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3 Summer 2013 In advance of future growth in the community, the City has been working on a project to update and reorganize the City’s Zoning Code. In addition to reorganizing the structure of the Code to make it more intuitive, the City has been evaluating several ordinances for effectiveness. This evaluation revealed that several ordinances in the Zoning Code should be updated to either reflect best practices, or make them easier to administer. Two of the ordinances that have recently been reviewed as part of the Zoning Code Update Project are the Fence Ordinance and the Sign Ordinance. Regarding the Fence Ordinance, the recent changes include more straightforward standards for commercial fencing. In addition, residential fences are allowed to be solid up to six feet in height, with the exception of front and side (corner) yard setback areas. This change is a departure from the previous fence ordinance that required that any portion of a residential fence above 42” to be 75% open to air and light. Regarding the Sign Ordinance, the City’s evaluation revealed that it was poorly organized, challenging to administer, and restrictive in some areas of the community. The City adopted a new sign ordinance that is better organized, more comprehensive and less restrictive than the previous ordinance. Staff felt that evaluating this ordinance for best practices was important in advance of future commercial or mixed-use growth in the community. The new ordinance is designed with helping local businesses in mind, by updating it to reflect the use of current sign technology. To view copies of the new ordinances, visit www.lakeelmo.org/government/ municipal-code. Changes Made to City’s Zoning Code What do you envision your community to look like in the future? That is the fundamental question that a group of Lake Elmo officials, residents and business owners sought to answer as they participated in the Lake Elmo Branding and Theming Study. The goal of the Branding and Them- ing Study was to establish a kit of design elements and amenities that can be utilized within public rights-of-way and other community spaces to establish a unique brand or aesthetic that reflects Lake Elmo’s character. These design elements and amenities include lighting, signage, fencing, landscaping, and other elements that contribute to an attractive streetscape. With the incorporation of these design elements, it is the ultimate goal that the Lake Elmo community will look and feel different than other surround- ing communities. The Study was led by Damon Farber and Associates, a locally renowned landscape architecture firm. The five month effort included a visual listening exercise and visual preference exercise to determine what the desired design aesthetic was for the public spaces. Damon Farber and Associates used the information collected from these ex- ercises to draft multiple concepts related to Lake Elmo’s brand or theme. The various concepts were discussed at multiple meetings where members of the public could pro- vide feedback and input about the designs. Given the upcoming growth that the City is planning for, it is important to have these design elements in place be- fore new development occurs. As the amenities and de- sign elements are established, it is the City’s goal that private growth and development match or incorporate similar themes and styles. In other words, if the City gets the design of the public spaces right, the private spaces will follow. In terms of public spaces, these designs can be especially important in the construction of new collec- tor roads or other transportation corridors. In addition, the City has been working with Washington County on a future reconstruction of Lake Elmo Avenue (CSAH-17). As part of this project, the City intends to incorporate these design elements and amenities into the streetscape of Lake Elmo Avenue. Within the Branding and Theming Study, there are multiple renderings of how these design elements could be incorporated into downtown, among other areas. However, it is important to note that the final design will be determined by Washington County with input and col- laboration from the City of Lake Elmo. Nevertheless, it is critical to have a document like this in place to ensure that no opportunities are missed in terms of implementing the established vision for the community. It also helps commu- nicating the City’s vision to both private and public parties who are engaged in Lake Elmo’s future. The Study is available online for viewing at www.lakeemo. org/theming. Envisioning the Future Look of Lake Elmo An aerial view of what downtown Lake Elmo could look like, based on feedback received from a City Branding and Theming Study. Sign and Fence Ordinances Evaluated to Become More Straightforward