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Council refers 'safe outdoor spaces' and drug-paraphernalia ordinance to staff after debate
Summary
The committee referred a proposed safe-parking ordinance and a drug-paraphernalia ordinance to staff for drafting and public hearings after Council members debated safety and public-health tradeoffs; both referrals carried on roll calls (11-1).
The Supercommittee sent two early-stage ordinances to city staff for drafting and public hearing: a "safe outdoor spaces" (safe parking) measure and a drug-paraphernalia ordinance to align Minneapolis code with state law.
Council Member Chavez, an author of the safe-parking referral, described it as a model similar to Duluth's program that would allow regulated safe parking sites to provide temporary sheltering for people living in vehicles. Chavez said the draft would include zoning review and a site-approval process.
On the drug-paraphernalia item Council members debated whether local code should mirror the state's recent decriminalization. Council Member Warren said she could not support automatic compliance, arguing local neighborhoods face concentrated drug-use harms; Council Member Chughtai stressed the referral is an early, nonbinding step to draft language and hold community hearings. The committee voted to refer both items to staff (item 46: 11 ayes, 1 nay; item 48: 11 ayes, 1 nay).
