Council lays over special assessment appeal at 815 University Ave W after owner disputes notice timing

The St. Paul City Council laid over an appeal of a special tax assessment for property at 815 University Avenue West after the owner disputed the charge and described a breakdown in communication about cleanups of a long-standing encampment on the parcel.

Staff presented item RLHTA 205296, explaining that an initial large-scale cleanup of a homeless encampment occurred in mid-April and that a subsequent order related to remaining material was mailed the following week; that later cleanup generated a charge the owner appealed. Staff reported the city’s invoice included contractor costs and a service charge and listed the total assessment as $1,194.

The property owner, who identified himself as the proprietor of Ryan Plumbing (a family business on University Avenue since 1951), told the council the site is repeatedly used as a dumping ground and that he believed the city’s initial, large-scale cleanup was covered by the city. He said he received the mailed order after the city contractor had completed the later cleanup and therefore thought no further action was needed. Council members noted the city is working to improve post-fire and post-encampment communication, asked staff to pull records of past orders on the property, and moved a two-week layover to Sept. 3 so staff could return with a fuller administrative record.