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38 | EXISTING CONDITIONS + NEEDS <br />COORDINATION WITH CITY STAFF AND <br />THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE <br />With an invigorated interest in completing a park <br />system plan to help guide the future of their parks, <br />trails and open spaces, the city decided to prioritize <br />the development of this report in 2023. Throughout <br />the planning process, the planning team has worked <br />closely with city staff and a number of Advisory <br />Committee members in the overall development of <br />the plan, as they have been able to provide local <br />expertise on the park and trail system, highlight <br />potential deficiencies, and guide outcomes of the <br />project (in conjunction with input collected through <br />public engagement). There were several meetings <br />with members of city staff during the development <br />of this plan and four meetings with the Advisory <br />Committee. These meetings focused on topics <br />ranging from existing conditions in the parks to <br />potential improvement recommendations for <br />improvement. <br />PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS <br />During the development of this plan, the planning <br />team hosted two in-person engagement events: <br />Light Up Lake Elmo and the Arbor Day Tree <br />Giveaway. Light Up Lake Elmo is an annual event <br />and gathering downtown where community <br />members can engage in winter activities, meet <br />Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and take part in a tree lighting <br />ceremony. The Arbor Day Tree Giveaway event <br />also occurs annually. It provides residents with <br />an opportunity to pick up a tree sapling they can <br />take home and plant in appreciation of Arbor <br />Day. Both events were a success, with many <br />stopping by to provide feedback on the plan and its <br />recommendations. Key findings from those events <br />are included in the following two pages. <br />PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY <br />COMMUNITY SURVEY OVERVIEW <br />The planning team launched the community survey <br />to residents of Lake Elmo in December of 2023. The <br />survey was live for approximately four months and <br />was accessible online through a shareable web link. <br />While the survey was live, city staff, the Advisory <br />Committee, and the planning team spread the <br />word throughout Lake Elmo. In the end, over 500 <br />participants provided input through the community <br />survey. <br />The following pages provide a summary of the <br />community input received from the community <br />survey and various in-person engagement events. A <br />full report of results from the survey can be found in <br />the appendix of this plan. <br />ENGAGEMENT AT A GLANCE <br />553 <br />2 <br />HUNDREDS <br />SURVEY RESPONSES <br />IN-PERSON POP-UP EVENTS <br />OF WRITTEN COMMENTS