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, April 22, 2025

9:00 AM

Room 330 City Hall & Court House/Remote

10:00 a.m. Hearings

Making Finding on Nuisance Abatements

RLH RR 25-15

Second Making finding on the appealed substantial abatement ordered

for 195 GOODRICH AVENUE in Council File RLH RR 24-39.

Noecker

Sponsors:

Grant to September 5, 2025 to complete rehab and continue $5,000 PD.

David Marks, purchaser, appeared

Staff update by Supervisor James Hoffman : 80% per Clint Zane. No issues at the

property from maintenance standpoint. All permits pulled, quite a few of them.

Moermond: and that was 80% as of March 28th. We’re one year in.

Marks: I have a rough plan here of what I hope to do in the next 3 months or so. I’m

focusing on finishing the 2 bathrooms we added. Fireplaces in end of April and May.

Waiting for cabinets to installed, they’re coming in May, and the patio door as well.

Then we can complete the siding. June complete interior trim. It is all primed and

painted, just need trim around windows. Light fixtures. Hopefully done by the end of

June.

Moermond: where are we at with paying the contractors?

Marks: 2 have been paid, one does have an outstanding balance for the remaining

electrical work. $4,500 balance. Heating and plumbing and paint are all done and paid.

HVAC is included in the heating.

Hoffman: there was an additional permit pulled for the water heater, which is standard.

Building permit is inspected.

Moermond: how are you paying the building contractor?

Marks: that is me.

Moermond: perfect, you’ve paid yourself. No changes in contractors?

Marks: no:

Moermond: often at a year in I look at posting more Performance Deposit. You sound

like you’re 4 months out from being complete. Permits are in a good place. I’m not

going to ask for additional Performance Deposit. I’d love to see this done by

September 5, so if I review the file Monday the 8th everything is done. Is that doable?

Marks: I absolutely hope so.

Moermond: if not, we’ll start forfeiting money. That’s four months from May 7th when

Council votes.

Marks: part of my agreement was Dennis was responsible for outstanding taxes.

There’s a Vacant Building registration fee.

Moermond: that’s a prospective fee October 2024 to October 2025. The only way I’d

look at prorating it is if its less than 6 months into the billable year. I wouldn’t waive

Vacant Building fees if it’s a Category 3, and this is past the 6-month mark already.

Those are the normal standards, there could be exceptional circumstances of course.

By the time you’re done you’re 9 months into the 12-month year, but it costs you

nothing to appeal.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

RLH RR 25-13

Second Making finding on the appealed substantial abatement ordered

for 1213 WOODBRIDGE STREET in Council File RLH RR 24-41.

Kim

Sponsors:

Grant to September 5, 2025 to complete rehab and continue $10,000 PD. If CC cert is

not issued by September 5, forfeit $1,000 of PD each week beginning September 17th

CPH until project is complete.

Michael Sauer, attorney, appeared

Staff update by Supervisor James Hoffman: per client were at 50% progress with a

new General Contractor. ETA of completion July 11. Mechanical, gas, plumbing and

building permits all active from a week ago.

Moermond: we had 35% in September 2024 and in April 2025 we’re at 50%. When did

you switch contractors?

Sauer: this is the third contractor. The first two just weren’t the right fit for a job like

this. They said they could manage it, made an attempt, and were above their

capabilities. My understanding is Solid Rock has done jobs like these before and so

they hired based on communication with City inspectors. I believe they were hired in

the last month. They gave me a new timeline to the extent that they’re accurate they’re

saying July 15th. This has all the trades with expected dates and final date of July 15.

I’ve seen some photos; the trades were started but contractors didn’t follow through.

They’d just stop responding, I’m not sure why it happened. It wasn’t money. I guess it

just happens when you hire people with the resources and staffing to get it done. Solid

Rock is experienced as I understand it. I have a lot more faith on the July completion

date than in the past.

Moermond: you have $10,000 in Performance Deposit posted.

Hoffman: there were lots of inspections, like insulation was approved.

Moermond: can we go with September 5th and say this is done?

Sauer: based on everything I’ve heard I say yes.

Moermond: if it isn’t, I will recommend on September 9th the Council forfeit $1,000 for

each week it isn’t done. That would be at the vote September 17th.

Sauer: Certificate of Occupancy issued before September 5.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

11:00 a.m. Hearings

Special Tax Assessments

RLH TA 25-91

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 2002

JAMES AVENUE. (File No. J2506E3, Assessment No. 258321)

Jost

Sponsors:

Approve the assessment.

Ryan Webber, occupant, appeared via phone

Moermond: what we’re doing this morning is checking up on the status of the work as a

condition for reviewing the assessments. Whether you’re on the plan or not is the

question in front of me.

Staff update by Supervisor Lisa Martin: this file started May 11, 2023 with a Summary

Abatement Order regarding outside storage and to complete garage under permit. No

active permit on file. The work plan said framing would be completed by April 15.

Webber: I did complete the work; I just haven’t called in for an inspection. I guess I

need to get that inspection handled.

Moermond: you don’t have a permit, so that will slow that down.

Webber: I was under the impression you were reinstating the permit.

Moermond: no, they closed it December 13.

Webber: I guess I was confused around that. If I need to go reopen a permit, I am

happy to do that.

Moermond: they won’t reopen a 2023 permit.

Webber: I’m happy to get a new permit. I do apologize, it was strictly confusion on my

part and I’m trying to get this done on my own. I can go deal with the permit tomorrow

morning.

Moermond: I’ll ask the Council to look at this May 7. If we have a finaled building

permit I’ll perhaps look at deleting. If it isn’t I’ll recommend approval of this one

assessment.

Webber: again, I apologize for the confusion. I did complete the work as promised. I’m

trying to do my best for what I committed too.

Moermond: and we can’t use that date without an inspection or permit, even if you are

sharing accurate information.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

Making Finding on Nuisance Abatements

RLH SAO

25-34

Making finding on the appealed nuisance abatement ordered for 1311

SIXTH STREET EAST in Council File RLH SAO 25-33.

Johnson

Sponsors:

The nuisance is abated and the matter resolved.

No one appeared

Moermond: you had a chance to go by Ms. Martin?

Martin: the Bagster located on the boulevard is gone, it has been abated.

Moermond: the nuisance is abated and the matter resolved.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

RLH SAO

25-35

Making finding on the appealed nuisance abatement ordered for 419

THOMAS AVENUE in Council File RLH SAO 25-29.

Bowie

Sponsors:

The nuisance is abated and the matter resolved.

No one appeared

Moermond: looks like Inspector Kedrowski drove by yesterday?

Martin: everything is abated and it is in compliance.

Moermond: nuisance is abated and the matter resolved.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

Correction Orders

RLH CO 25-6

Appeal of Brian Poppoff to a Correction Notice at 1013 CENTRAL

AVENUE WEST.

Bowie

Sponsors:

Grant to July 7, 2025 for compliance (via approved site plan or removal of vehicle[s]

from unapproved surface).

Brian Poppoff, owner, appeared

Staff update by Supervisor Lisa Martin: found a couple files with 2 Correction Notices

and both stated they must file a site plan to get approval to park in the back yard. I did

check with zoning and there is no approval for any parking and no site plan has ever

been filed. Mr. Hesse’s notes say indicated pavers could be used as an approach to

parking it on an approved surface. He closed it because property owner was beginning

construction with pavers to move it onto the approved surface. Hesse didn’t check to

make sure a site plan was approved, and then closed the file because he assumed it

was based on an approved site plan.

Poppoff: I don’t know why they keep saying I’m scrapping. I don’t do that.

Moermond: the situation with the pavers are they do need to have approval from site

plan and can be used as an approach to a parking pad. Your next stop is doing that.

The inspector DID communicate that in writing but cleared the order thinking you had

done that but it hadn’t happened.

Poppoff: he did come back and observed the pavers. I told him I couldn’t afford to put

a slab down, what are my other options? He said no class 5 but could do pavers.

Martin: it wasn’t a boat at that time, it was a trailer. He talked about putting pavers in,

and he said as long as it leads to an approved parking area, and no site plan was

completed.

Poppoff: I got a notification on November 25 or 26, I don’t remember the year. He told

me I had to have the boat on an approved surface. I asked if pavers worked and he

said yes. We worked on it for 5 days. The boat has never moved. He came back, took

photos, and said it was good. This was nearly 7 years ago. If I had known I would have

done it a long time ago.

Moermond: what I heard is he cleared the vehicle itself but not the pavers?

Martin: yes.

Moermond: the orders December 1 has two items; one is residential parking on

unapproved surface and then says to get a site plan. Item 2 is boats and trailers and

removing the watercraft. The second one he cleared you on, and the first he didn’t, and

he should have gotten to the bottom of that. It does put you in a position of either

bringing it into compliance or cease using it for parking. Let’s have it done by July 7, is

that doable?

Poppoff: depends on cost. I would think it would be more than enough time.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

Summary & Vehicle Abatement Orders

RLH SAO

25-36

Appeal of Rosalie McCann to a Summary Abatement Order at 687

SHERWOOD AVENUE.

Kim

Sponsors:

Deny the appeal noting that the property is now in compliance.

Rosalie McCann, owner, appeared via phone

[Moermond gives background of appeals process]

Staff report by Supervisor Lisa Martin: Summary Abatement Order issued April 3 to

remove and dispose of the mattress and miscellaneous debris from rear yard by alley.

Compliance date of April 10. Photos in the file. No history here.

McCann: I just needed more time. I didn’t get the letter until the 8th. More time, the

mattresses are gone. Managed to borrow a trailer and take items to the dump. It looks

much better now.

Moermond: it is all gone?

McCann: yes, and then some. Two days was kind of hard.

Moermond: often you can call the inspector and they’ll give you an extension, but this

also works. We’ll have an inspector swing by. We’ll review next Tuesday and call you if

there are any issues, otherwise we’ll close it out. We’ll let you know if anything comes

up but sounds pretty straightforward.

McCann: there is a garage sale this weekend to throw in the local garage sale—I’m

going to be doing a lot of messy projects this year. Do I just call the inspector saying

I’m going to work on the shed, it may take me a couple weeks?

Martin: I’ll have the inspector go by today or tomorrow, that should take care of this.

Moermond: and for future stuff?

Martin: you can call the inspector if something gets written up. It is usually based on

complaint. You can have 3 garage sales a year. I see a vehicle parked on dirt, not sure

why that isn’t written that up.

McCann: it is the driveway; the concrete is crumbling. I started working on it last year

but the weather got too bad. I’m slowly working on it and just need a couple weeks of

nice weather.

Moermond: and there are no orders currently, it was just a heads-up.

Referred to the City Council due back on 5/7/2025

2:00 p.m. Hearings

Fire Certificates of Occupancy

RLH FCO 25-24

Appeal of Yia Jef Yang to a Fire Certificate of Occupancy Correction

Notice at 337 FULLER AVENUE.

Bowie

Sponsors:

Layover to LH July 15, 2025 at 2 pm for update on sale of house to owner occupant.

Layover conditioned upon installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and

property remaining unoccupied.

Yia Jef Yang, owner, appeared via phone

[Moermond gives background of appeals process]

Staff report by Supervisor Der Vue: this is single-family home and February 2 our

office received a complaint it was not owner occupied. Chapter 40.04 defines “owner

occupant”. Inspector Harriel made several attempts to reach the anonymous

complainant with no success, as well as making a site visit. Orders were issued for the

owner to apply for a provisional Certificate of Occupancy to temporarily permit

continued occupancy pending a Fire Certificate of Occupancy inspection. There was

an inspection scheduled for March 18th, stayed due to the appeal of the appellant.

Yang: I had the property rented out through Section 8. They do an inspection of the

property top to bottom every year. They approved of my renting it out since December

2023. Right now, my tenant who probably made the complaint no longer lives there, as

of March 30. I don’t have anyone living there now and I don’t plan to. I am looking to

sell it. Given that situation I don’t think I need a Certificate of Occupancy because no

one will be living there and I’m going to sell. The tenant did a lot of damage.

Moermond: so, you started with the Sect 8 tenant December 2023?

Yang: yes.

Vue: Section 8 does do their own inspection and set of requirements separate from the

City. The City itself does have separate requirements for a Fire Certificate of

Occupancy, aside from any other programs you’re doing. We see it quite a lot in St.

Paul where they’re inspected under Sect 8 inspectors and then also City inspectors. A

lot of this is information you may not have had when you were approved in December

2023?

Yang: yes, I wasn’t aware.

Vue: you are saying you plan to sell?

Yang: yes.

Vue: do you have your timeline for selling?

Yang: I just got a TISH done. Hoping to list it Friday.

Moermond: it is done and dated April 21.

Vue: perfect. With the TISH completed and we can confirm the property is unoccupied,

we’re ok with allowing Mr. Yang to keep it unoccupied and allow him time to sell. I see

there is exposed wire at the electrical panel, it isn’t fully labeled, floor drain doesn’t

work, leak in drain line in basement. Gas connector running through subfloor. Shut off

valve not within 3 feet of oven. These are all on that TISH report as hazardous.

Moermond: in particular I’m concerned about the smokes/carbons. The gas, electric

and the alarms have issued. Not the best trifecta. Let’s give this some time and see if

you’ll be selling it to an owner-occupant or as a rental. You shouldn’t have been renting

it without a Fire Certificate of Occupancy, you were collecting rent but it was not legal.

14 months of rent without having the proper certification as being safe, and when I see

this list I see things Ms. Vue’s team would have seen and made sure were corrected.

Let’s sit on this 60 or 90 days and see where we’re at.

Most of these items would also be written up for an owner-occupied property, so it may

be something you just want to take care of prospectively. We’ll talk to you July 15 and

see how things are progressing forward.

Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 7/15/2025