The following are summary notes from the latest of two meetings to discuss permitting and broader development-related issues in St. Cloud.  CMBA has directly participated in these meetings spurred, in-part, by CMBA's testimony in May opposing and expressing concerns about the City of St. Cloud's proposal to raise building-related fees and valuations -- both adding significantly to the costs of housing development and building.

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Joint Development Services Roundtable Summary
July 17th, 2026 | City of St. Cloud, Greater St. Cloud (GSC) & Benton Economic Partnership (BEP)

Purpose

Greater St. Cloud (GSC) and Benton Economic Partnership (BEP) convened a joint roundtable with Mayor Jake Anderson, City staff, developers, builders, and economic development partners to continue discussion regarding the proposed permit fee schedule and broader development services.

The meeting built upon the initial stakeholder roundtable and followed a debrief between GSC/BEP, Mayor Anderson, and City staff earlier in the week. The purpose was to share stakeholder feedback, provide additional context, clarify questions, and continue working collaboratively toward solutions prior to [St. Cloud] City Council consideration [slated for Monday, August 17].

Meeting Recap

NeTia Bauman and Amanda Othoudt provided a summary of the first stakeholder session, highlighting the primary themes identified by the development community, including:

● Alignment of permit fees with Minnesota's cost-recovery requirements and questions surrounding fee methodology.

● Previous commitments related to improved permitting timelines, customer service, technology, project tracking, and a single point of contact that participants felt had not yet been fully realized.

● Examples and barriers shared by developers regarding cumulative development costs, predictability, communication, and overall competitiveness.

● The numerous ideas and potential solutions generated by stakeholders, including alternative financing tools, enhanced transparency, service-level commitments, and improvements to the overall development experience.

● City is encouraged to add a Communications Department and staff to improve communication and positive marketing for the city.

Mayor Anderson and City staff responded to several of these themes by providing additional context, clarifying assumptions behind the proposed fee schedule, discussing ongoing efforts already underway, and engaging in productive dialogue around opportunities for continued collaboration.

Overall, discussion remained constructive and solutions-oriented, with participants expressing appreciation for the opportunity to engage directly with one another.

Key Outcomes

1. Establish an Ongoing Developer Roundtable Process  There was broad agreement that these conversations should not occur only in response to proposed fee changes.  Participants supported establishing an ongoing developer roundtable—potentially on an annual or biannual basis—to provide structured feedback on development-related issues, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and strengthen communication between the development community and City leadership.

GSC will follow up with participants to determine preferred meeting frequency and timing. 

[NOTE:  CMBA has noted in response that our CMBA Government Affairs Committee has quarterly meetings with the mayors of our area communities and their community development directors, as well as development officials from our area counties.  CMBA has concerns about duplication of efforts, and has inquired about collaborating in our own cadence of meetings.]

2. Increased Transparency Around Cost Accounting

City staff committed to providing additional information regarding the proposed permit fee methodology, including:

● Cost accounting supporting the proposed permit fees.

● Potential budget scenarios illustrating operations with and without the proposed fee increases, if available.

Upon receipt, GSC will distribute this information to participating stakeholders for review in advance of City Council consideration.

Materials likely available August 13–14.

3. Potential Adjustment to Council Timeline

Mayor Anderson noted the possibility of postponing the scheduled public hearing from August 17 to August 31, contingent upon the timing and availability of the City's cost-accounting information. Participants agreed that providing adequate time to review the additional information would contribute to a more informed discussion.

4. SAC/WAC/TAC Deferral Pilot

Mayor Anderson shared details regarding the City's upcoming pilot program allowing Single-Family Home SAC/WAC/TAC fee deferrals through December 2027. Throughout the conversation, participants reaffirmed several priorities identified during the initial stakeholder meeting, including:

● Greater transparency regarding permit fee calculations and service delivery expectations.

● Continued focus on improving customer service and communication throughout the development process.

● The importance of maintaining regional competitiveness while ensuring sustainable municipal services.

● Continued exploration of financing tools and development policies that reduce barriers to investment without compromising the City's long-term fiscal health.

Next Steps

● City staff will prepare and share permit fee cost-accounting information with GSC.

● GSC will distribute those materials to participating stakeholders upon receipt.

● Stakeholders will have an opportunity to review the information prior to City Council consideration.

● GSC and BEP will survey participants regarding the desired cadence for future developer roundtables and continue serving as facilitators for ongoing dialogue between the development community and the City.

Closing

Participants expressed appreciation for the collaborative nature of both roundtables and acknowledged the value of creating a regular forum for candid, solution-oriented conversations between the City and the development community. There was broad consensus that maintaining this dialogue beyond the current permit fee discussion will help strengthen relationships, improve transparency, and support long-term economic growth throughout St. Cloud.

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CMBA Remains Opposed to Building Valuation and Fee Increases

CMBA has signaled its appreciation for these meetings and the discussions about making St. Cloud a more pro-development community.  We appreciate the willingness of city officials to explore new pro-development approaches. However, we continue to see the proposed fee increases as hurting, not helping, development and housing construction in the City of St. Cloud.  CMBA also continues to express concern that St. Cloud's current fees structure, particularly the allocation of 25% of fees to a general development fund, fails to comply with Minnesota state law which mandates that building fees not exceed the actual cost of the services for which they are charged.

For more information:  Steve Gottwalt, CMBA Government Affairs, steve@cmbaonline.org, 952-923-5265.

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