The St. Paul City Council will revisit the proposed rezoning of a 1.5-mile swathe of Grand Avenue on Aug. 7, following three significant amendments adopted Wednesday at the urging of Council Member Rebecca Noecker.

Following two years of study, a proposal that recently won the support of the St. Paul Planning Commission would allow new development within the East Grand Avenue Overlay District up to 40 feet in height, or larger with tiered step-backs after 40 vertical feet. The refashioned overlay district would eliminate a current 30-foot height limit, among other changes intended to invite more real estate development in the corridor.

The three amendments introduced Wednesday, each of them authored by Noecker, who represents downtown, alter the step-back requirements in the rear so they match the front façade at 40 feet, instead of requiring them at 30 vertical feet.

Another amendment limits the maximum step-back to 10 feet in total, instead of requiring a one-to-one step-back that would create what Noecker described as a “wedding cake,” or tiered approach, every 10 vertical feet.

Her third amendment eliminates an exemption within 15 feet of building corners, which would have otherwise have allowed the creation of “Rapunzel towers,” she said.

Noecker said her goal was to “allow development to happen on Grand that we desperately need … but also to preserve what makes the avenue feel special” without forcing developers and city staff to variance requests that are “costly, time consuming and create a lot of headache and work.”

Council President Mitra Jalali agreed. “I’m supportive of this amendment and I think it builds on (the intent) … to streamline the process to have development come to Grand Avenue,” she said.

Noecker expects the council to host a final vote on the rezoned overlay district on Aug. 7. The amendments were adopted 6-0, with Council Member Nelsie Yang absent on maternity leave.

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