City Hall and Court House

15 West Kellogg Boulevard

Council Chambers - 3rd

Floor

City of Saint Paul

651-266-8560

Meeting Minutes

City Council

Council President Rebecca Noecker

Vice President HwaJeong Kim

Councilmember Anika Bowie

Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson

Councilmember Saura Jost

Councilmember Nelsie Yang

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

ROLL CALL

3:30 PM

Council Chambers - 3rd Floor

Meeting started at 3:34 PM

5 -

Present

Councilmember Nelsie Yang, Councilmember HwaJeong Kim,

Councilmember Anika Bowie, Councilmember Saura Jost and

Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson

1 - Councilmember Rebecca Noecker

Absent

CONSENT AGENDA

Items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion with no separate

discussion. If discussion on an item is desired, the item will be removed from the

Consent Agenda for separate consideration.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

Councilmember Johnson moved approval.

Consent Agenda adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Authorizing payment in the amount of $35,000 in full and final settlement of the

claim of Amanda Fiallos.

RES 25-397

RES 25-398

RES 25-465

Adopted

Authorizing payment in the amount of $24,553.80 in full and final settlement of

the claim of Adam Murphy.

Adopted

Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for funds up to

$350,000 from the Outdoor Recreation grant program and up to $250,000

from the Local Trail Connections grant program.

Adopted

Authorizing the Police Department to submit an application to the Automobile

Theft Prevention Grant Program of the Minnesota Department of Public

Safety.

RES 25-467

RES 25-473

Adopted

Directing the Department of Safety and Inspections to suspend the Liquor On

Sale-100 Seats or Less, Entertainment (A) Liquor On Sale Sunday and

Gambling Location license against the Taste of Rondo LLC d/b/a Taste of

Rondo Restaurant, (License ID #20190000107) for the premises located at

976 Rondo Avenue.

Adopted

Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation and Libraries to be

named as joint partners with Saint Paul Public Schools in their application to

the Minnesota Department of Education for 21st Century Community Learning

Center for up to $75,000 a year for program years 2025/26 to 2029/30, with no

match requirement.

RES 25-481

RES 25-482

Adopted

Authorizing the City to accept a donation of K9 Ballistic Vests on behalf of the

Police Department (SPPD) for canine officer protection from Brady’s K9

Fund.

Adopted

Approving the Five Year Lease of office space for the Office of Neighborhood

Safety.

RES 25-483

RES 25-502

Adopted

Authorizing reimbursement up to $500 for the purchase of snacks and

refreshments for a City Council community engagement event to be held on

March 27, 2025.

Adopted

Authorizing reimbursement up to $450 for the purchase of snacks and

refreshments for a City Council east side community engagement event to be

held on March 28, 2025.

RES 25-504

Adopted

Establishing the rate of pay for Water Maintenance Supervisor I, Grade 036,

Employee Group 10.

RES 25-435

RES 25-498

Adopted

Supporting the Gold Line BRT Extension from the City of Saint Paul to the City

of Minneapolis.

Adopted

RECESS

Meeting recessed at 3:38 PM

Meeting resumed at 3:47 PM

ROLL CALL

5 -

Present

Councilmember Nelsie Yang, Councilmember HwaJeong Kim,

Councilmember Anika Bowie, Councilmember Saura Jost and

Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson

1 - Councilmember Rebecca Noecker

Absent

FOR DISCUSSION

Appointing the interim Ward 4 councilmember. (To be amended)

Councilmember Kim gave remarks and moved to lay over to Friday, March 28, 2025.

Councilmember Jost asked to move an amendment prior to laying the item over.

Therese Skarda, Deputy City Attorney, provided parliamentary information.

Councilmember Yang moved to recess. Approved 5-0.

RES 25-459

Meeting resumed.

Kim renewed her motion to lay over to Friday, March 28. Motion failed 2-3 (Those

opposed being Councilmembers Bowie, Jost, and Johnson).

Jost gave remarks and moved Version 2.

Yang spoke against the amendment.

Kim spoke against the amendment.

Councilmember Johnson spoke in favor of the amendment.

Version 2 approved 3-2 (Those opposed being Councilmembers Kim and Yang).

Jost moved to lay over to Friday, March 28, 2025.

Amended and laid over to March 28, 2025

5 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Amending Appendix A-2 of the Administrative Code to establish the creation of

the City Council Public Safety & Community Wellness Committee. (Laid over

from March 12, 2025)

RES 25-434

Councilmember Bowie moved to lay over for two weeks.

Laid over to April 9, 2025

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Outlining the City's 2025 Legislative Agenda. (Laid over from March 19, 2025)

RES 25-472

Brynn Hausz, Government Relations Director in the Mayor's Office, and Eric Peterson,

Government Relations Associate in the Mayor's Office, gave a staff report and

answered councilmember questions.

Councilmember Johnson gave remarks.

Councilmember Yang moved the A-1 Amendment. Approved 5-0. (The language was

added to the Taxes section of the Legislative Agenda attachment)

Councilmember Kim moved the A-2 Amendment. Approved 5-0. (The language was

added to the Taxes section of the Legislative Agenda attachment)

Johnson moved approval.

Adopted as amended

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

ORDINANCES

An ordinance is a city law enacted by the City Council. It is read at three separate

council meetings and becomes effective after passage by the Council and 30 days

after publication in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Public hearings on ordinances are

generally held at the second reading.

Final Adoption

Granting the application of St Paul Property Group, LLC to rezone properties

at 10 River Park Plaza from T3M traditional neighborhood with master plan to

ITM transitional industrial with master plan and amending Chapter 60 of the

Legislative Code pertaining to the zoning map.

Ord 25-23

Councilmember Kim moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Amending Chapter 427 of the Legislative Code to reference and incorporate

Uniform License Procedures as outlined in Legislative Code Chapter 310,

clarify ambiguous language, update outdated gender language, add Infrared

heated sauna fitness studios to the definition license category, and change

the on-duty staffing exceptions.

Ord 25-24

Councilmember Bowie spoke in favor and moved approval.

Councilmember Yang spoke in favor.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Repealing Chapter 440 of the Legislative Code related to Energy

Benchmarking.

Ord 25-25

Councilmember Jost moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Amending Chapter 189.10 of the Legislative Code pertaining to duties of

frequency of the Truth-in-Sale of Housing Board evaluator examination.

Ord 25-28

Councilmember Johnson moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

First Reading

Amending Chapter 43.03 of the Legislative Code pertaining to Vacant

Buildings as it relates to the Vacant Building Registration Fee. (Laid over from

March 26, 2025)

Ord 25-26

Councilmember Kim moved to lay over for one week.

Laid over to April 23, 2025 for Second Reading

5 -

Yea:

Nay:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Live testimony is limited to two minutes for each person. See below for optional ways

to testify.

Approving the petition of Marc David to vacate the portion of alley right-of-way

behind 1178 Burns Avenue.

RES PH 25-47

Councilmember Johnson moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Amending the financing and spending plans in the Fire Department in the

amount of $115,068 for a contribution received from the Minnesota Board of

Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE) to pay training for firefighters.

RES PH 25-53

Councilmember Kim moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Approving the application of University of St. Thomas, Aaron Fimon, UST

Public Safety Manager, for a sound level variance in order to present amplified

sound on May 10, 2025 at 2115 Summit Avenue, University of St. Thomas,

O’Shaugnessy Stadium.

RES PH 25-54

Councilmember Jost moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Amending the financing and spending plans in the Police Department in the

amount of $350,000 for the Intensive Comprehensive Police Officer Education

and Training (ICPOET) Program from the Minnesota Department of Public

Safety (DPS).

RES PH 25-56

Councilmember Bowie moved approval.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

SUSPENSION ITEMS

LEGISLATIVE HEARING ITEM FOR RECONSIDERATION

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 912 FRY

RLH TA 25-26

STREET. (File No. VB2506, Assessment No. 258805)

Assessment ratified and made payable over 3 years.

Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer: The property owner was on the line last

week and disconnect from the call before his item came up on the agenda. He spoke

to staff later and asked for the assessment to be divided over 3 years. That is what I

recommend.

Councilmember Jost: I move that recommendation.

Adopted as amended (assessment made payable over 3 years)

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

LEGISLATIVE HEARING DISCUSSION ITEMS

Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 586

RLH TA 24-335

BURGESS STREET. (File No. VB2501A, Assessment No. 258809) (Public

hearing closed and laid over from March 26, 2025)

Laid over for two weeks.

Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer: I ask for this to be laid over for two

weeks.

Councilmember Bowie: I move that recommendation.

Laid over to April 9, 2025

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Appeal of Ozzy Zahran, O.I.G. Holdings, to a Vacant Building Registration

Notice at 383 TORONTO STREET.

RLH VBR 25-4

Appeal denied.

Ozzy Zahran, appellant, appeared by call-in.

Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer: This is an appeal of a vacant building

registration where the fire certificate of occupancy was revoked. Fire inspectors tried to

get in over 5 months and could not complete an inspection of the interior, ostensibly

because the tenants were not allowing access, and the owner was not facilitating an

inspection. The owner successfully evicted the tenants, where 9 people were inside,

some of them not being on the lease. The owner talked about difficulty getting in, as

someone threatened to loose dogs on people and there was an FBI raid. The property

is now empty. In Legislative Hearing, I asked if we could get a fire inspection to see

what kind of vacant building it should be categorized as. The inspection found

mechanical and electrical issues, along with plumbing and building work done without

a permit. I will also add that the Department of Safety and Inspections only had an

abbreviated list of violations in their first letter that we looked at in Legislative Hearing.

The letter did not seem consistent with the photos, and the supervisor then reviewed

the case with the assigned inspector. An updated list of orders was sent on March 10,

2025, and that is the one to be looking at. Based on the violations, I recommend that

this be considered a Category 2 vacant building. This would require a code compliance

inspection to pull permits. The space is not condemned, but fire inspectors don't

condemn a space when it's already vacant. The orders don't represent whether or not

the space is habitable, but rather that is has major code violations. I recommend

denial of the appeal.

Ozzy Zahran: We pulled permits for everything, including electric. We haven't touched

the HVAC system yet. That is last on our agenda. I was shocked that this was being

considered a Category 2 vacant building. I am a local landlord and do a lot of work in

Saint Paul. I do construction as well. I think describing the property as having major

violations is stretching it. We had some missing cover plates for switches and they

have been put back. We just bought the property a year and a half ago. With the

HVAC, the unapproved duct tape was already there when we bought it. The house is

habitable. It has running water, heat, electricity, and is clean. This should not be a

Category 2 vacant building.

Councilmember Kim moved to close the public hearing.

Kim: I've reviewed this as a proxy for the absent Council President Noecker, and move

Moermond's recommendation.

Adopted

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

LEGISLATIVE HEARING CONSENT AGENDA

Items listed under the Consent Agenda will receive a combined public hearing and be

enacted by one motion with no separate discussion. Items may be removed from the

Consent Agenda for a separate public hearing and discussion if desired.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

Councilmember Johnson moved approval.

Legislative Hearing Consent Agenda adopted as amended

5 -

Yea:

Councilmember Yang, Councilmember Kim, Councilmember Bowie,

Councilmember Jost and Councilmember Johnson

Nay:

1 - Councilmember Noecker

Absent:

Appeal of Lori Moseng-Wegner, on behalf of owner Steven G Moseng, to a

Vacant Building Registration Requirement at 1577 6TH STREET EAST.

RLH VBR 25-15

RLH VBR 25-14

RLH TA 25-165

Adopted

Appeal of Ali Ahmed to a Vacant Building Registration Requirement at 219

BELVIDERE STREET EAST.

Adopted

Amending Council File No. RLH AR 24-116 to delete the assessment for Tall

Grass and Weed Removal services during August 1 to 30, 2024 at 116

JESSAMINE AVENUE EAST. (File No. J2507T, Assessment No. 258515)

Adopted

Deleting the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 718 LAFOND

AVENUE. (File No. J2504T2, Assessment No. 258544)

RLH TA 25-149

RLH SAO 25-23

RLH RR 25-12

Adopted

Appeal of David West to a Summary Abatement Order at 145 LAWSON

AVENUE EAST.

Adopted

Referring to City Council of a potential stay of enforcement of demolition for

Jay Mitchell, on behalf of Quality Residences, LLC, for property at 401 ROSE

AVENUE EAST.

Adopted

Amending Council File No. RLH AR 25-3 to delete the assessment for

Collection of Vacant Building Registration fees billed during May 2 to July 24,

2024 at 575 UNIVERSITY AVENUE WEST. (File No. VB2505, Assessment

No. 258804)

RLH TA 25-166

Adopted

ADJOURNMENT

Meeting ended at 5:23 PM

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comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any comments and

materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be attached to the

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The public may comment on public hearing items in writing or via voicemail. Any

comments and materials submitted by 12:00 pm of the day before the meeting will be

attached to the public record and available for review by the City Council. Comments

may be submitted as follows:

Written public comment on public hearing items can be submitted to

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