St. Cloud Explores Fast Tracking Development to Encourage Growth

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud City Council is searching for solutions to encourage more development in the community.

Mayor Jake Anderson spoke with KNSI News right after Monday night’s work session and explained discussions centered on examining whether the city is doing something that may be hindering growth. “It’s trying to hear from the development community what these folks are saying. What they say, what everyone has in terms of what stymies development. Is it city policy, is it our zoning? Is it fees that we’re charging?”

City staff says the topic is being discussed as cities across the country grapple with development challenges driven largely by factors outside local control, including interest rates, building material costs, and labor expenses.

A key question raised during the session was whether current ratepayers or new developers and homebuyers should bear the costs of system improvements. Water and sewer access charges currently help fund improvements to the city’s water and wastewater systems.

Several ideas emerged during the work session that city officials plan to explore further. Mayor Anderson expressed particular interest in working with developers to fast-track construction. “The low-hanging fruit to me is how can we eliminate steps? What can we do to trim down development timelines. Maybe the incentive is it’s just easier to develop here. You may still face these fees, but it’s an expedited timeline. So those are the things I’m most eager to explore.”

City officials also discussed the possibility of pilot projects, though specific details have not yet been determined.

Anderson acknowledged the city doesn’t have immediate solutions but emphasized the importance of starting the dialogue with the development community. “One of the things you should do as a public official is imitate and innovate. Somebody else is doing something good, do what they’re doing. But how could you do it better?”

Community Development Director Glaesman indicated the city will be meeting with officials from another community next month to learn about their approaches.

Anderson encouraged looking beyond traditional thinking, noting that input from developers, builders, and financial professionals will be key. “I’m not a developer, I’m not a builder, not a banker or a candlestick maker. What can we be doing that we’re not thinking about?”

City officials plan to continue exploring options in the coming months, with the understanding that government processes move slowly but that finding the right solutions is worth the effort.

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