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AGENDA RECOMMENDATION |
5.B.
City Council Regular Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 10/14/2025
Agenda Item:
Motion authorizing reinstatement of the rental license at 447/449 North 6th Street.
Recommendation/Action(s):
Motion approving reinstatement of the rental license at 447/449 North 6th Street with the following conditions:
- Two hard surfaced, off-street parking stalls shall be provided upon the property or leased from within 500 feet of the property prior to issuance of a rental license.
- The rental license shall be limited to a traditional or functional family as defined in Chapter 10 of the Mankato City Code.
Summary:
The property at 447/449 North 6th Street was built in 1956 and has always functioned as a duplex (see attached photo). In checking the records and similar license numbers, it appears that the property has been licensed as a rental since at least 1980. This is as far back as some information was found due to retention guidelines. Rental licensing went into effect in the City of Mankato in September 1970.
The property maintained a rental license until December 2019, with the license being canceled in 2020 as the property was foreclosed on and then ended up being condemned in 2023 and deemed unlivable.
Recently, the property was sold to a new owner on July 2, 2025. The new owner of the property has been working on improvements to the property and has made an application for a rental license and is requesting the allowance of a rental license in a block that is over the 25% density limit. The property is zoned R-2-, One- and Two-Family Dwelling district, and is subject to a 25% rental density limit per City Code, Section 7-57. The block in which 447 North 6th Street is located contains 18 lots and there are currently 10 rental licenses, which is above the maximum allowable licenses in the block. In this case, all the existing licenses, in addition to the previous license at 447 North 6th Street, were in place at the time of the rental density code adoption.
A rental license in the R-2 zoning district would be limited to two unrelated people or a traditional family. Currently, there are no off-street parking stalls. In this case, the lot provides several topographical challenges, so a recommendation is that a minimum of two off-street stalls be provided either in the front yard or be leased by a neighboring property within 500 feet. The new owner is exploring their options and will need to meet this requirement prior to any license being issued.
The reinstatement of the license for this property would align with the Strategic Plan as well as the Housing Needs Analysis. One of the goal focus areas with desired outcomes and tactical action to achieve the goal within the city’s Strategic Plan is housing. This includes preserving the existing affordable housing stock, providing better and safer rental housing options, creating diverse types of housing and ending homelessness. In addition, the city’s 2025 Housing Needs Analysis projects demand for 6,505 new housing units by 2035, including a strong demand for rental housing. The plan commits to the preserving of existing affordable housing stock and closing equity gaps.
The property maintained a rental license until December 2019, with the license being canceled in 2020 as the property was foreclosed on and then ended up being condemned in 2023 and deemed unlivable.
Recently, the property was sold to a new owner on July 2, 2025. The new owner of the property has been working on improvements to the property and has made an application for a rental license and is requesting the allowance of a rental license in a block that is over the 25% density limit. The property is zoned R-2-, One- and Two-Family Dwelling district, and is subject to a 25% rental density limit per City Code, Section 7-57. The block in which 447 North 6th Street is located contains 18 lots and there are currently 10 rental licenses, which is above the maximum allowable licenses in the block. In this case, all the existing licenses, in addition to the previous license at 447 North 6th Street, were in place at the time of the rental density code adoption.
A rental license in the R-2 zoning district would be limited to two unrelated people or a traditional family. Currently, there are no off-street parking stalls. In this case, the lot provides several topographical challenges, so a recommendation is that a minimum of two off-street stalls be provided either in the front yard or be leased by a neighboring property within 500 feet. The new owner is exploring their options and will need to meet this requirement prior to any license being issued.
The reinstatement of the license for this property would align with the Strategic Plan as well as the Housing Needs Analysis. One of the goal focus areas with desired outcomes and tactical action to achieve the goal within the city’s Strategic Plan is housing. This includes preserving the existing affordable housing stock, providing better and safer rental housing options, creating diverse types of housing and ending homelessness. In addition, the city’s 2025 Housing Needs Analysis projects demand for 6,505 new housing units by 2035, including a strong demand for rental housing. The plan commits to the preserving of existing affordable housing stock and closing equity gaps.