO SEE WHO IS HERE WHO WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE'LL PULL THE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION. [2:37] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THE FIRST IS ITEM NO. 4, 3229 4TH STREET NORTH. IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NO. 4? ITEM NO. 5, COMMEMORATIVE STREET NAME FOR BERNADETTE ANDERSON WAY. IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NO. 5? I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. [3:07] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** NO. 6, 2027 EAST FRANKLIN AVENUE. IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION? OKAY. WE WILL DISCUSS ITEM NO. 6. ITEM NO. 7 IS 3012 EXCELSIOR BOULEVARD. IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM NO. 7? [3:34] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT SEEING ANY SO THAT WILL BE ON CONSENT SO JUST TO REVIEW HOW OUR AGENDA WILL BE SPLIT UP. ITEMS 4, 5 AND 7 WILL BE ON CONSENT. ITEM NO. 8 WILL BE CONTINUED TO AUGUST 12TH. AND ITEM 6 WILL BE DISCUSSED. [3:53] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT AGENDA AS I STATED? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OPPOSED? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. FIRST WE'LL GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, SO I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT. SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEMS 4, 5, OR 7, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THOSE? GREAT, COME UP TO THE PODIUM. TELL US YOUR NAME AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. [4:28] **Andre Simone Anderson:** MY NAME IS ANDRE SIMONE ANDERSON. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU. MY MOTHER IS BERNADETTE ANDERSON. I'M NOT SURE YOU PROBABLY SAW THE PRESENTATION AND I JUST WANTED TO COME AND THANK YOU PERSONALLY AND JUST SORT OF SPEAK A LITTLE BIT -- I GUESS YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION SO YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT HER. SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALIZED COMING IN HERE IS ME SPEAKING -- YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT'S ABOUT HER AND WHAT SHE'S DONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SHE TOUCHED AND I JUST THINK THE RECOGNITION IS JUST A SHOW OF RESPECT, NOT JUST FOR HER, BUT, YOU KNOW -- [5:14] PEOPLE WHO TRY TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES. BUT I ALSO REALIZED I STOOD IN FRONT OF THIS BUILDING AND GOT MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME BUT I WANTED TO JUST THANK YOU. [5:34] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** WOULD ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? **Patricia Anderson:** YES, MY NAME IS PATRICIA ANDERSON AND I'M A DAUGHTER OF BERNADETTE AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED AND PLEASED THAT THIS HAS FINALLY HAPPENED. I THINK IT'S OVERDUE. [5:52] MY MOTHER EMBODIED WHAT THE VILLAGE MENTALITY WAS ABOUT. AND AS A RESULT, A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL HAVE CAREERS AND ARE FLOURISHING AND LOVING THE MINNEAPOLIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE BERNADETTE ANDERSON WAY. [6:10] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** GREAT, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING OUR CONSENT ITEMS, PLEASE SAY AYE. [6:26] **Commissioners:** AYE. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR OUR CONTINUANCE ITEM. SO FOR THAT, THE PRESENTATION WILL BE ON AUGUST 12TH WHEN THE APPLICANT IS HERE AND YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THEN IF YOU WANT TO. [6:49] BUT IF YOU CAME HERE AND WANTED TO SPEAK TO IT TODAY, YOU CAN. SO I WILL -- ACTUALLY, DID WE EVER CLOSE THIS ITEM FROM LAST TIME SO IT'S STILL OPEN? ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK TO ITEM NO. 8? GO AHEAD. YEP, YOU CAN EACH COME UP AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES TO SPEAK. [7:34] **Lawrence Thomas:** GOOD AFTERNOON. SO MY NAME IS LAWRENCE THOMAS I'M ACTUALLY A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER IN THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND I JUST WANTED TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK TO MY COUNCIL PEOPLE SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT MY SPECIFIC COUNCILWOMAN ISN'T HERE TODAY BUT THAT'S OKAY 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND I WANT TO GET IT OUT ALL THE SAME. SO IT'S MY DEAREST BELIEF AND I THINK A LOT OF MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS FEELS THE WAY DESERVE CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS WHETHER THAT'S OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS OR OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND NIGHTLIVERS IN UPTOWN. [8:02] AND SO IN PURSUIT OF THAT HAPPINESS HERE IS WHAT I WANT TO SPEAK TO WITH MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE SHELTER BEING BUILT ON 918 LAKE STREET AND I DELIBERATED WITH MY OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS AND I'M RIGHT ACROSS FROM THAT PROPOSED LOCATION AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE CITY FINDS A GOOD SPOT TO PUT THE SHELTER AND ALSO THAT THEY HEAR ME OUT AND MY THOUGHTS WHY THIS WOULDN'T BE A GOOD SPOT. [8:31] SO OUR UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO RECOVER. HAVING LAKE STREET TO HENNEPIN AS A MAJOR BUSINESS CORNER—YOU HAVE PEOPLE WALKING ALL TIMES OF NIGHT, EXCUSE ME. SAFETY WHETHER PERCEIVED OR ACTUAL IS A BIG PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ECONOMIC VIBRANCE OF THAT STRIP OF LAKE STREET. THAT WOULD BE ONE REASON WHY I'M AGAINST IT. [9:12] THE OTHER REASON IS BECAUSE AS I ALREADY ALLUDED TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND VIABILITY OF LAKE STREET WILL NOT BE WELL SERVED HAVING THE SHELTER HERE AND I HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER PUTTING IT A LITTLE BIT MAYBE WHERE IT WOULDN'T HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR LAKE STREET BUSINESSES. [9:35] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU. AND IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK ON THE 12TH YOU CAN SPEAK AGAIN IF YOU'D LIKE. I JUST WANT TO NOTE THIS IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO WE'RE NOT ON YOUR COUNCIL SO YOUR COUNCIL WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE HERE. SO WITHHOLD YOUR JUDGMENT ON HER. [9:56] **Lawrence Thomas:** THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. [10:34] **Stephanie Swanson:** HI MY NAME IS STEPHANIE SWANSON. I'M ALSO A LAKE STREET BUSINESS OWNER. MY OFFICE IS IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. I PERSONALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT IS THE CORRECT SPACE. WE'RE REALLY AT A POINT AS OWNERS TO REALLY DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO STAY IN UPTOWN OR IF WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE UPTOWN. I'M COMMITTED TO UPTOWN. I GREW UP IN THIS AREA. BUT MY STAFF RIGHT NOW DO NOT FEEL VERY SAFE ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTERTIME WHEN IT GETS DARK AND WE'RE TRIPPING OVER NEEDLES AS IT IS. I THINK IT WOULD GET MORE CONGESTED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED IT WOULD MAKE THAT PERCEIVED SAFETY MORE DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE. IT IS PERCEIVED BY MY CUSTOMERS, BY MY STAFF AND EVEN BY MYSELF THAT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE LEAVING AFTER 6:00 PM. SO I OPPOSE THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I REALLY WISH THERE WAS A BETTER SPOT FOR IT. THANKS. [11:34] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO ITEM NO. 8? GO AHEAD. INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. **Matisse Johnson:** HI MY NAME IS MATISSE JOHNSON I'M THE OWNER OF #FACE. I'M DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE LOCATION THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF. I AM OPPOSED TO IT. I HAVE LIVED IN MINNEAPOLIS MY ENTIRE LIFE. I'M A SMALL BLACK WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS. I OWN A SPA DOING LASH EXTENSIONS. [11:59] MY PRICES RANGE FROM $60 TO $350 AND MY CLIENTELE IS ALL OVER THE BOARD. WE HAVE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO ATTEND MY BUSINESS BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY I HAVE SEEN A HUGE DECREASE IN SERVICE QUANTITY AND MONEY. I'VE JUST SEEN A CHANGE IN NOT ONLY UPTOWN BUT IN MY BUSINESS AND I'M SCARED. AND THE THOUGHT OF MY CLIENTS SITTING IN CHAIRS WHERE WE CONSTANTLY HAVE TO KEEP OUR DOORS LOCKED BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE OFF THE STREET TRYING TO COME IN TO OUR DOOR... I JUST DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE TO SIT AND VIEW WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE COMING OUT OF THIS [12:46] BUILDING OR THIS FACILITY THAT'S TRYING TO BE PUT INTO PLACE. SORRY I'M OUT OF BREATH BECAUSE I JUST WALKED AROUND THE BLOCK 10 TIMES. (LAUGH.) [13:30] AS AN UPTOWN RESIDENT WHO USED TO LIVE TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY BUSINESS I WAS TOO SCARED TO WALK TO WHERE I WORK. SORRY. THANK YOU. [13:49] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** AND IF YOU HAVE MORE TO SAY YOU CAN SPEAK IN AUGUST. ANYONE ELSE? **Joe Hughes:** YES. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OH, GO AHEAD. INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. [14:05] **Joe Hughes:** I'LL BE QUICK. MY NAME IS JOE HUGHES. I BOUGHT THE BUILDING 6 YEARS AGO AND I RENOVATED IT AROUND THE COVID TIME. WE HAD THE RIOTS AND IT'S BEEN A HUGE UPHILL BATTLE. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS AN UNFAMILIAR USE THAT WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO GO THERE. [14:36] THERE'S NOT ANY SIMILAR MEDICAL USES IN THE AREA. IT'S A RETAIL CORRIDOR. A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THAT THE PEOPLE IT'S PROPOSING TO SERVE—WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THE LAST 4 YEARS. AND SO TO PUT THEM RIGHT WITH THESE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN SO IMPACTED, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE RIGHT [15:22] THING TO DO. OF COURSE, WE SUPPORT SUPPORTING PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS BUT RIGHT IN A RETAIL CORRIDOR THAT'S BEEN TOUGH... PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO INVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ANYMORE AND SO THE CITY HAS GOT TO STEP UP AND MAKE SOME BETTER DECISIONS BECAUSE UPTOWN IS NOT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. [15:48] AND IF YOU FOLKS DON'T START MAKING SOME GOOD DECISIONS, IT'S GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE. AND I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO ME. THANK YOU. [16:10] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK TO ITEM NO. 8? GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. **Speaker (Property Manager):** I AM THE PROPERTY MANAGER FOR 917 LAKE. I ONLY RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON ACROSS FROM 917 LAKE. AND JUST GOING INTO UPTOWN DRIVING ON LAKE STREET... A COUPLE YEARS AGO IT WAS GETTING BAD BUT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE NOT EVEN DRIVING INTO UPTOWN. I USED TO ACTUALLY DO VALET A WHILE BACK IN UPTOWN WITH ALL THE BUSINESSES OPENED AND IT WAS JUST LIKE A SAFE PLACE TO GO. YOU COULD SEE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND AND NOW IT JUST [16:57] SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE KIND OF GOING DOWNHILL. I RENT THE APARTMENTS ABOVE THE RETAIL THAT'S RIGHT THERE. IT'S ALREADY DIFFICULT RENTING APARTMENTS 'CAUSE THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET FROM THE PROSPECTS—HEY, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE HERE, LAKE STREET IS ALREADY BAD ENOUGH. [17:21] I DO SUPPORT TRYING TO FIND CARE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. I WORKED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF CARE BUT JUST THE AREA AND WHERE IT'S GOING IS JUST NOT THE RIGHT PLACE. IT'S GOING TO BE CONCERNING FOR THE TENANTS THAT LIVE THERE 'CAUSE THEY WANT A SAFE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN WALK AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS JUST NOT THE RIGHT FIT. SO THANK YOU. [18:06] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ANYONE ELSE FOR ITEM NO. 8? ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CONTINUE ITEM NO. 8 TO AUGUST 12TH? **Commissioner:** SECOND. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING SAY AYE. OPPOSED? THAT IS CONTINUED. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM NO. 6. STAFF IS HILARY DVORAK. [18:53] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** WHOOPS? OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS AN APPLICATION BY THE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD OF MINNEAPOLIS FOR A MEDICAL AND DENTAL CLINIC AT 2027 EAST FRANKLIN AVENUE. THE SITE IS ZONED CM3 COMMUNITY MIXED USE AND IN THE FORM OVERLAY DISTRICT. THE SITE IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF EAST FRANKLIN AVENUE AND 21st AVENUE SOUTH AND THIS SITE IS CURRENTLY VACANT. [19:33] THE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD OF MINNEAPOLIS OWNS SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN THE AREA AS LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT. COLLECTIVELY THESE PROPERTIES MAKE UP THEIR CAMPUS. [20:02] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** SO THE APPLICANTS ARE PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A NEW THREE STORY MEDICAL AND DENTAL CLINIC. THERE IS A MINOR TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT AND THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING ANY PARKING ONSITE AND THAT AMENITY IS 6 POINTS SO THEY [20:49] DO ACHIEVE THE NECESSARY POINTS FOR THAT. THERE ARE THREE APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU: ONE IS A VARIANCE TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM HEIGHT FROM 6 STORIES TO 3. ONE IS A VARIANCE TO REDUCE THE LOADING REQUIREMENT FROM 1 SMALL TO 0. AND THEN SITE PLAN REVIEW. WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF ALL APPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON. [21:23] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** THE SITE IS UNIQUELY SITUATED ALONG EAST FRANKLIN WHICH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A CULTURAL DISTRICT SIGNIFICANT AS AN AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURAL CORRIDOR. [22:08] CHALLENGES DO EXIST IN MEETING THE MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT WHILE PRIORITIZING THE INVESTMENT TOOLS AND PRACTICES THAT CENTERS ARTS AND CULTURES. THE PROPOSED BUILDING DOES MEET THE [22:54] RATIO REQUIREMENT FOR THE SITE. IF THE FOOTPRINT BUILDING WERE TO BE MADE TALLER IT WOULD BE INEFFICIENT FOR USE OF THE SITE AS A CLINIC. [23:10] WE BELIEVE A THREE STORY BUILDING WILL BLEND IN WELL WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. [23:36] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** THIS IS THE SITE PLAN. THEY DO NOT HAVE A PLACE FOR LOADING ON THIS SITE. THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, REQUESTED A LOADING SPACE AND I'VE CONFIRMED WITH PUBLIC WORKS THERE IS PARKING ALONG FRANKLIN AVENUE. THE APPLICANTS WILL REQUEST A LOADING ZONE ON FRANKLIN AVENUE. [24:09] THERE'S A FEE FOR THAT AND THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY THAT. AS YOU CAN SEE THE SITE IS SURROUNDED BY TWO STREETS. THERE'S HOUSING OR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH AND AN ALLEY TO THE WEST. [24:26] WE WOULDN'T WANT THE LOADING ON THE BUILDING AND TWO STREET FACING SIDES AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT APPLICATION. [24:55] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** THERE ARE TWO AREAS NEEDED FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE. ONE IS FOR THE ENTRANCE. TECHNICALLY THE ZONING CODE REQUIRES THE FRONT ENTRANCE ON 21ST, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE FRANKLIN AVENUE CULTURAL DISTRICT THEY HAVE OPTED TO PUT THE ENTRANCE THERE. [25:22] AND THE LAST ITEM THAT THEY NEED ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE IS FOR LANDSCAPING. THEY ARE PLANTING THREE CANOPY TREES BETWEEN THE PROPERTY LINE AND THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. [26:24] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE PROCEED FOR PUBLIC HEARING? I'M NOT SEEING ANY. SO I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK? **(APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE OFF-MIC):** WE WILL YIELD OUR TIME FOR LATER. [27:02] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** SURE, GREAT. YOU CAN GO AHEAD. INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. **Liz Woods:** HI MY NAME IS LIZ WOODS AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE 21st STREET ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY. AND WE'RE HERE TO DISPUTE THE PARKING VARIANCE. THIS IS A BIG BUILDING THAT HAS 30 TO 50 PEOPLE WORKING IN IT AND THERE'S NOT SIGNIFICANT PARKING AVAILABLE ON 21st AVENUE OR FRANKLIN AVENUE. [27:42] FRANKLIN AVENUE HAS BUSES AND A BIKE LANE. 21st AVENUE HAS 3 BIG APARTMENT BUILDINGS. WE SUPPORT THE BUILDING BUT WE HAVE THAT VARIANCE THAT WE'D LIKE TO DISPUTE. THAT'S OUR BIGGEST DISPUTE. [28:18] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO ITEM NO. 6? ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NO. 6. COMMISSIONERS, ANY DISCUSSION? **Commissioner:** (OFF-MIC) **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON, PLEASE. **Commissioner:** I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE PARKING AND THE RATIONALE BEHIND NOT HAVING ANY PARKING? [29:01] **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY PARKING FOR ANY USE FOR ANYWHERE IN THE CITY SO THEY ARE MEETING THEIR PARKING REQUIREMENT BECAUSE THE MINIMUM IS ZERO. SO THEY'RE NOT SEEKING A VARIANCE FOR PARKING, THEY'RE SEEKING A VARIANCE FOR THE LOADING SPACE. **Commissioner:** THANK YOU. **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** YOU'RE WELCOME. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** COMMISSIONER WAGNER? [29:26] **Commissioner Wagner:** HILARY, I WAS READING THIS THIS AFTERNOON AND JUST FOR KNOWLEDGE HERE BUT ALSO FOR FUTURE PROJECTS COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL WHAT ABOUT THIS SITE MAKES THE LOADING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT? **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** SURE. IN THIS SITUATION WE WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THE LOADING SPACES BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE STREET. TO THE SOUTH THERE'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SO PUTTING THE LOADING ON THAT SIDE WOULD PUT IT NEXT TO THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. [29:54] THEY DO OWN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE PUBLIC ALLEY BUT THEY CAN'T LOAD FROM THERE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CROSS PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAYS WITH GOODS WHEN DELIVERING. SO THEY'VE REQUESTED TO PUT THE LOADING ON THE STREET. [30:23] **Commissioner Wagner:** THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. **Hilary Dvorak (Staff):** YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER OLSON. [30:42] **Commissioner Olson:** THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE REVISIONS THAT HAPPENED AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS IS BACK. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEMS A, B AND C AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF. [31:05] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** IS THERE A SECOND? MORE DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST ADD A FEW COMMENTS OF MY OWN. FIRST, YOU KNOW, AS HILARY SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARKING REQUIREMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS ANYMORE AS OF 2021 SO THERE IS NO VARIANCE REQUIRED FOR THE PARKING. THE VARIANCE IS FOR THE LOADING AND THAT WAS IT. [31:35] AND, YOU KNOW, WE ACTIVELY TRY TO INCENTIVIZE BUILDERS TO BUILD LESS PARKING FOR REDUCING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED FOR THE CITY. THE BIG THING THAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR WAS THEIR REQUEST TO REDUCE THEIR HEIGHT FROM 6 STORIES TO THREE STORIES. I WAS SKEPTICAL AT THE COMMITTEE BUT I'M PERSUADED BY THE STAFF'S ARGUMENT AROUND THE CULTURAL DISTRICT CREATING A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY. SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION. [32:32] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** WITH THAT IS THERE ANY FINAL DISCUSSION BEFORE WE PROCEED TO A VOTE? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER OLSON'S MOTION, SAY AYE. **Commissioners:** AYE. **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? **Commissioner:** ABSTAIN. [32:52] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WITH ONE ABSTENTION, THAT IS ADOPTED. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR THE DAY. OUR NEXT PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING IS THE 29TH. AND WE HAVE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE THIS THURSDAY. ARE THERE ANY UPDATES FROM STAFF OR COMMISSIONERS? [33:13] **Casey Carl (City Clerk):** YEAH. WE HAD TWO APPLICATIONS FROM OUR JUNE MEETING THAT HAD BEEN APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE BIZ COMMITTEE MEETING WAS LAST WEEK AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY THE PERMIT TO INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF THE LIGHTS. THE APPEAL WAS DENIED BUT TWO CONDITIONS WERE ADDED—ONE THAT RESTRICTS THE USE OF THE LIGHTS TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ONLY AND THE SECOND ONE WAS AROUND HOURS OF OPERATION LIMITING THE HOURS OF LIGHT TO 9:30 PM. [34:21] THAT GOES TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK. THE CHASE BANK APPEAL GOT CONTINUED ONE CYCLE AND I'LL REPORT BACK ON THAT ONE AFTER IT HAPPENS. [34:39] **Christopher Meyer (Chair):** THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE ARE ADJOURNED.