Title
Adding Chapter 20 to the Legislative Code to establish uniform procedures and policies to impose administrative citations with civil penalties for violations of City ordinances.
Body
Section 1.
WHEREAS, Saint Paul voters on November 4, 2025, via ballot referendum, approved amending the City Charter to permit the city to issue administrative citations (“Administrative Citations”) that carry penalties of civil fines by a margin of 68.19 percent to 31.81 percent; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Charter, section 6.01.3, authorizes the City to establish, by ordinance, a process by which Administrative Citations are issued and sets forth the requirements of the City's enforcement procedures prior to the imposition of a civil penalty; and
WHEREAS, the City’s existing ordinance enforcement scheme lacks a civil penalty remedy, which may result in unintended and inequitable consequences for residents and business owners who are cited; and
WHEREAS, the enforcement scheme established herein is not intended to be the sole method or means of achieving compliance with the City’s Legislative Code; and
WHEREAS, nothing in this Chapter is meant to limit or preclude the use of other remedies available to the City to enforce its ordinances under the City’s Legislative Code; and
WHEREAS, the procedures specified herein will provide an equitable administrative enforcement procedure and will facilitate compliance with certain provisions of this Code as required by the Charter; and
Now, therefore, the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby ordain:
Section 2.
Sec. 20.01. Purpose and Intent.
The City Council enacts this ordinance to provide administrative enforcement and hearing procedures for certain violations of the Saint Paul Legislative Code (“Legislative Code” or “Code”).
The intent of this Chapter is to develop a fair and effective tool for the city to enforce its Code without the need to utilize criminal penalties.
The intent of this Chapter is to e...
Click here for full text