Thanks to Inver Grove Ford and West St. Paul Chiropractic for their support.
Potential redevelopment plans for 424 Butler Avenue East and related policies for affordable housing were the main topics for West St. Paul’s City Council.
Plans to Redevelop 424 Butler Avenue East
During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), City Council discussed a potential partnership with Rondo Community Land Trust to redevelop 424 Butler Avenue East. The city is purchasing the single-family home for $600,000, blocking large apartment developers and pursuing more manageable redevelopment. The lot is zoned for multi-family and the city is considering smaller townhouse options.
- A land trust is an approach to create permanently affordable housing. It lowers the barrier for home ownership and ensures it remains affordable into the future.
- Given the size of the lot, Rondo Community Land Trust is looking at 10-14 units of townhomes, potentially with a mix of single and multi-levels to accommodate seniors.
- During the Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting, Council amended the purchase agreement to correct minor errors in time for a closing this Wednesday. The original purchase agreement was approved back in October.
- A small portion of the lot will likely be sold to Dakota County to add to Thompson Park.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Affordable housing: Council discussed affordable housing policies during the OCWS, with goals to build more housing to meet demand, target subsidies to help individuals and not developers, and maintain the existing stock of naturally occurring affordable housing.
- Legislative priorities: Council unanimously approved legislative priorities for this year’s legislative session. The list remains similar to last year. Funding priorities include sanitary sewer, parks including 150 Thompson and the city pool, and city facilities.
- Proclamations: The City Council declared February as Black History Month, honored the 105th birthday of Florence Marie Dunlevy, and accepted a trophy belt for beating South St. Paul in the Knock Out Hunger event. Jim Probst, with the South Robert Street Business Association, announced that the Knock Out Hunger event would return on November 29 at Two Rivers High School with a goal of packing 55,118 meals.
Engage
- Watch: City Council, OCWS, and EDA meetings are archived online.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
We believe in government transparency and provide these West St. Paul City Council recaps with the support of our members.
