Marshall Avenue is a cozy residential street lined by historic single-family homes. Or maybe it’s a happening St. Paul thoroughfare nestled up against colleges and transit routes, well overdue for five-story buildings and some of the highest-density commercial and residential development outside of downtown.

In St. Paul’s Comprehensive Plan, or master planning document, Marshall Avenue is described as both, and the duality has complicated discussions around proposed apartments and other real estate projects near Metro Transit’s A Line, the Green Line light rail and Allianz Field, the city’s new Major League Soccer stadium.

Over the past year, the city of St. Paul has studied possible zoning changes along 22 blocks — a two-mile stretch — of Marshall between Mississippi River Boulevard and Hamline Avenue, which could someday be connected by a possible bus rapid transit route.

The proposed changes would allow more housing density than is currently permissible along several key intersections, including stretches of Marshall south of the Town & Country Club and east of Snelling Avenue. It would also allow much less density than currently permitted within many residential blocks that are dotted by century-old houses but, to the surprise of many homeowners, were found to have been zoned for decades for five-story buildings.

Morning Report: Get the best stories from St. Paul and its suburbs in your inbox

As such, at a time of growing housing demand and development interest, critics have alternately called the Marshall Avenue plan an “upzoning” (encouraging more density) and a “downzoning” (encouraging less). The elaborate rezoning proposal will be voted upon by the St. Paul City Council on Sept. 26.

“We have a whole spectrum of viewpoints,” said Iglehart Avenue resident Charlotte Berres. “On one end are those who want density and retail, and on the other end are those who want … to preserve the historic homes that make us who we are. … In July, I watched as three historic Merriam Park houses were demolished. It just broke my heart.”

About 80 percent of the avenue is currently residential, and about 70 percent is occupied by homes for one to three families. Overall, the changes would reclassify more than 200 properties, shifting them into 20 different zoning categories. If developers flock, maximum build-out would result in up to a 30 percent increase in dwellings per acre, city planners say.

A CLOSE VOTE AT PLANNING COMMISSION

On Wednesday, the City Council opened a public hearing on the West Marshall Zoning Study, which on Aug. 10 narrowly survived the Planning Commission on a 6-5 vote.

“The parts that they want to upzone, are they ever going to get developed? Probably not, especially the areas east of Snelling Avenue, because there’s no transit there,” Planning Commissioner Bill Lindeke, who voted against the rezoning plan, said in an interview. “The parts of the street that are seeing development interest are being downzoned. That’s just the way I look at it.”

Written comments emailed to the council span 18 pages, and many of them are from existing homeowners happy with the proposal.

“I believe that St. Paul needs smart growth, not mindless growth,” said Carroll Avenue resident Shaun McElhatton, who encouraged the council to vote in favor of the rezoning. “We need to increase density in appropriate locations AND preserve irreplaceable, historic homes that give St. Paul its unique character.” Related Articles St. Paul City Council approves $600,000 charge for downtown improvement district

Frogtown Community Center unveils new artificial turf field, playground and outdoor fun

West Side pedestrian bridge mural debuts 6 p.m. Monday

St. Paul City Council debates halting charter school bond requests for six months

St. Paul City Council relaxes housing density restrictions near transit corridors

CRETIN AND CLEVELAND AT MARSHALL

In August, the Planning Commission recommended that the five parcels of land at the southwest corner of Cretin Avenue and the three parcels at the southeast corner of Cleveland Avenue all be designated T2, or “traditional neighborhood” zoning.

The T2 zoning, according to the city zoning code, encourages “compact, pedestrian-oriented commercial and residential development” that supports transit use, “with careful attention to the amount and placement of parking and transitions to adjacent residential neighborhoods.”

The commission’s Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning Committee had previously recommended T3 zoning, which is generally more intense and accommodates an even bigger mix and more density of uses.

“We were very disappointed when we heard,” said David Kvasnik, whose family had hoped to develop several parcels of land into apartment buildings, in an email to the council. “These corners are two of the busiest in Merriam Park and they are both considered as ‘nodes’ in the future (St. Paul Comprehensive) plans. There is no doubt that they should be T3. … Without the ability to build, more renters will not have an opportunity to move into Merriam Park.”