Residents urge keeping downtown library, call for public restrooms and changes to parking app

Several Duluth residents used the council’s public comment period to press the city on downtown amenities and access.

Olin Pogrels urged the council to keep the public library at its current downtown location rather than moving it to Rice Lake Road, arguing the proposed site would be much smaller (about 22,000 sq ft versus the existing roughly 75,000 sq ft building), would increase operating costs because of perpetual leasing, and would reduce accessibility by bus for students. “I urge you to not move the library. Please keep where it is, and fix the building,” Pogrels said.

Janana Hand and other speakers described the downtown library as an essential third place that reduces loneliness and provides programs for elders and teens; Hand suggested partnerships with veterans’ services, workforce centers and grant funding to expand services and offset city costs.

Multiple commenters — including David Schimpf and Peter Kraus — raised complementary concerns about downtown amenities and inclusivity. Schimpf warned that form‑based downtown zoning could allow increases in vacation rentals without numeric caps and flagged a lack of acceptable public toilets as a barrier to increased street‑level participation. Kraus criticized a new smartphone‑dependent parking payment system, saying it excludes phone‑averse residents and tourists and urged more kiosks or card/coin payment options to maintain accessibility.

Council members acknowledged the comments. President Nephew and councilors praised public engagement and said staff would continue work on downtown strategy and related accessibility concerns; no policy changes were adopted during the meeting.