Planning Commission to Review Stand-Alone Apartments
St. Cloud's planning panel takes up a zoning change that would allow apartment buildings without ground-floor retail in three commercial districts.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Commercial
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Should St. Cloud allow stand-alone apartment buildings in downtown and commercial corridors?
The St. Cloud Planning Commission will review a zoning change on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that would allow stand-alone apartment buildings in three commercial districts. Apartments are currently permitted only on the second floor and above in those areas.
Why it matters
The change follows the city's new Comprehensive Plan, which calls for filling underused lots with housing to ease a shortage. Officials see new apartments as a way to bring customers closer to local businesses as shopping and office work shift.
The proposal covers the downtown core, the edges of downtown along East and West St. Germain Street, and highway corridors including Division Street, Highway 10, Roosevelt Road and 2nd Street South. Projects would have to meet design standards borrowed from the 5th Avenue corridor near St. Cloud State University, including minimum building heights and a ban on parking in front of buildings.
The players
St. Cloud Planning Commission
The city advisory body that reviews land-use and zoning proposals and makes recommendations to the City Council.
St. Cloud City Council
The elected body that holds the public hearing and final vote required before the zoning change can take effect.
The details
The Planning Commission will take a first look at the zoning change at its meeting, where it could make a recommendation or hold off for more discussion. The St. Cloud City Council would need to hold a public hearing and vote before any changes take effect.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Planning Commission reviews the zoning change at 6:00 p.m. inside St. Cloud city hall.
Market Landscape
The proposal applies the St. Cloud Comprehensive Plan's directive to fill underused lots with housing to ease a regional shortage. It reflects a broader shift in which cities are rethinking commercial corridors to pair retail with residential density.
Property owners in the three affected districts could see new options to build apartments without ground-floor retail, if the change is approved. Residents in these corridors may also notice new design requirements, such as minimum building heights and parking restrictions, for future projects.
The takeaway
Watch the Planning Commission's recommendation and the City Council's public hearing to see whether stand-alone apartments become allowed in St. Cloud's commercial districts. The outcome will shape which corridors add housing in the years ahead.
What happens next
The Planning Commission meets Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to begin its review, after which the City Council must hold a public hearing and vote.
Further reading
For more on how commercial property is being reshaped, browse Commercial real estate coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KNSI.
Live Poll
Should St. Cloud allow stand-alone apartment buildings in downtown and commercial corridors?
