Community center idea, scooter shortage, short-term rentals, and more

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Greetings! Here’s city-related news for residents of Ward 1 and beyond. 
 
Should we build a community center? Council recently revisited the idea of a community center that would fill gaps in the amenities residents currently enjoy. Some council members have emphasized the need for a free, safe, welcoming place for youth to drop in and play basketball and other gym sports, as well as community meeting spaces, places for more intergenerational activities, and more. Past city councils have considered a community center but declined to move forward due to cost. This was a very early-stage discussion; the topic will be taken up again after our current visioning process is complete later this year. I'm interested in your thoughts on this topic; please share them here. 

Visioning process: Every decade we ask residents across the city to help create a shared vision for the future of our awesome community. That process is currently underway, with pop-up activities at many city events, conversations facilitated by community members, and online engagement through the Vision 4.0 website. Please find one or more ways to participate in the Vision 4.0 process – thank you!

Are Airbnbs allowed in SLP? I’ve been asked this question a lot over the years, particularly recently. Short answer: it depends. Our city code prohibits short-term rentals (30 days or fewer) of an entire unit (e.g. single-family home, half of a duplex or accessory dwelling unit). Property owners can, however, rent out a room in their house for fewer than 30 days if they continue to reside there. These rules have been in place for years and are designed to proactively address the impact of short-term rentals on the local housing supply. More questions? I encourage you to reach out to city staff. 

Where are the scooters? As I noted in a recent update, Spin recently expanded its service area to include St. Louis Park, after a yearlong hiatus and no shared mobility in the city. Spin recently initiated a first, small wave of scooter deployments, and early data shows strong ridership in SLP. However, global tariff issues have created supply challenges and delayed Spin’s ability to fully scale up to the 50 scooters originally planned for this year. Stay tuned. 

Louisiana Oaks Park soccer fields closed: Have you wondered, like me, why the normally busy soccer fields at Louisiana Oaks Park are roped off this summer? Staff report they are resting the fields for repair, a common practice for heavily used fields. The fields should be back in action next season if not sooner. 

Bronx Park play equipment: In other park news, Ward 1’s Bronx Park will be getting new play equipment next week. Nearby residents were invited to vote for their favorite equipment; view the winning design here. Equipment in Ward 3’s Ainsworth Park will be replaced in September. The city regularly replaces playground equipment throughout the city every decade or so, for safety reasons. 

Calling on youth to serve: SLP youth in grades 9-12 are invited to get involved in our community, meet new people, develop leadership skills and beef up their resumes by applying to be on one of the city’s boards and commissions. There are current openings for youth on the Community Technology, Environment & Sustainability, Parks and Recreation, Human Rights, Police Advisory, and Planning Commissions. Terms are for one year. Learn more and apply here (note: the deadline date has been extended from what shows on the website). 

Candidate filing opens July 29: Four city council seats and three school board seats will be on the local ballot this November. Learn more about the local election, voting, and becoming a candidate here. After two terms, I’m not running for re-election. Interested in talking with me about my campaign or my experience on council, to inform your own candidacy? I invite you to reach out. 

City council salary discussion: As I prepare to leave council, I’m aware that the salary for this part-time job may be a barrier to great candidates who may otherwise wish to serve. Did you know that council members currently earn less than $15,000/year? Research shows low salaries for elected officials make it harder for people supporting families to run and serve effectively, as well as folks facing any kind of financial barrier. A low salary can also influence the perceived value associated with the role as well as the commitment required. Another, newer consideration is security risks associated with holding elected office. I recently introduced a proposal, joined by the Mayor, for modest adjustments to council and mayor salaries in 2026 – up to $18,000 for council and $23,500 for Mayor (from $20,842 currently), similar to a nearby community about the same size. This is still just a proposal and will be considered in the context of our $51+ million budget as we move through the budget process for the remainder of the year. Do you have thoughts on this topic? Please share them here. Thank you! 
 
Plant pollinators please: Pollinate the Park is a multi-pronged effort in SLP to mend large gaps between habitats and create a conservation corridor for pollinators in our urban landscape. This work supports our city's strategic priority to continue leading in environmental stewardship. You can help by creating a native plant garden in your yard (or adding to your existing pollinator-friendly landscape). The city makes it easy to buy and install discounted plants specifically designed for St. Louis Park. View the demonstration gardens and order plants online by Aug. 3 for pickup on Aug. 16 & 18. Thank you for caring about our pollinators!

Subscribe to the Sun Sailor! I was surprised to learn recently that a neighbor who’s very involved in our community didn’t know we had a local newspaper. It’s been a while since the Sun Sailor was delivered free to everyone’s doorstep by middle schoolers earning a few extra bucks; the paper has changed since then too but there’s a great new reporter on the SLP beat and I recommend subscribing, particularly as my newsletter sunsets! Subscriptions are $72/year for both print and e-news. Learn more and subscribe here.
 
Call for volunteers at August community events: Meet, mingle, and support our community by volunteering at the Children First Ice Cream Social (sign up here) and/or the Children First Literacy Festival (sign up here). See you there! 
 
Last call for the M.V.Tree (most valued tree) contest: I love this idea so am sharing a second time. Nominate a tree you love in SLP; the community will be invited to vote for the winner. Criteria include both the aesthetics of the tree and its story. Nominations are accepted through July 31. Info here.  

For Fern Hill residents: My last newsletter contained a bad link for the email address to sign up for the Fern Hill News. Here’s the proper link.

Here’s a select list of upcoming events in our community: 

Thai Sunday Market, Today and every Sunday through Aug. 24, 11am-6 pm, Wat Promwachirayan. Enjoy authentic Thai street food, desserts, souvenirs, and traditional crafts. Family & dog friendly. Info here. 

Depot Open House, Saturday, July 26, 1-4pm, Jorvig Park. Visit our town depot, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and chat about our city's history. Hosted by the SLP Historical Society.

The Slavic Experience, Saturday, Aug. 1, 12pm-10pm & Sunday, Aug. 2, 12pm-8pm, the ROC. Food, music, dance, traditional art demonstrations and family fun. Info here.

National Night Out: Tuesday, Aug. 5. An annual community-building event aimed at creating safer, more connected neighborhoods and communities and building police-community partnerships. To have your road blocked off and request police/fire department visits, register with the city by July 29. Here's a list of parties registered so far. Info here.
 
Children First Summer Reading Festival, Aug. 9-16. Fun, literacy focused events will take place every day in SLP and include book giveaways. Info and schedule here.  

Children First Ice Cream Social, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2-5 pm, the ROC. Live entertainment, community tabling, literacy-focused activities, and free ice cream (including kosher) provided by Sebastian Joe's and Lunds & Byerly's.

Birchwood Neighborhood Food Truck Night: Wednesday, Aug. 12, 6-8 pm, Birchwood Park. Enjoy food from Yummy Tummy Food Truck and Brick Oven Bus. All are welcome!
 
Banned Book Brunch, Saturday, Aug. 16, 10 am, Punch Bowl Social in the West End. Hear stories from banned books, honor the voices of authors, illustrators, and artists, and stand up for the right to explore ideas freely at this family-friendly story time. Brought to you by the SLP Human Rights Commission.
 
Thanks for reading and please stay in touch! 
Margaret