St. Cloud City Council to Hear Public Input on Grass Rules, Daycare Expansion, and Senior Housing Project

(KNSI) – St. Cloud residents will have three opportunities to weigh in at tonight’s city council meeting. Public hearings are scheduled on proposed changes to grass height limits and enforcement, a daycare expansion, and a new affordable housing project.

The city council is attempting to update the current code from a 10-inch requirement down to a maximum height of eight inches to align with state statute. Along with that adjustment, the city is also proposing significant reforms to how violations are handled.

The new enforcement approach would maintain the current complaint-based system but would also allow city staff to issue fines on their own. Property owners would face a $100 administrative citation for violations. If they don’t comply, the city can cut the grass for them and bill the property owner $38 an hour, plus potential additional fines. The city says its goal is to get homeowners to care for their lawns, not punish people.

A public hearing will address NuWay Mission Baptist Church’s request for a Planned Unit Development to expand their daycare from 37 to 71 children. The PUD requires 1,500 square feet of green space before the daycare can expand.

The council will also hear public input on a new affordable housing project for seniors. The Central Minnesota Housing Partnership plans to build a 58-unit development called Vista on Pinecone at 1618 Pinecone Road.

All units will be reserved for households between 30 and 60% of the area median income. Several units will be designated for homeless individuals, with on-site services and a part-time tenant services coordinator available to support residents.

The project is seeking multiple funding sources, $160,000 from the city’s Statewide Affordable Housing Aid allocation, an estimated $80,000 reimbursement under the city’s Life Cycle Housing Program (which offers a 20% refund on eligible fees for qualifying developments), and $100,000 from the Stearns County Housing Trust Fund to strengthen its application for competitive state funding.

City officials say the Vista on Pinecone project helps address a critical housing shortage. The City of St. Cloud’s 2024 housing assessment identified a pressing need for over 1,100 housing units.

Anyone wishing to speak on these matters can attend St. Cloud City Hall at 6:00 p.m. or submit a letter or email to the city in advance. All measures can pass with a majority vote.

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