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With the ongoing ICE activity, West St. Paul City Council will consider potential recommendations, as well as the 424 Butler Avenue East townhouses, a rental license hearing for 97 Orme Street East, and more.
What to Do About ICE Update
A big topic for the Open Council Work Session (OCWS) is an update on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and how the city can respond.
- There’s a lengthy discussion on legal boundaries and parameters, what other cities are doing, and what West St. Paul is currently doing.
- The city has eight potential recommendations that include removing any discretion in ‘required by law’ policy to participate in federal government actions, shifting communication from neutral to “values forward,” continue but clarify police overtime for de-escalation, and more. Many of these are not big changes, but high level tweaks in approach or stance. One or several of these could be approved during the regular meeting.
- There’s an 11-page memo from the city attorney that goes into greater detail.
- There’s also an update on the city’s Flock cameras, noting that “data is not shared with federal agencies and is not used for immigration enforcement.”
- A resolution for the regular meeting affirms the Council’s support and trust in the West St. Paul Police Department.
424 Butler Townhouses
City Council will consider several items related to the 424 Butler Avenue East townhouse project.
- Zoning: There’s an amendment to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and a zoning change to down-zone the area from multi-family apartments to smaller townhouses more consistent with the area. This passed the Planning Commission unanimously (one abstention) and one person from the public spoke during the public hearing asking for clarification.
- Plan: The site plan and plat for 13 town homes. Planning Commission reviewed the project and added several conditions. They approved it unanimously. Three people spoke during the public hearing, expressing concerns about increased traffic and impact on a neighboring property.
Rental License Hearing: 97 Orme Street East
City Council will hold a rental license hearing for the 10-unit building at 97 Orme Street East.
- The new owner did not apply for a rental license on time, has had two code enforcement issues, and multiple concerning police calls.
- The city proposed provisional license and a mitigation plan to address the issues.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Legislative priorities: During the OCWS, Council will discuss legislative priorities for the upcoming session. Changes from previous years include funding for 150 Thompson, extending the sales tax, a sales tax exemption for public housing and public facilities, an alternate method of providing Paid Family Medical Leave, and opioid response.
- License fees: Based on input from citizen comments at the last meeting, staff with explain fees for businesses that sell second-hand goods.
- Public hearing: Council will hold a public hearing to consider a new administrative code. The new version does not change how the city currently operates, but documents existing practice, clarifies roles, and increases transparency.
- Planning: If there’s time in the OCWS, Council will discuss strategic planning.
- Closed session: There will be a closed session for a performance review of the city manager.
Engage
- Watch: The public can watch the meeting live on Town Square TV or cable TV starting at 6:30 p.m. (5 p.m. for the OCWS) on Monday.
- Learn more: Guide to West St. Paul City Council.
These West St. Paul City Council recaps happen with the support of our members. Local news is a group effort, and we couldn’t do it without them.