The Board of Zoning Appeals in St. Paul is slated to deliberate on a couple of key issues concerning local development, as seen in their latest public hearing agenda. Critical among the items is a variance request from Morgan Scott to erect a new community center on Burns Avenue, with fewer window and door openings than what the city zoning code stipulates. The upcoming hearing, scheduled for early January, will also discuss Kong Lee's application to build an auto body and auto repair shop on Cottage Ave West, which involves a deviation from the standard requirement for sidewalks and decorative fences, as reported by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
In Scott's case, the specified 15% threshold for window and door openings is being contested, proposing a mere 5.9% for the new building's McLean Avenue frontage. This move, requiring a 9.1% variance, raises questions about not just the aesthetics of the community center but the precedent it sets for future construction in the neighborhood. The public is invited to weigh in on these proposals, with the BZA urging input to be sent to their official email before the hard cutoff on December 19. However, comments submitted after the 2:00 p.m. deadline will not make it to the board's review docket.
Kong Lee's proposal is another focal point of the BZA's agenda, involving a two-fold variance request for his prospective Light Industrial zoned undertaking. The application outlines plans for a chain-link fence, as opposed to the district's standard for decorative ones, and also indicates no intent to install public sidewalks along two adjacent streets, both of which are conditions at odds with the existing zoning rules. The discussion of this matter has been pushed to the January 5, 2026, hearing, granting additional time for public and official consideration.
While the order of the agenda items may be subject to change, the BZA will make those adjustments at the beginning of the hearing. As per the BZA agenda document, any interested parties, especially applicants, are strongly recommended to attend to address any questions that may arise. In addition to project-specific discussions, the December 8 meeting minutes are up for approval, though no new resolutions are on the table for the next gathering. The meeting will conclude upon addressing all scheduled business, following which the board will adjourn.
