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5 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT REVIEW The City of Lake Elmo's Village Vision Study was designed to hear, organize, and elevate the voices and needs of community members and stakeholders. Community engagement ensures that land use policies and development will better align with the shared values and goals of Lake Elmo's residents and business community. When coalesced around a vision, the community can create a vibrant and cohesive Village Area. The City hosted several community engagement events and set up digital platforms to in a collaborative effort to inform the study. These include the following: • Business Owner and Developer Open House • Table at the Lake Elmo Dog Park Grand Opening • Public Open House • Comprehensive Digital and Paper Survey In an effort to communicate to the community about the online survey and engagement events, the project team created a one page flyer and post card. The flyer was distributed to homeowners’ associations (HOAs) serving residents in the Village Area. Post cards were mailed directly to residents and property owners in the village area not served by an HOA. The City used its website to provide information on the project and used its social media platforms and newsletters to inform the community about engagement opportunities. This inclusive approach has resulted in a multifaceted understanding of the community's aspirations and concerns. The findings from these efforts, which will be detailed below, are instrumental in crafting recommendations for future policy changes and development guidelines within the Village area. Summary of Engagement Findings The comprehensive online survey and the three in-person engagement events were essential in identifying the values and preferences of residents to inform recommendations for the Village area. Key findings include the following: CONNECTIVITY • About 50% of respondents visit the Village daily. About 50% of all respondents use cars to travel to the Village when they do visit, because driving is the easiest way to get there. • Improving walkability of the Village can improve revenues for existing businesses and attract new ones. • The Old Village’s central location is one of its key strengths; however, road safety concerns are a key weakness. • Traffic speeds on Stillwater Boulevard and Lake Elmo Avenue are a concern. • New bike/ped crossings are desired at: o Lake Elmo Ave N and 41st St N o Lake Elmo Ave N and 39th St N o Lake Elmo Ave N and Stillwater Blvd o Laverne Ave N and Stillwater Blvd • Safer bicycle facilities are desired on Stillwater Blvd • Future bike/ped facility connection recommendations: