The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend the City Council rezone 7815, 7825, 7835 and 7845 Telegraph Road from R1 PD (single-family residential) to B1 PD (neighborhood office), allowing more tenants to lease the existing office buildings. One building, 7805 Telegraph Road, was excluded because staff could not reach its new owner; it could be added later if the owner signs on. Heads to City Council public hearing June 15.
Commission voted 3-0-1 (one commissioner abstaining) to recommend re-guiding 3700 and 3750 American Boulevard East from South Loop mixed use to high-intensity mixed use, rezoning from HXR-PD to CX2-PD, and granting a conditional use permit for the existing Park and Fly remote airport parking lot. The deal sets a 10-year (Dec. 31, 2036) deadline to carve out a 2.75-acre future development site with at least 120,000 sq ft of building, plus near-term landscaping improvements. A former commissioner, resident Aubrey Albrecht, testified that the city should be honest that this locks in surface parking rather than the long-envisioned South Loop redevelopment. Heads to City Council June 15.
By a 3-0-1 vote (same commissioner abstaining), the commission recommended the same package for Park and Go's site at 7901 International Drive: re-guiding to high-intensity mixed use, rezoning from HXR to CX2, and a conditional use permit for the existing remote parking facility, with the same 2036 deadline to develop a 2.75-acre parcel. Resident Aubrey Albrecht again urged the city to set real development milestones rather than relying on a distant deadline; the applicant said mixed-use development remains the long-term intent. Heads to City Council June 15.
The commission voted 5-0 to recommend the City Council adopt an ordinance reducing setback, lot-size, and lot-width requirements for corner lots (e.g., side-street setback cut from 30 to 20 feet, minimum single-family lot size cut from 11,150 to 9,100 sq ft) and allowing accessory structures, including ADUs, in the side-street yard. Staff and commissioners framed it as supporting infill development and housing affordability. Heads to City Council public hearing June 15.
During updates, Chair Cookton questioned city staff about plans to demolish the landmark clock tower at 98th Street and Lyndale, which staff said is being removed due to structural water-damage issues and unavailable replacement parts. The chair said the decision should have come before the Planning Commission as a study item for public input and expert review before being finalized, noting it wasn't given a public hearing at this body.
