we're adopting a resolution authorizing extension and amendment of the Met Council pre-development grant for Laughler Crossing, which is it in Ward two. Uh the reason we're doing this is because uh Laughler, who's interested in using these pre-development grant funds that the city has available from the Met Council, has uh experienced issues with planning and they're getting an additional year extension under this grant so that we can continue to use the Met Council money for this uh hopefully good project that'll put some affordable housing right next to the Louisiana light road station.

whereas this year's Latino Heritage Month theme is quote pioneers of change shaping the future together end quote theme that celebrates Latino culture and history across Latin America and its diaspora of diverse languages, dialects, customs and history.

St. Louis Park stands united against discrimination and seeks to overcome barriers that restrict language access, criminalize communities, or create fear for immigrant families. Affirming our strategic priority to remain a safe, welcoming community where every resident is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.

uh resolution approving uh sewer availability charge credit policy. Essentially, this is free money for the city. Uh you know, we're doing a little bit of administrative work when a business uses less sewer capacity. Uh you know, the business model changes. we're having that capacity uh available for uh new businesses that uh want to uh want to locate in the city. So uh you know little bit of staff work, a little bit of uh accounting and tracking and we have a uh community development asset.

That's the property over at 4300 West 36 and a half street. U, we originally utilized a grant from the county, was it? Or the med council, one or the other. is we got we got a we got a grant and we were able to purchase a commercial building with the intention of exploring the possibility of creating affordable commercial space for various businesses to develop within St. Louis Park. And after studying it and the amount of investment that was going to be required, we realized it wasn't financially feasible to do that on a on a responsible basis without spending a lot of taxpayer money. So, we uh chose to close down that project after studying it for about a year and a half and I think we made a a smart and sensible decision and we've been able to sell the property now for more than we purchased it for and it came in within the appraised values even with the reduced price that we gave the current purchaser. So, I think it's really good job on the part of our staff to uh uh be able to handle the property for us properly and and now we're going to be able to or going to have to, but we'll be able to repay that grant also and still have money that'll get used for other development projects in the future.

on 5C which um formally adopts the zoning ordinance amendment pertaining to medical and dental clinics or offices in certain neighborhood district zones. Um this was immediate will immediately um open the way for a small business to relocate from Hopkins to St. Louis Park ward one um over on Lake Street. But that will also open up um opportunities for other um other small businesses who want to reside in or want to um move their their operations into some of those those neighborhood districts that are closely bordering other mixed use um commercial spaces. So I'm excited to see that that go through. Hope we pass it tonight.

why the city goes through this process each year is it is an alternate for shutting off water and other utility services. So the city is still able to collect [music] on cost due balances um and continue to provide services to all of our residents.

Additionally, it allows residents to spread out large ex um expenses such as tree removals when they are added to the property taxes as a special assessment. depending on the ch uh size of the charge, the resident is able to spread that cost over a number of years. So, it helps them pay on those large unexpected costs when they have to have a tree removed.

And and we don't shut off anybody's services, their water, their sewer services, anything like that because we utilize this method. Right. That's correct. All right. And and I guess I'll comment personally, I've gone through the process myself a number of years ago where uh my cash flow was a little erratic and I ended up having it certified to the next year's property taxes and worked out just fine for me. So uh thank you. I appreciate the fact that we utilize this method.