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Attachment 2 E XTRACT OF THE D RAFT A PRIL 1, 2026, V ARIANCE B OARD M EETING M INUTES 1 a. PLANNING FILE26-005 2 Request by Hempel Real Estate, in Cooperation with 2700 Snelling Avenue LLC, for a 3 Variance from Table 1013.04-2, Minimum Number of Required Electric Vehicle 4 Charging Stations (EVCS) and §1013.01.D.2.1 Regarding the Required Number of 5 Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) (PF26-005). 6 City Planner Paschke reviewed the variance request for this property, as detailed in the staff 7 report dated April 1, 2026. 8 Mr. Paschke explained that the request relates to redevelopment at 2700 Snelling Avenue, 9 where an office building and parking structure have been removed, and the site is being 10 prepared for new construction. He noted that the City adopted standards in March 2023 11 requiring a minimum number of electric vehicle charging stations and supporting 12 infrastructure based on parking capacity, which apply to this project. 13 Mr. Paschke stated that the site is planned to include approximately 528 parking stalls, which 14 would require 26 charging stations and 53 pieces of supporting electrical infrastructure under 15 the ordinance. However, the applicant has proposed a reduced number of charging stations 16 and service equipment installations based on operational needs, including 8 charging stations 17 and 22 service equipment installations. He explained that staff reviewed the request against 18 variance criteria and determined the proposal meets the standards, noting that the 19 requirement may be excessive given the nature of the site, its private use, and infrastructure 20 considerations. He added that staff supports the variance, concluding it remains consistent 21 with the intent of the ordinance while allowing reasonable use of the property. 22 Member Cyra asked for clarification on how the city envisioned evaluating and potentially 23 adjusting the electric vehicle charging ordinance adopted in 2023. He referenced language 24 indicating a “wait and see” approach. He inquired whether adjustments were expected to 25 occur through the variance process or through future review and revisions by the City 26 Council. 27 Mr. Paschke explained that the “wait and see” approach relies on real projects coming 28 forward, as the City cannot fully understand how the ordinance functions until it is applied to 29 actual developments. He noted that project size and context vary, and while smaller projects 30 have generally met the requirements without issue, larger developments can present 31 challenges. 32 Mr. Paschke stated that the variance process serves as a key tool for evaluating how the 33 ordinance performs in practice. He indicated that, after reviewing several variance requests, 34 the City can better assess whether adjustments are needed, particularly for larger sites with 35 extensive parking. He added that recent cases, including the Rosedale project and the current 36 proposal, provide useful benchmarks for considering future modifications to the ordinance. 37 Ms. Gundlach added that evaluating the ordinance requires real-world application through 38 projects, especially since few cities had comparable EV charging requirements in place when 39 the ordinance was adopted. She explained that the City implemented the standards 40 proactively, with few external examples to guide it. Qbhf!42!pg!299