04-13-26-R - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MARCH 9, 2026 16 City Administrator Jagoe said the City Attorney stated that we can put a policy in place that outlines public and non-public spaces. The ordinance for the staging area would establish that a permit is required by any group wanting to stage on public property. Councilmember Rousseau said we are a military community. She has seen people in military uniforms exercising and doing drills at Cummings. She wondered if a staging policy would affect them. City Administrator Jagoe said we would have to define what staging is. Those logistics would have to be worked out in the ordinance. Mayor Grant noted if it's defined and there is a permitting process we would have to allow any group who goes through the process to be issued a permit. Community Development Director Reilly said the only municipality that has successfully passed such an ordinance in Minnesota is St. Paul. Their ordinance specifically bans federal immigration enforcement from using city owned property. It was noted at that City Council meeting that it may not be enforceable. They did it because their residents wanted it. He hasn't heard it makes people feel safer, but he has heard it makes people feel like they belong. St. Paul's ordinance may provide some framework for Staff, if we want to do something similar in Arden Hills. City Administrator Jagoe said the ordinance the City Attorney is recommending does not prohibit this because we can't do that. What Staff would do is create a process to permit those activities. What could we refuse to permit? Those logistics would have to be worked out. The City Attorney's opinion is that we can't outright prohibit the activity. Councilmember Rousseau likes the permit. She is interested in getting data on what groups are using the spaces. Councilmember Holden said if someone is going to stage for 20 minutes they're not going to get a permit. Councilmember Weber said the point is they were supposed to. It points out the fact that they broke the rules. Ultimately, we would have proof, for federal court, that they aren't following the rules. He likes the idea of having a permit process, even if it's issued to ICE. It would let us know when ICE was in our parks or other public spaces. We could take proactive actions to get the word out to our residents that they are expected to be there. Councilmember Holden said when the Boy Scouts meet at Perry Park before a camping trip and they drop off their gear, they will have to get a permit now. City Administrator Jagoe said we would have to define what staging is. That language will have to be worked out before we can answer that question. Councilmember Rousseau said we could possibly waive the permit process for groups that serve youth.