Entrepreneurs interested in opening a restaurant, brew pub or small shop in St. Paul would be wise to keep in mind zoning approvals, site plan reviews and business licenses, not to mention the St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission review process, building certificates of occupancy and fire certificates of occupancy.

And don’t forget to pay the Metropolitan Council’s Sewer Availability Charge.

Recognizing that launching a business can be dizzying, three city council members got together with small-business owners last year to hear their concerns.

What they got over the course of three public forums was an earful of feedback, followed by months of committee meetings. Questions over new regulations such as mandatory paid sick leave — and a burgeoning debate over the citywide minimum wage — still loom large.

But officials say the city is turning an important corner when it comes to outreach.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman joined council members Rebecca Noecker, Dai Thao and Jane Prince and other members of the “St. Paul Open for Business” initiative Wednesday at the city’s first and only Mexican sports bar — La Costa Mexican Sports Bar and Grill on Cesar Chavez Street — to celebrate a series of milestones in the year-long effort.

Those achievements include the elimination of several outdated ordinances and the proposed creation in 2018 of a $500,000 small-business loan program aimed at entrepreneurs in low-income neighborhoods.

ON THE WEB: stpaul.gov/OpenForBusiness

On Wednesday the city released a 24-page pocket guide aimed at demystifying entrepreneurship by breaking the process into five general steps. Related Articles St. Paul district reports enrollment drop as pandemic moves school online

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“Opening a Business in St. Paul (And How The City Can Help)” includes a series of tips, such as reaching out to city council members, district councils and nearby businesses early in the process, and understanding that zoning approval is required for building permits, licenses, changes in business use, changes in occupancy type and signage.

Eric Foster told the crowd he kept then-council member Kathy Lantry on his speed dial for two years prior to opening Ward 6 Food and Drink on Payne Avenue.

St. Paul Mayor Coleman's 2018 budget includes Job Opportunities Fund — small business loans in low-income areas pic.twitter.com/8dbvUjeCzO — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) August 30, 2017

But Foster noted not every small-business owner understands the importance of cultivating a relationship with their local elected officials, or how to do that.

Judy Lopez said city inspectors were especially helpful as she sought to open La Costa Mexican this year with her husband.

Robert Humphrey, a spokesman for the Department of Safety and Inspections, said the city will better publicize that it employs two “project facilitators” within the department to help guide business owners through the regulatory processes. They can be reached at 651-266-9103.

The pocket guide lists web links to city and state business resources, maps and permitting pages. It also spells out how long different approvals typically take.

Calling effective communication essential, Noecker said that having a guide in hand will also serve as a reminder to various city departments to reach out to each other as they usher an entrepreneur through permitting and zoning. Prince noted that the pocket guide has been translated into three languages — Spanish, Hmong and Somali.

Thao said there’s still plenty of work to be done, but he praised DSI Director Ricardo Cervantes for being open to change and innovation. With the help of DSI, the city eased parking space requirements for restaurants a few years ago from one parking stall for every 125 square feet of usable business space to one stall for every 400 square feet. Rules that required a ratio of 60/40 food-to-alcohol sales were dropped as part of as overhaul of liquor regulations in early 2016.

Cervantes said at least 36 restaurants and breweries have opened in St. Paul in the past 18 months, and that only includes locations that sought new alcohol or business licenses.

“In a built environment, these may be processes that seem rather complex, but we’re here to help,” Cervantes said.