Okay. Great. Great. Alright. Yeah. The council meeting to order. Roll call. Here. Here. Here. Here. Naker. Here. Yang. Here. Vice President Kim. Here. Five present, two absent being council members Naker and Buie, who are excused. And, council member Yang is attending remotely. Wonderful. Please stand if you are able and if you want to join us for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Consent agenda items three through 16 are before you for your consideration. Great. It is my understanding that 16 is getting pulled off of consent. You wanna close the balance? Okay. So 16 will be taken separately. Council member for Roski will move the balance of the consent agenda. Roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Naker? I'm sorry. I forgot to cross her out. Provatsky? Yes. Yang? Vice President Kim? Yes. Five in favor. No and opposed. The consent agenda is adopted as amended. Item 16 is resolution 20 five-twelve 42,
putting into effect a moratorium on applications for zoning controls for sober houses and supportive housing facilities. Wonderful. We're doing things that might feel a little bit out of order, but we've got another item on the agenda regarding this change. And we've got a very brief and wonderful staff report from Dan. Thank you, Vice President Kim. Daniel Staley, Assistant St. Paul City Attorney. This matter was just pulled because there are two items coming before, council today. This resolution 20 five-twelve twelve forty two is a bridge resolution,
which would take, it would take the the item, the interim ordinance number twenty five forty seven and put it in place immediately so that there would be a moratorium on all applications for pending and future sober houses and supportive housing facilities in the city. There are two matters that are scheduled today on appeals for from the BZA on those types of applications. So I think it just kind of makes sense to get the report now, so that we can address them all, earlier on.
There has been a large increase in applications for these types of variances to convert sober houses into supportive housing facilities. Staff felt that now was an appropriate time to study how we regulate these sober houses, supportive housing facilities in the city. So the purpose of this matter, of these matters is to, basically place a moratorium on the applications so that the planning commission can conduct a study on how to best regulate them and make recommendations for the council. The study, can take up to a year, so the moratorium will be in place for one year.
It can be, shortened if there are recommendations that come to council and council takes action on them later. So, yes, and the purpose of this bridge resolution is being considered separately is to put the moratorium in place as of passage of the resolution because the intermodnance does take about two months to go through the normal process. Are there any questions? Council Member Poratsky. Thanks, Vice President Kim. And just want to thank, all of the work done by multiple departments on this. This is driven by a statewide change that we did not have control over.
There's been cascading effects that are really impacting a lot of facilities that people rely on. And it's unfortunate to have to do a move like this. I'm never someone to very quickly be in favor of, a tool like a a moratorium, but it's it's pretty clear this is needed to give our staff time to do the analysis needed to set us up for success. So, I'll move approval. Great. So moved, roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor. No one opposed. The resolution is adopted. Great. We're just going to jump ahead one agenda item,
because there's many folks that you'll see, in the chambers for two upcoming resolutions. And we're gonna just jump to number eighteen first. Item 18 is resolution 25 dash 1,200 celebrating Saint Paul District Council's fiftieth anniversary. Yeah. Please, everyone, come on up. Jenny, that peer pressure applies to you. You gotta get up. Hello? Hello? Yes. If anyone's here from the district council system, board members, staff, please join us up here if you'd like. Thank you. It's good to see all of you guys. Yes, Jenny. Take a moment.
Peer pressure. Welcome, Zoe. I love it. Awesome. Hi, everyone. Council vice president Kim, my name is Zoe Bourgeois, and I'm the district council coordinator here at the city. And on the agenda, we have an honorary resolution acknowledging the fiftieth anniversary of the district council system and program, which is our, neighborhood network and citizen participation tool we have at the city. We have 17 different organizations that represent our planning districts across the city. They do a lot of work each day to engage residents,
inform residents about things happening at the city, and getting insights on development proposals and a lot of things that we do here at the city. So I really appreciate everyone who has come out. We're not reading the resolutions. We're a little short on time today, but I I really just wanted to take a moment to thank council member Jost for sponsoring the resolution and bringing it forth to council to ensure we had proper recognition to celebrate the work of, district councils. And I wanted to acknowledge council member Johnson who participated in the filming of our
new educational video for district councils. So, also, part of the honorary resolution is kind of the start of communications around the anniversary and just uplifting the visibility and the work that district councils do in partnership with the city. So we have updated our city's website. We created a new video, in this honorary resolution, and there's just been a lot of work and energy to ensure that we take a couple moments to acknowledge fifty years of really robust community engagement.
So, I also wanted to thank our office of communications and technology. They've spent a lot of time over the past couple of months to help create these new resources for the public and folks interested in engaging with district councils. And most importantly, all the executive directors, staff, and board members of district councils, especially everyone who was able to come downtown today, to support the resolution. These are the people behind the work. They show up each and every day. They're very passionate and dedicated individuals, and they're deeply invested in making sure our communities are connected and well informed.
And so it's really been a privilege to meet those of you who I've met this year and really got to learn and get to know the ways you uniquely engage with your communities. So, it's an important milestone. It's really nice to acknowledge the past fifty years, but it has been really great for me in my first year to have these conversations with you all so we can build on our engagement and deepen the impact we can have with residents. So that's kind of my spiel and just really I'm glad to acknowledge the folks
here. Does anyone want to say a word or two at all? I will. Alright. This is Jens Werner from Summit University. Thank you for introducing me. Yeah. I just wanted to add thank you very much for all of that, Zoe. That was very touching, and I really appreciate all the help from the council that we had bringing this today. Yeah. I just wanted to add for every single person here, you're welcome, you know, as a Saint Paul community member, you're welcome to be part of your district council. So now that you spot all of us, come find us. We can help get you connected because obviously you're connected people in your neighborhoods,
and that is exactly why the district council system exists. And that's why we work so hard, to connect with all of you. And then just a shout out to my former board member here, Daniel. It's very sincere. Yeah. And I there's several city council people who have also been on district council boards. You just get involved. It's it's a great place to have an impact in your community. Thank you. Great. I think, I think really quickly you should come up and introduce yourselves. Yeah. Tell us what neighborhood you're coming from and what district you're in and what your role is. Step on up. Hi. I'm Kathy Carruth.
I'm with the Highland District Council. I'm their executive director. Director. I've been working with Highland Neighborhood for about seventeen years, and I really appreciate that the council has taken time to recognize the district council system. Shevick McKee, executive director of community council for the last four years and board president of the downtown community council for two years before that. My name is Matt Kelleher. I'm the board chair of district ten Como Council. This is my son, Everett, who really enjoys our ice cream social every summer. Hi, Everett. I'll just step up and say my name is Zev Radzwang from District 12,
so Saint Anthony Park Community Council executive director and ending my first year. Nice. Executive director. I'm Joan Ballinger. I'm from Greater East Side. I've been on the council since 1999 on our district council, so I've been around a long time. But I thank you so much for doing all this. We really appreciate it. Thank you. Hi. Yanni Hummus, District one executive director and then also, District 2, board member. I'm Jess Landucci, and I'm a community organizer with District two, the Greater East Side. And I'm ending my first year.
So thank you all. Awesome. All right. I'm gonna look to, toss it to my colleague and lead sponsor, Councilmember Jost. Thank you, Council Vice President. Well, thank you, Zoe. And thank you so much to all of you for being here. I'm really excited to have worked with all of you in bringing this resolution forward for the fiftieth anniversary of our district councils. Our district councils are just such a vital part of the engagement, with our community and with our city. As someone that served on the district council for Macalester Groveland, and now serves as a council member, I've experienced just,
just how much I really rely on our councils to to be able to, you know, really listen to what's going on in the community and to receive their input and to engage with them. You know, I wouldn't be able to do this work without without our district councils. And so I very much appreciate, everything that you all do. And I think I'll also just, just add for folks that are finding wanting to find ways to get involved that, you know, joining your district council is a great way. There's also there's the council board, but then there's also the committees.
And you can come to those meetings if there's different areas you're interested in, whether it's housing and land use, or transportation, or community, community building are similar committees that almost all the district councils have. But I just really encourage folks to to come and get involved, and it's a great way to get to know your neighbors. And then also, to be able to participate in in, you know, shaping your community and also, you know, helping to shape what we do here at the city. So, I'm so grateful for all of you. And, with that, I'll move approval. Great. Motion. Any other discussion?
Great. I'll just Councilmember Yang. Oh, Councilmember Yang. Oh, thank you. Councilmember Yang. And I'm sorry, just really quickly, Matt and Everett, please just stay inside. I think I said this last week, but we get a lot of babbling in here, and the best babbling is from a kiddo. So feel free to stay. Alright. Council member Yang, it is your floor. Thanks, council member vice president. And thank you so much, council member Jones, for bringing forward this resolution. It is a really exciting and super heartfelt resolution that I'm very supportive of. And I wanna say thank you to Zoe for being our district council coordinator.
It is a lot of work doing that, and you really jumped into fire just, you know, working on contracts and even supporting our district councils with their work plans too. And so I've heard all great things about you and, want to let you know that wonderful feedback. I also wanna say thanks to all of our district council EDs and board members. The board members are they're volunteering their time, and it has been such an honor to be able to work with all of you, from the district councils. And I appreciate you so much. Our work here at the council is deeply informed by the all of the incredible community engagement work that you all do from going door knocking and firing to having
conversations with people in the community and bringing that that back to the to the council members is so important. And so, again, I wanna say thank you all. I'm looking at the camera here, and I, wanna give a huge shout out to all of the amazing, neighbors from the Greater East Side here. Thanks for making the trip over to the city hall here, and I really look forward to our work together. I really loved what council member Jills had to say about, her serving on a district council and then now being a council member. There are a handful of elected officials locally here in Saint Paul who did start
out being on this district councils and are now either at the capitol, here at city hall, and running for office. And, you know, they don't even have to run for office. Like, there's so many ways in which their work at the, at the district councils have really, allowed them to move on to, you know, running for nonprofits or just even continuing to make local impact here and doing really meaningful work. And so I can't say enough how, how our district councils have been a really amazing leadership pipeline for our communities and to see people who are now even younger,
people from our very diverse communities in the city getting involved. Like, it's all really exciting. And so, again, thank you all for, for the work that you're doing. It is such meaningful work, and I really look forward to continuing to, partner up with all of you. Awesome. Council member Peradsky. Thanks, vice president Kim. I yeah. Ward 4 is, heavily, district council. Parts are all of five district councils, and they're a huge part of what our office relies on on on getting feedback. And all of the work you do is so valuable for us. I wanna also just name how much we've added in terms of what we're asking
and pushing for for our district councils to do, improving representation from renters, improving representation racially, making sure you all are doing you know, pursuing the same goals that we're trying to pursue on the city side. It shouldn't go unnamed that that's an extra like, you all are matching that and and in in alignment with that. But it is something we're we're demanding and asking of you and another additional thing for you all to take on that should be noted. And, of course, all the work that, Jenny Nelson, my legislative aide, but, you know, deeply involved in the district council space as well, can't say enough about,
the value she provides to our work day to day. So happy to mark this with you all. Great. I will yes. Council member Johnson, I saw I saw the flow. I was, contemplating as if there's so much that has already been said. But, you know, I, just wanna say thank you to all the folks that that are actually leading in the faces behind the work. Kathy, I know we haven't had a chance to meet because I'm on the East Side. But hearing just that you've been with the district council for seventeen years, hearing some of you share just how long you've been dedicated to the board, 1999 for a greater East Side rep.
And I think that those things just really come to play. I think a lot of you have, as I've gotten to know even some of the board members and some of the executive directors in my ward, there's years and years and years of leadership. And I think that that's just been a testament to where your heart lies with our city. And so just wanna say thank you for taking the time to not only come out here today, but also to do this work, and and both paid and volunteer opportunities, in ways that is really pivotal to the work that we do as council members. Some of the first folks to welcome me in as a new council member, was my district council and my district council leadership.
And so just being able to see familiar faces, even those that were able to host National Night Out events last night, It's just really important. And I think for folks that are looking at ways to get engaged with their community, I know several people who have just moved to the East Side, who just bought a house, who are looking for places to get engaged and to start. And I always think that it's always you know, it's a welcoming phase to start at the district council, start talking to folks a little bit about what they knew. But there's a wealth of knowledge in this room and also for all the other leaders in our 17 district councils. And so I just want you all to know as we get ready to both
approve this, not only do I think that the fiftieth anniversary is an opportunity to talk about why it's necessary and why it's the investment is is needed for continuing to have district councils, I also think we have a unique opportunity in the in the years ahead to, to build forward the district council models and investment that we wanna see in our future and our future of our city. And so I'm, you know, really, really excited to join my colleagues in that and was very happy to see the the city of Saint Paul Council share their support for the, the memo that was created from planning and economic development for the increase in investment
in district councils. I think this is a primary example of where we see direct impacts of federal government on our local leaders. You know, district councils are using federal dollars, and those federal dollars are not always guaranteed. And so to be in a position that you've had to adjust this year, I just wanna take a minute to acknowledge that and also to say thank you so much for your work and that we are also very supportive when it comes to continuing to invest in the work that you do as leaders in our community. So thank you. Well said. I'll just add our very usual shout out to,
I believe, Ward 3 resident Jim Scheibel, former council president, former mayor, who was the reason why we have our district council system today. There was a deep, deep need for furthering engagement of the city, into our neighborhoods and literally block by block. So always an opportunity to shout out Jim Scheibel. And similar to council member Joe's day, also cut my teeth, at my district council, which is D6, North End Neighborhood organization where I worked on transportation issues and housing. And it is absolutely a reason why I find myself here, but more so just really connected to what the city has to offer.
So I hope that, all of our millions of viewers at home are watching and they see the smiling faces. So when they walk into a district council office, they see you how much you care about our city, but more importantly, how much you care about them and the block that they live on. So thank you so much for your service to the city. And with that, there's a motion for approval. So roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Prabotsky? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The resolution is adopted. Item 17 is Resolution 20 five-twelve 26, calling for the Trump administration to end its campaign of mass deportations and family separations.
Awesome. Thank you. So I, I'm gonna give a little blurb. I'm gonna come up and read the resolution that I've been going to invite community members to come up and stand, stand with the lead organization, Copal, and the organizing director of Copal, Ryan Perez. So I was proud to lead with Councilmember Johnson last year the resolution calling on President Biden and our US senators to expand TPS last year. And the current federal administration threatens to remove legal statuses, continuing to put more families and communities at risk. Family separations and ICE arrests are affecting our city,
St. Paul. Groups like O'Pol and MN8 are uplifting stories regularly of ICE arrests in St. Paul and coordinated efforts to provide support to these arrests and their families. There is a new network of organizations, about 90, called the Immigration Defense Network. Please, I'm sure Ryan will speak a little bit about it, but they're working to make sure that every person in our city feels safe regardless of their status. This issue is affecting multiple immigrant communities, from Central American and East African immigrants to refugees from Laos. Detentions and deportations aren't new under President Trump, but the campaign of fear launched this year is devastating to our communities.
The clear lack of regular of regard for immigrant for migrant safety and well-being due process and basic transparency is not only alarming, but very dangerous. We want our migrant communities to visit our parks, utilize our rec centers and our libraries, and access all of our programs. We want our neighbors and our neighborhoods to be able to have the same opportunity to raise a family in St. Paul. So with that, I'd like to invite, Ryan Perez to, speak a little bit to the resolution. And I will make my way down to read it into record. And if there are community members here that would like to stand in support of
the resolution, please join us now. Yes. Please, everyone who's here in support of this resolution, please join behind me or is behind the railing okay? I don't yeah. Okay. We'll fill up the space. I'll be speaking and then I know of one other person who will give a few remarks as well. Remind me your name. Steven. Steven. Okay. Awesome. You can make a second row? Right here. Yep. And family separations, whereas the Trump administration has called for the largest mass deportation program in US history, seeking to separate 3,000 families per day, and whereas the Trump administration has made multiple references to the Eisenhower administration's racist campaign
against immigrants, which resulted in over 1,000,000 deportations, including the deportations of many US citizens. Whereas numerous federal agencies within the Trump administration, including the US immigration customs enforcement, has increased arrests of US citizens, asylum seekers, and other immigrants regardless of immigration status and public safety record, and whereas the Trump administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and has explored suspending the writ of habeas corpus to deny due process, and whereas the United Nations states that human rights violations against migrants can include a
denial of civil and political rights, such as arbitrary detention, torture, or lack of due process, And whereas the rhetoric of mass deportations has driven many families into the shadows, with children afraid to go to school and play and their parents afraid to go to work, essential medical appointments, and to the grocery store. Whereas Minnesota Chamber Foundation has concluded that, quote, the success of Minnesota's economy, both now and in the future, is inextricably linked to Minnesota's immigrant communities. And whereas we firmly believe that immigrants built Minnesota,
continue to build Minnesota, and show the best of what Minnesota can be, and that we stand with immigrant families and will work together to further defend immigrant rights, and now therefore be it resolved. We call upon the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security to end its campaign of mass deportations and family separations. My name is Ryan Perez. I am the organizing director of Copal Minnesota. Copal is a member based organization with over a thousand members across the state with the goal of improving the quality of life of the Latine community across Minnesota. I also lived and worked in Saint Paul for six years,
and I will be back. This is my favorite city and my home in Minnesota. Established in 2025, the Immigrant Defense Network is an alliance of over 90 immigrant, labor, legal, faith, and community organizations dedicated to protecting and advancing the constitutional rights of immigrant communities across Minnesota. There are escalating immigration raids across the country. We come together in a moment where families are being ripped apart. Meanwhile, there is unprecedented new funding for ICE, making it richer than most of the world's militaries.
And immigrant health care is being cut both at the state and the national level. Saint Paul, I must stress to you, is straight in the line of fire for immigrants from Latin America, Southeast Asia, Al 0 For Africa, and other places. I must also stress something unique to Saint Paul, which is the vibrant refugee community here, many of whom will be losing access to federal health care benefits and who themselves are being detained and deported for old records and who pose no threat to our community. So that is why we stand here today and bring forth this resolution.
Thank you, Council Vice President Kim, for being our champion. And please, I seek that the city of Saint Paul and other council members utilize the Immigrant Defense Network as a resource, build relationship with us, and the many organizations that base work in St. Paul. So with that, I'll pass it to Stephen, who also has some words of support. Thank you, Ryan. And thank you, council vice president. Thank you, council members. My name is Steven Seidel. I live at 1115 Elway Street in Saint Paul. I'm a member of Indivisible Twin Cities Immigrant Immigrant Rights Watch Team,
which is also a member of the Immigrant Defense Network. And I'm here today to, strongly support and commend my city council for demanding that the Trump administration end its campaign of mass deportations and family separations. Our cities should be places where all our neighbors feel safe and have the ability to live, work, learn, and play in peace. This country was built on the experiences, cultural contributions, and sweat equity of immigrants, enslaved black Americans, and indigenous peoples. Mass deportation is an attempt to erase those contributions and that heritage.
The policy is inhumane, morally reprehensible, and runs counter to the basic tenets of our constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights and liberties essential to human dignity. These tenets collectively express our society's long held recognition that all individuals have inherent worth and value. Not only is mass deportation inhumane and anti family, it is bad for our city, our state, and our nation. It makes our cities less safe when our residents fear interacting with local law enforcement. It decimates the workforce in key industries, such as construction, healthcare,
hospitality, and agriculture. And it increases the risk that the US military will be used against US civilians. Indivisible Twin Cities is proud to stand with our allies here today in support of Saint Paul and all other cities across the metro area which adopt resolutions like this. We must work together to put an end to the demonization and dehumanization of our immigrant families, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Thank you for your strong support of our immigrant communities at this critical time in our history. Thank you.
I'll make a motion to approve any discussion. Council Member Faratsky. Thanks, Vice President Kim. I I won't belabor the point because everything that's been said is, you know, very spot on. And it's been very challenging to speak publicly about some of the situations we've had in the different neighborhoods. In my in my word, there's been incidents that it's very difficult to find the best way to elevate it without putting those families at further risk. And so I I won't speak in much detail, but we've had really heinous situations where families are,
you know, very unjustly and unfairly ripped apart. And I just There there aren't that many things like at the local level we can do to to stop these federal actions. It's incredibly heinous. It's unfair It's unjust all the things that have been said and so happy to put you know put our word out there to make sure people know where we stand, but even more thankful for the network that you described that's coming together to stand up because one of the challenges these families face when they are ripped apart is what to do after that's happened. When people are having their right to hearing waived,
when their things are being expedited, the traditional processes are being entirely shattered. And in the aftermath of that or in the lead up to that, they need a network of support like you all are providing. And so just wanna name that that's very, very critical, because even as elected officials or or government officials, there aren't always times where direct governmental action is possible, and it's required for us to use our relationships and our soft skills, but more importantly it's important it has to be in partnership with you all you know to provide that that voluntary service and that voluntary support. And so just wanna name that it's so valuable what you all are doing because
there are times where any individual one of us doesn't have the tools necessary to help these folks, and the only way to provide even close to what these folks need is in partnership. So I just wanna thank you all for everything you're doing. Council member Yang. Council member Yang. Thank you. Thanks, council member president. I am very grateful to you for bringing forward the resolution here, and I wanna say thank you to Copal and all of the incredible organizations, the allies who are in the room. I wholeheartedly agree with everything that's been said, and I believe that we are here because we believe that every person,
is a member of our, of our community here regardless of their immigration status. And, I can't say enough what the Trump administration is doing is truly an abomination. In the past few months here, I have had so many calls from from immigrant families who are living in fear, of who have had family members that have been detained. And it is truly a ripple effect. It's not only an impact on them, but really to everybody. I mean, I have been seeing GoFundMe pages and also just posts about families raising money for,
for attorney fees, for, to get funding for paying for the house, to put food on the table because now they are short one person who's bringing in income. And, you know, like what you said, council vice president, families are afraid of taking their kids to school. I mean, this is not what our country is about at all. And, I know we absolutely will not be standing for it at all, which is why, you know, be we'll be supporting this resolution. And, I just really wanna uplift, like, how important our immigrant communities are. They are really the building blocks of our city here.
As you all know, I mean, I I share this a lot. In Saint Paul, we are the urban city with the densest population of of Hmong people, and all of our Hmong people came here as refugees. And, you know, we have so many more communities that have such who are who are, the story cloth of our city here, building our city, bringing in businesses, you know, and, and also, like, bringing in economic prosperity into our communities here. And just I I can't say enough, you know, like, how how value they are. And, one thing I wanna uplift is the important immigration resources website that we have on
our City Of Saint Paul website. It lists out a lot of the organizations that are providing support to our immigrant, and refugee communities. There's a lot of information here about food, housing, health care assistance, legal assistance, education, and I really want to, highlight the important work that Edmundo from our city attorney's office is doing. Thank you so much to Edmundo. And also, there's also information here about our, the legal defense program too. There's a lot of other organizations in our state that are providing legal defense support. And so,
like, I wanna say again, thank you everybody for, for protecting our immigrant communities and for putting together this resolution. I will probably be supporting it and look forward to the continued partnership. Great. Any other discussion? Council council member Johnson. Thank you all for, taking the time to come out today as well, to speak about something that I think is really important to, so many community members in our in our city. You know, as as a Ward 7 as the Ward 7 council member, we also have we're home to many, many, many immigrants in our community and families.
You know, and I think it's really important in times like this not to be complacent, and not to be complacent in our own privileges, and not to be complacent in the instance that if we walk out of our homes every day and we do not fear this type of treatments, that to me is a sign of privilege that we cannot be complacent in, and it forces us to acknowledge what is happening, to name what is happening, and also to act in the way that we can. So I I share the same sentiments as, council member Provodzky that the scope of local government seems sometimes limited,
but I just want to you know, I think it would be remiss to not already articulate as well the importance of having ordinances and practices in place at the city that allows us to not, to not be in, in cahoots with the with federal agents that are operating here in our city. That is a privilege that is not afforded to many municipalities in this state. There has been a lot of things that has happened across the country, but in particular around Minnesota, there has continued to be attacks that I would describe as targeted, in many ways, shape, or form. And I think that's to ignite fear and to separate some of the power that
we see in this room of people being able to be united and saying that we aren't complicit and we're not complacent in what's actually happening to our brothers and sisters and our neighbors regardless of their status. And so, you know and and I think to be clear, we also recognize that there is targeting happening to immigrants who have documentation. And so I think it's really important to just talk about this. And what I appreciate about appreciate about the resolution is that it's bringing light to immigration as a whole, regardless of the documentation status piece because we know that we have seen documented immigrants become a part of this, mass depredation strategy,
as a tactic of fear and as a tactic to prevent what is happening right now in this space. So appreciate, you, council vice president, for continuing to bring us forward into some of the federal spaces. And I know that there's a lot left to be done. But I think that these measures, these resolutions, but also the ordinances that we put in place, their steps to share what kind of city that we are. You know, I'm proud to be in a city with a mayor who's not afraid to stand up against, our administration. I'm proud to be a part of a council that also understands why we should be doing things like this. And so,
I'll look forward to supporting it today. I think the only other comment I'll add is that the network offers trainings. So constitutional observer trainings, courtroom training trainings, just community observer trainings. They also have mutual aid opportunities. So the thing that Councilmember Ying was referencing is oftentimes removing even one one of the income earners of the household puts an incredible burden on that family. And so their ability to not just put groceries on the table, to pay rent, to put gas in their car, to go to work. And so this network of organizations is is 90,
which is fantastic. But they're doing they're filling the gaps of some of the spaces that that we just don't have capacity or we don't have power to do. So please look into all of them. They're reaching statewide. And the last thing is kind of on the note what municipalities can do. This is a let's call it a resolution campaign. This immigration defense network is working to get resolutions passed at municipal levels across the state. We are now the third city to do so. Minneapolis was first. Columbia Heights was second.
We are now third, a good third. I'm happy to be third in that lineup. But with the best plaque. Go with the best plaque. Yeah. But in order to start the conversation around, municipalities drawing a line, the line that they can in the sand to tell every every single person in their city and particularly the folks that are, being targeted, by the Trump administration that they that they belong here. There's an Amber alert. So I guess what the For those of the folks that don't have their phone silence, that is an Amber alert. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. So I'll make a motion to approve roll call.
Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provotsky? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The resolution is adopted. I'd like to present this to the board here and and it's a little, triangle upside down. And it comes from back when in the thirties, some other people had to wear a triangle upside down. And because they didn't fit into the current, at that time, which was horrific. Thank you. But this is a positive one. This is a positive one that says to you,
I stand with immigrants. And we will like to thank you so much. And we will continue this. I am also a member of the ICOM, Interfaith Coalition and Immigration. And, we we have a one time the vigils here at the government center. And here, we now do them on the second Tuesday of the month in in front of Bishop Whipple Federal Building where the current court is being held. That's great. Well, we'll try to find the information online.
Thank you so much for being here, and we really appreciate your time. Thank you. Item 19 is ABZA 20 five-three, considering the appeal of Dominic Carchetti to a decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals, denying a variance request to establish a 24 resident supportive housing facility on the property at 418 Sherburne Avenue. The public hearing was closed on July 9. Great. Let's see here. The public hearing is closed already. Oh, this is this one. Mhmm. Okay. I can't see it.
See it. Oh, right. Public hearing has already been closed. I'm going to turn it over to the Councilmember Foerovsky. Thanks, Vice President Kim. Per the previous resolution to enact a moratorium and initiate a study, I motion to lay this item over until the completion of the study on sober and supportive housing and until the council is able to adopt a set of recommendations as a result of that study or until 07/22/2026, whichever comes first. All right. Great. So move to roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Vice President Kim?
Aye. Five in favor, no and opposed. The item is laid over to 07/22/2026. Item 20 is ABCA 20 five-five, considering the appeal of Stronger Sober House to a decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals, denying a variance request to establish 11 resident supportive housing facility on the property at 519 Farrantine Street. The public hearing was closed on July 23. Great. The public hearing has been closed. I'm gonna turn over to council member Provetsky. Thank you, vice president Kim. Once again,
for the previous resolution to enact a moratorium and initiate the study, I motion to lay this item over until the completion of the study on sober and supportive housing and until the council is able to adopt a set of recommendations as a result of that study or until 07/22/2026, whichever comes first. Great. There's a motion. Roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor. None opposed. The item is laid over to 07/22/2026. Item 21 is resolution public hearing 25 dash one thirty eight,
approving the final plat for 391 McKnight Road South to create three h one parcels. And the public hearing was closed on July 23. Great. Can you hear me now? Councilwoman Johnson. Thank you, council council vice president. I just wanna say thank you to, our staff that has that was able to follow-up with some of the folks that came during the public hearing, and testified on this item. And it's my understanding that, as a result of that, the district council, was able to, not have anything of concern. And then also some of the neighbors felt like they were better informed after having
that meeting. I think the communication sometimes when we do things, is really important. And so I just want to say I appreciate the staff for following up with with folks that, are in the surrounding area of this address. And then at this time, I would move approval. There's a motion roll call. Johnson? Aye. Joos? Yes. Provodzke? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor. No one opposed. The resolution is adopted. Item 22 is final adoption of ordinance 20 five-forty one, amending chapter 33.04
of the legislative code to require that 10% of the estimated plan review fee is to be paid before review may begin. Great. I'll make a motion to approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Yes. Vice President Kim? Hi. Five in favor, no and opposed. The ordinance is adopted. Item 23 is first reading of ordinance 20 five-forty six, approving the application of Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and Saint Paul e Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church to rezone properties at 694 Minnehaha
Avenue East, et al, from I 2 general industrial to H two, residential, T three, traditional neighborhood, RM two, medium density, multiple family residential district, and amending chapter 60 of the legislative code pertaining to the zoning map. And I will note that there was a public hearing held on this item on July 23. Great. I know there's staff present for questions. Any questions or discussion? Lovely. I will take a motion to approve from Councilmember Johnson. Roll call. This is the first reading itself. It's just a layover,
and we can do that without a roll call. So it will be laid over to August 13 for second reading. And again, the public hearing was already held, so it will just be a second reading, no public hearing. Cool. Thank you, Sherry. Item 24 is first reading of ordinance 20 five-forty seven, approving an interim ordinance pursuant to Minnesota statute 462.35 subdivision four, pending the completion of a zoning study on sober houses and supportive housing facilities. Great. Council Member Porowski.
Thank you, Vice President Kim. This is that final motion of our suite of actions taken today, regarding the zoning study on sober house and supportive housing. I believe the staff report previously is adequate in speaking to this. So I would move approval. And there's a The ordinance is just laid over to August 13 for second reading and public hearing. It's so true. All right. Discussion. Council chair Johnson. Thank you, council vice president. I had actually a constituent that came, I think, and just wanted to provide public comment. And so I just wanted to be very clear with our community members that are
looking at this item. If there's public comment that you want to be able to share, this will be heard as a public hearing next week. And so for folks that maybe are looking to try and weigh in, I just wanna be clear about that because I think that, we had a constituent that came that wanted to speak a little bit about some of the concerns that they had. And so, I just want to make sure that we were able to follow-up with him and or if there are folks that are looking to weigh in on the ordinance that they are aware that there's a public hearing next week, and there will be an opportunity to do so. Item 25 is a public hearing of ordinance 25 dash 43, establishing the classifications titled legislative hearing officer,
senior legislative hearing officer, and chief legislative hearing officer in the unclassified service pursuant to section 12.032 h of the city charter. Great. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on this item? Going once, going twice. I'll motion to close the public hearing and layover for final reading. Roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Prabotsky? Yes. Yang? Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed, and the ordinance is laid over to August 13 for final adoption.
Item 26 is Resolution Public Hearing 20 five-one 145, authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into a $16,500 agreement with the Minnesota Department of $16,500 agreement with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Conservation Partners legacy grant program, requiring a 10% in kind match to enhance and restore five acres of native woodland habitat at Lily Dale Regional Park. Great. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? Going once, going twice, Chair Johnson will move to close the public hearing and approve.
Roll call. Johnson? Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 27 is resolution public hearing twenty five-one hundred and fifty three, amending the 2025 Regional Water Services budget in the amount of $75,000 for Metropolitan Council grant. Great. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? Good one's going twice. Council member Johnson will close the public hearing and motion to approve roll call.
Johnson. Aye. Jost. Yes. Provodzke. Yes. Yang. Aye. Vice President Kim. Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 28 is resolution public hearing 20 five-one 156, approving the application of the Minnesota Department of Human Services for sound level variance in order to present amplified sound on August 13 at 1600 Phalen Drive, Phalen Regional Park. Great. This is public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? Okay. Going once,
going twice, council member Provodzinski moves to close the public hearing and approve roll call. Johnson. Aye. Jost. Yes. Provodzinski. Yes. Yang. No. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor. None opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 29 is resolution public hearing 20 five-one 157, approving the application of Ernest Vissong for a sound level variance in order to present live, amplified sound for, September 13 on Selby Avenue from Milton Street North to Victoria Street North.
This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? All right. Councilmember Yang closes the public hearing and makes a motion to approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Councilor Yang. Aye. Vice President Kim. Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 30 is resolution public hearing 20 five-one 161, approving the application of Ragnor Events, LLC for sound level variance in order to present amplified sound on Friday, August 8 at 30 Sherburne Avenue,
Cass Gilbert Park. Great. This is public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? Seeing none, Chair Johnson moves to close the public hearing and approve. Roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 31 is resolution public hearing 20 five-one 164, approving the application of Parks and Recreation, Mario Stokes, community recreation director, for sound level variance in order to present amplified sound on August 22 at 110
Harriet Island Road, Harriet Island Target Stage. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? All right. Seeing none, I move to close the public hearing and approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Klawatski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 32 is Resolution Public Hearing twenty five-one hundred and sixty five, approving the application of Anderson Race Management for Minnesota Recovery Connection for sound level variance
in order to present live amplified sound. On September 13 at the Minnesota State Capitol Grounds, 75 Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to testify on behalf of this item? Oh, that's Marcia. Seeing none, Councilmember Jost closes the public hearing and makes a motion to approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is closed and the resolution is adopted. Item 33 is RLHSAO 20 five-ten,
making finding on the appeal of Michael E. Corcoran to a nuisance abatement order at 1478 Ames Avenue in council file RLHSAO twenty four dash fifty one. The public hearing was closed on July 23. Great. I see our legislative hearing officer has taken the podium. I'm gonna kick it over to you. Vice Vice President Or to Councilwoman. Kim, in for this particular property, the council laid the matter over for two weeks and ordered that the owner be given more time to abate the,
many things that needed to be cleaned up in the yard and the vehicles. The vehicles have been addressed. There are still some, things in the yard that need to be addressed. My recommendation is that, you adopt the resolution indicating that the nuisance is not abated and authorize the Department of Safety and Inspections to take action. That sounds good. Councilmember Yang, I'll turn to you now. Council vice president, I will move approval of the recommendation. All right. There's a motion to approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim?
Aye. Five in favor. No one opposed. The resolution is adopted as amended. Legislative hearing consent agenda items 34 through 58 are before you for your consideration. Great. Legislative Hearing Officer Marsha, is there anything that needs to be taken separately? Item number 37, please. Item 37 is RLHTA 20 five-two 94, ratifying the appealed special tax assessment for property at 427 Aurora Avenue. Great. Turning it over to you. Vice President Kim, this is an assessment resulting from a cleanup at this property,
427 Aurora. And I will switch here to show you. And Aurora sorry about that. 427 Aurora, we can look at the first of all, it is located here between University and Aurora, the parking lot here. And it is between Western and Arundel. What we have are the parking lots basically that surface the University Avenue properties, so on the other side of the alley, the back. In this particular case, a cleanup was ordered. And unfortunately, I'm going to round the corner here.
And this puts us on a rundle, where we have 427 and 429 as one parcel. Yeah. That is a homeless encampment in a random Google Street view, which is, a part of what's happening with the assessment property, but did issue a summary abatement for the balance of the mess on the property to be cleaned up by the property owner. So this included a lot of, trash, you know, bags, just, you know, sundry stuff that accumulates where people are.
So that order was issued and mailed to the owner's address, and, the property was not cleaned up. The order was from, and I'm sorry. I'm operating using all backup systems today. So I hope you can be a little patient. The summary abatement order itself, was issued here. This is on 03/19/2025, and it the photo shows you some of the conditions that has existed. Largely, it is in the, boulevard area, budding, Aurora. But it also is deeper into those vacant parcels as well.
A week later, the crew went the inspector went out to do a recheck. The work wasn't done. And it was, all the way till April 7, so a good three weeks between when the orders were originally issued and the work crew showed up to do the work to complete the cleanup. The city is, proposing an assessment for one hour of work and an additional charge for the amount of materials. So they measured more than one cubic yard in this case. And, the the service charge bringing the total to $669 for the work that was performed.
Okay. Great. And, is there anyone here to speak on behalf of this item? Yes. And there is an interpreter as well. Okay. That sounds great. Welcome. Come on up. So, how we'll do this is the, the property owner will be able to speak for two minutes, but we won't include the time for interpretation. So we'll stop the clock when the interpretation begins. So if you alternate between each other, it won't impact her times. Yep. And then, this person sitting next to you or you should be able to see the timer right between the microphone. Can I Yep?
Get get them home. So you're able to see how much time you have left to testify. So, please introduce yourself, and then your time will start. Yeah. My name is Wei Tran. I'm the owner of a public tech public in, Singapore for three two university. My name is Tanya Kim, Vietnamese interpreter for her. So today, I would like to, tell you my story. Yeah. Correct. So first, I like to, make known my correct address.
Okay. Address. So the my address of the property is 427 Aurora Avenue. And the property ID number We have that. Okay. So I, So on the day of March 19, I received a letter with a photo that sent it to me, and the photo is not my property. Yeah. And, also, there is another two, photo on the back of it.
This one is my property, but this one is someone that own a liquor store. Yes. But somehow that this property is also under my name, my address, and the PIN number. And when they clean it up They not charging the So when they clean it up, they charged me with the total amount of $669, and I think that is not right.
Do because there is a homeless people that they live behind my property. And after I clean up, and then they also make more trash for me to clean up. Anyway, there was a So today, I am here. I just want you to correct that because those are not my property in the picture. Yes. So it's not mine. So I So if you include it altogether and ask me to pay for it,
I will not. But I will pay my potion as my property. Yes. That's it. Okay. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. Feel free to take a seat. No. Send me that. Oh, yeah. Please sign in and feel free to take a seat. Great. And this item is in Ward 1. I've been working with Ward one council office and the illustrious, beef two, the LA there. We are I'm going to make a motion to lay this item over and extend the public hearing. And I'm laying the item over to August 27.
Yes. Is that correct? Understanding is that the council member would like to see the, public hearing continued. And, based on the testimony today, I can provide you some follow-up information on a map of the area, which I would normally be able to access and show you now. Cannot do that. And I can tell you that orders were issued not only for this property but also for the adjacent property, and cleanups occurred at both sites. And so that is probably leading to some of the conclusion. Mail was received, and we did discuss that it was closed in March and April,
and that's part of why it didn't get cleaned up. Okay. That sounds great. Chair Johnson? I have a question for clarification. Miss Mormon, to the testimony that's being said, and I think even just as we lay it over and since we have three weeks of time, Is there a way to confirm the property lines for the property? I hear what I'm hearing from the testimony today is that there's questions about whether or not it's on their property. Is there will you also be able to provide just clarification on those? Yes. We did review that actively in the legislative hearing itself. We used the city's aerial maps
and the ownership information that was not attached to the record. We just used it on the fly. But I want to see that you have that information in front of you as well before you come to a decision. So, yes, absolutely. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. That's great. Perfect. So, again, just to reiterate, I'm extending the public hearing and laying the item over to August 27. Roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no and opposed. The public hearing is to continue to August 27.
Great. Any other items to be taken for separate consideration? Yes. Item number 46, thirteen fifty HEG. Item 46 is RLHTA 20 five-three 44, amending council file RLHAR 20 four-twenty five to reduce the assessment collection of vacant building registration fees billed during April 5 to 10/20/2023, at 1350 Hague Avenue. Great. Vice President Kim, council members, this is an unusual tax assessment that I have in front of you now. We reviewed a tax assessment here.
This is a vacant building fee. It was already ratified by the city council and certified to Ramsey County taxes. It does appear on the 2025 property tax statement. Any action that the city takes would be a matter of refunding something that has already been certified. So, it would be a rare case where it we are reviewing something that looked that it could be an error and needed to be investigated. So that is exactly what the legislative hearing was about.
In this case, it was to investigate whether an error had occurred. There was mixed messaging going on, and so I tried to sift through that and come up with a recommendation for you today. So that is the why we're looking at this. The details are this: 1350 Hague, is a was a registered vacant building as of 2019. Backing up a year, there were two buildings on this same parcel. One got knocked down. The other one continued to exist there, but there was no use of the building.
So that one building remaining ends up in the vacant building program. There were a couple things that needed to be happened that needed to be fixed, obviously, and get its fire certificate of occupancy back again. And the changes that the owner wanted to make did require a change in occupancy for the building, a change in use that needed to be filed with the building permits. Originally back in, 2022, there was work, that was proceeding at the property. However, there were no permits pulled for that work,
and so the work was red tagged. There was ongoing conversation with the Department of Safety and Inspections and the owner to, square that away. I understand the conversations, happened in fits and starts, and there were a number of different types of inspectors involved in this case. In late twenty twenty three, the I think they developed a shared understanding with the department of what the expectations were, and the change in use documents came forward to the department in February. So they were able to close the vacant building
file in March. So in the normal course of events, I would say this is something that the council could look at prorating. The bill was from October to October, and they were out in March. So a clean six months. Was there a mistake made? I would have to say my finding is no. But to treat it as similar cases are treated when they are timely, You could move forward with prorating this amount. Again, anything that action that the council does take would mean that the city processes a
refund on this. But my recommendation would be to reduce it, and, obviously, you can do what you see fit. Great. And is there an, this is a public hearing. Is there anyone here to test or speak on behalf of this item? Great. Yeah. Perfect. Come on up. Perfect. So you'll have two minutes. And are you both the property owners? Mhmm. Okay. Perfect. So I think just still collectively, they get two minutes. Yeah. So we'll start the timer. When you begin, you can watch it between the two microphones.
But then because you're both the owner, you'll collectively receive two minutes. So it'll be quick. So one minute each, if you can manage it. So, state your name for the record, and and your two minutes will start. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Ashley Taylor. I am one of the owners. Bradley Taylor is next to me. He's the other owner. Yeah. Just providing more context. So I know 2022 was mentioned, with inspectors. We did not own the building in 2022. We did not purchase it until halfway through 2023. We received letters about vacant building,
multiple letters. And every time we received a letter, we either called, the DSI office, we, texted. So we have text proof that we were texting back and forth, and we even showed up in person too. We kept being told that the letter was a mistake to yep. Clint Zane, Nathan Brown, there was a third one too. Matt Dornfeld. Matt Dornfeld. Yeah. So we were going back and forth with these three, DSI inspectors. Felt like we were doing everything we could on our side, and we kept being told to ignore the letter. It was a mistake on their part. The context that was just explained, I think there's a lot of confusion as to what was going on at the
property. So I don't know if the DSI inspectors maybe just weren't out there in person and weren't aware, so they were telling us to ignore it. It was a mistake within the system and that it would be pulled off. So we were told that probably six to seven different times. So we spoke to multiple different people, just trusted the DSI inspectors, since that that was the number on the letter. Those are the people we we felt like we needed to speak to. And then all of a sudden, two years later, so now it's 2025, all of a sudden, this $5,000 plus bill was slapped onto our taxes. So that's kind of where all this stemmed from.
So it took a good two years for it to finally come through. We definitely would not ignore a bill that's $5,000 That's a massive amount for us as small business owners. Just trying to come into the community and and make the community better, a better place. So we we've developed the property. It used to be a vacant building, as was mentioned. And it's a beautiful space. Now it's a community garden, space. Yes. It's it's amazing. If you haven't come yet, it's under the Hamlin Ave Bridge. It has a beautiful mural on it, and it's really become a community space. So, that was time. So just Thank you.
Perfect. I'm gonna use it. Thank you. Okay. And, yeah, if you wanna just say one thing, but you're definitely out of time otherwise, if there's nothing else to add. Okay. That sounds kinda quick or further. Ask for us? Mhmm. Yeah. Like, when's their ask? Yeah. Thank you. Mhmm. So we'll give you just a moment. Can you clarify what your ask is of the counsel so it's just on record? Yeah. So we've had a couple legislative hearings, and I know, the recommendation was to cut the bill in half. We would love for the entire thing to be refunded since or or taken off, since that is what we were told multiple times over the course of receiving the
letters Okay. To ignore it, that it would not be put on our assessment. So Yep. So they ask us to reduce it to zero. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. For clarifying. Thank you, chair Johnson. Mhmm. Okay. Perfect. Please have a seat. I appreciate the time and energy to come down and testify. I've been working with, the Ward 1 LA on this and, of course, with the legislative hearing officer. The council member isn't present, so we're going to continue to, extend the public hearing, and we're going to lay the item over to August 27. But all the testimony that you provided will be considered at that time.
So we really appreciate it. I'll consider that a motion that I made. And roll call. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor, no one opposed. The public hearing is continued to August 27. Could item number 48 for thirteen forty five Kent be read into the record? Item 48 is RLHSAO25Dash8, appeal of Adam Dullinger to a summary abatement order at 1345 Kent Street. Again, apologies. This particular case is a little bit awkward.
First, I I don't have the exact details here, but I actually do have almost all the details in my head about this one because it's pretty unique. A summary abatement order, a tall grass and weeds order specifically was issued for this property. Those are called in and the letter is automatically generated each time they're called in. That is not investigated instantly. It is simply an auto generated letter. And three days later, an inspector will go check. And it's the same as what we have with snow shoveling orders, you know? Like, here's a letter.
It's reported. If it's taken care of, fine. If it's not, you know, we'll have somebody come out. Same thing. In this particular instance, there was an appeal. And it was that this is not tall grass and weeds. This is an intentional planting for pollinator reasons, for other ecological reasons, water retention. You name it. This was intentional. It happened. And there was testimony that, indeed, the owner had invested some and I can be corrected now dollars 3,000, perhaps it was 4. There was investment that happened. We looked carefully at the information and the photos,
and I recommended to the counsel at that time in my hearing, and what is in your record in front of you, is that you grant this appeal. The, I think this all checked out in the hearing process. Unfortunately, what my recommendation to the counsel didn't have a chance to even get its way to you today, because within three days of my recommendation, contractors were dispatched to cut the grass at this property. And it was all mowed down in spite of my recommendation to grant the appeal.
So I imagine that is what the property owner would like to talk about today. I'll see if I can bring up a photo, which I wasn't able to do just now, but I'll see if I can get one up. But, this would be a future question maybe that you'd want to engage under different rules. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. And I believe yep. Item. Great. Come on up. Stand right between the microphones. We'll pick you up. Pretty perfect. State your name and your two minutes to testify will will begin. Hi. You guys by quick. I'm Adam Dullinger. I'm the owner of this property.
I had my my whole yard redone about four years ago, with the pollinator stuff. And so it's just extremely disheartening to see that this happened. I'm not gonna belabor the point too much. Obviously, it's, you know, a mistake or whatever. But I I I think that this my recommendation to the council is that this part of the nuisance ordinance should be changed or the process for submitting, the automatic letter to people should be changed because, I think that this specific part of the ordinance is pretty much in direct violation
of the state law that allows native landscapes that do go over eight inches. So it's kind of just up to the code enforcer to decide whether or not they think it's a native or a natural landscape. And I don't think that's I don't think that's right. And and and I don't really have a say into whether or not, my neighbors go and complain every single time they see my yard that's too long. And it's just a burden on me because now I have to be I mean, I don't didn't have to be here, but I just wanted to say my my my piece here.
I mean, I it's just so sad. I my my backyard tree is a 100 year old silver maple. And when I first got the bee lawn done, it's it overseeded, and there was lots of trees growing. And at the time, I was still mowing it because it's you can either partial mow it or just let it grow. At the time I was mowing it, I didn't like how the the everything was turning out when I was mowing it, so I decided to go with the no mow route, to let nature kind of do its thing. And so now this year, four years later, the tree finally came out with a whole bunch more seedlings,
seeds dropping, because it does it in, like, big blotches at a time. And so those are growing, and that's really the biggest part I'm upset about here is because those are the babies in my tree. Yep. And there's really no way of replacing those until the next time it seeds if it ever does. Thank you. And you're right at time. Is there an ask, that you would make of the council to do you support the recommendation of the legislative hearing officer even though it's sort of moot at this point, but that is the process that's before us today? Yes. So we can certainly take a vote to do that.
It certainly doesn't go back and change anything, but at least the original orders would be moot. Sure. Okay. Please have a seat. I appreciate you being here. Nope. You're fine. Alright. Take a seat, and, I guess I'm gonna look to you, Marsha. I mean, I, I know that you do your due diligence, and, you know, I I I trust that you've checked all the boxes here. And so what's before the council, even though the action's already taken, we still have to to take a vote today. It doesn't change actions that shouldn't have happened,
but we still have to make a decision on the item. Vice President Kim, it may be good to create a formal record indicating that the council has signed off on this being, not an overgrown turf lawn, which is really what the finding would be, and that state law does provide for landscapes and, other kinds of, native planting arrangements. And that are absolutely okay, and it does provide good definitions. But, yeah, the inspectors out there to make a decision. Turf lawn, not turf lawn. Okay. Yeah. So Okay. I appreciate that.
I'm going to make a motion to approve the appeal. I think if my colleagues are interested in digging into this a little bit, this is not the only time this has now happened in the ward. And when we think about, you know, how our neighbors are thinking about and activating around national issues like climate change and like our bumblebees and creating pathways for the monarchs, right? This is the way that folks want to contribute is having native plantings for our bumblebees and our butterflies and our pollinators, to keep a more rich diversity of
our vegetation here in the state. It's sort of speaking to the emerald ash borer issue that we had. Right? So the greater diversity, the better. So if anyone's interested in digging into this a little bit with me, I'd appreciate it. And I'm going to make a motion to approve the legislative hearing officer's recommendation. Roll call. I have a question. Oh, sorry. Yes. That's Okay. And I think the motion, right, is to close the public hearing. Yeah. We'll close the public hearing. Approve. Thank you so much. No problem. Miss Mormon, can I just for clarity on the process, and I so I heard from the public hearing too as well, like, just some concerns about the ordinance? But I think that's not the the issue was not necessarily the ordinance at this
particular juncture. It's the process in which it seems like the appeal did not make it to council, and, ultimately, council would be the deciding body of whether the appeal was approved or not. Thus, the order that went out Correct. Would not have been ordered until after the vote. Could you just help me understand what happened in that situation? Yes. Vice president Kim, council member Johnson, The, when an order decision or determination is appealed, the code is crystal clear that enforcement is stayed pending resolution of the appeal. There are rare exceptions to that.
I would say an emergency vacate order for a sewage backup and water leaks and things that are imminent life safety concerns would be something that the code provides that I should make a temporary decision on if need be before it comes to you? You know, children and so on. This, though, what should happen is we have the appeal. Enforcement's been spayed stayed. Got the appeal. The DSI staff are in the room. They know what the outcome is. They are also copied on the letter that goes out of our office afterwards confirming
that. I think that there was not sufficient communication between the person staffing the room, the person who sends out work orders and runs the work crews. And that could be really three different parties. And so how that gets sorted out, you know, there was a breakdown in that, though. I know the person I work with in the room, Golden. You know? She she's really on top of this stuff. But these things do first for me, but, it's not okay, obviously. There's costs to the neighborhood, to the property owner, and and those costs are not only financial,
but they're also, environmental Mhmm. And aesthetic and otherwise. It's a life quality of life good. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. I know I know that sometimes, like, mistakes like that can can indeed happen. That just seems a little rather unfortunate. Yeah. Seems like the process that's in place usually is to be preventative of that or at least to allow the council to be the deciding body on whether those things are acted out. And so, and I know that we've had a couple situations, maybe not necessarily mistake related, but things that are that kind of go go above the like,
go before the council says something or doesn't come to us quite. So I'm just that just seems like another example where that is coming in, and that's slightly concerning. And so, miss Mormon, if we do continue to see a pattern or something like that, I really would appreciate that being brought to our attention. Hopefully, this is just a one off, mistake. But just hearing the impacts as well is not something that I hope to see continue. Yes, I will. Great. Thanks to the queue of Chair Johnson. I have closed the public hearing. Motion to approve roll call. Johnson? Aye. Joe? Yes. Yang? Councilor Yang? She said she said she's on mute.
Thank you. Aye. Do you hear me? Mhmm. Vice president Kim. Aye. Five in favor. Is there no one opposed? The public hearing is closed, and the resolution is adopted. I suppose I'm not aware of anyone else here to testify on a legislative hearing item. Okay. Great. Council member for rescue will move the oh, sorry. Yeah. I did this last time. We'll have a public hearing for the remainder of the items. Is there anyone here to speak on behalf of any of the other legislative hearing items today? Seeing none, Council Member Porowski will close the public hearings and move to approve roll call for
the balance of the legislative hearing items. Johnson? Aye. Jost? Yes. Provodzinski? Yes. Yang? Aye. Vice President Kim? Aye. Five in favor. No one opposed. The public hearings are closed, and the consent agenda is adopted as amended. Great. Any good news or maybe a fun story from National Night Out? Chair Johnson. I guess as far as the good news, we, Board seven, will be kicking off a series of budget events, in our ward at Battle Creek Rec Center tomorrow from 05:30 to 07:30.
And also, we have Seventh Street Live this weekend from noon to four at intersection of Seventh And Hope. And if you were there last year, it's a lot of fun. There's a lot of energy. You know, shout out to Power one hundred and four point seven and Georgia Fort and her team as well for continuing to put in work and efforts for one of our few, probably only, major festivals and, events that draw the crowds that it draws on the East Side. So really excited for those two. I'll see folks tomorrow if they want to come to the the budget event,
and then I will potentially see everybody on Saturday. Councilmember Poratsky. Thanks, Vice President Kim. Just want to shout out Little Africa Fest, which happened this past weekend. It was so fun, so cool to see the new space economic development solutions. That's such a long standing project. It's something I worked on as an aid. And now it's open, and the new mama's, deli and market is there. And it's right in right in Midway, right along Snelling, a fantastic local, place to get your basic groceries to go and then grab a punch. And so folks, make sure to check that out. I walked through. It's a really cool spot.
And then lastly, no matter who are you you are going to vote for, folks should vote on, the twelfth, which is before our next meeting. Get me replaced by someone else. And so get out and vote. You can vote early at the, PLATO Building, the Ramsey County Building on PLATO, or you can vote on, August 12 in person. Great. Any other good news? Yeah. Council member Yang. Thanks, council vice president. Well, first off, I'm excited to join you all in person again next Wednesday in City Hall for our council meetings. And second, on that same day, Wednesday, August 13, there is a fair housing workshop being hosted by the city of Saint Paul and
the Greater East Side Community Council. It's where you can learn about your rights as a renter and what resources the City of Saint Paul can provide. Light appetizers will be provided, and attendees will receive a gift card. So it's located at the Kramer Community Room, 1380 Rose Avenue, and it's 05:30 to 06:30PM. Hybrid, but in person in person attendance is encouraged, and you can contact Annie from the Greater East Side District Council, with questions or to get the Zoom link. Great. I have a small bit of good news. Tomorrow, I'll be attending with release MN8,
constitutional observer training. It's happening at the Griggs Midway Building, tomorrow, August 7 at 6PM. You do need to but if you go to release MN8's website or their Instagram, they have a sign up there. But I'm attending because sixty seven percent of people go alone through deportation hearings, and so I'll be trained to learn more about how you can protect immigrant rights through the training. With no more, business before us, the council is adjourned.