St. Paul poised to eliminate minimum parking rule for developers

The St. Paul City Council is poised to overturn a rule that requires developers to include parking spaces when constructing new commercial or residential buildings.

The decision would make the city one of few in the United States to completely eliminate minimum parking requirements. The council will vote on the proposed change next week, on the heels of a similar move in Minneapolis, which abandoned parking minimums in May.

St. Paul's current laws require developers to provide a certain number of off-street parking spots, depending on the size and purpose of the building. If the proposed ordinance passes, developers could still choose to build parking.

At Wednesday's council meeting, Council Member Mitra Jalali referenced the report published Monday by the U.N.-appointed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which raises alarms about the dire impacts of global warming — some of which could be mitigated depending how much carbon emissions are cut, scientists said.

"This is something our local government can do" to help that effort, Jalali said.

Dozens of residents left voice mails and sent e-mails to the council urging members to support the measure. Many said it would be good for the environment and a step toward St. Paul's stated goals of reducing vehicle miles traveled by 40% by 2040 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Others said the change would make it easier for developers to provide affordable housing and give flexibility to new or expanding businesses.

Chelsea DeArmond, a small-business owner on St. Paul's East Side, wrote to council members that the city's parking requirement was "an unpleasant surprise" when she purchased property for a repair shop last year.

"Maintaining the required minimum number of parking spaces was more than we needed, and applying for a variance is burdensome to me and the city," she wrote.

A smaller group of residents, however, wrote to express concerns that getting rid of parking minimums would lead to more congested neighborhoods.

"If there isn't adequate parking, I believe a sizable portion of residents will simply drive to the suburbs like Roseville, to spend their money where they can park hassle-free," wrote Shirley Jonas, who said parking is "nonexistent" near her house by Allianz Field on Minnesota United game days.

At the council's Aug. 4 meeting, City Planner Tony Johnson told the council that St. Paul may have to look at other parking management strategies — such as permit requirements or paid meters — in areas that see spillover parking as a result of new development.

Downtown St. Paul has never had parking minimums, and minimum requirements near the Green Line were eliminated about 10 years ago.

The council could also consider an option to reduce — but not abandon — parking minimums, though the Planning Commission recommended the full elimination of requirements with a 14-3 vote at a June meeting.

Both polices include "travel demand management" strategies that require or encourage developers to promote alternatives to driving by providing bike parking, subsidized transit passes or other amenities.

Council President Amy Brendmoen said the city's current rules forced an expanding business in the North End neighborhood, which she represents, to buy an extra parking lot it did not need because employees worked in shifts. People started to dump trash in the empty lot, which the owner now has protected by a chain-link fence.

"To me, that's just what is wrong with the policy as it currently exists," said Brendmoen, adding she is "150% supportive" of the proposed change.