Lake Elmo City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
City Standards for Water Main (Ductile Iron vs. PVC)
City Annual Report 2025
Votes (6)
Preliminary Plat and Open Space Planned Unit Development (OPUD), Grovia Preserve
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Holtz [00:14:38] · Seconded by Council Member Hearn [00:14:48]
The council discussed the preliminary plat for Grovia Preserve, a 58-unit single-family detached project on 110 acres. Key points included three requested PUD flexibilities: a 60% garage facade, bituminous sidewalks (instead of concrete), and a blanket 40% impervious surface per lot (city code 30%). Staff recommended approval of all flexibilities, citing their reasonableness and the overall project's 19% impervious surface even at maximum lot build-out. Public and Planning Commission feedback, including concerns about tree preservation, traffic, and pedestrian facilities, were also reviewed. The Planning Commission had recommended concrete sidewalks and lot-specific impervious surface flexibility, which staff deemed potentially problematic for enforcement. Discussion also covered HOA maintenance of amenities and trail connections to nearby parks.
PUD Ordinance for Grovia Preserve (Ordinance 2026-3)
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Holtz [00:19:15] · Seconded by Council Member Hearn [00:19:22]
Following the approval of the preliminary plat, the council proceeded to consider the associated PUD ordinance. No additional discussion points were raised beyond those extensively covered during the preliminary plat review.
Summary of Publication for Grovia Preserve PUD Ordinance (Resolution 2026-022)
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Holtz [00:20:13] · Seconded by Council Member Hearn [00:20:17]
As a procedural step following the approval of the PUD ordinance, the council considered and approved a resolution for the summary of its publication. A four-fifths vote was noted as required for this item.
Authorized Design Services for Section 16 Phase 2 Sanitary Extension
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Holtz [00:38:43] · Seconded by Council Member Hearn [00:39:13]
The council considered authorizing design services for the Section 16 Phase 2 sanitary sewer extension, a critical project for the development of the city's 180-acre parcel off Ideal Avenue. The urgency stems from anticipating development sooner than the county's Ideal Avenue project (2029). A major challenge involves tunneling the sewer line under Union Pacific Railroad tracks at a significant depth. Bolton & Menk's proposal for design, railroad permitting, surveying, and bidding services was presented at a cost of $46,100, excluding geotechnical investigations. Funding for this enterprise-funded project will be added to the Capital Improvement Plan.
2050 Comprehensive Plan Contract with Bolton and Menk
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Hearn [00:49:55] · Seconded by Council Member Holtz [00:50:00]
The council considered a contract with Bolton & Menk for the city's 2050 Comprehensive Plan, a mandatory update required by the Met Council every ten years. Bolton & Menk, the city's long-standing planning partner, presented their proposal, which was competitively priced against other firms. The plan will be based on the city's recent Strategic Plan and address new Met Council requirements for 2050, including water appropriation, climate resiliency, increased minimum density, and new affordable housing look-back periods. The process involves extensive public and committee engagement, with a goal to draft the plan by year-end and complete it by 2027, well ahead of the December 2028 deadline. The city is eligible for a $40,000 Met Council grant to offset costs.
Agenda Procedures
Dissent: None
Moved by Council Member Holtz [01:13:39] · Seconded by Council Member Hearn [01:13:51]
The council discussed modifying agenda procedures to allow for more flexibility in adding items to meetings. The proposed changes included: 1) allowing items to be added to the current meeting's agenda with a four-fifths vote, with the understanding that no action would be taken that night, only discussion; and 2) allowing items to be added to the next available meeting's agenda with a simple majority vote. The goal is to provide quicker response times for urgent matters, while respecting staff's capacity for research and preparation. Council confirmed that 'discussion only' would allow staff to advise on the feasibility and timeline for providing necessary data.
Notable Quotes (10)
The applicant is requesting this [60% garage facade] to meet the resident's expectations of interior storage and functionality of the home. Essentially, a 60% garage facade would be like a three-car garage. So staff finds this request reasonable.
I mean I think you know just to start out with you know it goes back to when we kind of looked at changing up some of the the parameters for the OPPUD. You know I'm excited to see that this um seems to have made it a possible option for developers which is exciting to see this in the first place.
I guess the point I'm getting to is we should make sure that whatever systems installed there if and if that area needs to be um bailed out as other uh septic systems have that it has the ability to take it all the way from sanctuary. So I I think we want to stay from the low flow um system.
The biggest issue here is we need to get this this, uh, line underneath the, um, Union Pacific Railroad tracks that bisect the 18 acre partial south of Gawoft team. Um, so we've scoped out the project.
I I I I'm happy that we're being proactive with this. I think obviously we want to we want to be able to sell the land this time and I think this is going to be a step in the right direction. I think one other thing that really makes me feel good about this too is I I really do think this is going to be a cost that we recoup a little bit with the sale.
Certainly we work closely with your community development department and we updated the parks master plan in 2024. Uh we acquired merged with Focus Engineering a couple years ago. Um, and that team is still with us. They have long-standing history in this community and we have all their files so with Jack and Chad.
So what cities used to do in their comp plan was we'll build this many affordable units in this planning period and they would backend all of the affordable units to be in Musa staging areas that were 10 20 years out. The Met Council doesn't like that because they would tell you we're not building enough affordable units today. So, they're going to start doing a look back period every 10 years.
I cringe the thought that we have a cost here that's required. It's an unfunded mandate with a grant to help with some of the unfunded mandate. Like, I still ticks me off, but thank you for the proposal and I I plan to support it as well.
I think council member Dragassich, itwas discussed about having a if somebody wanted to put something on the agenda for that meeting or add an agenda item, it would be a four-fifth vote during the adoption of the agenda. uh and there would be discussion, no action taken place on the topics.
But just being able to move things a little faster than the current situation. And I was hoping in the four fifths that it would avoid some of the reasons why you have the ordinance that you have now because I'm very very respectful of the fact that councils can be dysfunctional. ... I think this strikes a middle balance personally.
Ordinances & Resolutions (47)
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Denied as part of the consent agenda.
Adopted as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Public Works purchase approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approved as part of the consent agenda.
Approving the preliminary plat and PUD request for Grovia Preserve.
Approving the PUD for Grovia Preserve.
Approving a summary of publication for Ordinance 2026-3.
The city's current comprehensive plan, a reference point for the 2050 update.
The upcoming mandatory comprehensive plan update for the Met Council.
Adopted last year, serving as a framework for city decision-making and the basis for the 2050 comp plan vision.
A 2026 priority for the Administration department to support implementation from.
A 2025 accomplishment by the Administration department.
A 2026 priority for the Administration department to implement at City Hall.
A 2026 priority for the Fire department, including home inspections and CPR training.
A 2026 priority for Public Works to develop.
An ongoing task for Public Works, with additional 25% targeted for 2026.
Financial planning tool used by Finance and Engineering; updates are a core service for Engineering.
Updated by the Engineering department using the ICON system.
Implemented by the Engineering department for public and internal use.
To be upgraded by the Sheriff's office in 2026.
To be upgraded by the Sheriff's office in 2026.
Litigation related to this permit is handled by the City Attorney.
Drafted and reviewed by the City Attorney for property acquisitions (e.g., Ballfield properties, WTP land).
Reviewed by the City Attorney for redevelopment projects (e.g., former fire station).
Approved for the former fire station property, reviewed by the City Attorney.
Drafted by the City Attorney for the new water treatment plant property.
Drafted by the City Attorney for the new water treatment plant property.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Legal documents handled by the City Attorney for private development projects.
Secured by Engineering for Well 2 PFAS treatment plant.
Secured by Engineering for new well and future water treatment plants.
Permitting system implemented by Community Development to streamline processes.
Established by Community Development.
Launched by Community Development, with planting scheduled for May.
Work order system to be implemented by Public Works to improve efficiencies.
Proposed ordinance to modify how agenda items are added to meetings.