>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF BUSINESS, HOUSING AND ZONING COMMITTEE FOR JUNE 24, 2025. I'M JAMAL OSMAN AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE MEETING, I WANT TO REMIND ALL MEMBERS, STAFF AND PUBLIC
THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE BROADCAST LIVE FOR GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THIS INCLUDES REAL-TIME CAPTIONING TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR PROCEEDINGS TO THE COMMUNITY. THEREFORE, ALL SPEAKERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE RATE OF THEIR SPEECH SO THAT OUR CAPTIONERS CAN FULLY
TRANSCRIBE OR COMMENT FOR THE BROADCAST. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO MODERATE THE SPEED AND CLARITY OF FOR COMMENT. WE'LL BE USING SPEAKER MANAGEMENT SO PLEASE SIGN IN. AT THIS TIME I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL SO WE CAN VERIFY A QUORUM. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE. >> PRESENT.
>> CASHMAN IS ABSENT. JENKINS. >> PRESENT. >> CHOWDHURY. >> PRESENT. >> VICE CHAIR ELLISON. >> HERE. >> AND CHAIR OSMAN. >> PRESENT. >> THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT WE HAVE A QUORUM. BEFORE WE JUMP TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE
TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO MOVE ITEM 6.4 FROM CONSENT TO DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL FIRST TAKE OUR CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH
IS ITEM 6 THROUGH 15. SIX IS APPROVING FOUR LIQUOR LICENSE. 7 APPROVING 51 LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS. EIGHT IS ACCEPTING A GRANT FROM U.S. WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
FOR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. NINE IS AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH MET COUNCIL RELATED TO LOAN REDEPLOYMENT. 10 IS AUTHORIZING EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO LUL BROS PROPERTIES AT 1200 EAST
LAKE STREET. 11 IS ACCEPTING A GRANT AND ADOPTING A PROGRAM GUIDELINE FROM MET COUNCIL'S WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM. 12 IS A RESOLUTION EXTENDING SUPPORT ART MURAL AT HIAWATHA LAKE
BRIDGE. 13 IS AUTHORIZING STREET LOAN AT 2828 HENNEPIN AVENUE. 14 IS AMENDING A SOIL STORAGE AGREEMENT WITH PORT OF MINNEAPOLIS FOR THE UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL. ITEM 15 IS SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 15TH TO
CONSIDER CONVEYANCE OF SEVERAL PROPERTIES AT THE UPPER HARBOR TERMINAL SITE. WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ALL ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS? I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE TENDING THE SOIL COALITION AND THANK CPED FOR THEIR WORK ON DELIVERING THIS LOAN TO THE RISE UP CENTER, WHICH WILL BE OPENING IN UPTOWN AT 28th AND HENNEPIN
AND WILL BE A GREAT STEP FOR REVITALIZATION OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. >> THANK YOU. SEEING NO ONE ELSE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. NOW WE WILL PROCEED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF
OUR AGENDA. ITEM ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A STREET VENDOR LICENSE FOR HARD TIMES CAFE. WELCOME. >> HELLO, AND THANK YOU, CHAIR
OSMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. A MANY INSPECTOR MUHAMMAD OSMAN. I'M PRESENTING AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY HARD TIMES CAFE INC. DOING BUSINESS AS HARD
TIMES CAFE LOCATED AT 1821 RIVERSIDE AVENUE, WARD 6. THIS LICENSE WOULD ALLOW THE BUSINESS TO -- SEASONAL DINING AREA. HARD TIMES CAFE IS A LONG-TIME ESTABLISHED THAT HAS BEEN
OPERATING AT THIS LOCATION FOR OVER 33 YEARS IN THE CEDAR RIVERSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD. 24 SEATS LOCATED IN BETWEEN TWO PARKING SPACES. THE STREET CAFE WILL BE
ENCLOSED BY A WOODEN BARRIER. APPROXIMATELY 256 SQUARE FEET. THE ADDITIONAL SEATING IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY AND OUTDOOR DINING APPEAL. THE PROPOSED OPERATIONS WOULD BE FROM 8 A.M. UNTIL
MIDNIGHT. PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES WERE SENT TO HOMEOWNERS, THE WEST BANK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND COUNCIL MEMBER OSMAN. WE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS OF SUPPORT. ONE OF THEM BEING FROM THE WEST BANK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT 311 POLICE CALLS, 311 OR POLICE
CALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS THAT WOULD IMPACT THE ISSUANCE OF THE LICENSE. THE LICENSE AND CONSUMER SERVICES DIVISION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE STREET CAFE LICENSE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW I'M
GOING TO PROCEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. ARE THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, WELCOME.
>> HELLO. HOW ARE YOU DOING? I HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT HERE. >> SURE. >> GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS. WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING ON THE WEST
BANK FOR 33 YEARS. WE PROVIDE AFFORDABLE COFFEE AND HEALTHY FOOD. WE HAVE SURVIVED RAIDS FROM THE CITY, THE 2008 RECESSION, COVID, AND THE CURRENT POST-COVID INCREASED INFLATION PRICES. THIS IS
GENERALLY A VERY TYPICAL TIME TO OPERATE A RESTAURANT. MARGINS ARE ALWAYS RAZOR THIN. WE'RE LOCATED NEAR THE U OF M IN OXBERG, AND BUSINESS SLOWS DOWN
IN THE SUMMER WHEN THERE ARE FEWER STUDENTS. WE GOT FEEDBACK THAT THEY WERE FAR MORE LIKELY TO SPEND TIME AT THE CAFE WITH OUTDOOR OPTIONS AVAILABLE. INCREASED EYES ON THE STREET AND FOOT TRAFFIC ON RIVERSIDE AVENUE. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO
INCLUDE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE WBBA. WE ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT OUR REQUEST TO OPERATE A STREET CAFE FOR THE SUMMER SEASON OF 2025. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> NO, SIR. THANK YOU. WELL I WILL -- OH, THERE'S -- TJ.
WELCOME. >> HI. MY NAME'S TJ, AND I'M A HOMEOWNER LIVING WITHIN 300 FEET OF HARD TIMES CAFE. IT'S A GREAT CAFE. I LIKE THAT IT'S THERE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME
GUARD RAILS AROUND ALONG THE OUTDOOR PATIOS OPEN. AT THE MOMENT THE CAFE IS OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. ASKING TO HAVE A CAFE OUTDOOR PATIO THAT IS OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. IF THAT'S THE CASE
THEN TYPICALLY THERE'S ALWAYS MUSIC AND STUFF IN THE CAFE. ARE WE LOOKING FOR THAT MUSIC TO BE OUTSIDE AS WELL? I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME GUARD RAILS AROUND. TAKING AWAY PARKING SPACES THAT
OVERFLOW PARKING WOULD COME ON TO OUR STREET. WHAT MEASURES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR THAT OVERFLOW PARKING? I'D KIND OF LIKE TO SEE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS DISCUSSED SO WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. WE DO HAVE A
COMMUNITY GARDEN BACK THERE AND WE DO LIKE TO SLEEP. WE ALREADY HAVE NOISY VENUES. HARD TIMES CAFE IS A LOT CLOSER. SO KIND OF HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ARE THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'D CLOSE THE ITEM. AND I AM GOING TO CALL THE STAFF. SEE IF YOU CAN ANSWER A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT WAS RAISED DURING THE TIME. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE TIMES OF HOURS OF OPERATION. >> CHAIR OSMAN, SO THE HOURS OF OPERATION WOULD BE FROM 8 A.M.
UNTIL MIDNIGHT. HARD TIMES CAFE ACTUALLY HAS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO OPERATE FOR 24 HOURS. >> OKAY. AND MAYBE JOSH CAN ANSWER A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONCERN OR SPEAK ABOUT
THE GENERAL CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED BY TJ. >> YEAH. GO AHEAD. CAN YOU REPEAT THOSE FOR ME. >> TJ WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE LATE HOURS AND THE DISTURBANCE IT CAN CREATE DURING THE DOWN TIMES.
>> WELL I KNOW THAT WE WON'T BE PLAYING LOUD MUSIC OUTSIDE. AND AS FOR NOISE VOLUME, ET CETERA, WE'LL BE HAVING STAFF COME OUT
AND CHECK ON THINGS FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. DURING THE DAY AS WELL AS LATE AT NIGHT. YEAH. >> OKAY. >> WE'D BE OPEN TO SPEAKING WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO WORK THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT TOO. >> OKAY. WONDERFUL. I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH NEIGHBORS, SOMEONE LIKE TJ, TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS. I AM IN SUPPORT
OF THIS LICENSE. I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG, LONG TIME. YOU'RE IN THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND REALLY GREAT TO HAVE YOU SERVING STUDENTS AND MANY RESIDENTS IN CEDAR-RI CEDAR-RIVERSIDE. I AM GOING TO
MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD FOR APPROVAL AND RECOGNIZE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE ON HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN FIRST. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. YEAH, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF GENERALLY THE SIDEWALK PERMITS AS WELL. JUST KEEPING OUR PUBLIC SPACES
WELL MAINTAINED AND HAVING MORE PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET TENDS TO HELP WITH SAFETY AS WELL. I CAN SEE HOW THE NEIGHBORS MIGHT BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT MUSIC BEING PLAYED AT NIGHT. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING YOU COULD REASONABLY SHUT OFF A LOT EARLIER. I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU
ARE NOT SERVING ALCOHOL AT THIS ESTABLISH, CORRECT? >> JUST COFFEE. >> I THINK THAT HELPS WITH THE LATE NIGHT ROWDINESS. I PERSONALLY HAVE APPRECIATED THAT HARD TIMES HAS BEEN OPEN LATE AND DOESN'T SERVE ALCOHOL. IT'S BEEN SUPPORTIVE TO ME AND OTHER
FRIENDS WHEN IN RECOVERY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT SPACE THAT'S OPEN LATE BUT NOT A BAR. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I JUST APPRECIATE HARD TIMES CAFE AND I WILL SUPPORT THIS PERMIT. >> THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR ELLISON. >> YEAH. I WILL BE SUPPORTING
THIS MOTION AS WELL. TJ IS IN THE ROOM SO WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXCHANGE CONTACT INFO. AND JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, WOULD THE PATIO BE OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT AS WELL, DO YOU THINK? >> YEAH.
>> AND AMPLIFIED NOISE IS A CONCERN PERMIT, I DON'T ANTICIPATE YOU GUYS WILL BE PLAYING OUTDOORS. >> WE DON'T HAVE SPEAKERS OUTSIDE. IT WOULD BE REGULAR STREET VOLUME I GUESS. >> YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME. I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. YOU'VE
GOT A NEIGHBOR HERE. I THINK JUST KEEPING THAT LINE OF COMMUNICATION OPEN. OTHERWISE, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUE, THANK YOU FOR DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE. AND YEAH, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION. >> GREAT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. AND I HAVE A LOT OF BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN MY WARD AND NOISE IS A CONSTANT ISSUE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH NEIGHBORS. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE HERE TOGETHER. SO WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO LISTEN TO THEM AND TO
HELP ACCOMMODATE THEIR NEEDS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ON THAT MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS LIQUOR ON LIMITED ENTERTAINMENT LICENSE FOR RIVER CITY TAVERN. I'LL WELCOME SARAH GRAYS FOR SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I'M LICENSE INSPECTOR SARAH GRAYs. I'M PRESENTING AN APPLICATION FROM PNM GROUP LLC DOING BUSINESS AS RIVER CITY TAVERN LOCATED AT 200
WEST BROADWAY AVENUE IN WARD 5. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING AN ON SALE LIQUOR, LIMITED ENTERTAINMENT WITH SUNDAY SALES LICENSE. IF APPROVED, THEY INTEND TO OPEN A SIT DOWN RESTAURANT INCLUDING BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH SERVICE WITH MIXED DRINKS AND COCKTAILS, AND ALSO
INCLUDING LIVE BLUES, JAZZ AND R & B MUSIC, OPEN MIC NIGHTS AND KARAOKE. NO SEATING OR ENTERTAINMENT OUTSIDE. THERE WILL BE NO OPERATING CONDITIONS
FOR THIS LICENSE. THE HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 8 A.M. THROUGH 12 A.M. ON JUNE 4TH, 2025, PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES WERE SENT TO RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND POSTED ON BUSINESSES WITHIN 600
FEET OF THE PREMISE. NOTICES WERE ALSO SENT TO THE HAWTHORNE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON. WE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT OPPOSING THE LICENSE WITH CONCERNS BASED ON HISTORY OF THE LOCATION. A REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS, 311 CALLS,
POLICE CALLS AND ANY OPERATING CONDITIONS DOES SHOW A HISTORY OF SIGNIFICANT ISSUES CONCERNING PREVIOUS BUSINESSES AT THIS LOCATION. LICENSES AND CONSUMER SERVICES HAS REVIEWED THE DETAILED BUSINESS PLAN FOR RIVER CITY TAVERN, WHICH ALSO HAS A COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY PLAN THAT
WAS SIGNED BY LIEUTENANT HAND OF THE FOURTH POLICE PRECINCT. THE LICENSES AND CONSUMERS SERVICES DIVISION DOES APPROVE. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. AT THIS TIME, I WILL STAND FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO PROCEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND FIRST SIGNED UP IS TODD SMITH. WELCOME. >> THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL PERSONS. MY NAME IS TODD SMITH AND I OWN THE BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET AT 201 WEST BROADWAY, MASTER PROPERTIES. I'M ACTIVELY PURSUING THE CREATION
OF EMPLOYMENT -- WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM PARTNERS AT CPED, MAYOR'S OFFICE, COUNC MEMBER'S OFFICE, AMONG OTHERS. NOTHING I'M ABOUT TO SHARE IS REFLECTION ON THE CURRENT LICENSE APPLICANTS. MY CONCERNS ARE BASED ON HISTORICAL FACTS OF
THIS LOCATION. I HAVE A VIDEO OF 128 SHOTS FIRED AT THIS INTERSECTION AS A RESULT OF AN ARGUMENT THAT SPILLED OUT ON TO THE STREET. I'VE HAD MY WINDOWS SHOT OUT. WHILE UNDER PREVIOUS
OWNERSHIP, A PATRON LEAVING THE ESTABLISHMENT DROVE INTO MY OFFICE. $100,000 IN DAMAGES. NO CHARGES WERE FILED BY THE POLICE OR THE PROSECUTORS OFFICE. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LIQUOR LICENSE PROCESS AND HAVE HELD LICENSES IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS FOR 20 YEARS. I'M
FAMILIAR WITH THE BUSINESS AND SECURITY PLANS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN A LICENSE. I'D ASK YOU TO PLEASE OUTLINE THE REPERCUSSIONS. AND ALSO TO PLEASE PUT SOME STIPULATIONS AS
TO THE CONSEQUENCE OF DANGEROUS OR ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR. I'D SUGGEST SECURITY DURING HOURS OF OPERATION. -- COUNTRY BAR. IT WAS MANDATED THAT I HAVE
SECURITY DURING OPERATING HOURS. THEIR SECURITY PLAN REQUIRES THAT THEY HAVE A CLEARLY IDENTIFIED STAFF PERSON AT THE DOOR DURING OPERATING HOURS. IT SEEMS TO BE THE PRUDENT THING TO DO HERE AT RIVER CITY TAVERN.
SECONDLY, NO WEAPONS ALLOWED. THIRD, IF LICENSE OR OWNERSHIP STIPULATES CLOSING AT MIDNIGHT, I'M GRAVELY CONCERNED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PATRONS -- >> THANK YOU.
>> OPEN CONTAINERS, DRUGS, PROSTITUTION, GUNS, DRAG RACING, AND DONUTS IN THE INTERSECTION. >> SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME. >> -- >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. OUR NEXT PERSON IS
MIKE OKER. THANK YOU. WELCOME, MIKE. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN OSMAN AND COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS MICHAEL OKER AND I REPRESENT PNM
GROUP LLC AS WELL AS RIVER CITY TAVERN. WE'LL BE DOING BUSINESS AT 200 WEST BROADWAY. I'VE GOT A LONG TIME RECORD IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND THE NIGHT CLUB AND BAR INDUSTRY ON BROADWAY, 25 YEARS. AND I THINK COUNCILMAN
ELLISON HAS BEEN WITNESS TO THE HARD WORK I HAVE DONE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE SAFETY OF THE BUSINESS I WAS RUNNING THEN. I HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AS A BUSINESS OWNER NOW WITH NEW PARTNERS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF FOR BROADWAY AVENUE,
WHICH IS A BREAKFAST SITDOWN RESTAURANT ALONG WITH A VIBRANT BARBECUE EVENING RESTAURANT. BUT MORE THAN THAT FOCUSED ON FOOD BUT LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH IS BLUES, JAZZ, AND CLASSIC R & B ENTERTAINMENT. WE'RE IN THE
PROCESS RIGHT NOW WORKING WITH WBC AS THE WEST BROADWAY AREA BUSINESS COALITION TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST BROADWAY BLUES AND JAZZ FESTIVAL HOPEFULLY IN SEPTEMBER. THAT BEING SAID, I'VE GOT A LONG HISTORY OF DOING IT
THE HARD WAY ON BROADWAY, AND I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT WELL. BUT I'M READY TO DO IT THE EASY WAY. BUT I HAVE THE SECURITY. I THINK I HAVE THE SECURITY BACKGROUND AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF WEST BROADWAY TO HELP USHER IN A NEW,
VIBRANT ERA OF BROADWAY AVENUE BEING A FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT CORRIDOR. I KNOW WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS DOWN WITH THE CAPRI AND WITH THE FOOD DEVELOPMENT NEXT DOOR, AND AS WELL AS THE
OWNER TITO WILSON AT THE NEW SWANK EATERY, WHICH IS MY OLD PLACE, THE 4TH STREET SALOON. I THINK WE HAVE A GENUINE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A NEW WAVE OF WHAT WE HAVE HAD, WHILE INCLUDING THE REAL GOOD
RESIDENTS OF NORTH MINNEAPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M OPEN TO ANY COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT PERSON IS DONNA SANDERS. >> HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS
DONNA SANDERS AND I'M THE BUSINESS SPECIALIST WITH THE WEST BROADWAY COALITION. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THE COALITION FULLY SUPPORTS THE RIVER CITY TAVERN. IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE 200 CLUB WAS IN THE PAST. IT'S A FOCUS ON
FOOD. THERE'S A FOCUS -- ALTHOUGH THERE IS AN ON SALE LIQUOR LICENSE, THERE'S SOLID OWNERSHIP HERE WITH SOLID EXPERIENCE IN THE URBAN BLOCK. SO WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT US TOO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEXT
PERSON IS DOT OLSON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DOUG OLSON AND I'M THE OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR THE NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE, A NONPROFIT SERVING OUR
NORTHSIDE SCHOLARS ON THEIR PATH TO GOING TO COLLEGE AND CAREER AS THEY BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH MIKE, NEIL AND PAUL. WE ARE LOCATED AT 1664
NORTH 2ND STREET, KITTY-CORNER FROM THE RIVER CITY TAVERN. AND WE OWN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS. AS A NONPROFIT SERVING NORTHSIDE SCHOLARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND PARTNER SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS, THE
SAFETY OF OUR STAFF, SCHOLARS, THEIR FAMILIES IS PARAMOUNT. TO THAT END, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PATRONS ARE NOT LOITERING IN OUR PARKING LOT, AND BUILDING, THAT TRASH IS
COLLECTED, AND THE RIVER CITY TAVERN HAS A SECURITY PLAN IN PLACE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. ARE THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE,
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON. >> THANK YOU. I AM GOING TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS. AND SO I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. BUT BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE ON IT, WOULD LOVE IF STAFF AND MIKE OKER COULD JUST
COME UP AND EXPLAIN TO FOLKS WHAT EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED ABOUT SECURITY. THAT'S NOT NEW TO YOU, MIKE. >> I DID MY BEST FOR 25 YEARS. YOU KNOW IT. >> WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THE PLAN IS AND JUST GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE SENSE OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU PLAN TO PROCEED ON
THIS CORNER. >> SURE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, BROADWAY AND NORTH MINNEAPOLIS IS MY HEART. THAT'S ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS MAINTAINED. EVEN THE 4TH STREET SALON, AS A MANAGER, I WASN'T ABLE TO CHANGE WHAT WE
DID. BUT I WORKED HARD TO DO A LOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR KIDS. BUT OUR SAFETY AND SAFETY OF OUR STAFF AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS PARAMOUNT. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN WITH ME. AND I'VE BEEN THE ONE TO BE OUT
THERE BY MYSELF SOMETIMES FIRST AND FOREMOST DEALING WITH INCIDENTS. BUT WE'RE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE YOUNGER CROWD. THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OTHER PLACES TO BE. AND IF THEY WANT TO COME AND ENJOY A GOOD MEAL AND HAVE SOME
ENJOYMENT THAT WAY AND SEE SOME LIVE MUSIC IS ONE THING. BUT WHAT I'VE FOUND IS JUST LIKE METEOR BAR DOESN'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY DON'T OFFER THAT TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT TOWARDS THE YOUNGER CROWD. AND 95% OF OUR
YOUNGER CROWD IS AMAZING. UNFORTUNATELY, 5% OF IT HAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MADE IT TOUGH FOR THE REST OF US. SO BEING WITNESS AND PRIVY TO THAT PERSONALLY AND HANDS ON FOR 25 YEARS,'VE SEEN THE GOODS, THE
BADS IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, ESPECIALLY ON BROADWAY. AND IT HAS MADE AN ENTIRE TURN. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE RICO ARRESTS AND THE CLEAN UP THEY DID A COUPLE OF SUMMERS AGO WHERE THINGS WERE REALLY, REALLY
OUT OF HAND. I THINK HAVING A CLEAN SLATE, BOTH THE NIGHT CLUBS ARE NOW TURNING INTO EATING VENUES WITH LIVE MUSIC. I THINK GIVES WAY TO ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH IS WE WON'T BE DEALING WITH AS MUCH, BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, IF THAT DOES OFFER UP ITS UGLY FACE, I'L BE THERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT MYSELF AS WELL AS MY TRAINED SECURITY. AND WE'LL BE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT OUR SECURITY PLAN DOES INDICATE. >> THANK YOU.
>> YEAH. NORTH MINNEAPOLIS IS MY HEART. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SAFE. WE'VE ALREADY DID A LOT CLEANING UP. WE'VE REMOVED ALL THE BROKEN GLASS. THE BOTTLES AND THE NEEDLES. WE'RE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE WE CAN START
HAVING SOME FARMER'S MARKETS AND FUN JAZZ ENTERTAINMENT OVER THERE. >> THAT'S GREAT. TO ADD? >> YEAH, JUST THAT -- >> MICROPHONE. >> SORRY. IT IS STIPULATED IN THE SECURITY PLAN THAT THEY WILL HAVE A HEAD OF SECURITY AND ASSISTANT SECURITY STARTING AT
LEAST AT 8 P.M. ON THOSE NIGHTS. I MEAN, JUST TO NOTE THAT WITH CONCERNS TO THE AREA SURROUNDING THAT ALL BUSINESSES AS THEY'RE AWARE ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE AREA WITHIN 100 FEET OF THEIR PROPERTY CLEANED. >> I WILL BE DOING THAT PLUS MORE.
>> GREAT. GREAT. GREAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE YOU GUYS STAND UP HERE IF I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE QUESTIONS. BUT REALLY APPRECIATE. I'LL JUST SAY FOR MY PART, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MIKE MENTIONED A
CLEAN SLATE. I THINK THIS CORNER DESERVES A CLEAN SLATE. AS FAR AS IT'S GOT A NEW OWNER, A NEW BUSINESS. CAN'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THIS LOCATION HAS BEEN A BIT INFAMOUS, EVER SINCE I WAS A KID FOR SURE. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN THE 200 CLUB FOR MANY, MANY CYCLES NOW. >> IT'S STILL REFERENCED. >> THAT'S HOW STRONG, THAT'S HOW MUCH THAT IDENTITY IS IMBEDDED ON THIS CORNER. I THINK YOU KNOW THAT AS WELL AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS IF
I CAN -- THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS INSIDE AND OUT. WE JUST TOTALLY GUTTED THE PLACE AND STARTED BRAND NEW. WE DON'T WANT ANY REMNANTS OF THIS IS THE SAME OLD 200 CLUB. WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IT AND BRING THEIR FAMILIES TO BREAKFAST AND
THEIR GRANDPARENTS FOR BEAUTIFUL JAZZ AND BLUES, R & B EVENING. >> FOR SURE. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CREATE THAT IDENTITY. GET THE 200 OUT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS. IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ROAD. IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF HARD WORK AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS GOING TO FALL SQUARELY ON YOUR
SHOULDERS. I ADVISE YOU TO REACH OUT TO TODD AND CREATE A RELATIONSHIP THERE ACROSS THE STREET SO THAT YOU GUYS KNOW EACH OTHER SO IT'S NOT JUST THE INFAMY LIVING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. >> WE VALIDATE THE CONCERNS,
ESPECIALLY ME BEING FROM MY PAST OVER ACROSS THE BRIDGE. I VALIDATE ENTIRELY THE CONCERNS OF ANYBODY THAT HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I WANT TO ASSURE THEM I'M GOING TO BE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. >> I'M GOING TO WRAP UP HERE,
MIKE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A SEAT. WE'RE GOING TO WRAP UP AND VOTE HERE. ALL THAT TO SAY THIS IS -- I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT THIS CORNER IS MOVING IN AND I HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES CAN SUPPORT PASSING THIS. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, I'LL
RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF. IF YOU COULD COME UP. WHAT KIND OF PROTECTIONS DOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE IF THE GUNFIRE RETURNS AND THE VIOLENCE, THE LITTER? WHAT'S OUR
ABILITY TO CORRECT THAT? >> EXCELLENT QUESTION, THROUGH THE CHAIR OSMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, THERE ARE -- I MEAN, THEIR DETAILED SECURITY PLAN DOES TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH THE
FOURTH PRECINCT POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL. CRAIG, DO YOU HAVE -- I THINK. >> YEAH. THANK YOU. CHAIR OSMAN, CRAIG ELIASON, IS IT DOES STATE THAT THE LICENSEE IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR SECURITY. WE DO TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE USE PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE UP TO AND INCLUDING RECOMMENDING REVOCATION OF THE LICENSE. IT'S PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE, BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THE LICENSEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SECURITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. >> THANK YOU. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS. BUT THE SHADOW OF THE 200 CLUB IS BLOCKING OUT THE SUN ON THIS APPLICATION. I HEARD THE
GUNSHOTS OF THE 128 ROUNDS FIRED ACROSS THE RIVER WHERE I LIVE. WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT OCCURS AGAIN? >> CHAIR OSMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, YES, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FOURTH
PRECINCT. WE DO CALL INS. WE TAKE ACTION. WE COULD PUT CONDITIONS ON THE LICENSE, SUSPENSIONS. BUT I WILL SAY THAT I THINK THE FOURTH PRECINCT HAS PUT A VERY THOROUGH MICROSCOPE
ON THIS SECURITY PLAN DUE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS PROPERTY. STAFF AND FOURTH PRECINCT IS WELL AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF THAT PROPERTY. AND TALKING TO THE APPLICANT, FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY WE TOLD HIM THIS WOULD BE A
VERY CHALLENGING LOCATION AND THAT WE WISH THEM SUCCESS. BUT THEY WOULD BE UNDER A MICROSCOPE FROM M.P.D. AND FROM OUR DECISION. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH M.P.D., WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE LICENSEE. IT'S ALWAYS BEST WE CAN MEET AND RESOLVE
PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME BIG PROBLEMS. BUT WE DO ANSWER COMPLAINTS AND WE DO ACT IN A PROACTIVE MANNER WHEN WE GET COMPLAINTS. AND M.P.D. IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT. >> THANK YOU. SO COUNCIL MEMBER
ELLISON, I'M SURE YOU HAVE THE VOTE TO PASS THIS, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE GETTING MY VOTE. I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME VALID COMPLAINTS BY MASTERS IN THE NORTHSIDE ACHIEVEMENT ZONE. I'M HESITANT TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE OF THE PAST HISTORY OF THE VIOLENCE IN THAT LOCATION. THANK
YOU. >> CHAIR OSMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE SECURITY PLAN DOES ACCOUNT FOR THINGS LIKE GUN, WEAPONS BEING BROUGHT INTO THE
CLUB, OVERDOSES, INCIDENTS IN THE PARKING LOT. EACH OF THOSE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED AND GONE OVER WITH LIEUTENANT HAND. THERE IS A PLAN FOR MANY OF THE ANTICIPATED PAST ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AT THIS LOCATION.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STAFF. I JUST WANTED TO ADD JUST A FEW THINGS. ONE IS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN SIT HERE AND ASK AN APPLICANT TO ANSWER FOR 40-YEAR HISTORY OF THIS CORNER. RIGHT. 40 YEARS OF THIS CORNER IT'S
BEEN AN ISSUE. I'M 35. THIS CORNER HAS BEEN AN ISSUE LONGER, MUCH BEFORE I WAS BORN. SO ASKING A NEW APPLICANT TO SAY, HEY, YOU'RE ON THE HOOK FOR 40-PLUS YEARS OF THIS CORNER, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A FAIR STANDARD THAT I WOULD WANT TO
PUT ON ANY NEW APPLICANT COMING IN TO START A NEW BUSINESS. THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY ESPECIALLY WEST BROADWAY, BUT I THINK THIS IS TRUE IN ANY OF OUR CORRIDORS, A VACANT, INACTIVE SPACE IS ALMOST NEVER SAFER THAN AN ACTIVATED SPACE. RIGHT. AND
SO YOU GET -- AND SO YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE RISK OF SQUATTERS IN A VACANT BUILDING OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT A NEW OWNER COMING IN WITH SOME HIGH STANDARDS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY ASSET. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MIKE'S SOMEBODY WHO HAS
HISTORY ON THE CORRIDOR. RIGHT. HE'S NOT COMING FROM AFAR TO START A BUSINESS WHERE HE CAN AFFORD IT. MIKE HAS HISTORY ON WEST BROADWAY AT ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE HAD ISSUES AND HE'S CORRECTED THOSE ISSUES. AND SO I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
WE ARE GIVING ANYBODY THE BENEFIT OF A TRACK RECORD, IT'S THE PERSON THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE THERE. LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, DONNA HAS BEEN BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE A NUMBER OF TIMES AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST BROADWAY. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US COULD
REALLY CLAIM -- I MEAN, I WOULD TRY TO CLAIM, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US COULD CLAIM WE CARE MORE ABOUT SAFETY ON WEST BROADWAY THAN DONNA DOES. WE'VE GOT SUPPORT HERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'VE GOT SUPPORT HERE FROM A WIDE ARRAY OF ACTORS
ON THE CORRIDOR. AND WE'VE GOT AN APPLICANT WITH SOME PRECEDENT OF CREATING GOOD ACTIVATIONS ON THIS CORRIDOR. I UNDERSTAND I MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT, BUT I WOULD OFFER THAT AS A RETORT. AND IF I COULD EARN YOUR SUPPORT
AT LEAST BY NEXT THURSDAY, THEN I'LL ACCEPT THAT. BUT I JUST FELT THAT CONTEXT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES AND WHAT IT HAS TAKEN TO SLOWLY BUT SURELY CREATE WEST BROADWAY INTO A MUCH SAFER CORRIDOR. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT BROADWAY AND LYNDALE WAS NEVER GOING TO ACHIEVE ANY LEVEL OF SAFETY. AND NOW THAT LEVEL OF SAFETY HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AND MAINTAINED FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. AND SO THAT GIVES ME FAITH THAT THE 200 CLUB CAN ALSO TURN THAT CORNER. THAT'S ALL I'LL OFFER.
AND THEN YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE CAN -- YEAH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. SEEING NO ONE ELSE, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON'S MOTION TO APPROVE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. >> NAY. >> ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION
CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE RELATED TO PROHIBITED SALE AND LOCATION RESTRICTION FOR LICENSE TOBACCO DEALERS. I'LL ASK MAX CERVANTES
AND EVELYN HARBRAY FROM BUSINESS LICENSE FOR A PRESENTATION. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN, COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS EVELYN, I'M A SENIOR PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALIST WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND I'LL
BE CO-PRESENTING THIS AFTERNOON WITH MY COLLEAGUE, MAX CERVANTES FROM BUSINESS LICENSING. I WILL SPEAK ABOUT THE HEALTH ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED TOBACCO AMENDMENTS. AND MAX WILL SPEAK ON THE LICENSING AND ZONING
ASPECTS. GO TO NEXT SLIDE. THERE WE GO. AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LEADING CAUSE OF PREVENTABLE DEATH IN MINNESOTA. THESE PRODUCTS CAUSE MILLIONS OF DEATHS EACH YEAR. BECAUSE OF THE
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE NATURE, IT IS FAR MORE EFFECTIVE TO LOWER TOBACCO RELATED DEATHS IF WE PREVENT YOUTH FROM EVER STARTING TO USE THEM. AMENDING THE
MINNEAPOLIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. INCREASED A MINIMUM PRICE OF CIGARETTES, CIGARS, SNUFF, AND SNARS. AND TO DEFINE SAMPLING OF
COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS ON PRODUCT SHELVES. ABOUT 14% OF ADULTS AGES 18 TO 24 REPORT
CURRENTLY USING E-CIGARETTES AND VAPES C VAPES. E-CIGARETTES OR VAPES ARE
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. A STRONG RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN ADOLESCENT EXPOSURE TO NICOTINE AND ANXIETY OR STRESS. LIMITING WHERE COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS CAN BE SOLD WILL HELP
TO REDUCE EXPOSURE AMONG YOUTH. SETTING A MINIMUM PRICE FOR E-CIGARETTES OR VAPES WHICH ARE DEFINED IN THE MINNEAPOLIS CODE OF ORDINANCES WILL HELP TO PREVENT YOUTH INITIATION AND USE OF THESE PRODUCTS.
KEEPING THE COST HIGH IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS TO DECREASE THEIR USE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO TEND TO BE MORE PRICE SENSITIVE. WHEN THE PRICE OF CIGARETTES IS INCREASED BY 10%.
THIS REDUCTION IS LIKELY TRUE FOR OTHER COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS SUCH AS E-CIGARETTES AND VAPES. THERE'S A BROAD RANGE OF E-CIGARETTE PRODUCTS. DATA ON E-CIGARETTE PRICING GATHERED
FROM TOBACCO STORE PRODUCTS IN SHOPS IN MINNEAPOLIS IN JUNE OF 2024 SHOWED THE RANGE FOR THE LOWEST ADVERTISED PRICE OF A SINGLE USEABLE -- AVERAGE MINIMUM PRICE OF $17.26.
ADDITIONAL PRICE DATA ON 30 VAPE PRODUCTS RANGING FROM A SINGLE POD TO A DEVICE SHOWED THERE WAS A BROAD RANGE IN PRICE FROM ABOUT $6 FOR A SINGLE POD TO ABOUT $22 FOR A DEVICE WITH A STARTER KIT THAT INCLUDES THE DEVICE POD AND CHARGER COSTING
UP TO $50. RAISING THE MINIMUM PRICE TO $25 PER ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $7.74 FROM THAT AVERAGE MINIMUM PRICE FOR A
SINGLE DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTE. SPEAKING TO THE LOCATION RESTRICTIONS, BOTH LOCATION AND DENSITY OF TOBACCO RETAILERS IS ASSOCIATED WITH COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS. THIS IS TRUE
FOR BOTH YOUTH AND ADULTS. DRIVING BOTH SALES AND USE. STRONG TOBACCO -- CAN BE SOLD AND IS RECOMMENDED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE AS WELL AS THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL. AND
NOW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MAX. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM MAX CERVANTES DISTRICT SUPERVISOR FOR BUSINESS LICENSING AND I CAN PRESENT ON WHEN THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT DOES. THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT WILL AFFECT TOBACCO DEALERS IN
TWO WAYS. BY CHANGING THE ALLOWED LOCATIONS FOR NEW EXCLUSIVE TOBACCO SHOPS AND TOBACCO DEALER LICENSES. THERE'S CURRENTLY NO MINIMUM PRICE FOR VAPE OR E-CIGARETTE PRODUCTS. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ESTABLISH A MINIMUM PRICE OF $25 PER
DELIVERY DEVICE, ALIGNING WITH EXISTING PRICING RULES FOR CIGARETTES, CIGARS, LOOSE TOBACCO, MOIST SNUFF. CURRENTLY
OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN ZONING DISTRICTS, NEW EXCLUSIVE DEALERS MUST BE LOCATED 2,000 FEET FROM EXISTING ONES. DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS RULE ALLOWING 2,000 FEET OF ANOTHER. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD
REMOVE THAT EXEMPTION REQUIRING ALL NEW EXCLUSIVE TOBACCO DEALERS REGARDLESS OF LOCATION TO BE AT LEAST 2,000 FEET FROM EXISTING ONES. ADDITIONALLY THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ADD A SPACING REQUIREMENT FOR NEW TOBACCO LOCATIONS TO BE MORE THAN 300
FEET FROM A K-12 SCHOOL. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO SPACING REQUIREMENT. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SPACING REQUIREMENTS FOR OFF SALE LIQUOR AND CANNABIS DISPENSARIES. LASTLY, THIS AMENDMENT ESTABLISHES A REQUIREMENT THAT A NEW LOCATION
OF A TOBACCO DEALER BE LOCATED ON A MINIMUM OF THREE CONTIGUOUS ACRES OF APPLICABLE ZONING. THIS WOULD BE COMMUNITY MIXED USE 3, CM3 ZONING OR HIGHER. THIS REQUIREMENT WOULD BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS FOR CANNABIS
DISPENSARIES AND SIMILAR TO OFF SALE LIQUOR STORES THAT HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF FIVE CONTIGUOUS ACRES. THE MINIMUM PRICING WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY ONCE PASSED. AND WHILE CHANGES TO THE
ALLOWABLE LOCATIONS WOULD GO INTO EFFECT ON AUGUST 1ST, 2025. BUSINESS LICENSING ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE THE SAME AS IT IS TODAY. WE CONDUCT ANNUAL LICENSE INSPECTIONS, WHICH INCLUDE YOUTH TOBACCO CHECKS. IF A VIOLATION
IS FOUND, A FOLLOW UP IS SCHEDULED AND TAKES PLACE. IN 2024, 251 YOUTH TOBACCO INSPECTIONS. AND 23 CITATIONS WERE ISSUED FOR FAILURES.
OVERALL, WE ANTICIPATE MINIMAL IMPACT FOR CHANGES ON EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS. AS THE NEW LOCATIONS REQUIREMENTS WILL HAVE HIGHER REQUIREMENTS ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN BE. WE'VE HAD MINIMAL
COMPLAINTS SINCE THE PRICE INCREASE OF OTHER COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS WENT INTO EFFECT IN MAY 2024. THIS IS NOT A TAX. THE MINIMUM PRICES PAID GO DIRECTLY TO THE TOBACCO DEALERS THEMSELVES. ALL EXISTING TOBACCO
LICENSEES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. SHOULD THIS ORDINANCE BE AMENDING ALL DEALERS WILL BE NOTIFIED. THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE WILL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. FIRST, WE'RE GOING
TO TAKE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO ANY QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO PROCEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP. PLEASE EXCUSE ME IF I
MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME. FIRST PERSON IS MINISTER DOCTOR DR
DRAHOEKS. WELCOME. >> CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I AM HERE AS A PROUD GRANDPARENT
AND AS AN ALUM OF THE LAMP LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. LAMP LEADERS WORK TO REDUCE TOBACCO USE AND IMPROVE HEALTH EQUITY FOR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA. I AM ALSO A FAITH LEADER AT THE GREATER FRIENDSHIP
MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN EDUCATING MY COMMUNITY ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF CIGARETTES. MINNEAPOLIS HAS SHOWN INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP OVER THE PAST DECADE
PASSING GROUNDBREAKING ORDINANCES AROUND FLAVORED COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND PRICE, INCLUDING THE $15 PER PACK PRICE YOU SET LAST YEAR. UNFORTU UNFORTUNATELY, THE TOBACCO
INDUSTRY NEVER RESTS. SO NEITHER CAN WE. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVED ALL AT ONCE, BUT RATHER THROUGH CONSISTENT AND
PERSISTENT EFFORT. RESTING IS SIMPLY NOT AN OPTION IN THE FACE OF AN INDUSTRY THAT CONTINUES TO PUSH THIS DEADLY ADDICTIVE PRODUCT ON OUR COMMUNITY. THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU TODAY WILL
SET A MINIMUM PRICE FOR VAPING PRODUCTS AT $25, AND UPDATE ZONING RESTRICTIONS TO ENSURE THERE ARE FEWER TOBACCO OUTLETS IN OUR CITY. THERE ARE BOTH IMPORTANT STEPS. I SEE FIRST
HAND THE DEVASTATING IMPACT THAT VAPING HAS HAD ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. IT IS UP TO US TO SAVE THIS GENERATION AND TELL THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY NO MORE. REMEMBER, HEALTHY PEOPLE RAISE HEALTHY FAMILIES. ASANTE SANA.
>> ASANTE SANA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEXT PERSON, SUSAN NASH. >> I SAID HELLO IN MY LANGUAGE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE YOU, THE
CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS LED THE WAY IN HELPING KIDS REDUCE TOBACCO USE BY RAISING THE PRICE AND KEEPING IT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. I WORK WITH YOUTH. I HAVE A DHS GRANT TO WORK WITH YOUTH AROUND DRUGS, ALCOHOL,
TOBACCO. BUT ALSO TO RECLAIM TRADITIONAL TOBACCO AS OUR FIRST MEDICINE. WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF TOBACCO WAS NOT COLONIZED AND TAKEN FROM US AS OUR FIRST MEDICINE. WE WOULD NOT HAVE KIDS VAPING OR SMOKING. WE WOULD NOT HAVE PEOPLE DYING WITH
CANCER. I ASK YOU TODAY TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS. MAKING THE PRICE HIGH TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE POCKETS OF OUR KIDS. OUR KIDS ARE VAPING. THEY'RE GETTING SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL. THE PRICE HAS GONE UP AND HAS AFFECTED
YOUNG ADULTS. IT HAS AFFECTED OUR YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. I HAD ONE KID WHO ATTENDED MY PROGRAM, HIS DEVICE FELL OUT OF
HIS POCKET. -- THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY, AND KEEP THE PRICE HIGH. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT PERSON IS JONNETTE SANCHEZ.
>> HELLO. JANETTE SANCHEZ. HELLO, MY RELATIVES. MY NAME IS JANETTE. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THIS TOBACCO ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE
LOWER INCOME AREAS. AS THEY STATED BEFORE, HEALTHY PEOPLE RAISE HEALTHY PEOPLE. A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE GROW UP IN ADDICTION. AND RAISING THE PRICE WILL HELP OUR YOUTH STOP. AND I FEEL LIKE, YEAH, JUST HAVING LESS ACCESS TO
THIS TOBACCO PRODUCT WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE LONG RUN BE MORE HEALTHIER AND POSITIVE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. OUR NEXT PERSON IS
DEVON JAY. >> NEVER BEEN CALLED THAT. >> SORRY. WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT OSMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DIMON
PRESLEY, AND I'VE BEEN FREE FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. MY CALLING IN LIFE IS TO HELP OTHERS EXPERIENCE A LIFE FREE FROM
ADDICTION. I KNEW ABOUT ADDICTION FIRST HAND. FROM MY YEARS WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED ADDICTION, AND FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT NICOTINE ADDICTION IS NO JOKE. I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. NICOTINE IS NICOTINE.
WHETHER IT COMES FROM A VAPE, A CIGAR OR CIGARETTE. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ADDICTED DRUGS ON THE PLANET YET IT IS LEGALLY READY, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE COMMERCIAL TOBACCO INDUSTRY THRIVES ON ADDICTION AND IS THE
CORNERSTONE OF THE BUSINESS MODEL. IN MY OPINION, USING ADDICTION TO EARN BILLIONS OF PROFITS IS CRIMINAL. I HAD BEEN IN A BATTLE WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY FOR DECADES. WE KNOW THAT THE PRICE OF TOBACCO PRODUCT AFFECTS YOUTH, SO LET'S
SET SOME RULES ON THE PRICE OF A PRODUCT WE KNOW ONLY HARMS COMMUNITIES. YOU ALREADY HAVE A MINIMUM PRICE ON CIGARETTES, LITTLE CIGARS. HOWEVER, FEW YOUTH TODAY USE COMBUSTIBLE TOBACCO PRODUCTS. WHILE VAST
NUMBERS HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ADDICTED TO NICOTINE THROUGH VAPES. PLEASE MAKE SURE E-CIGARETTES ARE REGULATED TOO. WE HAVE ALLOWED THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY TO UNDER VALUE OUR LIVES FOR TOO LONG. WE
NEED TO PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFITS. SETTING A MINIMUM PRICE FOR VAPES AT $25 WILL HELP PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR ADDICTION TO NICOTINE WILL HELP THE NEXT GENERATION FROM BEING ADDICTED. PLEASE HELP AND SUPPORT THIS CHANGE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT PERSON IS LAST NAME BOLTON.
>> PRESIDENT OSMAN AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITY COUNCIL PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE
MINIMUM PRICE FOR E-CIGARETTES, VAPES $25. ZONING RULES TO EXCLUDE NEW TOBACCO PRODUCTS
THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL. OUR AGENCY MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY, HEALTH SOCIAL SERVICES, IMMIGRANT REFUGEES. OUR AGENCY GOALS ARE TO PROMOTE
ACTIVITIES POSITIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY, PROVIDE THE AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE WITH EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND RESOURCE THEY NEED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
IN 2024, MINNEAPOLIS -- THERE HAS BEEN HIGH COMPETENCE WITH EXISTING PRICE MINIMUMS. THE COUNCIL DID NOT APPLY THE MINIMUM PRICE TO THE E-CIGARETTE AT THE TIME. -- ENSURING
RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE ON ALL COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS. PRICE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR REDUCING SMOKING AND PREVENTING YOUTHS FROM STARTING. INCREASING THE PRICE, DECREASE
TOBACCO USED ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUTH. WITH THIS CHANGE, MINNEAPOLIS IS TAKING STEPS TOWARD THE HEALTHIER COMMUNITY. ESTABLISHING THE MINIMUM PRICE
AND REGULATING THE LOCATION OF TOBACCO RETAILERS -- APPEALING TO YOUNG PEOPLE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> TOBACCO INDUSTRIES STRATEGICALLY TARGET.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. HE DIDN'T HEAR ME. >> WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THOSE POLICIES. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T THINK HE CAN HEAR ME. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT PERSON IS JACQUELINE FRANK.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS JACQUELINE FRANK AND I WORK WITH THE ASSOCIATION FOR NONSMOKERS OF MINNESOTA TO REDUCE THE COST OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO. AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF PROSPECT PARK
IN WARD 2 IN MINNEAPOLIS. I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN VAPES WERE INTRODUCED AND BECOMING POPULAR. THERE WERE MAJOR CONCERNS THEN THAT THIS WOULD BECOME THE NEW SMOKING OF MY GENERATION AFTER DECADES OF PROGRESS. 10 YEARS LATER AND THE E-CIGARETTE MARKET
CONTINUES TO GROW ATTRACTING MORE AND MORE CUSTOMERS WITH LESS REGULATIONS THAN OTHER COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS LIKE CIGARETTES. THE LEAST WE CAN DO AT THE CITY LEVEL IS SET REGULATIONS ON THE PRICE KNOWING
THAT PRICE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR REDUCING SMOKING IN ADULTS AND PREVENTING YOUTH FROM STARTING. I HAVE SEEN PRICE INACTION RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WAS RECENTLY AT A GAS STATION IN MINNEAPOLIS RIGHT BY MY APARTMENT WITH A FRIEND
THAT DECIDED THEY MIGHT TRY A CIGAR SEEING THEM DISPLAYED RIGHT BEHIND THE COUNTER. AND THEY DECIDED AGAINST IT AS SOON AS THEY HEARD THE PRICE. PRICE MINIMUMS ARE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC
HEALTH, AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED COLLEGE -- THAT VAPE CRISIS WAS NEVER SOLD. LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN AS A CITY TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT PERSON IS SYLVIA OLMOS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS SYLVIA AMOS AND I SERVE AS A FAITH
COMMUNITY. I AM A LIFE LONG RESIDENT OF MINNEAPOLIS AND LIVE IN WARD 5. I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL. I'VE BEEN A TOBACCO CONTROL ADVOCATE FOR A LONG TIME, AND ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE IS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS MORE WORK TO DO. THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS RELENTLESS. WE MUST
BE RELENTLESS TOO. MY GRANDPARENTS, MY PARENTS, AND NOW ME HAVE HAD TO FIGHT FOR EVERY RIGHT THAT MOST OF YOU WERE BORN WITH. SO I HAVE A DUTY AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF MY COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG FOLKS. FOR
ME, IT IS PERSONAL. TOBACCO COST MY MOTHER HER LIFE WHO STARTED SMOKING AT 11-YEARS OLD. I'VE ALSO LOST A HUSBAND AND THREE AUNTS TO TOBACCO RELATED DISEASE. ALL OF THEM SMOKED
MENTHOL FLAVORED CIGARETTES AND DIED TOO YOUNG. JUST LAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL ENDED THE USE OF ALL TOBACCO COUPONS AND PROMOTIONS AND SET A MINIMUM PRICE FOR CIGARETTES AT $15 A PACK. THIS IS LIKELY THE HIGHEST IN THE
NATION. PRIOR TO THAT, CITY LEADERS RESTRICTED TO ADULT ONLY TOBACCO SHOPS. YOU WERE THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO DO THAT. THESE ARE THINGS WE ALL CAN BE PROUD OF. IN 2025, WE ARE LIVING IN A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE BLACK LIVES DON'T MATTER, WHERE
BROWN LIVES DON'T MATTER, WHERE LGBTQ LIVES DON'T MATTER, AND WHERE THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY VALUES PROFITS OVER LIVES. WE MUST VALUE ALL LIVES AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF ALL MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS, KIDS AND
ADULTS. THAT INCLUDES CONTROLLING THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY'S PRICE MANIPULATION. I'M ASKING THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR LIFE AND VOTE YES ON THIS PROPOSAL AND CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR MORE WAYS TO HOLD THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABLE. WE DO HAVE YOUR BACK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> NEXT PERSON IS LUCY FARBER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR OSMAN
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS LUCY FARBER AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY ORGANIZATION, ADVOCATES FOR HEALTH. I'M ALSO A WARD 1 CONSTITUENTS. I'M HERE TODAY TO SET A MINIMUM PRICE FOR ALL E-CIGARETTES AT $25 AS WELL
AS UPDATE ZONING REGULATIONS FOR TOBACCO SHOPS. IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE I'M INUNDATED WITH DATA THAT INDICATES COMMERCIAL TOBACCO USE IS CURRENTLY STILL A PROBLEM BUT DIALED BACK THE -- I AM
SURROUNDED BY COMMERCIAL TOBACCO USE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE FORM OF VAPES. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE USE RATES I OBSERVE NOW EVEN COMPARED TO FIVE YEARS AGO IS VIVID. AND IT'S CLEAR AS TO WHY. THESE PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED TO NOT
ONLY BE SUBTLE BUT CHIC. THE PACKAGING IS TRENDY AND THE FLAVORS. THESE PRODUCTS ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. MANY CONTAIN RATIOS OF NICOTINE THAT FAR
EXCEED WHAT YOU FIND IN CIGARETTES. WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW THESE PRODUCTS IMPACT MY LOVED ONES, I THINK ABOUT MY CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND. SHE WAS ENVELOPED BY PARTY CULTURE AND STRUGGLED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. NOW IN HER EARLY 30s, SHE'S
SUCCESSFULLY STOPPED DRINKING ALCOHOL AND DRUGS RECREATIONALLY. ALL EXCEPT FOR VAPING. SAYING THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES SHE'S TRIED TO STOP, SHE ALWAYS BUYS A NEW VAPE. SHE'S SIMPLY TOO ADDICTED TO THE NICOTINE. PRICE IS THE
MOST EFFECTIVE POLICY TOOL IN DECREASING PEOPLE'S USE OF COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND HELPING THEM QUIT. IN ADOPTING THIS ORDINANCE, YOU WILL NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT YOU WILL HELP SLOW IT DOWN. BY PASSING THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU, YOU WILL GIVE THOSE WHO ARE DESPERATE TO STOP USING THESE
PRODUCTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THAT CYCLE OF HABITUATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT PERSON IS LAURA SMITH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME'S LAURA SMITH AND I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY'S WARD. I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATE AND PROUD AUNTIE TO THREE MINNEAPOLIS KIDS. I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE WHICH WILL MAKE A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY
FOR ALL OF US. IT'S SIMPLE. THE BEST WAY TO LOWER COMMERCIAL TOBACCO RATES IS TO PREVENT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EVER STARTING. SETTING A HIGH PRICE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS ACHIEVES THAT GOAL AND ALSO HELPS ADULTS QUIT. THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY SHAMELESSLY
TARGETS YOUTH, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND AMERICAN INDIANS, LGBTQ. WE NEED A STRONG APPROACH TO COUNTER ACT THESE TACTICS. YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE TARGETED BY CHEAP E-CIGARETTES. THEY'RE ALSO TARGETED BY ADVERTISEMENTS AND A HIGH NUMBER OF RETAILERS NEAR THEIR HOMES AND NEAR THEIR SCHOOLS. YOUTH CIGARETTE RATES
REMAIN FAR TOO HIGH. MAKES KIDS VULNERABLE TO LIFETIME ADDICTION. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO ADOPT THIS MINIMUM PRICE FOR ALL E-CIGARETTES AND TO ADD THESE LICENSING PARAMETERS. BOTH THESE POLICIES COMBINED WILL MAKE IT, AGAIN, EASIER FOR ADULTS TO QUIT
AND HARDER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO START. STRONG CITY POLICIES ARE ESPECIALLY NEEDED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DEFUNDED TOBACCO PREVENTION AND BACKTRACKED ON OUR LIFESAVING POLICIES. MINNEAPOLIS SHOULD BE A CITY WHERE EVERYONE
CAN GROW UP FREE FROM ADDICTION AND HEALTHY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT PERSON IS HASAN HAMMED.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS HASAN MUHAMMAD. I AM A PUBLIC ADVOCACY, ALSO YOUTH MENTOR, AND I WORK WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES AS A TOBACCO COORDINATOR. OUR ORGANIZATION
AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HEALTH EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO AFRICAN BORN COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA. WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR TWO DECADES, AND WE SERVE LARGE POPULATION OF YOUNG EAST AFRICAN IN THE TWIN CITIES AND THE
SUBURBS. WE HAVE SEEN THE IMPACT OF TOBACCO, AND ESPECIALLY VAPING HAD ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS POLICY CHANGE WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL THE COMMUNITIES. SO I AM
SUPPORTING -- I AM STRONGLY SUPPORTING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL'S EFFORTS TO ADDRESS TOBACCO IN OUR CITY. THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY TARGETS COMMUNITIES LIKE OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE MY COMMUNITY THAT WE MUST WORK
TOGETHER AND MAKE A REAL CHANGE TO THIS PROPOSED POLICY. SO I AM URGING ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. NEXT PERSON IS
MEGAN McFARELY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MEGAN McFARLEY. I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR 12 YEARS. IF YOU WOULD HAVE
TOLD 17-YEAR OLD ME HOW MUCH PROGRESS OUR COMMUNITY HAS MADE IN VAPING PREVENTION, I WOULD HAVE BEEN THRILLED BUT ALSO HEARTBROKEN TO SEE THE GRIP VAPING HAS HAD ON SO MANY. MANY OF MY FRIENDS STARTED VAPING IN
HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW A DECADE LATER, THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO QUIT. THOUGH MY FRIENDS ARE OLDER NOW, THEY STILL HAVE NO PROBLEM AFFORDING AND ACCESSING E-CIGARETTES DESPITE HAVING LOW
PAYING JOBS. MY FRIENDS ADDICTIONS TO VAPING CONTINUE TO AFFECT THEIR HEALTH, THEIR WALLETS AND THEIR FUTURES. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE. SETTING A $25
MINIMUM PRICE, CREATE A BUFFER NEAR SCHOOLS, ARE COMMON SENSE MEASURES THAT WILL PROTECT THE NEXT GENERATION. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT PRICE POLICIES WORK. YOUNG PEOPLE IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE THE MOST PRICED SENSITIVE,
AND THESE POLICIES REDUCE ACCESS. THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN PRICING. IT'S ABOUT EQUITY, HEALTH AND ENSURING LESS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION. BY UPDATING THIS ORDINANCE, MINNEAPOLIS CAN CONTINUE LEADING THE WAY.
SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY COMES FIRST. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT PERSON IS LAWRENCE FOX. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY
NAME'S LARRY FOX. I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD 7. WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE DEEPENING TEEN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WITH UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND SUICIDE. IT'S ALSO BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED THAT NICOTINE,
ESPECIALLY HEAVY NICOTINE USE IN TEENS, CAN WORSEN ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, AMPLIFY DEPRESSION AND IMPAIRED LEARNING. MY FAMILY HAS HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THESE ISSUES THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU. MY SON STARTED
VAPING WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. HIS EXPERIMENTATION TURNED INTO ADDICTION. AND HE BEGAN VAPING DAILY. THE VAPING LED TO OTHER SUBSTANCE ABUSE. DURING THIS PERIOD OUR SON BECAME DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, AND
HIS FRIENDS WARNED US THAT HE WAS CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE. WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO GET HIM TO QUIT. BUT IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. OUR SON HAD TO LEAVE SCHOOL FOR A MONTH AND HE STRUGGLED WITH HIS GRADES, HIS RELATIONSHIPS AND WITH ANXIETY
AND DEPRESSION. IT WAS FRIGHTENING AND PAINFUL. OVER TIME AND WITH A LOT OF EFFORT, AND AFTER TRYING MULTIPLE PROVIDERS, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A PSYCHIATRIST AND THERAPIST WHO
SPECIALIZED. WE FOUND RESOURCES WHICH GAVE HIM SPACE TO HEAL. AND THANKFULLY, MY SON IS ON A BETTER PATH NOW. NOW MY FAMILY IS PRIVILEGED. WE WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE A COMPLEX HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND IT COST US THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS. TEENS BECOMING ADDICTED TO VAPES WILL SUFFER FROM -- HOWEVER, WITHOUT RESOURCES, THEY WILL NEED TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. TOBACCO COMPANIES HAVE TARGETED MINORITY COMMUNITIES FOR MANY YEARS. THESE COMPANIES AND THE LOCAL
BUSINESSES THAT SELL THEIR PRODUCTS PUT PROFITS AHEAD OF PEOPLE. THE IF YOU CARE ABOUT SOCIAL EQUITY, I URGE YOU TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE VAPES LESS ACCESSIBLE AND SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> NEXT PERSON IS ANGIE GRIFFIN. GRIFFITH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT PERSON
IS JESSE GRIFFIN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANGIE GRIFFIN. OUR SHOP HAS ALWAYS
BEEN MORE THAN RETAIL. IT'S PART STORE, PART ART GALLERY, PART COMMUNITY HUB OFFERING FREE SPACE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO SHOW AND SELL THEIR WORK. I'M SORRY. I RAN OVER HERE. AT THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS IS WHAT WE CALL THE
SMOKELESS DIFFERENCE. A COMMITMENT TO PERSONALIZE SERVICE AND MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE MAKES A PURCHASE. OUR FOCUS ON BOTH VAPOR AND CANNABIS PRODUCTS, ALONG WITH A DEEP DEDICATION TO CUSTOMER CARE SETS US A PART IN A SPACE WHERE
CONNECTION AND CARE IS INCREASINGLY RARE. THE MOST FULFILLING PART OF WHAT WE DO IS HELP PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING AND QUIT VAPING TOO. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE IS THAT IT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO COMPLETE NICOTINE DEVICES LIKE
DISPOSABLES, IT ALSO APPLIES TO COMPONENT PARTS, EMPTY REFILLABLE DEVICES FOR THC OR CBD, BATTERIES, TANKS, COILS, CHARGES THAT ARE USED IN OPEN SYSTEM NICOTINE PRODUCTS. OPEN
SYSTEMS ARE RECHARGEABLE AND REFILLABLE. THEY'RE THE ONLY FORMAT THAT ALLOWS USERS TO CONTROL AND REDUCE THEIR NICOTINE INTAKE GRADUALLY, MOVING DOWN IN NICOTINE STRENGTH A BOTTLE AT A TIME, AND
ULTIMATELY QUITLTING IF THEY CHOOSE SO. WE'VE HELPED MANY DO THAT. IRONICALLY THIS ORDINANCE WITH A $25 PRICE FLOOR WON'T AFFECT THAT MANY DISPOSABLES BUT WILL MAKE OPEN SYSTEMS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE. THAT MEANS FEWER
PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE THEM, AND INSTEAD, MORE WILL TURN TO THE PRODUCTS WE ALL WANT TO DISCOURAGE. I HAD ONE MORE PARAGRAPH. BUT THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. JESSE
GRIFFITH. I'M SORRY. YOU CAN ALWAYS SUBMIT THE COMMENT IN WRITING TO CLERK. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO TESTIFY TODAY. MY NAME IS JESSE GRIFFITH AND I'M THE CO-OWNER. I'M HERE TODAY TO FLAG
TO THE COUNCIL SOME UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES. BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE USES THE DEFINITION IN MINNESOTA STATUTE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE, ALL COMPONENTS INTENDED FOR HEMP AND CANNABIS CONSUMPTION WILL BE
COUNTED UNDER THIS ORDINANCE. WHICH MEANS WILL HEMP AND CANNABIS BE SUBJECT BUT ALSO THE SMALL REPLACEMENT PARTS AND SERVICE PARTS WILL CARRY THAT MINIMUM PRICE AS WELL. THIS IS DUE TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEFINITION WHICH INCLUDES "ANY
COMPONENT PART OF ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE." WE DON'T NEED TO ADD GOVERNMENTALLY IMPOSED COSTS ESPECIALLY AFTER THE RECENT 50% TAX INCREASE THAT WAS JUST
PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT WEEK. I ASK THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THIS AMENDMENT TO FIX SOME OF THOSE ISSUES LAID OUT IN MINNESOTA STATUTE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT
PERSON IS HASAN WORSAME. HASSAN WORSAME. >> I THINK THEY'RE COMING FROM THE OVERFLOW ROOM. >> WE'LL GIVE A FEW MORE MINUTES. I SEE THAT WAS THE LAST PERSON SIGNED UP. IS THERE
ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM WHO MIGHT NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT. LAST CALL HASSAN WORSAME. SEEING
NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN. WHO IS AUTHORING THIS ORDINANCE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TODAY AND
PROVIDED TESTIMONY AND WHO HAS BEEN IN THIS FIGHT FOR SO LONG. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME WE WILL ADDRESS THE TOBACCO ORDINANCE OR TRY NEW METHODS AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT BACK. I HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR. AND I'M DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO
CONTINUING THAT WORK. BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY WITH A NEW RESTRICTION AND REALLY HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. FOR ME, I DEFINITELY HEARD FROM PARENTS IN WARD 7 SUCH AS LARRY
LAST YEAR WHEN WE PASSED THE $15 MINIMUM PRICE FOR TOBACCO FOR CIGARETTES THAT THAT REALLY WASN'T GOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF YOUTH SMOKING BECAUSE YOUTH ARE NOW USING VAPES. WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THIS STRATEGY. THANK
YOU, EVELYN AND PATTY AND EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED ON THIS. SECONDLY, WHEN WE PASSED CANNABIS RESTRICTIONS LAST YEAR, IT ALSO CAME UP THAT WE DON'T HAVE A RESTRICTION FOR TOBACCO STORES FROM SCHOOLS THE SAME WAY
THAT CANNABIS STORES AND LIQUOR STORES DO. SO WE WANTED TO ADD THAT IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO NOT ESTABLISHING TOBACCO STORES NEAR SCHOOLS IN MINNEAPOLIS. AND FINALLY, THE THIRD PIECE OF THIS THAT I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IS NOT EXEMPTING DOWNTOWN FROM THESE
SPACING REQUIREMENTS. DOWNTOWN HAS 70,000 RESIDENTS. WE HAVE MANY NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LORING PARK IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I REPRESENT WITH 9,000 PEOPLE IN IT. AND WE SHOULDN'T BE EXEMPTED FROM THE SPACING REQUIREMENTS AS IF THIS IS A PURELY COMMERCIAL AREA WHERE TOBACCO SHOULD BE
ABLE TO BE SOLD ANYWHERE. REALLY HAPPY THAT WE ARE MOVING TO REMOVE THE EXEMPTION FROM DOWNTOWN AND RESTRICT THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MORE TOBACCO STORES IN LORING PARK. THAT FOR ME IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
TOBACCO STORES ARE NOT ONLY SELLING AN UNHEALTHY PRODUCT BUT ALSO CAUSING SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH OTHER DEALING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THE TOBACCO STORES. SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO PREVENT THAT FROM
CONTINUING TO HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR COMING AND SPEAKING, SHARING YOUR STORIES TODAY, FOR ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF OUR YOUTH AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR HEALTH. AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN
SUPPORTING THIS TODAY. >> DID YOU WANT TO MOVE THAT? >> YES. I'LL MOVE THIS FOR APPROVAL. >> OKAY. OUR NEXT PERSON IS COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THE ADVOCATES
THAT CAME HERE TODAY AND SPOKE. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL. THANK YOU SO TWIN CITIES RECOVERY PROJECT AND ASSOCIATIONS FOR NON-SMOKERS IN MINNESOTA. AND THANK YOU TO OUR
HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR WORK AND WORKING WITH THE CO-AUTHORS ON THIS ORDINANCE, MYSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER VETAW. I AM ONLY IN MY FIRST TERM AS A COUNCIL
MEMBER AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LEARN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS IS THE ISSUES THAT YOU END UP CARING A LOT ABOUT AND THEN HOW IT RELATES TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL STORY AND YOUR COMMUNITY. AND I WOULD NOT HAVE
EXPECTED TO HAVE NICOTINE ADDICTION AND TOBACCO ADDICTION BE AN ISSUE AREA THAT I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AND HAVE THAT BE A PART OF MY OWN ADVOCACY JOURNEY. BUT THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS SHOWN UP FOR ME, ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE
INITIAL PRICE RAISING FOR TOBACCO TO A $15 MINIMUM. FOR ME, I KNOW FIRST HAND THAT NICOTINE ADDICTION IS A RELENTLESS HARDSHIP. IT STEALS YOUR HEALTH. IT STEALS YOUR MONEY. IT STEALS YOUR PEACE OF MIND. AND PARTICULARLY, WE HAD
THIS CONVERSATION LAST YEAR AROUND VAPING AND HOW IT TARGETS OR YOUTH, AND HOW VAPING AND ITS RISE HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY PREDATORY. MY GENERATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE GENERATION TO
END SMOKING. AND INSTEAD, WE BECAME THE JUUL GENERATION. I WISH I COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND NEVER HAVE PICKED UP A JUUL BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ABOUT A NINE-YEAR STRUGGLE WITH MY OWN
PERSONAL USAGE OF TOBACCO AND ONE I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. AND I THINK THE WORK OF ADVOCATES THAT ARE DOING PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOOL OF PRICE RAISING. BECAUSE THIS IS ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO BUT WE NEED PLACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE AND OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE SUPPORTED. I DO WANT TO SHARE SOME DATA
SPECIFICALLY TO OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S STAGGERING IN MINNEAPOLIS. 13.6% OF YOUNG ADULTS VAPE. 80% OF YOUTH WHO VAPE SHOWS SIGNS OF ADDICTION,
CRAVINGS, COMPULSIVE USE. SINCE 2017, FREQUENT VAPING AMONG YOUTH HAS SURGED BY 165%. AND AS MANY OF YOU HAVE SHARED TODAY, THIS ISN'T ACCIDENTAL. BIG TOBACCO DESIGNED IT THIS WAY. YOU GO INTO TOBACCO STORE, IF
YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE USING VAPES, IT'S COLORFUL PACKAGING, CANDY FLAVORS. I'VE EVEN SEEN A GEEK BAR WITH A LITTLE VIDEO GAME ON THE SIDE OF IT. AND THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DIRE. WE STILL HAVE YET TO SEE WHAT THE LONG
TERM IMPACTS ARE OF VAPING SINCE IT IS NEWER, ESPECIALLY ONCE JUUL CAME INTO THE MARKET. AND WE KNOW NOW THE DIRE MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
HAVE WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND SUICIDAL IDEATION. I'M REALLY PROUD TODAY TO BE TAKING ACTION. I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN BRINGING FORWARD THE AMENDMENT
TO LIMIT TOBACCO SHOPS IN DOWNTOWN ZONING DISTRICTS, AND THEN ALSO HAVING THAT BUFFER. I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, AND WAY PAST TIME. AND I THINK RAISING PRICE
MINIMUMS HERE IS HELPFUL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOUTH ARE PRICE SENSITIVE. I ALSO KNOW WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY CHANGES AND FINDS ITS WAY AROUND
DIFFERENT POLICIES. I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THIS ISN'T JUST POLICY, IT'S PREVENTION. I HAVE JUST SEEN OVER TIME THE KIDS WHO END UP USING VAPING JUST GET
YOUNGER AND YOUNGER. TO ANYONE WHO HAS EVER THOUGHT I WISH I NEVER PICKED UP THAT VAPE, THIS IS HOW WE TURN THAT TYPE OF REGRET OR FEELING TO CHANGE. I'M EXCITED TO BE PASSING THIS ORDINANCE TODAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
CHOWDHURY. I PUT MYSELF HERE. THANK YOU FOR ALL COMING DOWN. TOBACCO IS HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY. ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE. AND IT'S ONE OF THE LEADING DEATHS IN THE WORLD.
IT'S REALLY VERY SMART AND GOOD TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, AND ALSO RESTRICT THE DISTRIBUTION AND THE SALES IN OUR CITY. I SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE, ESPECIALLY THE LOCATION
RESTRICTION. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SPECIAL TREATMENT DOWNTOWN GETS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT POINT. BUT I DO HAVE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE STAFF. I THINK AS POLICYMAKERS, WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT ROUTES WE'RE TAKING AND BE RESPONSIBLE NOT JUST OUR RESIDENTS BUT ALSO OUR BUSINESSES TOO. SO THE MINIMUM PRI PRICE, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?
IT'S JUMPING FROM $16 TO $25. ALMOST LIKE 60%. WHAT DATA ARE WE USING? IS THERE OTHER CITIES IN THE NATION THAT'S USING THAT? I WANT TO BE -- COME UP A NUMBER THAT HAS SOME KIND OF MEANING TO THAT PRICING. THAT'S ONE
QUESTION. I'LL HAVE THE NEXT ONE AFTER YOU ANSWER THAT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND PART OF THE REASON THAT WE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH A MINIMUM PRICE LAST YEAR WHEN WE SET THE MINIMUM PRICE FOR OTHER COMMERCIAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS WAS BECAUSE THESE ELECTRONIC
DELIVERY DEVICES ARE MUCH MORE TRICKY. AS WE SHOWED IN OUR PRESENTATION, WE DID QUITE A BIT OF SURVEY LAST YEAR. SO YOU ARE CORRECT. WHEN WE DID A SURVEY, WE LOOKED FIRST AT 38 STORES IN MINNEAPOLIS OF THE MINIMUM
PRICE. SO THAT'S JUST THE MINIMUM FOR A SINGLE DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTE. AND THAT PRICE RANGE WAS $90 TO $30 WITH AN AVERAGE MINIMUM PRICE OF $17.26. AS WELL AS THE ISSUE OF
ELECTRONIC DEVICES, THEY COME IN MANY TYPES BEYOND THE DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTES. WHEN WE THINK OF OTHER PRODUCTS LIKE A SINGLE DEVICE, THE PRICE RANGES UP TO $22 WITH $50 PER KIT. SO WE TALKED WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND
THEY WANTED TO MOVE TOWARDS $25 MINIMUM PRICE, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $7.74 PRICE FROM THE SINGLE E-DISPOSABLE WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 45%. I WOULD SAY THAT
RECENTLY SAYING ANTHONY VILLAGE THAT HAS DONE A MINIMUM PRICE FOR E-CIGARETTES. THEY DID THE ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICES AS SET A MINIMUM OF $20 PER DEVICE. THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE IN THIS CASE CHOSE TO GO HIGHER KNOWING
WITH RECENT INFLATION AS WELL AS TARIFFS, $20 ARE PROBABLY TOO LOW. MANY OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN CHINA AND LIKELY TO RISE ANYWAY. THE OTHER JURISDICTION IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS DONE MINIMUM PRICING IS SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THEY
STRUGGLE TO DO MINIMUM PRICING BUT THEY SEPARATED IT OUT BY DEVICES, E-LIQUIDS AND KITS. SO AT $20, $10, AND $30 PER KIT RESPECTIVELY. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE HAD A REALLY HARD TIME ENFORCING THIS WITH THE MULTIPLE PRICES,
AND BASICALLY HAS ENDED UP IN NO ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE OF THE WIDE VARIETY. THAT IS WHY WE AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOLLOWING GUIDANCE RECOMMENDED A SINGLE MINIMUM PRICE. >> THANK YOU. THE QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED BY SOME OF THE
BUSINESS OWNERS THAT CAME WAS JUST TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REFILLS OR IF YOU CAN TOUCH THAT. AND ALSO, HOW WILL THIS
AFFECT ON CANNABIS BUSINESS. >> CHAIR OSMAN, CANNABIS BUSINESSES ARE LICENSED BY THE STATE. THE CITY ONLY REGISTERS THEM. SO THEY DO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE STATE REGULATIONS. AS FAR AS
THE TOBACCO CODE, IT WOULD PERTAIN TO TOBACCO DEALERS ONLY, WHICH WE DO LICENSE IN THE CITY. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED ABOUT
THE ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE. IT DOES INCLUDE OTHER COMPONENTS WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE INCLUDED OR SOLD SEPARATELY. SO THAT IS IN THE DEFINITION OF THE ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE. AND SO FOR THE ORDINANCE THE WAY
THAT IT'S WRITTEN, THE $25 MINIMUM WOULD BE PER ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE. >> OKAY. AND DURING THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS ORDINANCE, WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY WERE KIND OF PRESENT OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY OUTREACH ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY? >> SO WHAT I'M AWARE OF IS THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES THAT WERE SENT TO ALL OF THE LICENSED TOBACCO BUSINESSES IN
MINNEAPOLIS, SMOKELESS DID RESPOND AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO, INTO THE DEFINITION OF THE ELECTRONIC DELIVERY DEVICE. >> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CLOSE IT SAYING THAT
LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, TOBACCO IS A PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S VERY GOOD TO RESTRICT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO BE CAREFUL AND JUST USE
DATA DRIVEN POLICIES THAT CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE HEARD, AND THEY'RE NOT DRIVEN AWAY FROM THIS. LAST YEAR, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR
OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, I MADE A COMMENT ABOUT INCREASING FROM THE CIGARETTE TO UP TO $15 FOR THAT BIG JUMP. YOU KNOW. AND PEOPLE CAN JUST DRIVE ACROSS
SAINT ANTHONY OR ST. LOUIS PARK. I GET THE INTENTION OF REALLY MAKING SURE WE'RE RESTRICTING AND ADDRESSING. THIS CAME BACK THE LAST FEW YEARS. THREE TIMES I THINK THIS WAS AMENDED. TWO OR THREE TIMES. WE CONTINUE TO ADD.
AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING DECISION BASED ON DATA ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS COMPLICATED SYSTEM OF ELECTRONICS. I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES FOR BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT NOT SELL TOBACCO. RESALL T RIGHT. THAT'S MY COMMENT. I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER JENKINS. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. ONE
OF MY QUESTIONS IS FOR STAFF. I AM CURIOUS YOU KNOW, THE 300 FEET LIMIT, DO WE HAVE A SENSE
OF HOW MANY NEW ESTABLISHMENTS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE DEVELOPED WITH THAT? >> IT'S HARD TO SAY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL LOCATIONS THAT WOULD BE WITHIN 300 FEET. >> THAT'S THE QUESTION. HOW MANY
LOCATIONS ARE THERE? I MEAN, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO KIND OF FIGURE THAT OUT. SO AT SOME POINT I WOULD HOPE WE COULD GET A RESPONSE TO THAT. YOU KNOW, I AM ALSO AN ALUMNI OF THE LAMP,
STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP TO YOU KNOW, ADDRESS SMOKING CESSATION. I'M PROUD TO SEE SO MANY ADVOCATES OUT HERE. FOLKS THAT I HAVE MENTORED AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A NONSMOKER. I THINK CIGARETTES
ARE DESTRUCTIVE TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED. AND TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AS WELL. BUT IT IS A
LEGAL PRODUCT THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE ADDICTED OR NOT, THEY ENJOY, THEY PURCHASE MAYBE RELUCTANTLY, I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT'S A BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF,
YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER OSMAN'S POINT. WHAT MAY BE SOME OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ON OTHER BUSINESSES. PARTICULARLY CANNABIS BUSINESSES, WHICH USE VAPES AS A
PART OF THEIR BUSINESS STRATEGY AND WE JUST HAD A 15% TAX INCREASE FROM THE STATE I THINK.
AS WELL AS WILL THIS PRICING BE ATTRIBUTED TO THOSE PRODUCTS AS WELL? >> THE LICENSE TOBACCO DEALERS IN MINNEAPOLIS IS WHAT THE ORDINANCE PERTAINS TO. THE CANNABIS VAPES THAT ARE SOLD IN CANNABIS DISPENSARIES, THEY ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO SELL TOBACCO PRODUCTS. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. WHAT IS IN THE TOBACCO ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO A STATE LICENSED CANNABIS DISPENSARY FOR THEIR PRODUCTS.
>> DOES IT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CANNABIS AND TOBACCO? >> CITY ATTORNEY, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU, THROUGH THE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER JENKINS, THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE
AMENDING HERE IS SPECIFIC TO TOBACCO AND TOBACCO LICENSES AND TOBACCO BUSINESSES. AND SO THE MODIFICATIONS AND ANY RESTRICTIONS RESULTING FROM THOSE MODIFICATIONS WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO THAT TOBACCO. IT WOULDN'T IMPACT THE LICENSES THAT THEY ARE GETTING THROUGH
THE STATE FOR A CANNABIS OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS LICENSE. THAT BEING SAID, IF THEY ARE A MULTI-LICENSE HOLDER, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THESE RESTRICTIONS IMPACT THEIR
TOBACCO LICENSE AND HOW THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. BUT THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE SPECIFIC TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND TOBACCO LICENSES ONLY. >> MANY TOBACCO STORES ALSO SELL CANNABIS VAPES TOO. AND I'M
JUST -- I MEAN. >> NO. >> NO. >> IT WOULD SEEM LIKE -- THAT'S NOT TRUE? >> STAFF, MAYBE YOU CAN -- >> TOBACCO STORES DON'T SELL CANNABIS VAPES? >> LICENSED TOBACCO STORES ARE
REQUIRED TO SELL 90% TOBACCO PRODUCTS. AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO THC PRODUCTS CAN BE SOLD IN TOBACCO STORES. THEY'RE LIMITED TO LOW POTENCY HEMP EDIBLE.
WHICH WILL BE EDIBLE, NOT INHALABLE PRODUCTS. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I CAN JUST SEE THOUGH CONFUSION AROUND THIS TOPIC FOR RETAILERS.
BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY POTENTIAL STORES COULD EXIST IN MINNEAPOLIS. NEW
STORES, I GUESS. >> OKAY. SEEING NO ONE ELSE, I WILL -- THANK YOU SO MUCH, STAFF, FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS. WITH COUNCIL MEMBER
CASHMAN'S MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY. NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR ISSUANCE OF HOUSING REVENUE BOND FOR SNELLING YARDS FAMILY
HOUSING. I WILL WELCOME CARRIE GOLDBERG FROM CPED TO OFFER THE PRESENTATION. MAYBE WE CAN WAIT
A LITTLE BIT. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHAIR
OSMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M FILLING IN FOR MS. TIFFANY GLASSBURN TODAY. THIS PROJECT WAS RECENTLY BEFORE YOU FOR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING APPROVAL. SO MY COMMENTS TODAY
WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BRIEF. SNELLING YARDS FAMILY HOUSING IS A NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PROPOSED BY LUPE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FOR THE SNELLING YARD SITE LOCATED IN THE HIAWATHA NEIGHBORHOOD IN WARD 12. IT'S
HISTORICALLY BEEN USED AS PUBLIC WORKS SITE. PHASE ONE IS THE HI HI HILLLOCK THAT IS ALREADY COMPLETE. FOUR-STORY BUILDING. THE UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE AT
80%, 50%, AND 30% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. A MIX OF ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS ARE PROPOSED. 12 UNITS HAVE PROJECT BASE SECTION 8 VOUCHERS FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND AN ADDITIONAL 13
UNITS SET ASIDE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS WITH RENTAL SUBSIDIES. THERE ARE ACTUALLY SIX ACTIONS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY. THE FIRST ACTION IS RELATED TO THE HOUSING REVENUE BOND FOR THE PROJECT. SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR AND
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING UP TO 17 MILLION IN HOUSING REVENUE BONDS TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THE ACTUAL HEARING TODAY. THE SECOND ACTION IS RELATED TO THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING TIF NOTE. BASED ON STAFF'S REVIEW, AN ANALYSIS OF
THE TIF APPLICATION, THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE FINANCING POLICY AND MEETS THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOUSING TIF DISTRICT. BY THE ACTION TAKEN ON MAY 1ST, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVED THE SNELLING YARDS TO TIF PLAN. AND STAFF IS NOW RECOMMENDING A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING NOTE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $849,000. THE THIRD ACTION APPROVES $485,000 IN ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING
TRUST FUNDS WHICH THE PROJECT NOW QUALIFIES FOR SINCE THE UNIT MIX HAS NOW BEEN REFINED. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE EXTENSION OF EXISTING PRIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND WARDS WHICH HAVE BEEN EXPIRED. WITH RESPECT TO THE LAND SALE, THE CITY
ISSUED -- FOR THE SNELLING YARD SITE AND SELECTED LUPE AS THE DEVELOPER. PURCHASE PRICE OF $1 MILLION. BUT DUE TO THE ESCALATING DEVELOPMENT COSTS, THIS PROJECT DOES HAVE A
FINANCING GAP. TO MAKE THE PROJECT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE AND CLOSE THE GAP, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE CITY PROVIDE A SELLER NOTE TO FUND THE LAND PURCHASE PRICE. AND THEN THE FINAL ACTION
TODAY RELATES TO NEW STATE PERVAILING WAGE -- THE STATE OF MINNESOTA PASSED LEGISLATION THAT TEMPORARILY ALLOWS TAX CREDIT AGENCIES TO USE THE
FEDERAL RATE FOR WOOD FRAME CARPENTRY WORK. TO ALIGN WITH THIS NEW STATE PROVISION, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING PROJECTS IN MINNEAPOLIS THE ABILITY TO ALSO HAVE THIS FLEXIBILITY UNTIL DECEMBER 2027. APPROVAL OF THESE REQUESTS TODAY WILL POSITION THE
PROJECT TO CLOSE ON FINANCING AND START CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I ALSO KNOW THAT THE DEVELOPER IS HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM AS WELL. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO PROCEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC
HEARING AND SEE IF ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SEEING NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER JENKINS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. YOU USED THE TERM A SELLERS NOTE, I THINK. >> YES. SO IN ORDER TO AVOID IMPACTING THE TAX CREDIT SYNDICATION STRUCTURE OF THIS
PROJECT, INSTEAD OF DOING A LAND WRITE DOWN WHICH WOULD IMPACT THAT, THE CITY IS DOING A UNIQUE SELLER NOTE FINANCE OPTION WHICH WILL BE FORGIVABLE UPON THE TERM OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. >> AND WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT AGAIN? >> $1 MILLION FOR THE COST OF
THE LAND. >> SO IF YOU WROTE OFF THE COST THEN IT WOULD LOWER THE VALUE SUBSEQUENTLY. >> WELL IN DOING A LAND WRITE DOWN, YOU'RE ELIMINATING $1 MILLION FROM THE TOTAL
DEVELOPMENT COST OF THE PROJECT. IN DOING THAT, IT CHANGES THE AMOUNT OF TAX CREDIT SYNDICATIONS YOUR PROJECT CAN GENERATE BECAUSE THERE'S A BASELESS LEVEL THAT YOU NEED TO MEET. IN ORDER TO NOT EFFECT THE AMOUNT OF PROCEEDS THAT WE WANT
TO GENERATE, WHICH IS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WE'RE PROPOSING -- YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COUNT THOSE IN YOUR BASIS FOR TAX CREDIT SYNDICATION. >> AND THEN THAT LOAN WOULD BE FORGIVABLE? >> CORRECT.
>> HMM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> MM-HMM. >> COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR OSMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE SECOND PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT
TAKE PLACE ON THIS PARCEL. THIS IS IN MY WARD. MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR A LONG TIME HAVE BEEN ASKG WHAT'S NEXT. FORGIVE ME IF YOU'VE ALREADY STATED THIS WITHIN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD KIND OF SHARE WHAT THE TIMELINE LOOKS
LIKE IN TERMS OF BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION AND WORK BEING DONE ON THIS LOT FOLLOWING APPROVAL FROM THE COUNCIL IF THAT'S GIVEN. >> I CAN ALWAYS DEFER TO THE DEVELOPER FOR VERY SPECIFIC TIMING. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO CLOSE ON THE PROJECT SOME TIME IN AUGUST. AND
THEN IT WILL BE 15 TO 18 MONTH CONSTRUCTION PROCESS FOR LEASE UP. SO BY EARLY 2027 I BELIEVE. NO, IT'S 25. EARLY 2027.
>> -- >> OCCUPANCY BY THE END O. >> OKAY. I KNOW THAT THIS PARCEL IS CITY OWNED PARCEL NOW. AND IT'S INACTIVE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED ABOUT TO OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION IS
ACTIVATION ON THIS LOT. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT LIVEABILITY ISSUES THAT HAVE OCCURRED THERE BECAUSE IT'S SAT EMPTY. MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR THE DEVELOPER. IF THERE'S ANY ANTICIPATION OF ACTIVATION TAKING PLACE ON THE LOT OR
ANYTHING THAT SHOWS THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BE TAKING PLACE OR DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I'M HEARING AUGUST FOR YOU. BUT IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC TIMELINE FOR ANY ACTIVITY SHOWING UP THERE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> MOBILIZING AND GETTING THINGS GOING ON THE SITE? >> YEAH. >> DO YOU HAVE A TIMEFRAME FOR
MOBILIZING? LET ME INTRODUCE STEVE WITH LUPE DEVELOPMENT. WHO MIGHT BE BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. >> THANK YOU. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER CHOWDHURY, WE WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE BY AUGUST 15TH. WE'LL HAVE
THE CONSTRUCTION FENCE AND CONSTRUCTION MOBILIZATION WITHIN FOUR DAYS AFTER TITLE HAS CLEARED FOR ALL PRIOR LEANS. SO WE SHOULD BE IN THE GROUND BY THE THIRD WEEK OF AUGUST IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN. >> OKAY. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> WE'LL HAVE SECURITY ON THE SITE ALSO. >> THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT
THE RESIDENTS AT THE HILLLOCK WHICH IS RIGHT THERE IS LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT TOO. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO HILLLOCK TOMORROW TO KIND OF VISIT WITH THE STAFF. THEY'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A MEET AND GREET. I'LL BE EXCITED TO CHAT WITH THEM ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS HERE AT THE CITY. >> GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. I WILL MOVE THIS ITEM FOR APPROVAL. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WITH THAT MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.
THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU, COMMITTEE MEMBERS. >> THANK YOU. >> THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING IS AUTHORIZING BOND ISSUANCE HOST APPROVAL FOR 180 DEGREES IN THE
CITY OF EYOTA. WELCOME. >> I'M BECKY SHAW FROM CPED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE HOST APPROVAL FOR THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS BY THE CITY OF EYOTA, MINNESOTA, FOR
180 DEGREES. 180 DEGREES IS A MINNESOTA NONPROFIT PROVIDING EMERGENCY HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND SUPPORTIVE CARE TO YOUTH AND ADULTS IN MINNEAPOLIS,
SAINT PAUL, SAINT CLOUD, EXCELSIOR. MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING FACILITIES IN 2019 USING TRADITIONAL BANK FINANCING TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AT 712, 720, AND 722-FRANKLIN
AVENUE EAST. 1916, 1920, AND 1924 COLUMBUS AVENUE SOUTH. AT THIS TIME, 180 DEGREES IS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF EYOTA, MINNESOTA, TO ISSUE TAX EXEMPT REVENUE BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW YOUTH SHELTER FACILITY IN ROCHESTER,
MINNESOTA. IN ADDITION, THE CITY OF EYOTA REQUESTS AUTHORIZATION OF HOST APPROVAL TO ISSUE UP TO $1.6 MILLION IN TAX SXERCHT REVENUE BONDS TO REFINANCE THE OUTSTANDING DEBT ON THOSE SIX MINNEAPOLIS PROPERTIES. AS PART OF THIS HOST APPROVAL, THE CITY
OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE CITY OF EYOTA WILL JOINTLY SUBMIT A HOUSING REQUEST AND WILL ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT RELATED TO THE BONDS. 180 DEGREES HAS PAID THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS A $5,000 HOST APPROVAL FEE AS IS REQUIRED
UNDER THE BOND POLICY. I DO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM 180 DEGREES HERE TODAY. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WILL PROCEED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT.
SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON FOR MOTION. >> HAPPY TO MOVE THIS FOR APPROVAL. >> WITH THAT MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT, AND MOTION
CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE ARE ON DISCUSSION. AND FIRST IS CONSIDERATION OF SAUNA LICENSE ORDINANCE. THIS WAS CONTINUED FROM OUR LAST MEETING. AND NOW IT'S FRONT OF US. DO ANY
OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR OSMAN. AND THANK YOU TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE A
CYCLE SO THAT I COULD MEET WITH CPED, DEPARTMENT STAFF, AND ALSO MEET WITH SOME BUSINESS OWNERS WHO DO RUN SAUNA BUSINESSES. I FULLY SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING A REALLY GOOD APPROACH HERE. IT WAS TOLD TO ME BY OTHER
SAUNA BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE LEADING THE NATION AND THAT THE REGULATIONS ARE SUPPORTED. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT WORK AND FOR US KINDA GETTING AHEAD OF THIS AND SETTING SOME QUALITY CONTROL SO THAT THE INDUSTRY CAN GROW AND CAN GROW SAFELY. AND
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST PRACTICES ARE GOING TO BE FOLLOWED IN THIS INDUSTRY. I JUST HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS THAT CAME UP IN SOME OF MY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE FIRST ONE WAS ABOUT IF WE ARE REGULATING THE INSULATION
TYPES THAT SAUNA ESTABLISHMENTS CAN USE. AND I WAS ACTUALLY ALERTED THAT PINK INSULATION FOAM IS A VERY DANGEROUS PRODUCT TO USE IN SAUNAS BECAUSE WHEN IT GETS BEYOND A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE IT CAN BE VERY
TOXIC. SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SPEAK TO THAT? >> COUNCIL MEMBER CASHMAN, THROUGH THE CHAIR, NOT SPECIFICALLY TO THAT, BUT THE ORDINANCE DOES OUTLINE THE PLAN SUBMITTED BUST -- MUST INCLUDE
THINGS LIKE FINISHED SCHEDULES, EQUIPMENT TYPES, MODEL NUMBERS AND SO FORTH. SO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL REVIEW THESE PLANS WHEN THEY COME IN. WE PRETTY MUCH TAILORED THIS ORDINANCE AFTER THE SWIMMING POOL LICENSE. BECAUSE IT'S AS SIMILAR AS WE CAN FIND AND
RATHER THAN REINVENTING THE WHEEL. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REVIEWS SWIMMING POOLS. I DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE WHETHER OR NOT PINK INSULATION WOULD MEET THE HEALTH CODE. CITY STAFF CAN
REVIEW THE MATERIALS TO SEE THAT THEY DO MEET CODE. >> THANKS. THAT'S HELPFUL. AT LEAST IT WILL BE INDICATED IN THEIR PLANS AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE. THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE ESTABLISHED PLACES THAT WE DO HAVE RIGHT NOW WITHIN
THE PARK SYSTEM. CEDAR LAKE. THERE WERE FOUR LOCATIONS AS FAR AS I SAW FROM THE APPLICATION THAT THE PARK BOARD HAS. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND TO MORE LOCATIONS NEAR WATER IN THE CITY WHERE BUSINESSES CAN SET UP AND GET
PERMITS. >> I WILL DEFER TO SHANE STENZEL FROM THE PARK BOARD IS HERE AND HE WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. YES. WE WOULD EXPAND. HOWEVER, WE WOULD STILL
MAINTAIN THE 300 FEET FROM RESIDENTS. WE ALSO HAVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE. SO AS AN EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A DAY LIKE LAST WEEK WITH A LOT OF SMOKE IN THE AIR, THAT TYPE OF
THING, PARTICULATES, WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE. WE DO HAVE AREAS THAT DON'T AFFECT WITH RESIDENTS. AS AN EXAMPLE, LIKE GRECO PARK, AWAY FROM RESIDENTS. IF SOMEONE WANTED TO PUT ONE THERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT WAS WHAT MY FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY WERE WONDERING. THEIR ONLY FEEDBACK WAS THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PLACE FOR A BIT LONGER TERM BECAUSE IF YOU'RE JUST THERE FOR ONE DAY IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO SET UP AND TEAR DOWN IN
SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS. I WOULD ASK IF YOU DON'T MIND ADDING ME AS A CO-AUTHOR. >> CLERK, IF YOU CAN NOTE THAT. THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR GETTING AHEAD OF THIS AND WORKING VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS AS ALWAYS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. AND THANK YOU, PARK BOARD STAFF AS WELL. SO SEEING NO FURTHER, I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AND THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.
THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. LAST ITEMS WE HAVE IS ITEM 17, 18, AND 4. -- SORRY, 6.4 THAT I AMENDED TO TAKE THAT. SO I WILL TAKE THESE
ITEMS TOGETHER. AND JUST HAVE CONTINUE FOR ONE MORE CYCLE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
SEEING -- ARE WE REFERRING TO STAFF OR WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST? >> CHAIR OSMAN, ERIC HANSEN, CPED DIRECTOR, IF YOU COULD POSTPONE IT ONE CYCLE.
>> POSTPONE ONE CYCLE, THAT'S THE MOTION I WILL ENTERTAIN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE MOTION CARRIES. SEEING NO FURTHER ACTION BEFORE US, WITH NO OBJECTION, I WILL DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.