City council actions

Feb. 4: The City Council approved four resolutions supporting the Southwest Transitway light rail, which would run through Hopkins. The resolutions support, in part, state and federal funding requests and higher priority from the Metropolitan Council.

Feb. 4: The City Council will prepare a resolution opposing the Osseo School District's plans to change the function of Weaver Lake and Cedar Island elementary schools and move their students elsewhere. The changes would be part of an effort to balance the school district's budget. The council will consider the resolution later this month.

This follows the Osseo City Council's approval in January of a resolution that supports keeping the Osseo Elementary School open in the face of the Osseo School District's budget cuts.

Feb. 4: The City Council approved an ordinance restricting where pawn shops can open. The ordinance states that pawn shops must be at least 350 feet from residential areas, churches and schools. It also bans owners from placing bars on the windows of a pawn shop.

In October, the city adopted a nine-month moratorium on new pawnshops. That temporarily barred Pawn America from opening a shop it had planned for Excelsior Boulevard. Under the new ordinance, the shop will not be allowed there.