Ordinance rezoning properties to OR, Office Residential and adding properties to the Institutional Overlay District and Resolution approving an amended campus plan (1025 Marsh Street); by request by HDR, on behalf of the property owner, Mayo Clinic Health System.

At the July 24, 2024, meeting, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning of properties to OR, Office Residential and to add properties into the institutional overlay district, and a resolution adopting the amended campus plan with the following findings of fact:

1. The proposed use conforms with the goals of the Mayo Clinic Campus Plan, 
2. The proposed use is determined to be in conformance with the overall intent of the campus plan in the IO, Institutional Overlay District.

The applicant, HDR, on behalf of Mayo Clinic Health Systems is requesting an amendment to the Institutional Overlay and approved campus plan. 

History 

The Mankato City Council approved the Mayo Health Systems (previously Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital) Institutional Overlay District on September 10, 2001. The process for establishing the district involved building design and construction criteria, rezoning the property from a residential zoning to either an O-Office, or Office Residential District designation, providing development plans and boundaries for the entire proposed district, location of future structures, the projected number of employees and residents, a traffic study, a concept plan for future development, and a various other plans (i.e. landscaping, exterior lighting, and drainage).
The original Master Plan contained the following major elements: 

1. The realignment of Dane Street and Dickinson Street along the east side of the campus.  In addition to the possible realignment of Marsh Street. These realignments would allow the campus to have buildings and parking within the campus area and reduce pedestrian/automobile conflicts.
2. A proposed expansion of the Mankato Clinic that would have a floor area of 45,000 square feet and a proposed expansion to the Hospital that would have a floor area of 60,000 –100,000 square feet and be from 3 to 5 stories in height.
3. The construction of additional off-street parking as well as the construction of three, two-story parking ramps.

Over the years, the Institutional Overlay District has been amended multiple times to allow for the expansion of the district and to improve the operations of the hospital. Examples of amendments include the addition of an essential utility structure and realignment of Marsh Street in 2004. In 2005, the ultimate site plan for the Campus Plan depicted a bed tower connected to the northeast corner of the hospital structure. In order to create efficiencies, preserve parking, and maintain internal traffic flow, the previous location of the bed tower was relocated to the current location. The most recent, 2022, approved the amendment to allow for the new bed tower, kitchen and pharmacy expansion. 

Rezoning

The areas in blue on the campus map will be rezoned to IO-Institutional Overlay. Under the institutional Overlay District, the properties depicted in the Campus Plan that are owned by the applicant would be zoned to Office Residential; however, the only uses that would be allowed are restricted to those depicted on the Campus Master Plan and the permitted uses must conform to the conditions in the resolution establishing performance standards. 

Properties not included in the rezoning, but are depicted in the Campus Plan Boundaries, may be added to the district by the City Council at the request of the property owner, provided the property area conforms to the conditions of approval. Properties outside the Campus Plan may not be added to the district, unless the Council approves revising the plan. 

The areas concerning rezoning are the areas outlined on the Institutional overlay area in blue. These are new parcels that are being added to the institutional overlay and campus map. These are all properties that have already been obtained by Mayo Clinic. The corner of Dickinson Street and Main Street lots are being rezoned to the OR Office Residential and Institutional Overlay District. The other areas on the map are to the north of Main Street, where some residential properties are being rezoned to fit with the Institutional Overlay District.
Proposal 

The applicant is requesting to modify the existing, approved Institutional Overlay for the Mayo Clinic Mankato Campus as outlined below: 

Parking and South Green Space 

Parking lot conversion - the existing construction laydown area that is located at the corner of Mulberry Street and Garden Boulevard. This use of the property was approved as part of the 2022 Institutional Overlay Amendment and built last year to support the various construction projects occurring over the past year. This area is no longer needed for construction functions. The applicant is requesting that this area be converted into a parking lot. 

The proposed parking lot will contain 62 parking stalls. The parking lot is expected to be used as employee parking. There will be no access to the existing alley located to the south-west of the proposed project. To the west of the parking lot, the applicant is proposing a rain garden, similar to the one north of Main Street, for stormwater management. Final design and landscaping will be required to meet Mankato City Code requirements.

The recently acquired property by Mayo Clinic on the corner of Main and Dickinson Streets, the expected plan is to remove the existing home on Main Street driveway access. The garages would remain to be utilized for equipment/maintenance storage. Access to the garage would be provided by a new driveway accessed off the existing driveway to the "Boldt" House. Landscaping and green space will be designed in accordance with the Mankato City Code during the project design phase. 

Internal Green Space Options  

The applicants are considering two alternatives for an additional internal green space within the campus: 

Option number one is for an internal green space addition that is located adjacent to the recently completed Pharmacy Addition that eliminated an existing green space area. This layout would encroach onto an existing internal road and parking lot and is currently shown as a concept subject to change. This area is also where the temporary heliport is located and is being relocated to the recently completed bed tower. 

There were 92 parking stalls in this area prior to establishing the temporary heliport. If this green space option is chosen, parking counts would be reduced to 67 stalls. Note that the previously narrated parking lot conversion would add 62 stalls, providing a net gain of 33 stalls. 

Option number two for an internal green space is located at the north end of the property near Marsh Street. The concept shown is in-kind to the surrounding area and would be further refined and landscaping determines if the project were selected to move forward. 6 accessible parking stalls would be removed with this option. 

Radiology Addition and Bulk Oxygen Relocation 

The applicant is proposing a future radiology addition. The location of the radiology addition is to be positioned between the kitchen, boiler plant, and other building areas. Primary patient and staff access would be provided from internal access from existing buildings. Some operations and staff may access the building from the exterior. The final building design will be reviewed at the time of permitting.

The proposal for the radiology addition is 10,000 square feet and reconstruction of existing site improvements. The building addition will have a two-story Radiology addition to the existing hospital and will include patient, staff, and support spaces, as well as a mechanical penthouse on the 2nd level to provide space for new mechanical units to serve the addition. Access to Radiology addition is provided through a connection to the existing hospital. Floor plans show patient spaces, staff spaces, and support space. 

The exterior materials for this addition will be complementary to the esthetics of the existing hospital and the surrounding area of the Mankato campus. 

With the radiology addition, the bulk oxygen system is to be relocated because of the proposed radiology addition and the increased demand required by the bed tower expansion.  

The proposed project consists of establishing a new 27' x 27' pad next to a loading dock. Retaining walls will be required for guarding purposes and protection of the bulk oxygen system. A portion of an existing retaining wall enclosing the chiller plants will be replaced and new screening with landscaping will be established along Dickinson Street. 

Monument and Wayfinding Signage 

Based off a Wayfinding Study, the applicants are proposing modifications to the signage on the site. City Code, Section 10.87, states that monuments in the Institutional Overlay District are allowed a maximum height of 8 feet and 32 square feet in area. Directional signs are allowed to be a maximum of 6 feet in height and 8 square feet in area.

The applicant is requesting modification to the allowed sign size per City Code for the monument signs and directional signs. The requested height for the monument signs is 11'7" feet in height. As for the directional signs, they are requesting a height of 16 feet and 16 square feet in area. The applicant is aware that approval is required to allow construction of the proposed signage. 

These signs will be internally illuminated with no exposed bulbs that would cause glare or light trespass. 

Future Specialty Clinic Vertical Expansion 

The applicant is proposing a future vertical expansion for a Specialty Clinic. It is anticipated that the future expansion will match the height of the recently completed Bed Tower expansion.  

The future specialty clinic's potential floor plan depicts patient space, staff space, and support space. 

Verizon Antenna 

The site plan shows the proposed location of Verizon's antennas that need to be relocated because of the recent bed tower expansion. The Verizon antennas were originally on the penthouse of the original building. The antennas were selected to be placed on the roof of the northeast mechanical penthouse, which is apart of the bed tower expansion. The height of the existing building is 113' 0'; the proposed height of the antenna is 106'5".