Lake Elmo City Council — Transcript
Sunday, October 26, 2025
High Point Crossing Development, Comprehensive Plan Amendment, and MUSA Expansion
Metropolitan Council Density Requirements and Sewer Capacity
Upcoming Comprehensive Planning (Imagine 2050)
Recent Development Approvals (Council Updates)
Votes (1)
Public Hearing for High Point Crossing / OP LDR Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Dissent: Laughter during the call for 'All opposed' suggested some commissioners might have opposed the denial, but no explicit 'nay' votes were recorded in the transcript after the 'ayes' for denial were heard.
Moved by Commissioner [1:00:23] · Seconded by Commissioner [1:00:27]
The developer explained the project's history, from initial approval with a community septic system to its failure to meet state standards after extensive soil testing (hydraulic connectivity and mounding studies). They presented the alternative of connecting to public sewer, which requires amending the comprehensive plan to create a new OPLDDR category and expanding the MUSA boundary. Staff outlined the proposed OPLDDR category's features (2-3 units/acre, 50% public open space) and its implications for citywide density and Met Council conformance. Public comments and commissioners' questions focused on concerns about spot zoning, inconsistency with rural character, increased traffic, the financial burden of extending sewer, and the perceived 'cart before the horse' approach of creating a new land use category for a single project before a broader comprehensive plan update. The developer also clarified the current plan is for single-family homes, not twin homes, and would involve 70-foot wide lots with 7.5-foot side yards, priced at $1.1M-$1.3M.
Notable Quotes (7)
effectively we're looking at a comprehensive plan amendment that would create a new future land use category, reguide the High Point crossing property with that category, and then also u change the city's Musa boundary.
in this new category called the open space lowdensity residential district, we'd be looking at a density range of between two to three units per acre. And we would also be looking at a requirement for any new project to dedicate at least half of the land area or provide at least half of the land area to the city as open space.
The two to three range is driven by... And that's based on Met Council's guidance. ...We have to average out above three units.
it wasn't something you could see on a soil map. Uh I've been doing this for a long time, 25 years. I was city administrator for 10 years before that. I seen a lot of this stuff. And we we did all all we could to try to figure it out and it just happened to be that, you know, we couldn't get it to work.
The proposal you would constitute spot zoning in Minnesota. Some people refer to spot zoning as the practice of reszoning a small parcel of the land to a different use classification than surrounding area often to benefit a specific property owner while potentially harming the public interest or existing zoning plan.
The council doesn't have an obligation to provide a profit to a developer and it seems like going from the original zoning for this this land which would have been a nice attractive piece of land to make it into all these villas um is we have to do what's best for the city and not worry about a you never have to think about a profit for a developer.
I think this is kind of spot zoning. Um, it needs too much in my opinion. I was I was for this development when it had its own standalone sewer and, you know, fit. But now, you know, now we need to amend the comp plan, create a new land use category, amend the land use map, revise the Musa, and it's just it's and I I I apologize if council has steered you this way, but in my opinion, it's it's too much to make it happen, and I don't think it should happen now.
Ordinances & Resolutions (12)
The proposed amendment to create the Open Space Low-Density Residential District category.
The initial approval for the High Point Crossing project in September 2024.
The type of development initially approved for High Point Crossing (OPUD).
The city's current comprehensive plan, governing development until 2040.
Met Council's regional development framework that influences local comprehensive plans.
The proposed new future land use category with density range of 2-3 units/acre and 50% open space.
Metropolitan Council's defined area where public sewer services are provided; its boundary is proposed for amendment.
Necessary amendments to the city's zoning code to align with the proposed new land use category.
The city's upcoming comprehensive plan update process for the 2050 horizon.
Document from the Met Council that provides data for the comprehensive planning process.
A minor subdivision approved on June 3rd.
A preliminary plat and comprehensive plan amendment approved on June 17th.