 Along with my co-authors—Council Members Aisha Chughtai, Aurin Chowdhury, and Soren Stevenson—I want to invite you to a virtual community engagement session to hear your feedback on the proposed safe outdoor parking ordinance.
The safe outdoor parking ordinance is meant to help people stay safe; connect people to services, support, and housing; reduce stress and trauma; provide an alternative to sleeping on the street; and support the City’s racial equity and public health goals. Further, the policy will be managed by a non-profit or religious organization or a government entity; allow safe, managed parking lots where people can sleep in their cars overnight; and help people avoid tickets, towing, or forced displacement
Additionally, we will have a special guest from Stepping On Up, located in Duluth, MN, who will share how they operate a safe outdoor parking program. Duluth passed their own safe outdoor parking ordinance back in 2023, on which this ordinance is modeled.
You can register for the event here, where you can also let us know if you need any language accommodations.The event will take place on Monday, August 10th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
 A green zone is a group of neighborhoods with high levels of pollution and racial, political and economic marginalization. Green zones work with residents to achieve environmental justice by addressing environmental issues and prioritizing programs and incentives in the green zones. Minneapolis has two Green Zones, one in north and one in south.
A green zone project team is currently undertaking the Green Zone Geographic Boundaries Project. These efforts are being led by the Climate and Sustainability Team in the Health Department and has project team members from CPED, Public Works, and NCR. This project is focused on updating and/or refreshing with more recent data the Green Zone map as adopted by Council in 2017 with the intent of developing an updated Green Zone map.
The project team is hosting an engagement session for broader community feedback. At this session, the team will share information about the Green Zones and the Geographic Boundaries Project, and participants will complete a survey to vote on the map they prefer. You can register for the session here.
-
When: August 12, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
-
Who: Anyone who registers for the event, Green Zone and CLR members will pass along the flyer, neighborhood organizations are invited, and city staff are welcome to attend as well.
-
What: information sharing and gathering community input on the updated GZ Map
-
Where: Public Service Building, Room 100A/B
Sign up for the engagement session here.
This ordinance is being authored by myself, Council President Payne, Council Member Wonsley, and Council Member Warren. Anecdotal evidence shows that certain establishments in Minneapolis appear to be using supposed dress codes to arbitrarily discriminate against historically disenfranchised communities. This ordinance, which is based on a similar ordinance enacted in Houston, TX, would ensure that such a practice would no longer occur in Minneapolis.
Under the ordinance, an establishment that sells liquor and has a dress code would be required to conspicuously display the dress code so that it may be easily viewed by the public during the hours of operation. If a premises does not have a dress code policy, they would not be impacted by this ordinance. We voted earlier this week to set a public hearing on the ordinance, where you are invited to testify.
-
When: Tuesday, August 18 at 1:30 p.m.
-
Who: Anyone who cares about this issue
-
What: Public hearing to discuss the dress code posting requirement office before the Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee
-
Where: Council Chambers, Minneapolis City Hall, Rm. 380, 350 S. 5th St.
Bark Down Barriers is an ordinance authored by Council Member Wonsley, on which I have joined as a co-author along with Council Members Chowdhury and Whiting. The ordinance removes conditions and restrictions on pet ownership solely due to a prior conviction for certain felonies.
Currently, individuals with a felony record may be charged a $250 fee associated with owning dogs weighing more than 20 pounds or other limited criteria. Bark Down Barriers removes this barrier to pet ownership for justice-impacted individuals. Should the ordinance amendment pass, Minneapolis Animal Care and Control retains the authority to restrict ownership for individuals convicted of a felony for animal mistreatment or using an animal to perpetrate an assault. No changes are made with respect to Minneapolis Animal Care and Control’s ability to restrict the ownership of individuals who have demonstrated a failure to comply with city ordinances concerning the ownership of potentially dangerous or dangerous animals. We voted earlier this week to set a public hearing on the ordinance, where you are invited to testify.
-
When: Wednesday, August 19 at 1:30 p.m.
-
Who: Anyone who cares about this issue
-
What: Public hearing to discuss the dress code posting requirement office before the Public Health, Safety, and Equity Committee
-
Where: Council Chambers, Minneapolis City Hall, Rm. 380, 350 S. 5th St.
Contact the Ward 9 Office
Email: jason.chavez@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2209
City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
