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Mounds View Planning Commission May 7, 2025 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br />________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br /> <br />6. Public Comment <br /> <br />None. <br />______________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />7. Planning Cases <br /> <br />A. Parking Zoning Code Amendments <br /> <br />Phil Carlson, Stantec, stated the City Council has asked that the Planning Commission review the <br />parking regulations in the Zoning Code for commercial uses. The issue is that the required ratios <br />for parking may be too high, resulting in too much pavement being required for businesses, both <br />an economic and an environmental problem. This is a discussion item at this point for the <br />Planning Commission. He explained he reviewed Mounds View’s parking regulations for the <br />number of spaces required for various commercial uses (not all uses) and compared them to a <br />number of nearby communities, plus Burnsville, which did a major parking study recently. <br />Mounds View’s standards are mostly within the range of other communities, but some are <br />higher. <br /> <br />Mr. Carlson explained the trend in recent decades is to reduce the required parking for many <br />office and retail uses, which reflects the concern that the Council has. In the 1960’s many cities <br />used a typical standard of 5.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area for retail uses and 5 <br />spaces per 1,000 for office uses. These standards made their way into zoning ordinances in <br />almost every city in the country. In the decades since, many cities have reviewed their <br />experience and done their own studies and reduced these numbers, often also including a <br />maximum parking standard. This is the case in Burnsville where there are minimum and <br />maximum numbers for some uses. <br /> <br />Mr. Carlson commented the question of parking demand is unfortunately complicated, and one <br />number never fits every use and business exactly. If the parking standard is too high, we impose <br />a financial burden on businesses and on stormwater management issues. Plus, a “sea of asphalt” <br />is not attractive. If the parking standard is too low, we run the risk of parking and traffic safety <br />problems on site or of parking spilling onto city streets or nearby properties. Getting the “right” <br />number is not easy, but we can recommend reasonable numbers that should fit most situations. <br />Staff commented further on the proposed parking zoning code amendments and requested <br />feedback from the Commission. <br /> <br />Further discussion ensued regarding the parking requirements for the Mermaid and Abiding <br />Savior Church. <br /> <br />Commissioner Nelson discussed how overflow parking from the Pentecostal Church and if it met <br />the code, the old Hostess property. <br />