A plan to drop a five-building, 244-unit apartment complex onto St. Cloud's south side is headed into the public spotlight Tuesday night, when the St. Cloud Planning Commission takes up a rezoning request tied to Jubilee Worship Center. The proposal would reshape two existing parcels into four lots to make room for five multifamily buildings and an on-site rental office. City documents flag traffic and environmental impacts as key issues the commission will have to wrestle with.
What's proposed
According to WJON, Jubilee Worship Center is asking the city to rezone about 28.11 acres to allow construction of five multifamily apartment buildings totaling 244 units, plus a separate leasing office. The application also seeks to vacate an existing drainage and utility easement and carve the current two lots into four development-ready parcels.
Hearing scheduled with planning commission
The St. Cloud Planning Commission meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., and the rezoning request is slated for consideration at that regular meeting, according to the City of St. Cloud planning commission page. Agendas and staff reports are posted ahead of time so residents and commissioners can dig into traffic studies, site plans and environmental notes before any vote.
Site details and potential impacts
The WJON report notes that the 3125 parcel currently holds an 18,000-square-foot Jubilee worship building constructed in 2006, while the 3143 parcel contains a single-family home that would be removed to clear the way for the project. The southern portion of the combined site includes an environmentally sensitive oak woodland and brushland area, along with several granite piles.
County Road 74, which serves the area now, carries about 5,100 daily vehicle trips. The new apartments are estimated to add roughly 1,300 more daily trips to that total, according to WJON, a jump that is sure to get a close look from both traffic engineers and neighbors.
Next steps for the project
If the Planning Commission recommends approval, the request moves on to the City Council for final action, and city departments would track any conditions tied to subdivision details, stormwater control and environmental protections, per the City of St. Cloud. The owners' bid to vacate the existing drainage and utility easement will be folded into that review and could come with strings attached to protect nearby sensitive areas.
The public hearing will be the first formal chance for neighbors to raise questions and for commissioners to dig into the traffic, environmental and design issues that come with adding 244 units on the south side. Anyone who wants to see the staff report, site plan or public comment procedures can contact the Community Development Department or check the planning commission page for packet materials ahead of the meeting.
