Summary

City Council adopts measures on emergency rental assistance, parks and river restoration grants, transportation projects, and multiple tax assessments

Saint PaulFeb 25, 20263 min read

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Meeting held Feb 25, 2026 (3:32 PM–7:42 PM). Council adopted consent and discussion items including $500,000 added to Emergency Rental Assistance (AO 26-14, received and filed), authorization for Emergency Management/EOC costs (RES 26-65), support for the West 7th METRO J Line (RES 26-311), multiple parks and restoration grant applications including a $3,000,000 ENRTF request for the Mississippi River Learning Center (RES 26-325) and up to $175,000 DNR grant for winter grooming (RES 26-263), transportation actions (Dale Street cooperative agreement; 10-foot travel lane variance for Arlington Avenue), adoption or ratification of several special tax assessments, and assorted administrative and enforcement actions.

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City Council

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TransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyEnvironmentalHousingUtilities

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Key decisions

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AO 26-14: Amending LAHA project budgets to provide $500,000 additional funding for the 2026 Emergency Rental Assistance program (Received and Filed).
RES 26-65: Adopted authorizing the Department of Emergency Management to pay costs for Emergency Management training and EOC operations during emergencies/declared disasters in 2026.
RES 26-311: Adopted supporting designation of the West 7th Street corridor as the future METRO J Line.
RES 26-325: Adopted authorizing the City to apply for up to $3,000,000 from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for the Mississippi River Learning Center Peninsula Restoration project.
RES 26-263 and RES PH 26-55: Adopted authorizing Parks & Recreation to apply for up to $175,000 (DNR Parks and Trails) for winter grooming/snowmaking and increasing the Parks 2026 Grant Fund Budget by $510,000 for Como Zoo operations (DNR funds).
Transportation actions adopted: cooperative agreement with Ramsey County for Dale Street project; RES 26-276 adopted requesting variance to implement 10-foot travel lanes during Arlington Avenue reconstruction.
RES PH 26-62: Adopted amending the 2026 PED Operations Budget to include HRA Housing Trust Fund funding for Emergency Rental Assistance staffing (citywide).
RLH TA 26-11 (as amended) and multiple RLH TA items: Adopted or ratified appealed special tax assessments for properties including 839 Edmund Ave, 2017 Fourth Street East, 843 Selby Ave, 1615 Stanford Ave, and 554 Stryker Ave; several other hearings were continued or referred as noted in the minutes.
RES 26-330: Adopted restoring Ford's Area C.
RES 26-341: Adopted directing Safety and Inspections to proceed with adverse action and impose a $1,000 matrix penalty against Wizards Auto Repair LLC (985 Randolph Ave).
Public hearings and ordinance actions: RES PH 26-59 (write-off of Police staffing costs) public hearing closed and laid over to March 11, 2026; Ord 24-26 (drive-throughs) amended and public hearing continued to March 4, 2026; Ord 26-9 (geothermal franchise) laid over to March 4, 2026; Ord 26-11 (Port Authority bond authority) and Ord 26-12 (Transportation Network Companies fees) laid over to March 4, 2026.

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