West St. Paul City Council Preview: Oct. 24, 2022

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The public can weigh in as the intoxicating THC products ordinance comes up for a public hearing at the West St. Paul City Council meeting. There’s also a new police officer, street assessment hearing, and survey results.

Marijuana Public Hearing

West St. Paul’s intoxicating THC ordinance will come up for a public hearing. After enacting a moratorium, the city is rolling out its regulatory framework, which includes a limit of two licenses for specialty retailers, zoning requirements, and other details for selling the products. This issue has been especially complicated thanks to the confusing and unanticipated legalization from the state.

National Community Survey Results

During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), City Council will get the first look at results from the National Community Survey. This is a more scientific survey than informal neighborhood meeting surveys that happened in the past.

Some highlights:

• Safety is a major priority from the survey, with 90% of residents saying the city should focus on safety over the next two years. Only 60% of residents say they have an overall feeling of safety.
• Snow plowing was rated higher than most communities.
• City: 74% rate the quality of services provided by the City of West St. Paul as excellent or good.
• Parks: 82% rated parks and recreation opportunities as excellent or good.
• Community: Only 49% said connection and engagement in the community is excellent or good.

Other Items on the Agenda:

• New officer: Christopher Karl will be sworn in as the latest officer to join the West St. Paul Police Department.
• Street assessments: There will be a public hearing for street assessments for the reconstruction of Crusader Avenue.
• City communication: During the OCWS, Council will discuss a proposed project communication plan to standardize city communication about various projects (street improvements, park updates, etc.).

The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday (5:45 p.m. for the OCWS).

Learn more about how city council works with our Guide to West St. Paul City Council.

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