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2026.03.09 - Packet 4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696 Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov Crystal Planning Commission Agenda Summary Monday, March 9, 2026 7 p.m. Crystal City Hall and Zoom Video Conference Zoom call information: https://go.crystalmn.gov/March09 (meeting ID is 882 3061 5572 and password is 414141) or call-in toll free at 888-475-4499 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Minutes* a. Monday, February 9, 2026 meeting minutes 3. Public Hearing* a. Amend the Official Zoning Map to rezone properties in the Town Center districts (Application Number 2026-02) 4. Old Business - None 5. New Business* a. Election of Officers 1) Chairperson 2) Vice-Chairperson 3) Second Vice-Chairperson 6. General Information a. City Council actions on previous Planning Commission items: Amendment for the TC-PD zoning at 7000 – 56th Avenue N. b. Development and construction update c. Update from Council liaison d. Staff preview of likely agenda items for Monday, April 13, 2026 meeting 7. Open Forum 8. Adjournment * Items for which supporting materials are included in the meeting packet Page 1 of 2 CRYSTAL PLANNING COMMISSION DETAILED AGENDA Monday, March 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers, Crystal City Hall Commissioners, please call 763.531.1142 or email dan.olson@crystalmn.gov if unable to attend * Items for which supporting materials are included in the meeting packet 1. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Crystal Planning Commission convened at ______ p.m. with the following members present:  Commissioner (Ward 1) Sears [Vice Chair]  Commissioner (Ward 2) Selton  Commissioner (Ward 4) Vacant  Commissioner (Ward 1) Heigel  Commissioner (Ward 3) Sumnicht  Commissioner (Ward 4) Johnson [Chair]  Commissioner (Ward 2) Strand  Commissioner (Ward 3) Buck [Sec. Vice Chair]  Commissioner (At- Large) Scholz 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES * Moved by _______________ and seconded by _______________ to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2026 regular meeting with the following exceptions: Motion carried. 3. PUBLIC HEARING* a. Amend the Official Zoning Map to rezone properties in the Town Center districts (Application Number 2026-02) Staff presented the following: The following were heard: Page 2 of 2 Planning Commission discussion: Moved by _______________ and seconded by _____________ to recommend ______ to the City Council of the amendments to the Official Zoning Map. Motion carried. 4. OLD BUSINESS - None 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Election of Officers 1) Chairperson 2) Vice-Chairperson 3) Second Vice-Chairperson 6. GENERAL INFORMATION a. City Council actions on previous Planning Commission items: Amendment for the TC-PD zoning at 7000 – 56th Avenue N. b. Development and construction update c. Update from Council Liaison d. Staff preview of likely agenda items for Monday, April 13, 2026 meeting: 7. OPEN FORUM 8. ADJOURNMENT Moved by _____ and seconded by ______ to adjourn. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at ______ p.m. Unapproved Planning Commission Minutes – February 9, 2026 CRYSTAL PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers, Crystal City Hall 1. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Crystal Planning Commission convened at 7:00 p.m. with the following members present: X Commissioner (Ward 1) Sears [Vice Chair] X Commissioner (Ward 2) Selton  Commissioner (Ward 4) vacant X Commissioner (Ward 1) Heigel X Commissioner (Ward 3) Sumnicht X Commissioner (Ward 4) Johnson [Chair] X Commissioner (Ward 2) Strand X Commissioner (Ward 3) Buck [Sec. Vice Chair] X Commissioner (At-Large) Scholz Other attendees: Community Development Director John Sutter, City Council Liaison David Cummings, and Aron Johnson, Robb Ludenow, Vishal Dutt and Sheldon Berg, all four representing Yellow Tree corporation. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Selton and seconded by Heigel to approve the minutes of the December 8, 2025 regular meeting. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried. 3. PUBLIC HEARING a. Amendment to the Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) for the construction of an apartment building at 7000 – 56th Avenue North (Application Number 2026-01) Mr. Olson presented a summary of the staff report, recommended approval of the TC-PD amendment and answered questions from the Commission. Commission member Selton asked questions about connecting to the city’s stormwater system. Mr. Sutter said that stormwater will have on-site treatment that many commercial properties in this area will not have. Commission member Strand expressed concern that there wasn’t enough parking. Mr. Sutter said that 5240 Apts on West Broadway is a good example. In that case the developer provided Unapproved Planning Commission Minutes – February 9, 2026 two spaces per unit, but much of that surface parking is not used. Commission member Sears concurred with that assessment. Chair Johnson opened the public hearing. A Crystal resident spoke of her concerns about the development, including shadow impacts from the building height, noise, privacy, parking, traffic, and potential sewer back-ups. Commission member Sears asked if the sewer system was designed to accommodate this development. Mr. Sutter stated that the plan was reviewed by the city engineer and found to be adequate. Mr. Lubenow also spoke to the adequacy of utilities to the property for this development, how snow removal will be done, how they deal with noise complaints, and how they manage parking, including electric vehicle charging stations, for visitors, residents and staff. There being no one else from the public to testify, Chair Johnson closed the public hearing. Moved by Johnson and seconded by Buck to recommend approval to the City Council of the TC- PD amendment application with the conditions in the staff report. Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion carried. 4. OLD BUSINESS - None. 5. NEW BUSINESS - None. 6. GENERAL INFORMATION a. City Council actions on previous Planning Commission items. Mr. Olson described the following City Council actions and answered questions from the Commission: • Rezoning to TC-PD for an apartment building at 7000 – 56th Ave. N. b. Development and construction update. Mr. Sutter provided updates on the following items and answered questions from the Commission: • Lotus Pointe at 6000 - 56th Ave. N. • Walgreens site at 6800 56th Ave. N. • 5500 West Broadway • Cities Auto • Vacant residential lots near 31st and Douglas Dr N. • Re-use plan of FAIR school by the school district. c. Update from Council Liaison: Council Liaison Cummings discussed the Town Center Vision Plan, approval of union and city manager agreements, discussion of group homes, and a potential ICE separation policy. Unapproved Planning Commission Minutes – February 9, 2026 d. Staff preview of likely agenda items for the March 9, 2026 meeting. Mr. Olson said that there will be a public hearing to update the city’s official zoning map to include more properties in the Town Center Core district. 7. OPEN FORUM 8. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Sears and seconded by Selton to adjourn. Ayes: All. Nays: None Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m. REZONE PROPERTIES TO THE TOWN CENTER CORE DISTRICT PAGE 1 OF 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ FROM: Dan Olson, City Planner TO: Planning Commission (for March 9 Meeting) DATE: March 3, 2026 RE: PUBLIC HEARING - Amend the Official Zoning Map to rezone properties in the Town Center district (Application Number 2026-02) ____________________________________________________________________________ A. BACKGROUND The Planning Commission is asked to make a recommendation to the City Council to rezone several properties to the Town Center Core district (TC). Notice of the March 9 public hearing was published in the Sun Post on February 26 and posted to all neighborhoods on Nextdoor. Attachments: A. Proposed Official Zoning Map B. Enlargement of proposed zoning map showing TC rezonings C. Powerpoint PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Rezone properties to Town Center Core REZONE PROPERTIES TO THE TOWN CENTER CORE DISTRICT PAGE 2 OF 4 B.PROPOSED PROPERTIES FOR REZONING In 2025 City Council began working with a consultant to create a document called the Town Center Vision Plan (TCVP) which is a vision for how the town center area could incrementally change over the next 25 years. Prior to undertaking the visioning process, City Council adopted a one-year moratorium on June 3, 2025 for type 2 development review applications in the Town Center Core (TC) and Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) area. This meant that development review applications, such as conditional use permits, subdivisions or rezonings, would not be considered within those districts. Type 2 applications are those that require a public hearing and recommendation from the Planning Commission followed by a City Council decision. The moratorium must end by June 3, 2026. On February 17, 2026 City Council approved the TCVP. As part of that plan, City Council directed that several properties in the TC-PD overlay district be rezoned to TC. Proposed properties for rezoning. The following properties would be rezoned to the TC district. Attachment A shows the properties to be rezoned as crosshatched, with an excerpt of the proposed TC area shown on attachment B. All these properties would also be removed from the Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) overlay district. Property Address Current Use Current Zoning Classification New Zoning Classification 7000 – 56th Ave N. Approved unnamed Yellow Tree apartment building (formerly Wells Fargo bank) TC-PD (effective March 17, 2026) TC 6918 - 56th Ave. N. O’ Reilly’s Auto Parts C* TC 6924 – 56th Ave N. All Seasons (dry cleaning & laundromat) C* TC 6830- 56th Ave. N. Huntington Bank C* TC 6800 – 56th Ave. N. Walgreens C* TC 5629 West Broadway Arby’s C* TC 5702 West Broadway Storage Mart C* TC 5640 West Broadway Commercial building (Miracle Ear, women’s clinic, dental office) C* TC 5600 West Broadway Crystal Town Center Mall C* TC 5630 Lakeland Cities Auto C* TC REZONE PROPERTIES TO THE TOWN CENTER CORE DISTRICT PAGE 3 OF 4 Ave. N. 6000 – 56th Ave. N. Approved Lotus Pointe apartment building (formerly office building) TC-PD TC 6001 & 6017 – 56th Ave. N. Two apartment buildings R-3* TC 5551 & 5561 Lakeland Ave. N. Cell Tower R-1* TC 5521 & 5531 Lakeland Ave. N. Vacant land and street cul-de-sac C* TC 5501 Lakeland Ave. N. Office building C* TC 5465 Lakeland Ave. N. U-Haul C* TC 5445 Lakeland Ave. N. Max it Pawn shop C* TC 5417 Lakeland Ave. N. CarHop Auto Sales C* TC 5353 Lakeland Ave. N. Rise, Inc. C* TC 6801 – 56th Ave. N. Crystal Shopping Center (Mall) C* TC 5547 West Broadway Taco Bell C* TC 5537 West Broadway Target C* TC 5420 West Broadway Perkins restaurant C* TC 5400 West Broadway McDonalds restaurant C* TC 5358 West Broadway Office building C* TC 5430 Douglas Dr. N. Office/warehouse building PD-I* TC 5400 Douglas Dr. N. Minnesota Grinding I* TC 5246 Hanson Ct. N. Schmit Towing, countertop shop I* TC 5316 Hanson Ct. N. Vacant land I* TC 5354 Douglas Dr. N. WMFRD fire station C* TC 5324 Hanson Ct. N. Three apartment buildings R-3* TC REZONE PROPERTIES TO THE TOWN CENTER CORE DISTRICT PAGE 4 OF 4 * These properties are within the Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) overlay district. With this rezoning, these properties would be removed from the TC-PD overlay district. Include in TC-PD: The property at 6325 – 52nd Ave. N., below, which contains a single-family rental home, is currently zoned Low Density Residential (R-1) but is proposed to be included in the Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) overlay district so that there may be an opportunity to redevelop the property along with the vacant property at 5193 Douglas Dr. N. Both properties are owned by the same individual and 5193 Douglas is already included within the TC-PD overlay district. The property on 52nd Ave. N. is guided Low Density Residential in the Comprehensive Plan, and any redevelopment will necessitate a change to the Comprehensive Plan and a rezoning to TC-PD. In the meantime, the home’s base zoning would remain R-1. C. REQUESTED ACTION The Planning Commission is asked to make a recommendation to the City Council to either deny or approve the proposed zoning map amendments. Staff recommends approval of the amendments. The following is the proposed schedule for adopting a new zoning map: March 17 Council considers first reading of ordinance April 7 Council considers second reading and adoption April 16 Summary of ordinance published May 16 Effective date of ordinance 6325 – 52nd Ave. N. Attachment A Solid Blue = Existing Town Center Core district Crosshatch blue = Proposed rezoning to Town Center Core district Attachment B Planning Commission Meeting March 9, 2026 Public Hearing Amend the Official Zoning Map to rezone properties in the Town Center districts Application Number 2026-02 Attachment C Purpose of Zoning Map Amendment Several properties in the city’s commercial core are proposed to be rezoned to Town Center Core (TC). Implement desired rezonings from the Town Center Vision Plan (TCVP) which City Council adopted on Feb. 17, 2026. Rezonings would create a larger area (“downtown Crystal”) in which redevelopment must conform to the TC district regulations. Existing uses would become lawfully nonconforming. Proposed Timeline March 17 - City Council first reading of ordinance  April 7 - City Council second reading and adoption  April 16 - Publication  May 16 - Effective date Properties to be rezoned to TC (shown as crosshatched) In addition to TC rezoning, the property at 6325 – 52nd Ave. N. is proposed to be included in the Town Center – Planned Development (TC-PD) overlay district. Property is owned by same owner of adjacent 5193 Douglas Dr. N. (already in TC-PD) Including 6325 – 52nd would allow for a larger development site subject to TC-PD requirements. Additional zoning approvals would still be required for redevelopment to occur. The home’s base zoning remains R-1 in the meantime. Add Property to TC-PD overlay district 6325 – 52nd Ave. N. Hold the public hearing to receive comments. Consider recommending approval of proposed amendments to the zoning map. Staff Recommendation Planning Commission Action Requested Approve the proposed amendment to the zoning map. ELECTION OF OFFICERS PAGE 1 OF 1 _____________________________________________________ FROM: Dan Olson, City Planner ____________________________________________________________________ TO: Planning Commission (for March 9 Meeting) DATE: March 3, 2026 RE: Election of Officers The Planning Commission has three officer positions, elected by the members of the commission: • Chairperson. Currently Ron Johnson (since February 12, 2024) • Vice Chairperson. Currently Joe Sears (since March 8, 2021) • Second Vice Chairperson. Currently Tim Buck (since January 13, 2025) The duties of each officer position are described in the attached bylaws. Planning Commission action on each office is requested using the following procedure: • The meeting chair asks for a motion and second for any nominations for the office. Before the second, the chair should ask the person nominated if they accept the position. • If there is only one nomination, the commission would fill the office by voice vote. • If there are two or more nominations, each commission member would vote for one of the nominated members using paper ballots tabulated by the recording secretary. The candidate receiving the most votes is elected to the position. In the event of a tie, a coin toss is used as a tie-breaker. PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Election of Officers PLANNING COMMISION BYLAWS - APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL 2/05/19 Page 1 of 3 CITY OF CRYSTAL PLANNING COMMISSION BY-LAWS ARTICLE I. MISSION STATEMENT The role of the Crystal Planning Commission is to serve the City Council and citizens of Crystal by formulating recommendations in land use matters and by devoting the time necessary to listen to fact, to consider public input and to render decisions in an objective manner. To be successful in this role, Planning Commissioners acknowledge and honor these values:  Open-mindedness: Decisions are made free from prejudice or bias; Commissioners are receptive of new ideas and to reason.  Respect: Commissioners listen to and show respect for the opinions and positions of fellow Commissioners as well as those who come before the Commission.  Equal treatment: Everyone appearing before the Commission has the same privileges, status and rights.  Attack the problem, not the person: Personal attacks are not tolerated, but honest and informed debate is encouraged.  Offer and accept constructive criticism: Constructive comments are to be encouraged and welcomed; unfavorable judgments that find fault and fix responsibility are not.  Responsibility to the City of Crystal: The best interests of the city of Crystal are paramount and rise above parochial interests.  Shared responsibility: The Commission as a whole bears the responsibility for decisions and recommendations that are made. ARTICLE II. ORGANIZATION A. Election of Officers The officers of the Commission shall be elected by the members of the Commission at the first meeting each year. Officers shall serve for a period of one year, commencing with the first meeting of each year. The term of office for each Officer is one year. B. Officers The officers of the Commission shall be a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Second Vice Chairperson. PLANNING COMMISION BYLAWS - APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL 2/05/19 Page 2 of 3 C. City staff liaison There shall be a city staff liaison who is not a member of the Commission. D. Duties 1. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Commission, shall have such powers of the supervision and management as may pertain to the office of the Chairperson. 2. The Vice Chairperson shall preside and perform all duties of the Chairperson in the event of the Chairperson’s absence, disqualification or disability. 3. The Second Vice Chairperson shall preside and perform all duties of the Chairperson in the event of both the Chairperson’s and Vice Chairperson’s absence, disqualification, or disability. 4. The city staff liaison shall keep the minutes of all meetings and all records of the Commission. Minutes of the meetings shall be mailed or delivered to all Commission members and shall include the notice and agenda for the next regular meeting. The liaison shall notify all members of any special meeting of the Commission. 5. It shall be the duty of each member to notify the city staff liaison if such meeting cannot be attended. The liaison will then notify the chairperson of such absences. D. Task Force Task forces shall be formed when deemed necessary by the Chairperson. Such Task Forces shall consist of a leader, who shall be a member of the Commission, and any number of people, members or non-members, the leader deems necessary to successfully complete the task. The Chairperson shall appoint the leader of any Task Force, keeping in mind the interests of individual members. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be ex officio members of any Task Force formed. ARTICLE III. MEETINGS A. The Commission shall hold a minimum of twelve regular monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise set by the Commission at the January meeting of each year. In addition, the date and time for any one monthly meeting may be changed by a majority vote of the quorum. Meetings may be cancelled if there are no scheduled public hearings. B. Quorum, consisting of a majority of the members of the Commission, shall be sufficient to transact the business of the Commission. C. The Commission may hold special meetings to complete or initiate business at the call of the Chairperson, or upon the request of three members of the Commission. D. The roll shall be called at each meeting and a record of those members present or absent shall also be recorded in the minutes of such meeting. PLANNING COMMISION BYLAWS - APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL 2/05/19 Page 3 of 3 E. The order of business will be as follows: Call to Order Approval of Minutes Public Hearings Old Business New Business General Information Open Forum Adjournment ARTICLE IV. ATTENDANCE Attendance is required at all meetings. Absence from more than three regular meetings in a calendar year is not considered acceptable because it impairs the Commission’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities to the community. For this reason, upon a Commissioner’s fourth absence from a regular meeting within a calendar year, the Chairperson shall notify the Mayor of such absences and the City Council may take action to remove the Commissioner. ARTICLE V. GENERAL PROVISIONS No member of the Commission shall be authorized to speak on behalf of the Commission publicly until the Commission has first considered and approved such statements. The City Council or City Manager shall be notified in advance of the nature of any public statement of official policy concerning the Commission. ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS These rules and procedures may be amended by the city council after a majority of the membership makes a recommendation for an amendment. Notice of the proposed amendments shall be mailed to all members of the Commission by the city staff liaison prior to the meeting at which the amendments are to be voted upon. Any member of the Commission may, in writing, propose amendments to these rules and procedures.