West St. Paul City Council Preview: May 8, 2023

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Marijuana, naming parks, Smith/Dodd realignment, and an accommodation request policy are all the agenda for discussion during Monday’s West St. Paul City Council meeting.

Naming Two City Parks

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee has been working to name two of our currently unnamed parks, the pool park and the art park. They’re presenting proposed names to City Council during the Open Council Work Session (OCWS) with the expectation of gathering community input during Explore West St. Paul Days.

Proposed names:

• Pool park: Weatherhead, Heinemann, Orme East, Shady Lane, Shady Grove, Poolside, and Moreland
• Art park: Imagination, Creativity Corner, Art Park, and Gateway

After community input, City Council will make the final naming decision, hopefully by late summer.

More Marijuana

After finally approving the city’s intoxicating THC ordinances, the state is preparing to legalize marijuana and the city will need to once again go through marijuana ordinances. They’re trying to be proactive and discuss the topic during OCWS to be prepared to implement a regulatory framework when the state legislation takes effect.

More on the Agenda:

• Smith/Dodd: City Council will approve a design contract for the Smith/Dodd intersection realignment. $3.1 million in federal funding is available (with a 20% match from the city), though that doesn’t include design costs. The city expects to spend about $100,000 for design this year.
• ADA compliance: The City of West St. Paul has no policy to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Staff is proposing a policy that would route requests for accommodation through the city manager. This will be discussed during OCWS with a first reading on the regular agenda and a public hearing at the May 22 meeting.
• Savor: The Economic Development Authority (EDA) will consider an extension of the purchase price for financing a portion of the Savor apartment project.
• Property tax: Want to better understand property taxes? City Manager Nate Burkett is going to explain how it works during OCWS.
• Translation: City staff will give an update on translating city materials during OCWS.
• Strategic plan: More updates on the Council’s planning during OCWS.

Engage

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

Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.

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