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City Council Regular Meeting — OS/08/06 <br />DRAFT Minutes - Page 16 <br />degrees of graffiti as addressed by state statute; involvement of <br />the St. Paul Graffiti Task Force; Burlington Northern Railroad <br />switch box graffiti issues; public perception of graffiti (making <br />people uncomfortable and feeling unsafe in their own <br />neighborhoods); and whether or not to add language in the <br />proposed ordinance amendments to include graffiti, "without <br />permission of the property owner;" and whether that would <br />address graffiti that may be authorized by the property owner, <br />yet offensive to others. <br />Public Comment <br />Eugene Bahnemann, 2656 N Lexington Avenue <br />Mr. Bahnemann opined that the City makes "all these laws," but <br />when were they going to "sweep their own." <br />Staff and City Attorney Anderson were directed to return with <br />the revisions as discussed, for hearing and further consideration <br />at the May 22, 2006 City Council meeting. Mayor Klausing <br />approved listing the item on the Consent Agenda. <br />City Attorney Anderson sought clarification of the City <br />Council's intent with the language amendments. <br />With the exception of Councilmember Ihlan, it was the <br />consensus of the City Council to leave the language regarding <br />graffiti as proposed by staff and City Attorney Anderson, without <br />further addition of language, "unauthorized by the property <br />owner;" and were in consensus to include "graffiti" and "� <br />vegetative debris" in those public nuisance violations to be <br />addressed under an accelerated abatement process. <br />City Attorney Anderson sought clarification related to whether <br />language as proposed was sufficient to address cut trees, while <br />avoiding backyard compost. <br />Councilmember Ihlan sought more clarification related to <br />removal of tree stumps, noting it was often costly and difficult to <br />remove them; and opining that she didn't want to burden <br />property owners; and further opined that, while composting was <br />addressed in Section F of the proposed ordinance, she didn't <br />want to discourage people from continuing their beneficial <br />practices for organic gardening. <br />