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River Heights council considers reopening basement for nonprofit rentals, limits suggested
Summary
Council discussed allowing nonprofit groups and scout units to use the city building basement, with initial restrictions, reservation procedures and security measures to be developed. Council asked a member to revise the building use policy and return it before broader reopening.
The River Heights City Council on Jan. 21 discussed whether to reopen the municipal building’s basement for community use and what rules or restrictions should apply.
Council members recounted the building’s past use: scouts, youth groups and other local organizations had used the space, but heavy rental demand in prior years strained staff time for unlocking and securing the building. Public works director Clayton Nelson and other staff noted concerns about access and security — in particular, the basement holds city records and servers in the office area, which staff said could be vulnerable if access is not controlled. Council members said the building’s ADA access (a chairlift) means exterior doors cannot simply be locked without providing an ADA-compliant route.
Council members discussed short‑term and longer‑term approaches. Several council members said they were comfortable initially allowing nonprofit organizations — and specifically scouting groups — to use the basement again under restricted terms while the city implements better door‑access controls (keypad/key card entry) or other safeguards. Proposals included limiting use to River Heights nonprofit organizations, requiring a majority of attendees to be local residents (a condition included in the city’s older building‑use policy), charging a deposit to cover potential damage, and continuing to require planning and zoning or council review for particular conditional uses.
Staff suggested options such as installing a single key‑code door to begin, using a card reader system later, and possibly adding cameras. Council members volunteered to help with unlocking until a secure system is in place; one member offered to unlock the building on Thursdays for a troop meeting while longer‑term arrangements are developed. The council directed council member Chris Cannon (who also agreed to review the building‑use policy) to revise the policy to reflect the council’s preliminary direction and to post the revision to the city’s shared drive for further consideration before the next meeting.
No formal motion was adopted at the Jan. 21 meeting to change the city’s building‑use policy; council members agreed to limit use initially, have staff and Cannon revise the policy, and return the updated policy for formal action.
