1. Vision
St. Anthony Park is distinctive due to its topography, layout, and historic character of its housing. The preservation of that character is very important to residents. Maintaining and updating the existing housing stock should continue with good design sensitive to the appropriate historic character and scale of the neighborhood. The community also encourages the development of new well-designed infill and mixed use housing to meet the needs of various incomes, ability levels and life cycle needs in support of a more diverse population.
2. Objectives and Strategies
H1. Property Maintenance and Beautification. Develop and implement district-wide programs to inspire, educate and facilitate residents to better maintain their properties including yards and alleys.
- H1a. Identify and promote programs to encourage repairs and improvements to existing housing stock (energy audits, loan and grant programs, etc.) and publish in the Bugle and on the District 12 website.
- H1b. Publish “House and Garden” tips in the Bugle and on the District 12 website to provide inspirational ideas for home maintenance and beautification.
- H1c. Enlist Master Gardeners and faculty and students from the University of Minnesota Horticulture program to serve as resources for neighbors and to conduct periodic seminars on beautification.
- H1d. Encourage one or two “plant exchanges” each growing season along with a landscaping and plant workshop to encourage community communication and beautification.
- H1e. Work with the City of St. Paul on its annual clean-up days.
- H1f. Sponsor a fall maintenance workshop in cooperation with a local home improvement or hardware store.
- H1g. Educate residents about the benefits and costs of elm and oak tree treatment programs. Explore potential funding sources and/or community-wide purchasing power and promote their use to the community through the Bugle, mailings and the District 12 website.
- H1h. Promote a range of green spaces and parks (small and large) throughout all existing and new residential areas (see proposed land use plan on page 29 for locations of green spaces).
H2. Range of Housing Choices. Increase the range of housing types and affordability within the District to encourage a greater diversity of households and to be an affordable community for all people throughout their life and changing lifestyle needs.
- H2a. Identify specific parcels of land just outside of the TOD district for the development of both market rate and affordable urban style town homes, flats and co-ops (owner and rental).
- H2b. Identify parcels throughout the District for infill opportunities especially for duplex and triplex housing types that meet the needs of young families.
- H2c. Encourage the redevelopment of existing structures and the building of new structures within the historic TOD district for mixed-use commercial and housing types including apartments, condominiums and loft-style units.
- H2d. Develop a proposal for an appropriate mix of housing options in identified areas for a range of housing meeting the needs of empty nesters, independent seniors, and young families. Promote life cycle housing in new residential development. This may include an affordibility and housing needs study.
- H2e. Partner with arts organizations (e.g. Art Space) to promote affordable artist housing.
H3. Design Guidelines. Develop and implement design guidelines for new housing units and the renovation of existing housing not included in the historic district. Guidelines should encourage quality design that is complementary and contextual rather than strict historic replication.
- H3a. Develop guidebooks, videos and/or workshops to educate homeowners and developers about desired housing design qualities. Materials should address singlefamily construction/renovation, urban style town home/new construction and apartment/condo/loft new construction.
- H3b. Monitor demolition permits and replacement housing to ensure that it meets zoning and design guidelines.
