Send the City your comments online!

The Saint Paul Planning Commission is reviewing a proposed residential design standards ordinance and will be making a recommendation on it later in the year.  The Planning Commission would like your comments on it.  Some questions to consider:

• Are the standards fair and reasonable from the perspectives of architects/designers/builders/home owners?
• Anything missing from the standards?
• Anything included in the standards that shouldn’t be?
• Are there other ways to induce “good” design or discourage “bad” design, beyond regulation? (understanding that either one is often in the eye of the beholder?)

Please click on “comment” below to add your input!  (Don’t forget to attend one of two public hearings on May 22, 2009, and June 5, 2009, at 15 Kellogg Blvd W, Room 40 of City Hall; 8:30 AM)!

Residential design standards?

The Saint Paul City Council recently approved an interim ordinance that requires one- and two-family residential structures (generally single-family homes and duplexes) to follow a set of design standards. An “interim” ordinance is one that is not permanent, but rather, allows the City to preserve the status quo with respect to an issue while it figures out the substance of the actions it will take with respect to the issue in the long term.  A background presentation given to the City Council is available on the City’s website.

The City’s Planning Commission will be looking to hear community input on a proposed, permanent residential design ordinance on May 22, 2009.  The public hearing will be held in City Hall (15 Kellogg Blvd W, Room 40, downtown Saint Paul, 8:30 AM).

A good idea or not?