St. Cloud Planning Commission Greenlights CAIRO’s Request for a Four-Story Mixed-Use Project

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud Planning Commission has given the thumbs up for a four-story mixed-use project on the corner of 3rd Street North and 33rd Avenue North.

The vote was unanimous to send the Center for African Immigration & Refugees Organization’s request for a planned unit development for the 70-unit apartment complex with 35,000 square feet of commercial space and 5,000 feet of event space to the city council for final approval. The PUD would allow the project to exceed the height standard by seven feet and accept a $55,000 cash payment for only having 17% green space instead of the usual 33%.

KNSI News spoke with CAIRO Program Director Abdi Ibrahim shortly after he learned it was getting the commission’s approval. “I’m really excited to see the outcome of the vote tonight. This is a project led by a local nonprofit organization that understand the real issue of the housing because we speak to families on a day to day basis.”

He added people are waiting months to find a place to rent, and this should help alleviate some of that crush.

Ibrahim says this will not be a place just for refugees but open to anyone needing a roof over their head. “We are all in this together. We face similar challenges, and the solution lies in all of us sticking together. So, this is going to be an equal housing opportunity. No one will be discriminated against based on their race, religion or sexual orientation.”

Ten percent of the units are to be set aside as low-income housing. The rest will be market rate.

During Tuesday night’s public hearing, four people spoke in support of the project and three against it. One of those with concerns about the expansion was Douglas Tuttle, who lives just down the street. He complained about overflow parking spilling into the alley. “We have an issue where, especially when they have big events, the parking situation makes it almost impossible for the people who live in these homes to be able to even gain access to their homes through the alleyways, which is where our local parking is.”

Neighbors also spoke about concerns with drivers speeding through the alleys. Tuttle and his neighbors are asking the city to ban through traffic down the alleys to ease the situation.

The city council will have the final say when it appears on their agenda next month.

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