North St. Paul City Council — Transcript
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Project Snowy Wrap-up and Future Assessment
Mural Project Development
Utility Box Art Installations
Art Cart Activities and Volunteer Needs
New Project Ideas and Brainstorming for 2025
Community Center Funding and Feasibility Study
City Ordinances and Native Plant Permit Discussion
Votes (5)
Project Snowy Review and Future Assessment
Commissioners discussed the successful launch of Project Snowy, including a well-attended grand reveal, positive social media reception, and recent WCCO TV coverage. The main operational points included compiling a list of residents interested in participating in future 'Snowies' to assess project continuity. An unfortunate update was shared regarding some 'Snowies' losing their noses, prompting a brief discussion on replacement or prevention. Snowy maps are currently available at City Hall for public engagement.
Utility Box Art Projects Update
Updates were provided on several utility box art initiatives. The North High project's winner was announced, and artwork is in the process of being wrapped on boxes along the Gateway Trail. The 'Heart Hands' project, which saw participation from over 100 community members at a History Cruisers event, is being prepared for installation at Casey Lake Park. Commissioners discussed securing the specific location for the Casey Lake box. Future opportunities for art installations on utility boxes near Rhodes, Silver Lake, and the Veterans memorial were also mentioned.
2025 Project Ideas and Proposals Brainstorming
Commissioners engaged in extensive brainstorming for future art projects, including specific proposals like a Veterans Rock, an indoor Little Free Art Gallery, and a 'Community Build Along.' A major discussion point was the 'Asian Night Market' proposed by Lisa Wong, intended to celebrate local Asian culture and businesses, with ideas for food trucks, origami, and performances. The concept of an artistic turtle tunnel was also explored, connecting an environmental need with public art. David Nelson, a Master Naturalist, contributed historical context on turtle preservation and local conservation efforts in Southwood. Other ideas ranged from painted Aderondack chairs, student-led art projects, and interactive sound sculptures, to exploring a 'NSP University' for community art classes if the Community Center space becomes available. The potential for utilizing a Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District grant for art supporting natural resources was highlighted.
Community Center Workshop Update and Next Steps
The City Council Liaison provided a detailed update on the recent Community Center workshop. Key points included reviewing existing building assessments and estimated operational budgets, with an emphasis on securing external partnerships for operational funding. The council faces two critical decisions: whether to accept the $5.35 million in state and federal legislative funding (which comes with a projected $1.7 million gap) and whether to issue an RFP for a feasibility study. Concerns were raised regarding the selection of resident emails included in council packets, suggesting a potential lack of comprehensive representation. The funding is primarily allocated for the building's renovation, with discussions on long-term capital improvement planning.
Native Plant Permit Discussion and City Ordinances
New city ordinances regarding fences, stormwater, pet waste, and snow/ice removal were noted as being available for public input. A significant discussion arose concerning an 8-page 'Native Plant Permit' required for private property, which was seen by Council Liaison Lisa Wong as a barrier to the city's pollinator-friendly goals due to its extensive requirements (layouts, species, height, installer qualifications, maintenance plans). A Master Naturalist, David Nelson, expressed unawareness of this permit despite actively maintaining a pollinator garden, highlighting a potential gap in public awareness. The discussion included the intent of the permit, possibly to address large prairie restoration projects, but questioned its broad application. Clarification was also provided on the city's policy for emerald ash borer trees, distinguishing between city right-of-way and private property trees.
Notable Quotes (14)
It was just the most fun yeah to have the buzz from you know City members and neighbors there and just everyone there excited for us and what we've done and it's just beautiful to see them all around the city
Don't judge too hard when you guys see it but um yeah and so based off of the WCCO media coverage as well um please do compile that list my because I I did tell Derek from wco TV that we're compiling a list of who's interested and um cuz we're not sure if this is going to continue but we we're going to compile the list and then make an assessment um about future project snowies
North High We gosh what did we say last time I already forgot but we of we we announced the winner at the June 18 city council event uh so thank you councilwoman Wang for presenting the award to her and uh so we have two pieces of art from her and it will be wrapped for wrapped on the box over by North High uh along the Gateway Trail
um we had more than a hundred people though um make their hands and so I did print out um I was able to separate um the backgrounds from from the heart hands and we will add color to the background and then um create a design from that with kind of a grid effect
we had discussed the location at Casey Lake park across from there okay I'll have to go check it out is it a nice big box I think it's a good box The Big Box yeah good just across the street awesome that's great on the south side yeah across the street from the entrance of the park ac across County Road SE
I was hoping um we could have it indoors just for weather reasons um maybe in conjunction with wherever the library ends up or the library itself I can look into that to see if they're willing to let us be there
one recommendation from the state in like the preservation of Blanding Turtles is when there's two waterways like what we have when they're traveling back into forth to build a tunnel under the road
you know like in North St Paul you know like we have a little Corridor I shouldn't say that like yeah we neighborhood that you know there there's like a the the new Asian Mart there's also the uh Vietnamese place I and also um some other asian-owned businesses and um eateries Asian own eateries around the target section Target mcnight yep
I was the one that got the signs they were big it was an agreement with the DNR wow that somebody stole one of the big signs and North St Paul put up the little ones but the agreement with the DNR the signs had to be removed in the fall and put up in the spring interesting okay and North St Paul fell very short no matter how many times we talked about it
if the turtles need a fence and I'm no for hear me out if they need a fence and they need a tunnel why couldn't it be artistic why couldn't it be beautiful why does it have to be just plain and so there it would be supporting Wildlife but yet it would also be art
we were asked to decide to take the $ 5.35 million legislative funding knowing that we will have like a a one and a half $1.7 million gap just based off of the initial numbers however we've talked about this in the session that the money that we receiving covers us into six years out so
I learned that um this is from experience um that the native that we have a native plant permit and so that's something that I had um brought up as a a point of discussion um because I I found that we don't provide specialty permits for any other type of plant on private property
you need to have a whole layout and then you need to identify where the plants are going to go what species what their mature height is um and then uh what is the other ones oh and then you need uh to say who's going to install it is a landscaper or a qualified person and then you have to say who is qualified and what makes them qualified um and then uh you have to have a maintenance plan on how you're going to maintain the the the native plants um it's pretty extensive
as far as the plant permit all the time I lived here this is the first time I heard it today wow but my wife and I we long our fence line from the alley to the front of our house almost to the front of our house is a pollinator Garden
Ordinances & Resolutions (7)
An 8-page permit required for planting native plants on private property, including detailed layout, species identification, mature height, installer qualifications, and maintenance plan.
State and federal funding received for the renovation of the Community Center, with a projected $1.7 million gap.
Request for Proposals to conduct a feasibility study and plan for the Community Center.
New ordinances currently out for public review and input.
Funding available for public art projects that support water or natural resource initiatives, up to 50% of $15,000.
Mentioned as a potential avenue for a turtle tunnel project and for addressing city building maintenance.
Grants for tree removal, currently maxed out, for households under a certain Area Median Income.