West St. Paul City Council Chambers

West St. Paul City Council Preview: July 14, 2025

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A major update to the city’s prevailing wage ordinance is the biggest item on the agenda for the West St. Paul City Council, though food trucks and trees on Robert Street will also come up.

Public Hearing: Fair Labor Standards Ordinance

The City Council will hold a public hearing as they consider a proposed fair labor standards ordinance to replace the existing prevailing wage ordinance.

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  • Why: The city has few tools to enforce the current ordinance and fear some companies are not complying.
  • Flexible: City Manager Nate Burkett argues the new approach strengthens worker protections while offering flexibility.

Food Truck Ordinance

During the Open Council Work Session (OCWS), Council will consider a food truck ordinance, recently addressed at the June 9 meeting. Initially raised five years ago and forgotten in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proposal would add requirements around food trucks, including limiting their distance from existing restaurants and requiring they provide trash cans.

Trees Along Robert Street

Trees along Robert Street are growing too well. Council ran out of time to discuss this issue in the last OCWS and will bring it up again. The trees planted during the reconstruction in 2015-2017 are filling tree grates and buckling sidewalks. Repairs will be potentially expensive and ongoing.

Other Items on the Agenda:

  • Building materials: Final reading of a change to the building materials ordinance, allowing more flexibility for maintenance free materials and allowing certain older buildings to be painted.
  • Permits: First reading an ordinance change to streamline the process for some business licensing and permits. Planning Commission approved the changes unanimously and held a public hearing where no one from the public spoke.
  • Exterior grant: Clean ‘n Press is planning more than $50,000 in exterior improvements and is applying for a $10,000 matching exterior improvement grant.
  • 3.2% liquor: First reading of an ordinance to streamline and update 3.2% liquor rules.
  • Vacating alleys: The city will consider vacating multiple unused alleys.

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