Council wrapped July 9, 2026

July 9, 2026
City Council
City Council Chambers

Meeting highlights

On June 25, 2026, the City Council passed a collection of legislative actions reinforcing the City’s commitment to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, paving the way for adult bathhouses to return after a 38-year ban, and took their first steps toward accepting the Mayor’s nomination of a new fire chief.

View the June 25 meeting agenda

Pride in Policy Legislative Package

City Council passed the Pride in Policy package: 5 actions reinforcing the City’s documented history of supporting the2SLGBTQIA+ community. Fact: In 1976, Minneapolis became the first U.S. city to ban discrimination based on gender identity.

City Council voted 11-0 to pass the “All-gender and Sexuality Welcoming City ordinances” (LIMS File No. 2026-00176). The ordinances:

  • Add a new title to the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances declaring Minneapolis as a Welcoming City for all genders and sexual orientations. It establishes Minneapolis as a safe-haven for gender-affirming and intersex care – requiring:
    • The City to cover healthcare costs for its employees accessing gender-affirming and intersex care.
    • Bars City employees from interfering with those seeking access to such care.
    • Prevents data-sharing agreements that could be used against 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
    • Mandates all-gender restrooms in City buildings.
  • Amends the gender reference provision in the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances from “masculine, feminine, or neuter” to “any gender includes all genders,” which ensures references to gender are legally inclusive of all gender identities.
  • Next steps: Mayoral review.

City Council voted 11-0 to direct the City staff to come up with a plan to remove gender-specific references in the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances by the end of the current City Council term (LIMS File No. 2026-00618).

  • Next steps: City staff will report findings to the Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee by September 9, 2026.

City Council voted 11-0 to request the Minnesota Legislature to give municipalities local authority to enact building standards relating to single-occupancy restrooms. If passed by the State, the City could require public facilities to provide equal restroom accommodations that meet the needs of the transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive residents. Current Minnesota building code prohibits single-occupancy restrooms and bars cities from adopting requirements that differ from current rules (LIMS File No. 2026-00655).

  • Next steps: Mayoral review.

City Council voted 11-0 to direct the Mayor to provide a report detailing the City’s implementation efforts since its 2022 commitment to increase access to gender-neutral restrooms throughout the city (LIMS File No. 2026-00721).

  • Next steps: The Mayor’s Administration is asked to report findings to the Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee on August 27, 2026.

Adult bathhouses and sex venues

As part of the Pride in Policy legislative package, City Council voted 9-2 (1 abstention) to approve a pair of ordinances related to adult bathhouses and sex venues. These ordinances are technical amendments and do not legalize bathhouses; rather, they repeal the existing ban and allow the City to move forward with developing a framework to regulate these venues in the future. City Council will now work with staff to develop future ordinances that would set zoning, business licensing code, and health regulations. Background: Work on these two ordinances started two years ago with a City-led report that provided an analysis on City Code amendments needed to legalize and regulate these venues.

  • Next steps: Mayoral review.

Data centers

City Council voted 7-5 to approve a six-month moratorium on data center developments in Minneapolis, not including carve outs for the downtown area. This allows time to study and develop a regulatory framework. The pause has been in effect since its formal introduction at the Council’s May 21 meeting and will end when the framework is complete or by the end of November 2026, whichever comes first. (LIMS File No. 2026-00446)

  • Next steps: Mayoral review.

Mayoral appointments

City Council approved three of Mayor Frey’s nominations to reappoint charter department head positions for four-year terms ending in January 2030:

  • Next steps: Mayoral review.

City Council received and filed Mayor Frey’s nominations to reappoint two charter department head positions for four-year terms ending in January 2030. The Mayor’s nominations next go to committee (see below) for public hearings before going back to the full council for approval. Those nominated are:

  • Next steps: A public hearing will be set at the Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee.
  • Next steps: A public hearing will be set at the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee.

Other Business

Legislative tracker

Autonomous vehicles regulations

  • City Council voted 10-0 to introduce an ordinance which would add a new chapter to the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances regulating operation of autonomous vehicles for commercial purposes. (LIMS File No. 2026-00688).
  • Next steps: It will be referred to the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee and come back to the full City Council for final approval.

Honorary Resolutions

Coming up

The week of June 29 is Ward Week, and City offices will be closed on Friday, July 3 due to the July 4 holiday. The next two-week City Council cycle will start on Monday, July 6, with its regular standing committees.

Week one schedule

  • Monday, July 6 at 1:30 pm – Enterprise & Labor Relations
  • Tuesday, July 7 at 1:30 pm – Business, Housing & Zoning
  • Wednesday, July 8 at 1:30 pm – Public Health, Safety & Equity
  • Thursday, July 9 at 1:30 pm – Climate & Infrastructure

Week two schedule

  • Monday, July 13 at 1:30 pm – Budget
  • Tuesday, July 14 at 1:30 pm – Committee of the Whole
  • Thursday, July 16 at 9:30 am – City Council Meeting

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