The City of St. Cloud is creating its new Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Plan, roadmaps for the City to direct growth, development and investment over the next 10 years. (See the City's Comprehensive Plan Update slides, and the Planning Kick-Off slides.)

St. Cloud is looking for citizen, business and developer input as it creates the plan updates. City of St. Cloud Community Development Director, Matt Glaesman, said "We are providing opportunities for residents and businesses to communicate their vision and identify what issues are most important for the City to address in the near term and in the future."

Take The Land Use Survey:
St. Cloud has posted an online Land Use Survey for residents, businesses and developers to provide input on what they would like to see for St. Cloud zoning and growth over the next decade.

Take The Downtown Survey:
The City has also posted an online Downtown Planning Survey seeking input about the vision and future growth of St. Cloud's Downtown area.  The City has also posted an interactive downtown planning map where you can explore various options and layouts for the future of downtown.

During the June CMBA Government Affairs Committee Meeting, Greg Windfeldt, Board Member with the St. Cloud Downtown Alliance, shared the planning process for developing a more vibrant, successful downtown (see the Alliance's slide presentation). Windfeldt noted the Alliance has formed a voluntary Business Improvement District (BID) downtown, and hired professionals to patrol and help keep the downtown area safe and clean. Downtown property owners and business leaders have joined the Alliance and are putting new energy and focus into downtown visioning.

Windfeldt said Downtown Alliance members and the City of St. Cloud are working with urban planning firm Houseal Lavigne that has a great track record with successful downtowns like Fargo, ND, and Mankato, MN. 

In addition to new business activity that will bring workers downtown, early planning suggests the need to create vibrant street-level retail, with market rate rental housing above. Downtown parking lots, and soon-to-relocate Stearns County facilities offer plenty of spaces for new development. St. Cloud wants 1,000 new units of housing downtown in the next several years. Windfeldt noted adequate parking close to store/office fronts and housing is essential, and parking ramps are the way to provide it. Downtown planners have realized the former Herberger's property downtown is antiquated and a barrier between Germain Street and nearby parking ramps. They have discussed the need to demolish the site, opening-up new opportunities for downtown development.

For more details and information about how you can contribute to St. Cloud's Downtown and Comprehensive plan updates, visit the Project Webpage, or contact St. Cloud Community Development Director, Matt Glaesman, matt.glaesman@ci.stcloud.mn.us. 

For more information, contact:  Steve Gottwalt, CMBA Government Affairs, 952.923.5265, steve@cmbaonline.org.

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