Minneapolis Climate and Infrastructure Committee Summary

Meeting Information

• Date: March 20, 2025
• Title: Regular Meeting of the Climate and Infrastructure Committee
• Present: Cashman (Chair), Vetaw, Osman, Chavez, Koski (Vice Chair), Chowdhury (joined late), Payne (Council President, non-committee member)
• Absent: None
• Guests: Hazel Wolf (Public Works), Annika Bankson (Water Treatment), Kathleen Mayell (Transportation Planning), Eric Hanson (CPED Director)
• Votes: 3 (Consent agenda, Street resurfacing project, Water service ordinance)

Highlights

• Passage of consent agenda including Gold Line BRT extension support and alley reconstruction projects
• 24th Street East resurfacing project approval and assessment ($245,069.07)
• Water service ordinance changes including gender-neutral terminology updates
• Presentation and discussion of Nicollet Mall pedestrianization plan and transit route changes

Discussion

Gold Line BRT Extension

Council President Payne noted the Gold Line’s opening on March 22nd between St. Paul and Woodbury, with plans to extend service between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis by 2027. The resolution of support was needed for Metro Transit to amend their Transportation Policy Plan. Passed unanimously as part of consent agenda.

24th Street East Resurfacing

Public Works presented the $1.4 million project with approximately 20% covered by special assessments. The project addresses streets with Pavement Condition Index of 67-71 out of 100. Council Member Osman expressed concerns about pedestrian safety in the area, particularly around 24th and 10th. Passed unanimously.

Water Service Ordinance Updates

The ordinance changes included replacing gender-specific terms (e.g., “manhole” to “maintenance hole”), clarifying technical terminology, updating fee structures for water shutoffs, and revising cross-connection control provisions. Council members praised the inclusive language updates while noting the importance of reviewing all city ordinances for similar updates. Passed unanimously.

Nicollet Mall Pedestrianization

This generated significant debate among council members regarding the proposal to remove bus service from Nicollet Mall. The plan, developed by the Mayor’s office and Downtown Council, presented three options for relocating transit routes. Key points of contention included:

• Impact on transit-dependent residents and accessibility
• Lack of council involvement in planning process
• Comparison to other pedestrianization efforts in the city
• Economic equity concerns

Council Member Chavez stated: “The question I am begging for answers to by removing buses off Nicollet Mall, are we doing that because we want to impact the working people of downtown, the residents of downtown that use this, or are we doing it to benefit the big businesses in our city?”

Chair Cashman noted concerns about implementation costs and potential negative impacts on current mall users. No vote was taken as this was a discussion item.

Public Comments

There were no public comments during the official public comment period, though Chair Cashman noted the presence of downtown residents waiting to speak to council members after the meeting regarding the Nicollet Mall proposal.