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3 Winter 2013-14 The City of Lake Elmo recently received and approved an application for a General Concept Plan for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) east of the Eagle Point Business Park in the I-94 Corridor Planning Area. The planned develop- ment, to be called Boulder Ponds of Lake Elmo, includes 93 single family lots and a 64-unit multi-family dwelling. As proposed, the planned development is split into northern and southern areas by the future minor collector road, 5th Street, needed to serve the growing areas within the I-94 Corridor. The majority (76) of the single family lots are lo- cated to the north of the future minor collector road, where- as 17 single family lots and the 64-unit multi-family build- ing are located south of the minor collector. While multiple stages of approval for the development still remain, it is the goal of the developer, Amaris Company, LLC, to begin constructing homes in 2014. The Boulder Ponds planned development has been de- signed by distinguished land use planner Rick Harrison. Mr. Harrison is well known for designing sustainable communi- ties that allow for improved traffic flow, greater amounts of open space and pedestrian amenities. Notable design fea- tures of the Boulder Ponds planned development include several landscaped medians and oversized cul-de-sac is- lands, meandering sidewalks that provide added aesthetic value, and a significant amount of common open space. In fact, the vast majority of the residential lots in the Boul- der Ponds Concept Plan back onto common open space, which is difficult to achieve in most urban residential subdi- visions. In addition, the proposed development includes a northern buffer trail that will provide additional trail linkages from west to east that will add to the overall connectivity in the I-94 Corridor. The City is encouraged by the Boulder Ponds Concept Plan, as it provides some areas of open space, while at the same time achieving the City’s required levels of growth in this area. As plans for growth and development in the I-94 Corridor and Village Areas progress, the City will continue to update the community on a variety of growth-related topics, such as utilities and development proposals. If anyone has spe- cific questions, you can always contact the City staff. Boulder Ponds Development Features Abundant Open Space An image of the Boulder Ponds Concept Plan. The development will be located north of Hudson Boulevard and immediately east of the Eagle Point Business Park. Former Mayor Dean Johnston and Lake Elmo Park Commissioner Sara Hietpas have been named to the Metropolitan Parks & Open Space Commission (MPOSC). Johnston will serve as Chairman of the Commission and Hietpas will represent District F. The MPOSC is the policy-making and funds grantor for parks projects in the seven coun- ty metro region with a focus on land acquisition, trail development and open space preservation. “With the Park Commission looking at a new trail running from Oakdale to the Stillwater Area High School, these appointments are very important for Lake Elmo. Both former Mayor John- ston and Commissioner Hietpas will bring a wealth of knowledge to the group,” said Park Commission Chair- man Shane Weis. Two Lake Elmo Residents to Make Met Council Park Policy Former Mayor Dean Johnston (left) and Park Commis- sioner Sarah Hietpas (right) have been appointed to the Metropolitan Parks & Open Space Commission.