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23 Development Opportunities on City-Owned Land | Lake Elmo, Minnesota <br />Given the size of the study site, its prominent <br />location, and the depth with which Lake <br />Elmo residents like to engage in civic life, <br />the City sought guidance on identifying <br />potential requirements and strategies that <br />might help encourage successful community <br />participation in the development process. <br />Across all avenues, transparency and <br />consistency will be key to a successful <br />communication and engagement strategy. <br />Compromise, from all parties at some point <br />along the way, will also likely be required. <br />The following guidance from the panel <br />can help the City ensure that it is inviting <br />the community’s participation, acting <br />transparently in every manner it is able, and <br />is supporting and improving the economic <br />vitality of the city while maintaining the <br />character that continues to draw residents to <br />Lake Elmo. <br />It is also helpful to recognize that the City <br />is on the edge of a new comprehensive <br />planning cycle and process (anticipated <br />for 2028). That process will necessarily <br />come with its own community engagement <br />process, which will help inform zoning <br />decisions across the city. With that <br />information in hand, developers can look <br />at potential opportunities in Lake Elmo <br />and know that a certain degree of public <br />engagement has already occurred around <br />future uses across the city. <br />Going forward, the City is encouraged to <br />pursue the following actions in its dealings <br />with the potential development of the study <br />site. <br />• Host sessions consistently. Ideally, <br />community updates would be provided <br />at regularly scheduled sessions and held <br />both in-person and virtually. <br />• Provide insights into the development <br />process. Development is a complex <br />process that is not necessarily clear to the <br />average resident. Providing community <br />members with fundamental information <br />on development terms and a somewhat <br />typical development process can help <br />level-set conversations and ensure that <br />everyone has the basic information they <br />need to participate constructively. <br />• Seek professional engagement and <br />communications assistance. Not all <br />cities have professional staff who are <br />trained in public engagement or effective <br />communications. Hiring a special <br />consultant for a contracted period of <br />time or on a specific project basis can <br />expand the city’s capacity to actively and <br />effectively engage with the public around <br />development progress. Additionally, and <br />this may require a different person or <br />firm, an outside professional can also <br />equip the City with the tools it needs <br />to ensure that residents and business <br />owners and operators are kept apprised <br />of what may be happening more generally <br />in Lake Elmo. The panel learned that a <br />number of community members only <br />turn to NextDoor and Facebook for their <br />information, so the City may want to focus <br />even more on those platforms, ensuring <br />accurate information is readily found. <br />The panel deliberates where new uses could fit on the study site.