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15 Development Opportunities on City-Owned Land | Lake Elmo, Minnesota <br />use makes the math worth considering. If <br />possible, the City could shift Public Works to <br />Parcel 1, dedicating at least half of the site to <br />Public Works functions and retaining half of <br />the site for future City needs. This could allow <br />for a new commercial tenant at the corner <br />of Parcel 3, situated on the most marketable <br />piece of property within the study area. The <br />signature Public Works building, designed in <br />a style that is very much in keeping with the <br />Lake Elmo style and rural character, could <br />possibly be repurposed into a more public- <br />facing, profitable use. <br />Community-centric retail. It is also <br />interesting to consider the type of <br />commercial and retail establishments that <br />could locate on Parcel 3. Moving beyond just <br />convenience-style retailers, the site would <br />work well for a community-centered use that <br />could bring people together while also not <br />competing with retailers in the Village center. <br />The Public Works building, in particular, could <br />work well as a community gathering spot. <br />Trail and greenway connections. Moving <br />further north into the site, the panel envisions <br />a greenway running east and west through <br />Parcel 3. Lake Elmo is known for its open <br />spaces and green belts, so this addition <br />would complement that identity while <br />also making use of the natural topography <br />through the center of the parcel and assist <br />with stormwater management, enhanced <br />biodiversity, and creation of habitat. It would <br />tie into the envisioned greenway that would <br />eventually run north and south along the <br />eastern edge of the site and connect to trails <br />that could also run along the greenway. <br />More broadly, trail connectivity at the site <br />could effectively connect residents to the <br />area the City is considering for a future <br />sports complex. Just one mile to the east, <br />this recreational complex could be reached <br />through a new trail from the study site, along <br />the south edge of the quarry, and link to the <br />trails through Sunfish Lake Park. Trails moving <br />east from there could then also connect to the <br />Village another mile to the east. <br />Housing opportunities. Housing would <br />work well in Parcel 3. The panel envisions a <br />progression of housing options across the <br />northern two-thirds of the site, transitioning <br />from apartments to townhomes to small <br />single-family homes on the far northern edge. <br />• Apartments. The panel sketched out two <br />apartment buildings that could combine <br />to provide another approximately 230 <br />single-floor housing units to the city. <br />• Townhomes. Grouped in roughly six <br />buildings in the northeastern quadrant, the <br />panel sees potential for approximately 56 <br />townhomes on the site. <br />• Small-lot single-family homes. The <br />City has been considering the addition <br />Study Area <br />The Village <br />Potential Sports <br />Complex <br />Broadening the city’s trail network to the study site can help connect residents in the area to some of the city’s <br />current and potentially future areas of activity. <br />GO <br />O <br />G <br />L <br />E <br /> EA <br />R <br />T <br />H <br /> / UL <br />I <br /> PA <br />N <br />E <br />L