15 West Kellogg Blvd.

Saint Paul, MN 55102

City of Saint Paul

Minutes - Final

Legislative Hearings

Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer

Mai Vang, Hearing Coordinator

Joanna Zimny, Executive Assistant

legislativehearings@ci.stpaul.mn.us

651-266-8585

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

9:00 AM

Room 330 City Hall & Court House/Remote

9:00 a.m. Hearings

Remove/Repair Orders

RLH RR 25-33

Ordering the rehabilitation or razing and removal of the structures at 810

MARYLAND AVENUE EAST within fifteen (15) days after the January 7,

2026, City Council Public Hearing.

Yang

Sponsors:

Layover to LH December 9, 2025 at 9 am.

Adam Niblick, attorney o/b/o CVS, appeared

Dan Goldin, Stanford Federal Credit Union, appeared via phone

John Huegel, owner, appeared via phone

Ann DeJoy, neighbor & also representing Eastside Neighborhood Development

Company (ESNDC), appeared

Jack Byers, Executive Director of Payne-Phalen Community Council, appeared

Vivan Tran, Community Organizer with Payne-Phalen Community Council, appeared

Cassidy Edstrom, neighbor, appeared

Darius Husain, Executive Director of Face to Face Academy, appeared

Patricia Enstad, neighbor, appeared

Shateka Flowers, Executive Director at Family Values for Life, appeared

Stephanie Reinitz, Chief Operating Officer at Face to Face Health & Counseling,

appeared

Cerresso Fort, owner of SIR Boxing Club, appeared

[Moermond gives background of appeals process]

Staff report by Supervisor James Hoffman:

The building is a one story, steel frame, commercial building (CVS Store) on a lot of

50,094 square feet. The Fire Certificate of Occupancy was revoked and the property

was referred to Vacant Buildings with files opened on April 24, 2023. The current

property owner is John J Huegel Trust and Magaret M Huegel Trust, per Ramsey

County Property records.

On September 17, 2025, an inspection of the building was conducted, a list of

deficiencies which constitute a nuisance condition was developed and photographs

were taken. An order to abate a nuisance building was posted on September 25, 2025,

with a compliance date of October 25, 2025. As of this date, the property remains in a

condition which comprises a nuisance as defined by the legislative code.

Taxation has placed an estimated market value of $500,900 on the land and

$2,208,500 on the building. Real estate taxes are current. The vacant building

registration fees are now due and owing in the amount of $5,082.00. As of November

24, 2025, a Team Inspection has not been done. As of November 24, 2025, the

$5,000 performance deposit has not been posted. There has been a minimum of nine

Summary Abatement notices since 2023. There have been thirteen work orders issued

for: Garbage/rubbish, Boarding/securing, and Graffiti. Code Enforcement Officers

estimate the cost to repair this structure exceeds $200,000. The estimated cost to

demolish exceeds $100,000.

Moermond: tell me more about the Vacant Building fee due and owing.

Hoffman: to my knowledge it has been billed, but not paid.

Moermond: and those Summary Abatement Orders were after it went into the Vacant

Building program?

Hoffman: that number is low due to the recent cyber attack that limits our ability to

pinpoint exact orders.

[Moermond explains the cyber-attack and its effect on access to information]

Moermond: so this is an estimate, but it is low. Significantly low?

Hoffman: there’s been 9 Summary Abatement Order this year alone at least.

Moermond: and the police activity?

Hoffman: going back to 2020, there’s over 260 police calls in the last 5 years.

Moermond: reviewing that, not much of that has been an issue since it went into the

Vacant Building program, most of it is prior to it going in. including the significant

bump that most businesses experienced during the George Floyd crisis. Not that any

amount is ok but it is low compared to the CVS on Snelling.

Hoffman: correct.

Moermond: Mr. Heugel, let’s start with you as the owner.

Huegel: the property was leased to CVS. They dropped the ball on that and right now

we understand that the corner is an eyesore and blight in the community. The way

things are looking is we have a national tenant who wants to come in and use the

property—McDonald’s corporation. They don’t want the building; they’d build their own.

CVS knows they’ve dropped the ball and as you’ll probably learn when speaking to the

attorney, they will demolish the building and get the site ready for McDonald’s to build

and make it a nice corner again. That’s where we’re at now. We’re really coming

together on this. Very close to signing a lease with McDonald’s. Just straightening out

some language. No question about them coming. Everyone seems to be on the same

page. That corner is a blight and needs to be straightened out. I didn’t have much

control since CVS had the lease.

Moermond: Mr. Goldin?

Goldin: I’m the loan officer on this property and my duty this morning is to take notes

and listen and hear how things are going. We hold the first mortgage on the building.

Moermond: whose mortgage?

Goldin: the borrower is the Heugel trust, and we hold the mortgage on the property.

Niblick: Mr. Heugel laid out most of the pertinent facts I was going to outline. CVS is

the tenant under the commercial lease but we do know the landlord is in negotiation

with a third party for a new lease. The new tenant entity has a real estate committee

and they have already met and approved the lease so they really are just in final

negotiation of the lease terms. It will be razed and removed once that is finalized, to

make way for the tenant’s new building. Knowing how the lease happens it will be

finalized in the next few months, and we’d appreciate until spring to get the work done

and building removed. Please know CVS has already increased it maintenance and

security monitoring on the site and will continue to do so. We’d appreciate the City’s

cooperation in putting the building to better use.

Moermond: is it a financial concern about the demo? CVS thinks they can secure a

lower bid? Why would CVS want the delay if there’s agreement it should be

demolished?

Niblick: the parties would like to control the razing of the building themselves. Also,

with a Council order in place we don’t want it to interfere with the perspective tenant’s

interest in the property. When government agencies issue orders individuals get

concerned. We’re trying to avoid those issues.

Moermond: alright. I don’t know if everyone here wants to speak. In the meantime, if

you could respect one another’s time in sharing perspectives and have someone on

standby while someone else is talking.

Ann DeJoy, 2257 Maryland, also representing Eastside Neighborhood Development

Company (ESNDC): we’ve been looking at this entire intersection for years now. In

2019 Ramsey County Corridor Revitalization rewarded ESNDC a grant to do a

feasibility study for Maryland and Arcade intersection. We hired an urban planning firm

to do the study with us, along with neighborhood input and community outreach. That

study included a survey of community members, done during Covid, and through that

input and market driven research there were several concepts that came out of that

study. One is an urban cooperative, athletics and training facility, co-working/making

spaces, micro apartments, live-work housing, multi-use community center, and urban

event pavilion. Plenty of ideas, these were the over-riding themes.

It wasn’t specifically about CVS but we learned in 2018 that CVS, Burger King,

Walgreens were all considering closing a lot of stores and we were concerned about

how an abrupt closing would affect the neighborhood. Recently the Cub had closed

and we wanted to get ahead of it. This wasn’t specifically for the property, but for that

intersection. We also have a local initiative going for local control; anti-displacement. I

personally have talked with both significant nonprofit and for-profit entities in the

neighborhood who are very interested in the property. I do have concerns about a

McDonald’s and the kind of traffic—ingress and egress—and what it would do to that

already busy intersection.

Moermond: right now, we’re looking at a nuisance abatement order which deals with the

existing site, building and circumstances. No part of this discussion or Council

decision has to do with the future use or development of the site. That’s a future

discussion and plays no role in what I or the Council is doing. Enforcement can only

happen on what exists now. I appreciate where you are coming from.

DeJoy: a chain link fence with graffiti and weeds growing through the blacktop is a

problem for the neighborhood and we have a better vision.

Jack Beyers, 567 Payne Ave & ED of Payne-Phalen Community Council: we contract

annually with the City to do engagement related to what is happening in our

communities. We are obligated through funding to create a district plan. We’ve been

working on it a number of years, slowed by Covid, but we continue that work and have

a draft. There are some key highlights that stand out about community voice,

particularly commercial corridors that speak to higher and better uses. You should at

least be aware for context that while the neighborhood aren’t City planners they do

understand what is happening at a granular level. I have been with neighbors who count

up parking spaces, each one is 200 square feet, so 5 is 5,000 square feet. The size of

a typical housing unit in St. Paul. This site could accommodate 100 housing units and

could help address the problem of unhoused people on the East Side. We think about

this site as an opportunity, in large part because we have worked with the community

to help them understand the City’s comprehensive plan which sees the site as an

opportunity. The City has moved away from suburban style policies with one building

and large parking lots to mixed-use buildings.

The H line will open 2 years from now on Maryland and this site is a key intersection.

On Arcade it is highway 61 that goes from Canada to Mexico. MNDOT wanted to do a

mill and overlay and it became clear the neighborhood wanted more than just repaving.

The neighborhood recognized rebuilding the street is more than the physical

infrastructure, it is also important to the businesses. There are a number of vacant,

boarded properties. East Side Area Business Association, the Black Business

Network, ESNDC, LSDC and others have been working together to bring more

wherewithal to these businesses and help redevelop this part of the City conducive to

the community. This sort of development hasn’t been helpful. It has been symbolic of

blight and what doesn’t work. It is a high-traffic intersection and both MNDot and

Ramsey County has done traffic calming measures. That is to make the pedestrian

infrastructure safer. MNDOT promised us a garden program along Arcade as long as

we took care of it. We’ve started that program. We have also worked closely with

ESNDC to get money from the MN legislature, $200,000 to distribute to businesses

along the corridor to help them through the recent construction. The CVS is about

more than just that corner, it is bringing the entire corridor down. It makes it hard for

other businesses to get investment.

There are a large number of students who get off the bus at this corner every morning

to walk up to Johnson High. Vehicle and pedestrian space is compromised because

this development comes all the way out to the property line. I know we can’t renegotiate

property lines but I want you to know the fence around the parking lot is complicating

matters tremendously.

Moermond: almost everything you said pertains to future use. Certainly, you talked a

fair bit around context. That is one of the reason that nuisance codes exist; to deal

with the fabric of a neighborhood and how it sustains problem properties. In the case

of vacant commercial spaces, those are more impactful in terms of crimes against

persons. That is a magnified impact due to lack of eyes on the street. In general, you

could say there are spaces where there is such a fabric income-wise and social capital

wise where a single problem property can be sustained without weakening that fabric,

but there are places where another one is a drop in the bucket. This is not that either.

It is somewhere in the middle, and the impact of one individual does bring the others

down and bringing it up does improve the neighborhood fabric. Nuisances don’t occur

only within the airspace on a piece of land. Again, that being said, future uses of this

location are not in front of me at all. That all has its own process. While I appreciate

your comments I can only use them in that context.

Byers: I appreciate that. I can only bring information I have from our own engagement.

The nuisance is there and is not only a nuisance to those who live and work around it.

It is a nuisance to investments around it. I’ll hold my fire about McDonald’s, but the

owner needs to hear that we will fight that vigorously. It is not in the City’s

comprehensive plan and so the neighborhood will point that to elected officials who will

follow the neighborhood.

Vivan Tran, 567 Payne, Community Organizer with Payne-Phalen Community Council: I

want to echo what Ann and Jack noted about it being a nuisance. My job recently was

talking with businesses along the corridor during this construction project and that

means also that intersection at Maryland and Arcade. A lot of this is rooted back to

business impact with the larger construction project. I do want to echo and reinforce

this CVS property doesn’t help the situation since it is boarded and has graffiti and

safety concerns, even with the new reconstruction trying to uplift the area, this building

isn’t helping in any way.

Cassidy Edstrom, 1206 Ivy: I drive past this intersection every day. I’ve lived on the

East Side since 1997. This building is just a symbol of all of the things that are so

hard for our neighborhood to overcome. I want to make sure we emphasize that

neighbors and business owners, nonprofits shouldn’t’ be holding the bag for an

enormous corporation that has plenty of funds to pay a $5,000 fee. This neighborhood,

this City, has a lot of work to bring it back to overcome the erosion of our tax base.

We don’t need to give infinite patience to organizations who can afford to pay their

taxes, who can afford to pay their fees, and can afford to tear down the building. That’s

what I wanted to say on behalf of my neighbors.

Darius Husain, ED of Face to Face Academy: I’m here to talk about this because

more than probably any human being I have stared at this CVS because my office

window faces the south side of the building. This building is literally 30 feet from the

front door of a public charter school that serves some of our most at-risk students. It

is also about 100 feet from Face to Face Health & Counseling, which has an incredible

reputation in the community and is serving underserved youth in a way that elevates

the lives of so many. I will respect that this isn’t about future development. I heard

about 50 red flags on that and I want to concur with the rest of the people that if this is

the plan we will rigorously fight that.

Speaking to impact, we are educators who have spent an enormous amount of time

dealing with what is going on across the street from us. There has been drug use,

crime, a dumping ground that needed multiple calls to get rid of the trash. We are

trying to create a welcoming learning environment for our students who, in many cases,

haven’t had that environment before. When we ask for time—more time---in 3 years

nothing has changed. The fence was somewhat helpful, but how much more time

should our students and families have to tolerate this nuisance in front of us? We also

had to deal with the nuisance right to the west of us at 792 Rose. We purchased that

and turned it into something positive for the community. We are hopeful that can be

the case here too. Because I have been able to view this I know there have been

multiple buyers, so when they ask for more time because it is “going to happen” it has

been “going to happen” quite a few times and they haven’t been able to finish the job.

How much longer do we have to wait to see what is going ot happen here and how

much longer do our students have to walk by and look at this and walk by the people

attracted to an abandoned building—at what point does it become a safety incident

and a leading headline due to inaction with the property. It is impacting our most

underserved children in the community. 30 feet isn’t an exaggeration. We’ve been

looking at this blight for 3 years, we can’t be patient for much longer.

Patricia Enstad, 984 Hyacinth: I live 5 blocks from the intersection since 1990. I want

to echo that I hope it won’t be a headline because that is what pushed the fourth

reconversion forward on Maryland—that someone was killed walking across the street.

I want to say that I have lived and watched with absolute dismay. I raised 2 kids, went

to school here, watched houses be razed for the CVS. Then Walgreens. Then a

Hmong pharmacy was put out of business. My mechanic used to be on the corner of

where CVS is now. We drive to the north end to see them now. It should be torn down.

It is a tragedy it has to be torn down. I know you’re saying this isn’t about future use,

and you’re a fan of urban planning, but I haven’t been a plan of the urban planning on

that corner. The blight there may put Walgreens out of business. Then where does

that leave us? We have Johnson High, a charter school, and elementary school. So

much money has gone into making that a viable corner. Yes, it should be torn down. It

is a suburban building. I hope it is a cautionary tale for the City. As a homeowner I am

really tired of the situation. I am active on the community Council because I am upset

about the lack of concern about the East Side, the lack of urban planning, about what

happens here. I will echo, McDonald’s is a big footprint that could do a lot of good on

the East Side, but it is just another recipe for the same kind of catastrophe again

where a corporation goes in and we lose small business. One person said on the

Facebook page to tear it down and leave it vacant. That’s the kind of cynicism I think

is important to know is also in this room.

Shateka Flowers, 1280 Arcade Street, ED at Family Values for Life: I would agree with

most of the sentiment with regard to the building not looking its best, and it being a

busy intersection. I also agree that there are a lot of youth using the area. I see it

slightly differently-it doesn’t look good as it stands, but in my opinion it has a strong

structure and I believe a nonprofit should have the opportunity to come into the space

and use it. It is between 5-7 schools. A lot of kids. A nonprofit serving youth and

families would be ideal. The East Side has 36% single-parent household and 48% of

families are under poverty level. That would be what I’d like to be used for. I certainly

agree it is an eyesore and a dangerous place for youth.

Stephanie Reinitz ,COO of Face to Face Health and Counseling: we share the building

with the academy at 1165 Arcade. I want to agree with my neighbors that this needs to

be handled quickly. As a nonprofit we’d be interested in the building. We are

developing 1170 Arcade into affordable housing. Something that serves youth in that

space, with the fact the neighborhood would fight McDonald’s it could drag it out. I

would push for it to be torn down in the meantime. Anything else would need a major

renovation and may not be worth saving the building.

Cerresso Fort, business owner at SIR Boxing Club: I’ve been in the area over 10 years.

My business is a safe place for a lot of the youth. I would love to see that place to

continue to be cleaned up and not continue downhill. I echo everyone here. I would like

to see more a sports facility—something multi use that brings people together.

Moermond: we can only look at the conditions of the building right now. This is an

enforcement action, not an investment decision in front of us. These are private

owners and unless City money is on the table or there are zoning or licensing issues

the City wouldn’t have a say in the forward movement of this.

Heugel: I think everyone is on the same page as far as removing the building. I’m with

the City and rest of the people, I think it should be done as soon as possible. I think

CVS should get off their backsides and tear it down and if they would have been on

the ball to begin with we wouldn’t be in this situation. I’m a little upset with CVS as I’m

sure everyone else is there.

Moermond: Mr. Heugel, to be fair, you own the property. You may have delegated

responsibility as part of lease agreement, ultimately your name is on the deed and

there is responsibility with how you’ve managed the situation and its impact here. To

lay the blame exclusively at the leaseholder is a bit disingenuous in terms of what I

think the ultimate responsibility is. Multiple responsible parties from my perspective.

Heugel: I looked at the property 2 years ago. I got hold of CVS and told them what was

going on. Took photos. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I did what I could do. They’re

responsible for the property. I didn’t just walk away from it.

Moermond: with all due respect it would be a long walk back to California.

Heugel: I didn’t walk, I flew. I met with MNDOT in the parking lot of the building. I think

it should be torn down right away as well. It should have been done 2 years ago.

Moermond: why didn’t you do that?

Heugel: I tried to, I never got any response.

Goldin: I’m just here taking notes. I’d like to play this for my management.

Moermond: you can get a recording, but it may be more convenient to get the minutes

from the meeting.

Goldin: can I do both?

Moermond: notes will be available to everyone. Ms. Zimny will get them all typed up

and attached to the record. If you go online now and look there’s an active link to all

attachments. The minutes will become part of that record. Decisions aren’t made here

with different information than the Council can see. Typically, full minutes aren’t

available until next week. Also noting the link to this item will go down a few days, then

back up again. It is an imperfect system.

Niblick: I really do appreciate the comments made today. I would like the focus to be

on the current City proposed action and the nuisance conditions it seeks to address.

The new lease with the owner and new tenant would solve the issues since the building

would come down once the lease is signed. The City’s timeline has Council Public

Hearing January 7, it is likely that the lease and razing could be before then. Any

additional time beyond January we think would be a similar timeline to the City’s

actions itself.

Moermond: this does have Council Public Hearing January 7, 2026.

Patricial Enstad: the owner said we were on the same page and hearing how

unresponsible the owner is to the situation is and how unempowered the City appears

to be, I am personally reconsidering whether or not it should be torn down. We are

NOT all on the same page. This would be doing the bidding of the owner who isn’t

interested in what we want.

Jack Byers: when the notice came out it was after our last monthly meeting. Our next

one is tonight. The City can take further testimony?

Moermond: yes, anyone with additional testimony can be done in writing to my office.

You can also testify at the Council Public Hearing January 7th at 3:30.

Flowers: I appreciate what you’re doing with challenging the owner. We’ve been trying to

connect with CVS and the owner for a number of years. When I hear they are going to

move forward, I’m not sure I trust it. If they’d responded then we wouldn’t be here now.

We were after the space for years. For small businesses on the east side it is cheaper

to gut the inside then rebuild from the ground up. When they closed that weekend, we

came on Monday and we’ve been trying to connect with the Heuglers, CVS, the

Heugler’s trust from the day after it closed until now to no avail. And when I say “we” I

mean ESNDC, Family Values for Life, East Side Funder's Group, many have been

trying to connect with them. I’m not sure I trust what is happening today. If they aren’t

able to do something soon I’d like them to talk to some of us on the East Side who

are ready to take action now.

[Moermond lays out conditions if property were to be rehabbed]

We spoke briefly, if the City were to pursue the demolition of the property, here’s what

that looks like: on January 7 if they make a decision, they typically give a period of 15

days for the owners to demolish and remove. That’s sometimes slowed if demo permits

are pulled and payments made to contractors. If that isn’t done, the City puts a bid

spec out and receive bids. That’s around 3 weeks. The City selects one and moves

forward. There’s a time period the site is reviewed for pollution and hazardous material

issues. MPCA and Ramsey County play roles depending on the year of the building.

Cutting utilities. Actually bringing the building down. That’s typically around 45 days?

Hoffman: yes, winter may drag it out a bit longer.

Moermond: that is how the timing shakes out. That’s mid-spring for the site being flat.

The cost would be assessed to the property. Not to an individual owner. If it isn’t paid,

it goes onto the property taxes. I will say we do have a similar demolition for bid for the

CVS at University & Snelling. The bids have come back and range from $90,000 to

$230,000. The mean is $155,000. The City will choose something between bottom and

mid-point. That’s often lower than what the private sector can get.

Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 12/9/2025

Making Finding on Nuisance Abatements

RLH RR 25-34

First Making finding on the appealed substantial abatement ordered for

947 FREMONT AVENUE in Council File RLH RR 25-10. (December 9,

2025 Legislative Hearing)

Johnson

Sponsors:

Layover to LH December 9, 2025 at 9 am. PO to post additional $10,000 PD, submit

new evidence of financing, work plan/schedule, and bids if necessary.

Jay Mitchell appeared

Moermond: this was given 180 days in May of this year.

Staff update by Supervisor James Hoffman: we have a Code Compliance Inspection

Report and a Performance Deposit. No permits pulled. My inspections haven’t shown

any work being done. Per our trades inspectors they say they haven’t been there since

April.

Moermond: sounds like nothing is going on?

Mitchell: they decided to convert from single-family home to duplex. I did speak to Clint

Zane about it.

Moermond: when?

Mitchell: June. It was before the cyber-attack. We had plans made then to get them

through when the City was at a stand-still has been difficult.

Moermond: have they been submitted?

Mitchell: they haven’t yet.

Moermond: that makes it really hard for them to get approved.

Mitchell: yes. You are correct. There was no way to get the revision. Neither here nor

there, bringing the plans forward to move things forward from here. I’ve been talking to

Clint since I finished 401 Rose a few months ago, it has just been slow to get

inspections for a while. Now things are moving a bit more, but even 60 days ago things

were stagnant.

Moermond: but if you don’t have something in then…no one is doing anything.

Mitchell: true. You are correct.

Moermond: they’ve been reviewing plans and taking building permit applications the

entire time. You just had to go in person.

Mitchell: Candidly I wasn’t aware of that. I couldn’t even get inspectors on the line

unless you knew their direct number. I couldn’t even get them on the phone.

Hoffman: for a while we didn’t even have phones.

Moermond: so what are you looking for today?

Mitchell: if you could give me some time, I’ll get the plans in and every permit pulled for

the duplex.

Hoffman: you’re turning it into a duplex? Is it zoned for that?

Mitchell: yes.

Hoffman: it would need a new Code Compliance or plans.

Moermond: I think you’ll need a new Code Compliance report.

Mitchell: I was told it just needed the plans. Clint and I talked and he said since

everything would be brand new, as long as I had plans with zoning, it is just two of

everything so I didn’t need a new Code Compliance report. We have already

successfully done this once before. I can give you the address.

Moermond: I know you know what you’re doing. I just know you take more time than

most. That’s where I struggle. Council gave time on May 21, so you had 2 months

before the cyber attack, and more chance the past couple of months. Nothing seems

to have happened at the City level except for conversations with Clint.

Let’s get a new Code Compliance Inspection Report if Clint deems it necessary. New

Plans, new permit apps for doing it as a duplex. I’m going to recommend forfeiture of

the $5k since nothing has been done, and another $5,000 posted.

Mitchell would you consider not forfeiting and having us post another $5,000? Double

the leverage for you?

Moermond: I’ll consider. It would likely be posting a fresh $10,000. I guess the

message back to your boss is that there will be $15,000 on the line.

Mitchell: when does that have to be posted by?

Moermond: before the Council votes December 10th. We also need fresh evidence of

financing.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/10/2025

11:00 a.m. Hearings

Summary & Vehicle Abatement Orders

RLH SAO

25-71

Appeal of Negil Neely to a Summary Abatement Order at 1079

WESTERN AVENUE NORTH.

Kim

Sponsors:

Grant to December 31, 2025 for compliance with proper removal or storage of tires and

pallets from the property. Grant to January 30, 2026 for removal or proper storage of all

remaining items aside from tires, pallets, lattice & tree debris, and grant to May 31,

2026 for removal of the lattice under porch and tree debris. Appeal granted on totes on

porch if lidded, card table, and trough if made water permeable.

Negil Neely, owner, appeared

[Moermond gives background of appeals process]

Staff report by Supervisor Richard Kedrowski: November 12 Inspector Vang issued a

Summary Abatement Order for large amount of outside storage , debris, tires, pallets,

multiple items throughout the yard, on the porches and under the porches at the

property. An appeal was filed before the inspection date came due.

Moermond: the appeal was filed November 19th, and the work was to be done by the

same date.

Kedrowski: that’s correct. Unfortunately, there was some cross up too. Mr. Vang wasn’t

aware of the appeal so had gone to the property to do his reinspection. He did go to the

house and was confronted by Mr. Neely.

Moermond: so all the same day, ok. And to be clear the letter says the appeal should

be filed before the 19th. Ideally you would have known the day before.

Kedrowski: correct.

Moermond: the appeal was taken, as we always try to when we can.

Kedrowski: and we don’t have a problem with it being taken, even at the last minute,

we want to make sure someone is heard if they have a problem.

Moermond: exactly what we want to do.

Neely: I’ve lived here for 7 years. The condition my yard is in is a lot better than it had

been. I had a tree fall, and another tree cut down, and I’ve been slowly trying to burn it

away. The pallets are for a project I was going to be building this year before the tree

fell. Some are minimal and can be corrected. I didn’t receive the notice until Sunday.

I’ve never had any complaints so I want to know what prompted this.

Moermond: the conditions are improving.

Neely: they became rough. The tree connecting between my neighbor’s property we

had cut down and they put it in my yard. So two trees in the yard I’ve been trying to go

through and cut and burn. I have some health issues and I take care of my elderly

mother and disabled brother. I don’t have a lot of time to be back there doing that.

Moermond: what kind of car do you drive? Can it haul a trailer?

Neely: yes.

Moermond: I know a lot of people would rent a trailer at this point and take to a

compost site.

Neely: that would take money ma’am. I also have to cut it up small enough to be able

to move it. I’m cutting the branches off and burning them. I couldn’t do it in the spring

because the leaves were green and you can’t burn them.

Moermond: but you could have hauled it to the yard waste site at any time.

Neely: if I had the strength to do it, yes.

Moermond: but you do have the strength to cut it up and take it to be burned?

Neely: because I’m doing it in small pieces.

Moermond: the same way you’d be doing it to bring to the site though, too. It is the

same cutting, its throwing it on a trailer, back of pickup, or a managed fire. I’m just

trying to say there are multiple ways to resolve this situation and it seems like you’ve

chosen a slower path.

Neely: I’m doing the best I can with what I have available.

Moermond: I get it, but I also want you to fully analyze all the possibilities. Mr.

Kedrowksi, how did the orders come about?

Kedrowski: we may get a call from a neighbor, an inspector may be out in the

neighborhood writing other orders and do a field-find.

Moermond: vast majority come in as complaints, but not all of them. Any specifics on

this?

Kedrowski: I don’t have information on this without the database due to the

cyber-attack. We always try to do uniform enforcement so the neighbor doesn’t say,

“why did you write up my house and not the neighbor’s?” So if we are there and we see

something at the property we will write it too, just so we’re doing the same for all the

neighborhood and not picking and choosing who gets orders.

Moermond: if you’re there for 1075 Western for a pile of tires, and next door you see a

pile of tires at 1079, you’re going to make sure both get orders so it is treated fairly.

Kedrowski: yes.

Neely: I do have tires at my property, but they are right next to the porch stacked and

mounted real pretty. How is this a complaint?

Moermond: you can’t store tires in the yard and it is partly a public health thing. They

all hold water, which also holds mosquitoes. They need to be stored inside.

Neely: I thought the timeframe was unreasonable. I didn’t get it until a Sunday and

have everything done by a Thursday. I’d just like to organize my yard properly and

remove what I need to.

Moermond: that’s reasonable. This is a standard length of time for yard cleanups but

you do have a lot going on so more time is reasonable.

Kedrowski: the only things that can be stored outside are things normally used

outside. Gardening equipment, snow blower, lawn mower, kids toys, grills, gardening

items, outdoor lawn furniture—

Neely: that’s what is in my yard.

Kedrowski: when it comes to tires, wood and construction materials and tree debris if

isn’t something normally outside it isn’t allowed to be stored there. They may seem

innocuous but they aren’t allowed to be there. I would like to clarify: gas cans are

allowed outside, one or 2 are fine. I did speak to Mr. Vang, he also wrote on or under

patio, and he meant porch.

Neely: I don’t understand the porch. I had a jump box under my back porch. It isn’t a

large amount; it is just one or 2 things under my back porch.

Moermond: your lawn mower and gas cans are in the front yard.

Neely: that’s cleared. There are a couple more by the shed.

[discussion of gas cans and fumes and safe storage]

Kedrowski; even if you get the orders late, call your inspector because our goal is

never to remove things from your property. We want to work with you to get things

resolved. We can work with you on a time-frame. Our goal is compliance, not

enforcement.

Moermond: and they don’t have the ability to do a long extension, and I’m thinking this

is a longer-term thing due to your life circumstances. Let’s talk about the pallets, what

is their purpose?

Neely: I was going to build an oasis in my backyard around my fire pit. A platform with

some furniture built with the pallets around the fire pit. That’s why I acquired them.

Moermond: do you have a garage?

Neely: no, just the parking pad. No garage.

Moermond: it seems to me those need to be stored elsewhere. It is probably simplest

to break them down into individual boards—you aren’t using the whole pallet are you?

Neely: parts of it, yes.

Moermond: are you using the entire pallet it its current form?

Neely: I would use some of them as they are to put on top of the cement posts I would

be putting on the ground so I can put my treated wood on top of that as a platform.

Moermond: and pallets aren’t treated wood, of course.

Neely: ok.

Kedrowski: I have concerns about pallets in close proximity to a fire pit.

Moermond: I agree.

Kedrowski: you can’t have combustibles around your fire pit.

Neely: I have heard of people building theirs and not getting in trouble about it. It is

kind of a thing now to use pallets to create garden spaces.

Moermond: no question about that. The question is flammability and their location in

relation to the fire. His concern is if you have that wood close to a fire you’ve

broadened the impact zone. We also hear about distance from structures and property

lines. I believe it is a 20’ setback, but you’d want to double check that.

Neely: well the St. Paul Fire Department hasn’t come out yet in 7 years. I’m pretty

confident everything is in a good position.

Moermond: and yet it is free to measure. That’s the rule I hear the most about.

Neely: 20’ from the back door?

Moermond: the structure. So a from a deck. The property lines. Garage if you had one.

When do you think you’ll use those pallets?

Neely: not until spring, now.

Moermond: I think about the pallets and think it isn’t weather sensitive compared to

other things.

Neely: it would take me until spring to start to build it, because I have to remove all the

tree wood that’s in the area where I have to do it.

Moermond: and you want until spring to deal with the tree?

Neely: I’d like until spring to deal with everything, then it will be done completely and I

won’t have this issue anymore.

Moermond: and I want there to be steps along the way with clear progress and

good-faith effort shown.

Neely: in the next week I’ll have the tires removed. It sounds like I’m about to get

nit-picked about every little thing in my yard. That sounds kind of…you know…a little

weird.

Moermond: that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying if you want a long extension, I need

you to meet me halfway and say during the course of this time the expectations will be

this. I always connect those 2 things. There aren’t orders on the fire pit right now. The

hardest thing is going to be what for you? The tree?

Neely: the tree waste is starting to become a little manageable. I had some help last

week to chop and burn some of it. I should be able to have it moved sooner than I

expected. Understanding about the pallets, I’ll have to find a way to remove them. I can

have the tires placed into an area in the next week.

Moermond: what will take the longest?

Neely: the tree debris.

Moermond: tires fastest. The in-between things are the door, construction materials,

anything else? What do you think?

Neely: I’ll try to find a way to remove the door and the pallets and hopefully have it done

within a week with the tires.

Kedrowski: Ms. Moermond, I also saw something that concerned me. If you look at the

photo with the central AC at the back of the property, it looks as though as there is

some kind of receptacle in the air conditioning disconnect with an extension cord

sticking out. I don’t know I’ve seen an AC like that---that’s a 240 running out but it’s a

120 receptacle.

Neely: there’s nothing connected to the AC unit. Those are the outdoor utility cords I

use outside. Plugged into he house, not to any AC unit. This is a double receptacle.

Kedrowski: the daisy chaining of extension cords.

Moermond: I hear that a lot. These plugs should go right into the outlet. It isn’t in the

orders, but thank you for the information. That’s all it is—a point of information.

Kedrowski: I’ll agree with that because it wasn’t in the orders but I will also point that

out to the inspector when he’s back out. It is a safety issue.

Neely: what is the safety issue?

Kedrowski: extension cords can’t be used in lieu of permanent wiring.

Moermond: let’s get back to the main things. The door, the construction materials—

Kedrowski: the 7’ lattice under the porch is a fire concern. I’d like to see that removed

as well.

Neely: what’s funny is that has been there since I bought the house. I’ve never touched

it.

Kedrowski: if it burns, it will burn the porch and that is part of your egress from the

house. We don’t want anyone getting trapped in there.

Neely: can I ask a question? If I have my blue plug directly into the outlet on the other

end am I able to have an extension or multi-unit plugged into that? Or is that an issue

too?

Moermond: I was hearing two concerns, one having to do with the daisy chaining and

Mr. Kedrowski talked about permanent use of that outlet where the door wouldn’t close

and weather intrusion. His concern was about that as well. This isn’t in the orders right

now, how you want to deal with it is how you choose, and I heard him say when he goes

with his inspector they would be looking at that and may write orders on it. So you may

just want to put that stuff away for now.

Neely: am I going to be subject to ongoing harassment due to this?

Moermond: I wouldn’t characterize it as harassment. You have a lot of exterior code

violations going on. I’m trying to give you the extensions you are looking for in

measured steps. Otherwise, it comes spring and you don’t have anything done and

then it is more a reflection on *me* that I gave the extension and he said he was going

to get it done.

This goes in front of Council December 17th, and I will say you have until December

31 to get the tires and pallets done. By January 31st could you handle the buckets,

door, miscellaneous loose items? Then a long deadline, to May 31st, for the tree stuff.

Getting the lattice out from the porch same timeline so you can put it to use.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/17/2025

Correction Orders

RLH CO 25-15

Appeal of Lita Fierro to a Revised Correction Order and Summary

Abatement Order at 927 DESOTO STREET.

Kim

Sponsors:

Layover to LH December 2, 2025 at 11 am (unable to reach PO).

Voicemail left for Tasha Feirro at 12:27 pm: this is Marcia Moermond from St. Paul

City Council calling Tasha Fierro about 927 Desoto. We just tried calling your mom

and couldn’t get through. We’ll try to reach you again in a few minutes.

Tried calling Lita Fierra at 12:29 pm: Voicemail box full.

Tasha Fierro, daughter of owner, appeared via phone

Tasha Fierro: I am at work, I tried calling my mom and couldn’t get a hold of her so

she may have forgot.

Moermond: we’ll reschedule to next Tuesday.

Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 12/2/2025

3:00 p.m. Hearings

Special Tax Assessments-Garbage

RLH TA 25-464

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1174

MARION STREET. (File No. YW25Q2B1, Assessment No. 250500)

Kim

Sponsors:

Delete the assessment.

No one appeared

Staff report by Jillian Barden: the property owner didn’t utilize yard waste service in

2025, was billed for a subscription but didn’t have a cart. Staff recommends removing

the assessment.

Moermond: yard waste situation where they didn’t get off the list from last year. Delete

the assessment.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/17/2025

RLH TA 25-463

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 233

MARYLAND AVENUE WEST. (File No. CG25Q2B3, Assessment No.

250120)

Kim

Sponsors:

Delete the assessment.

No one appeared

Staff report by Jillian Barden: property owner requested a Unoccupied Dwelling

Registration Form and it didn’t transfer over during the transition. Staff recommends

removing the assessment.

Moermond: so recommended.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/17/2025

RLH TA 25-466

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 2129

REANEY AVENUE. (File No. CG25Q2B4, Assessment No. 250121)

Johnson

Sponsors:

Delete the assessment.

No one appeared

Staff report by Jillian Barden: the cart was removed by previous hauler in February and

never had a cart. Staff recommends removing the assessment, and they have service

now.

Moermond: so recommended the deletion.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/17/2025

RLH TA 25-467

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 1039

STINSON STREET. (File No. CG25Q2B4, Assessment No. 250121)

Kim

Sponsors:

Reduce the assessment from $82.69 to $58.47.

No one appeared

Staff report by Jillian Barden: the property owner has an every other week cart, but was

being billed for a 35 gallon cart. When she called someone told her to just pay $57.47

for Quarter 2 and we would adjust the cart, so there is still a $24.22 balance for

Quarter 2, 2025. She received a purple lid for her cart in October, but the property

owner states it was supposed to happen much earlier and didn’t. Staff recommends

reducing the assessment to $58.47.

Moermond: so recommended.

Referred to the City Council due back on 12/17/2025

RLH TA 25-465

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 12

WINTHROP STREET NORTH. (File No. CG25Q2B1, Assessment No.

250118)