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New townhomes and edibles will consume the West St. Paul City Council agenda on Monday.
Thompson Square Townhouses
Most of the business across the regular City Council meeting and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting is to finalize the purchase agreement and make changes to the Comprehensive Plan for the Thompson Square townhouses on the east end of the former Thompson Oaks golf course. A purchase agreement was approved unanimously last November, though there have been a few changes, including the primary developer shifting from Oppidan to M/I Homes.
Given recent pushback from Council Member Dick Vitelli, it’s likely the project won’t get unanimous support.
There will be a public hearing during the EDA meeting but not the regular Council meeting.
Regulating CBD/Hemp Products
The Open Council Work Session (OCWS) will cover whether or not the city should regulate CBD and hemp products after the state accidentally legalized edibles. Given past Council discussions, it’s likely the city will initiate a temporary moratorium, approved during the regular meeting, giving staff time to work out more specific requirements and regulations.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Explore West St. Paul Days: Council will get an update on the new Explore West St. Paul Days events planned for August, and it looks like the Art, Cultural, & Environmental Fair—including a call for sculptures—is being nixed.
- Reorganization: City staff are proposing reorganizing the Community Development department and effectively moving code enforcement up to building inspection. The two roles often cover the same thing, and with more rental units there’s a greater need for building inspectors. There is some additional cost with an extra full-time employee, but there are also cost savings. This will come up as a discussion during OCWS and then brought forward in the future if Council is on board. Fun note: Of the 297 code enforcement complaints received by web, email, or phone, 43% are unfounded.
- Library presentation: Wentworth Library Branch Manager Jade Cabagnot will give a presentation on the library’s summer services.
The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday (5:30 p.m. for the OCWS meeting).
Learn more about how city council works with our Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
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