HomeMy WebLinkAboutComprehensive Plan Amendment 3-27-13Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
LAND USE PLAN
Introduction
The City of Lake Elmo is a unique gem within the metropolitan region given its overall rural character,
significant natural resources and abundance of agricultural lands. The land use plan herein represents a
series of significant steps the City is taking to preserve and protect these treasured characteristics while
simultaneously responding to its fiscal and regional responsibilities. The plan is a culmination of a new
vision for Lake Elmo that was forged over seven years of debate, discussion, deliberation and the hard
work of many dedicated citizens.
Purpose
The land use plan is prepared and presented for the following purposes:
1. The Land Use Plan is intended to be a management tool for City officials, City staff and other
parties involved in land development and growth management in Lake Elmo. Land use planning is
the most directly tangible evidence of a community's comprehensive planning objectives. Lake
Elmo’s land use plan indicates the basic location, density and types of land uses in the City that are
considered to be compatible with the competing goals of maintaining rural character and allowing
for necessary growth. Goals and policy statements are outlined herein to assist officials in making
decisions on various development proposals anticipated as a result of this plan.
2. The Land Use Plan is intended to be a guide for future development which reinforces the City’s
commitment to preserving a rural character. By focusing required and necessary growth into
targeted and logical areas based on historical and transportation system factors, the City can ensure
a vast majority of the community can and will retain its agricultural feel. The plan is responsive to
development patterns in neighboring communities by focusing a majority of the proposed urbanized
development South of 10th Street near or adjacent to similar developments in Oakdale and
Woodbury. Rural boundaries with neighboring communities are also maintained.
3. The Land Use Plan is intended to advise the Metropolitan Council and our municipal neighbors of
Lake Elmo’s planning and growth management programs. The Land Use Plan is a convenient
medium to illustrate and coordinate the various goals and policies of all the elements of the City’s
Comprehensive Plan. Facility plans, transportation plans and other plan components are directly
linked to the land use policies contained herein. The most significant description of Lake Elmo’s
planning intentions is the designations of urban and rural development areas as depicted on Map 3-
1.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
4. The Land Use Plan is intended to be used as a basis for public facilities planning. A major function
of municipal government is planning for and establishment of public facilities such as sewer, water,
roads, stormwater facilities, and parks. These physical improvements require extensive initial
investment and a long term maintenance commitment that can become a financial burden when
such systems are overbuilt or prematurely installed. The Land Use Plan therefore plays an
important role in determining each neighborhood's ultimate population, the required capacity of
public facilities, and an appropriate capital improvements program. The level of services and
facilities required by this Plan are consistent with the existing or planned capacity of the applicable
regional systems.
5. The Land Use Plan is intended to be used as the basis for developing responsible ordinances for
land use management. Development according to the land use plan, especially in a community like
Lake Elmo, is almost totally accomplished by private development forces, many times on the scale of
individual homeowners. To ensure all parties are working towards the common goals of the
community, it is incumbent upon the city to provide reasonable regulations to properly guide
development. Zoning, licensing and subdivision controls have been and will continue to be
established to implement the intent of this Land Use Plan.
6. The Land Use Plan is intended to clearly delineate how Lake Elmo complies with the
memorandum of understanding between the City and the Metropolitan Council. Ensuring the
City’s legal obligations are ultimately met for residential equivalency units, households,
employment, etc, is another important purpose behind the land use plan. Maps, tables and text
within this chapter fully outline how all objectives are to be met.
Plan Timeframe
The time framework of the Land Use Plan is intended to be consistent with the regional planning period
of 2008 through 2030.
Land Use Plan
Lake Elmo’s land use plan is guided by its core vision of creating and maintaining a rural community
within the Metropolitan region. The plan itself provides guidance for a desired land use pattern, mix of
uses, range of densities, and site/building designs. To ultimately ensure future development adds to the
overall quality and uniqueness of the community and builds upon the existing foundation that defines
Lake Elmo, the plan is centered on the following core set of principles:
1. The preservation of rural lands;
2. Promotion of open space and green corridors;
3. A rebirth of the historic village center;
4. Enhancement of the community’s rural sense of place (through design standards); and
5. Establishment of a sustainable planned growth pattern which strikes a balance between
providing municipal services and local/regional fiscal responsibility.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
Whenever possible, the guiding principles should be kept in mind to guide individual development at all
scales: community, neighborhood, street, block front and individual parcel.
Existing Land Use
An examination of Lake Elmo in 2012 clearly shows a community with a rich history of agricultural use,
open space development, and preservation of significant park lands. Lake Elmo Regional Park and
Sunfish Lake Park, covering 2,165 and 284 acres respectfully, are at the heart of the community and
provide significant natural and recreational opportunities not generally available in the metropolitan
area. Single-family homes on lots measured in acreages rather than square feet dominate the
residential housing stock throughout the community, and the City’s 30+ open space cluster/rural
neighborhoods established Lake Elmo as a local, regional and national leader in this type of
development. Non-residential uses are largely restricted to a few scattered focal points along Highway
5, Highway 36, and Interstate 94.
A total of approximately 3400 parcels covering 15,584 acres (24.35 square miles) are currently found
within the municipal boundary. The distribution of existing land uses in this area is shown on Map 3-2
and is summarized in Table 3-A:
Table 3-A
Existing Land Use
Land Use
Existing Permitted Residential Density
(units/acre) Existing Land Use
(acres) Min Max
Residential
Rural Area Development n/a 0.1 7094.27
Residential Estates 0.1 0.4 771.26
Rural Single Family 0.66 2.0 1665.92
Urban Medium Density 3.5 7.2 176.08
Commercial
Business Park na na 120.65
Commercial na na 99.86
Limited Business na na 111.41
Public/Semi
Public
Public/Park na na 3298.94
Road ROWs na na 890.93
Undeveloped Open Water na na 1355.29
TOTAL: 15,584.61
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
Existing Land Use Category Definitions
The existing land use types within the City are defined as follows:
• Rural Area Development – This category represents the large areas of rural residential development
and agricultural uses within the City. Common uses found in these areas include working farms,
alternative agricultural uses as defined by City Code, and rural single family detached residences.
Development in these areas requires 10+ acres, or a conditional use permit to authorize a cluster
development meeting the City’s Preserved Open Space regulations.
• Residential Estates – This category defines areas developed specifically for large lot single family
detached housing typically on 2+ acres of land.
• Rural Single Family – This category defines a large portion of the City that was platted for
conventional subdivision prior to 2005, but is largely serviced by private on-site well and septic
systems.
• Urban Medium Density – This category current defines areas within Lake Elmo dedicated to
manufactured home parks. The Cimarron development is currently the only such area within Lake
Elmo.
• Business Park – This category provides for a wide variety of professional businesses including
medical and research facilities, offices and corporate headquarters. Uses specifically excluded from
existing business park areas include warehousing, manufacturing, distribution, assembly and truck
terminals. Retail sales of goods and services are allowable uses by conditional use permit provided
such uses are goods and services to the employees of the permitted business use.
• Commercial – This category is includes areas that have been used for retail business land uses, and
primarily covers lands within or near the Village Area. Small pockets of commercial land can also be
found where retail goods and services are integrated within and are demonstrably designed to
provide retail goods and services to employees of Business Park lands or sewered residential
properties.
• Limited Business – This category defines areas within the City that are allowed to host commercial
land uses at a more restricted level than would typically be allowed within a commercially guided
area.
• Public/Park – This category defines lands that include publicly owned facilities, places of worship,
public parks, and privately owned recreational facilities. The scale and types of uses allowable on
public/park lands are controlled by the city’s conditional use permit process.
• Road ROWs – This category encompasses all areas dedicated specifically for use as road right-of-
way. It should be noted that not all roads in Lake Elmo are on platted right-of-way, but are rather
accommodated by easements over other land use categories. Accordingly, there is more land
dedicated to use by roads than is depicted on the existing land use table.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
• Open Water – This category includes all land area in Lake Elmo covered by open water lakes and
ponds as identified in the DNR Public Waters Inventory.
Existing Land Use Dichotomy
Unlike most communities within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, Lake Elmo is and will
continue to be a city which supports two very different land use types. The City’s predominant land use
has always focused on agricultural uses and settings. Large working farms, significant public parks, open
space developments and large-lot single family neighborhoods have historically combined to form the
agricultural setting Lake Elmo is known for throughout the region. In contrast, the higher density old-
town area referred to as the Old Village provides the community an urban focal point that supports its
rural uses.
The split between urban and rural has always been significantly slanted towards rural uses throughout
Lake Elmo’s history. The Old Village first took form in the late 1800’s following the construction of
Highway 5, a post office, and ultimately the establishment of the St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylor’s Falls
Railroad (later the Omaha RR). To support the “resort” area around Bass Lake (renamed “Lake Elmo” in
1879), the Old Village was home to a store, a saloon, a “flat” grain house where farmers could unload
wagons directly onto trains, a blacksmith, and a wagon repair shop. By the 1920s, the Old Village was
viewed regionally as a substantial shipping point and dairy center which included a creamery, grain
elevator, two grocery stores, hardware and implement stores, a private hospital, a bank, a garage, and
even a roller skating rink. Changes to the regional streetcar transportation system in the early 1900’s,
however, resulted in traffic being diverted away from the Old Village and its growth (but not its
importance to the Community) has been curtailed since that time ensuring that rural uses continued to
be the predominant focus of the community.
Today the Old Village stands as a unique example of a classic urban setting within rural America. While
the future land use plan anticipates resurgence within this area following nearly a century of limited
growth, the City has no intent of losing the characteristics which make the existing Old Village special.
Future growth plans will require adherence to specific design standards reminiscent of the Old Village’s
last period of growth, and a defined development boundary will ensure expansion of the Old Village is
contained to avoid the typical “sprawl” development pattern seen in many suburbs throughout the
region.
Planned Land Use
Per the memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Council initially adopted by the City in
2005 and subsequently amended, urbanized growth must be part of Lake Elmo’s future. To that end,
the next chapter in the evolution of Lake Elmo will include resurgence within and around the Old Village,
and the establishment of a new urbanized zone between Interstate Highway 94 and 10th Street. The
remainder of the community north of 10th Street and surrounding the Old Village will continue Lake
Elmo’s long tradition of providing rural living opportunities within the Metropolitan area.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
This section of the Land Use chapter establishes the City’s official land use categories and the official
Future Land Use Map. The map assigns planned land use types to all parcels within the community to
guide current and future planning and development through the year 2030, and is the official land use
designation map for the City. The assigned land use designations are intended to shape the character,
type and density of future development according to sound planning principles. Any new development,
redevelopment, change in land use or change in zoning is required to be consistent with the official land
use guidance for each parcel.
The official land use plan categories are as follows:
RURAL AREA DEVELOPMENT – This category represents the large areas of rural residential development
within the City. Common uses found in these areas include working farms, alternative agricultural uses
as defined by City Code, and rural single family detached residences. Development in these areas
requires 10+ acres, or a conditional use permit to authorize a cluster development meeting the City’s
Open Space Preservation regulations. Densities are allowed up to 0.45 dwelling units per buildable acre
when planned as part of an Open Space Preservation development. No new areas of rural area
development are being established by the official land use plan. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): A,
RR, OP]
RURAL AREA DEVELOPMENT – ALTERNATE DENSITY – This land use category represents a subset of
land guided for Rural Area Development and provides for an increase in the densities allowed through
an Open Space Preservation development of up to 2.0 dwelling units per buildable acre. Further
increases in the base density may be allowed through a Planned Unit Development through incentives
for density bonuses that are permitted as part of a PUD and that maintain the open space character of a
development. In addition to single-family residences and townhouses, multi-family housing for seniors
is permitted in this district. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): A, RR, OP-2]
RESIDENTIAL ESTATE – This category defines areas developed specifically for large lot single family
detached housing typically on 2+ acres of land. No new areas of residential estate are being established
by the official land use plan. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): RE]
RURAL SINGLE FAMILY – This category defines a large portion of the City that was historically platted for
conventional subdivision prior to 2005, but has been and will continue to be serviced by private on-site
well and septic systems. Limited locations within this classification are allowed to have two-family
dwellings based on zoning. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): R-1, R-2]
URBAN LOW DENSITY – The Urban Low Density land use category is intended primarily for single-family
detached housing serviced by public sewer and water. This category allows net residential densities
from two and one-half (2.5) to four (4) units per acre. Significant new areas of urban low density are
guided both within the Old Village and along I-94. [Corresponding Zoning District: LDR]
URBAN MEDIUM DENSITY – The Urban Medium Density land use category allows net residential
densities from four and one-half (4.5) to seven (7) units per acre; with greater densities only allowed if
deemed appropriate and approved through the PUD process and that meet incentives for density bonus
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
as allowed under the PUD ordinance . This category allows for a variety of housing types including
single-family detached, duplexes, townhomes, and small two- and three-story apartment buildings
and/or senior living centers. Significant new areas of urban medium density are guided both within the
Old Village and along I-94. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): R-3, MDR]
URBAN HIGH DENSITY – The Urban High Density land use category is intended for higher density,
compact urban residential development. This category allows for a net residential density range of
seven and one-half (7.5) to fifteen (15) units per acre; however zoning may allow a greater net density if
approved through the PUD process. The appropriate building height will vary by development and
depend upon the characteristics of the development and its surroundings. In addition to residential
development, a small proportion of supportive retail and service is also appropriate in this land use
category. Retail, service and office beyond those supporting the residential development would only be
permitted as part of a mixed-use planned unit development. Significant new areas of urban high density
are guided both within the Old Village and along I-94. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): HDR]
LIMITED BUSINESS – This category defines areas within the City that are allowed to host commercial
land uses at a more restricted level than would typically be allowed within a commercially guided area
and in areas that are not planned for public sanitary sewer services. No new areas of limited business
are being established by the official land use plan. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): LB, LC]
COMMERCIAL – This category is intended to accommodate a wide range and scale of commercial uses
(such as retail, service, entertainment, and office) throughout the City’s planned urban centers.
Commercial uses can range from small neighborhood convenience nodes, to community retail areas
along major roadways, to large shopping centers, to auto-related commercial uses along freeways.
Residential uses are also appropriate as part of a mixed-use commercial development where allowed,
with unit densities being determined by either the identified range within the comprehensive plan or to
a level deemed appropriate by a planned unit development process. Significant new areas of
commercial land use are guided both within the Old Village and along I-94. [Corresponding Zoning
District(s): C, CC, GB]
BUSINESS PARK – The Business Park land use category is intended to encourage the creation of
significant employment centers that accommodate a diverse mix of office and light industrial uses and
jobs. Specific desired attributes of this land use include a diversity of jobs, high development densities
and jobs per acre, high quality site and building architectural design, and increased tax revenues for the
community. Office, office showroom/warehousing, research and development services, light and high-
tech electronic manufacturing and assembly, and medical laboratories are typical uses appropriate for
this land use category. Some retail and service uses may be allowed as supporting uses for the primary
office and light industrial uses of the employment center. In addition to the Eagle Point Business Park,
much of the land between Manning Ave and Keats Ave adjacent to I-94 is guided for this land use
classification. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): BP]
PUBLIC/PARK – This category defines lands that include publicly owned facilities, places of worship,
public parks, and privately owned recreational facilities. The scale and types of uses allowable on
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
public/park lands are controlled by the city’s conditional use permit process. No new areas of
public/park space are currently designated by the new land use plan, but it is recognized that such areas
will be created during the development process, and the land use map will need to be updated
accordingly. [Corresponding Zoning District(s): P, OSP]
ROAD R.O.W.s – This category encompasses all areas dedicated specifically for use as road right-of-way.
It should be noted that not all roads in Lake Elmo are on platted right-of-way, but are rather
accommodated by easements over other land use categories. Accordingly, there is more land dedicated
to use by roads than is depicted on the existing/planned land use table. New development will be
required to dedicate right-of-way to accommodate the proposed road network.
OPEN WATER – This category includes all land area in Lake Elmo covered by open water lakes and ponds
as identified in the DNR Public Waters Inventory. No new areas of open water are by the official land
use plan.
The distribution of planned land uses on the official Future Land Use Map is shown on Map 3-3 and is
summarized in Table 3-B:
Mixed Uses
Within the Old Village and in areas south of 10th Street, specific areas are targeted for potential mixed-
use development; however, this designation means different things in both districts. Mixed Uses within the Old Village
The mixed use designation on property within the Old Village indicates development must adhere to
the specific zoning requirements established for mixed use development within the City Code. This
type of development will typically see residential, commercial, office, and/or similar uses combined
in complimentary ways within the same building. Mixed Uses south of 10th Street
The mixed use designation on property south of 10th Street is intended to spur development by
providing maximum flexibility on future land uses, thereby allowing a development proposal to
cater to existing market conditions. In the areas designated as possible mixed-use on the Future
Land Use Map (Map 3-3), the City’s planning process has identified that either the base land use or
the adjacent land use designation would be appropriate for the site. These mixed-use areas may be
zoned in accordance with the base land use category, or the adjacent land use category provided
that:
• Any such zoning will only be allowed if it is contiguous to property in an adjacent land use
category; and
• The Urban Low Density Residential land use category will not allowed as an alternative land
use within mixed-use areas.
Alternatively, a combination of the uses allowed within the base land use category and future land
uses adjacent to a mixed use area may be allowed through a planned unit development process.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
Table 3-B
Existing and Planned Land Use Table
Land Use
Residential Density (units/acre) Existing Land Use (acres)
Planned
Land Use
(acres)
Planned Land Use Changes (anticipated acreages in 5 year increments)4
Change
(acres) Min Max City wide (Village)1 2012 to 2015 2015 to 2020 2020 to 2025 2025 to 2030
RESIDENTIAL
Rural Area Development n/a 0.1 7094.24 (854.37) 5608.75 6722.89 6351.51 5980.13 5608.75 -1485.52
Rural Area Dev. ALT n/a 2.0 0.00 (0.0) 155.62 38.91 77.81 116.72 155.62 155.62
Residential Estates 0.1 0.4 771.26 (0.0) 793.71 776.87 782.49 788.10 793.71 22.45
Rural Single
Family 0.66 2.0 1665.92 (151.36) 1689.16 1671.73 1677.54 1683.35 1689.16 23.24
Urban Low Density 2.5 4 0.0 (0.0) 496.39 124.10 248.20 372.29 496.39 496.39
Urban Medium Density 4.5 7 176.08 (0.0) 390.49 229.68 283.29 336.89 390.49 214.41
Urban High Density 7.5 15 0.0 (0.0) 157.67 39.42 78.84 118.25 157.67 157.67
COMMERCIAL2
Business Park 7.5 15 120.65 (0.0) 329.69 172.91 225.17 277.43 329.69 209.04
Commercial 4.5 7 99.86 (94.45) 295.68 148.82 197.77 246.73 295.68 195.82
Limited Business – – 111.41 (22.9) 68.99 100.81 90.20 79.60 68.99 -42.42
PUBLIC/SEMI PUBLIC3
Public/Park – – 3298.94 (59.17) 3352.24 3312.27 3325.59 3338.92 3352.24 53.3
Road ROWs – – 890.93 890.93 890.93 890.93 890.93 890.93 0.0
UNDEVELOPED
Open Water – – 1355.29 1355.29 1355.29 1355.29 1355.29 1355.29 0.0
TOTALS: – – 15,584.61 15,584.61 15,584.55 15,584.55 15,584.55 15,584.55 0.0
1 Land Use numbers in the Old Village area are called out separately as planning for land use in this area is still on-going. The Village acreages are INCLUDED in the “city wide” total shown in bold, and are provided to give perspective on the areas still being discussed. This table will be updated again in the future to reflect the final existing and proposed land use numbers once all Village planning has been completed. Planned Land Use numbers as shown currently assume no change within the Village area.
2 Residential uses within the “Business Park” and “Commercial” land use designations can only occur in areas specifically designated for mixed use on the planned land use map
3 It is recognized that both park and road ROW areas will expand as new development occurs, but such acreage is accounted for in the respective development land use types as such land areas must contribute towards required development densities.
4 The staging plan for future development is fluid and will allow development to occur as market conditions dictate. Because of this, specific timing for development of any specific land use category is not possible. For the purposes of this table, the anticipated acreage changes are incrementally broken down into four periods of time showing a consistent rate of change between now and 2030.
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Village
Land Use Plan
Pending
Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
Design Standards
Following completion of the Comprehensive Plan, the City will adopt design standards to ensure the
look and feel of future development is compatible with the community vision of a small town within a
rural setting. Standards for building materials, building articulation, design variety and other
requirements should be upheld to ensure the quality of the built environment is distinctly Lake Elmo.
Preservation of Rural Character
One of the main benefits of the official land use plan is that the long range planning objective to retain a
permanent rural identity is achieved. Under the memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan
Council, a vast majority of the City will be allowed to maintain its rural character and existing land uses.
Furthermore, concentrating urbanization adjacent to I-94 and within the Old Village will result in clear
boundaries between the urban and rural portions of the community. Beyond that, the City’s desire to
protect its sensitive park lands is also achieved. Both Lake Elmo Regional Park and Sunfish Lake Park will
continue to be surrounded by agricultural lands and will not be impacted by encroaching urbanization.
Future Land Use Boundaries
The curved lines separating future land uses on Map 3-3 midway between I-94 and 10th Street indicate
one possible alignment of a future east/west collector roadway envisioned to serve the new
development in this area of the City. Future development proposals and their associated engineering
studies will ultimately determine the exact alignment of this collector roadway. The final boundary
between the proposed different land uses shall ultimately be set by the final location of the east/west
collector roadway, whether or not this roadway deviates from the approximate location shown.
Buffering/Land Use Transitions
The City’s Land Use Plan calls for a diverse range of development types, from very low density
agricultural and rural residential uses to high density urban residential and commercial development. In
order to provide for a transition between the existing and planned rural development and future urban
development, the Land Use Plan creates a lower density urban residential district. This low density
urban district is planned for areas near existing rural development areas, and will provide for an area of
transition between higher density residential development and either existing or planned rural
development areas.
Certain areas designated as Public/Park on the Future Land Use Map (Map 3-3) have been established to
provide a green belt/buffer between areas developed under a previous Comprehensive Plan at rural
development densities and areas planned for residential development at higher densities. This green
belt will be incorporated as part of any development plans for new development with a minimum width
of 100 feet. The green belt may be incorporated as part of the greenway envisioned in the Lake Elmo
Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan (Chapter IX).
Open Space Preservation
The City will encourage the preservation of open space within new developments through the
dedication of public parkland and the clustering of lots within urban residential districts. The specific
zoning development standards for the City’s urban residential districts will allow the platting of smaller
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
lots that will allow open space to be set aside in each development while still achieving the overall
minimum density guidance for each land use area.
Staging Plan/Memorandum of Understanding
The City of Lake Elmo entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Metropolitan
Council prior to the preparation of its 2005 Land Use Plan and this MOU remains in effect to ensure the
City’s conformance to metropolitan system statements as required by state law. This MOU has since
been revised; however, to take into account a severe downturn in the housing market and to grant the
City of Lake Elmo additional flexibility in meeting the population, household, and employment targets
from the original MOU. Table 3-C summarizes the updated development staging plan that will be used
to measure conformance to the MOU. This table is broken down into five year increments starting in
2010 and continuing forward to the end of the planning period in 2030.
The targets from the original MOU have been moved back five years to reflect the economic downturn
and the extension of time to meet the mandated REC unit counts consistent with the requirements of
the revised MOU. The population and household targets at the end of the 2030 planning period have
not been adjusted and reflect the numbers approved in the MOU.
Table 3-C Housing, Population and Employment Projections 2010-2030
Year 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Total Households 2779 3519 5114 6524 8727
Sewered Households
New 0 515 1650 2700 4200
Existing 0 0 100 700 700
Total Sewered Households 0 515 1750 3400 4900
Non-Residential REC Units
New 0 0 520 970 1400
Existing 100 100 250 300 300
Total Non-Residential REC Units 100 100 770 1270 1700
Total REC Units 100 615 2520 4670 6600
Total Population 8069 9677 14064 17941 24000
The density ranges specified in the Land Use Plan have been established so that development at the
minimum levels will achieve the residential and non-residential REC unit counts listed in Table 3-C. A
variation in development densities is expected at the level of specific development projects, but overall
densities within a land use planning area must achieve the minimum levels specified in the
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
Comprehensive Plan. The City will also be adopting zoning district standards within the urban
residential development areas that will allow the clustering of housing on smaller lots in exchange for
the preservation of open space within new developments.
Staging Plan
While Table 3-C provides a projected schedule for the construction of new residential and non-
residential developments, the City has also adopted a general staging plan within the City’s urban
growth areas to help ensure that the City is able to deliver the required municipal services and public
infrastructure that will be needed to support new development. The infrastructure needed to serve
these developing areas is substantial and the staging plan will provide a mechanism for the City to
manage this growth and to be able to adequately prepare for the City’s future infrastructure needs. The
objectives of the staging plan are to:
• Identify a logical pattern for future growth based on the amount of land planned for new
development and the availability of infrastructure to serve this development
• Give the City additional control over the timing and location of new development to coincide
with the City’s ability to provide the required services.
Provide additional opportunities and an official mechanism for the City to be able to plan, budget, and
set goals for future development.
The Staging Plan is document as part of Map 3-4, and identifies three separate stages for future
development without a specific time period attached to these phases. Instead, growth is expected to
occur at the rate documented in Table 3-C, with each of the stages being developed in the order
depicted on the map and further described as follows:
• Stage I: New sewered development located west of Keats Avenue that will connect to the MCES
WONE interceptor.
• Stage II: New sewered development located west of Manning Avenue and south of the Forest
residential subdivision that will connect to the MCES Cottage Grove Ravine regional interceptor.
• Stage III: All remaining new sewered development south of 10th Street that will connect to the
MCES Cottage Grove Ravine regional interceptor.
The City will monitor growth by assessing market conditions, land capacity, and the availability of public
infrastructure in order to determine when development may occur in stages subsequent to the first
stage. The acceleration of a development in any of the latter stages may be permitted by the City
provided it is demonstrated that adequate public infrastructure exists to support this development.
The availability of infrastructure and any necessary utility extensions and transportation improvements
needed to support new development will be considered in deciding whether or not to open up the next
staging area to development. In order to accelerate the development of latter stages, there must be a
commitment that the development will pay its proportionate share of the infrastructure costs to extend
services to any new development.
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City of Lake Elmo
7-19-2012
Data Scource:
Washington County, MN
I-94 Corridor Development Staging Plan - Lake Elmo, MN
K
§¨¦94
456717456717
456710
456713
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Map 3-4
Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter III – Land Use Plan
To help ensure that public facilities needed to support new development meet or exceed an acceptable
level of service, the City will consider adoption of an adequate facilities ordinance. The primary goals of
this ordinance are to: 1) avoid sprawling or leapfrog development that would result in an inefficient use
of the City’s infrastructure and services, and 2) give priority to development opportunities that do not
require the construction of significant extensions of public infrastructure. When developers build on
parcels that are not contiguous to areas served by existing infrastructure, there is an expectation that
the developer will pay for the added costs to serve non-contiguous development. Non-contiguous
development will not be allowed if it would negatively impact the City’s financial stability and capacity.
Implementation
The following tasks will be completed by the City to facilitate the implementation of the land use plan.
Zoning Code Update
Planned development within the Old Village and south of 10th Street will introduce development styles
and patterns new to the community that cannot be achieved by existing zoning classifications. The
zoning code will need to be updated to include new residential, commercial and Business Park districts
as needed to ensure the City’s vision can be successfully carried out.
• Creation of Design Standards
As a supplement to the new zoning districts, the City will pursue the creation and adoption of
specific design standards for areas of new development. Design standards go beyond standard
zoning requirements such as area and width to specify required building materials, building
articulation, architectural standards, etc. Adoption of design standards sets an overall policy for
what development should look like to guide the quality of the built environment towards the
community’s established vision.
• Form Based Code
Within the Old Village area, the City will consider implementation of a form based code in lieu of
standard Euclidian zoning districts. Under a form based code, requirements focus primarily on the
built environment and its relation to the public realm rather than on the separation of uses. Form
based codes are regulatory, not advisory like typical design standards. Specific standards for public
spaces and building forms are adopted directly into code and mandate that future construction
achieve the established community vision.
Internal Process Evaluation
A review of procedures for all application types will be undertaken by the City to ensure internal
processes are optimized for quick turn-around and minimal delays whenever possible.
Cooperation with Other Government Agencies
The City will reach out to neighboring communities and reviewing agencies to proactively address issues
that may impact future development.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
HOUSING PLAN
Introduction
In order to build off of Lake Elmo’s treasured asset of open space, it is critical to incorporate strategies
for providing housing that maintain and protect the city’s natural resources. These natural resources
greatly contribute to the character and vibrancy of Lake Elmo and must be accordingly preserved. For
this reason, Lake Elmo’s future housing needs will be provided for in the I-94 Corridor and Old Village
planning districts. This plan will maintain existing open space in the rural planning district of Lake Elmo,
as well as incorporate open space into the new housing development in the Old Village and I-94
Corridor.
In addition, the Housing Plan is intended to provide a greater variety of housing choice within the city, as
well as fulfill Lake Elmo’s obligations related to regional growth. Also, it is important to note that
housing represents the foundation or fabric of a healthy community. In order to ensure Lake Elmo’s
continuing character and vibrancy, it is important to provide a range of housing that offers future
residents access to the same amenities and levels of service which current residents have come to
expect and appreciate.
Purpose
The Housing Plan is prepared and presented for the following purposes:
1. The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires all communities to include a housing element in
their Comprehensive Plan. State law requires that this housing element include a housing
implementation program, describing the official controls and mechanisms used to implement the
future land use plan, making land available for the development of low and moderate income
housing.
2. The housing plan provides the opportunity to identify Lake Elmo’s current housing needs, as well
as outline the City’s goals and strategies as they relate to future housing. The current housing
stock in Lake Elmo consists of mostly single-family detached housing. In the future, the City would
like to encourage the development of life-cycle, workforce, and rental housing. With a greater mix
of available housing types, the City hopes to give more people who work in Lake Elmo the
opportunity to live within the community. In addition, greater variety and affordability should
provide younger homebuyers or renters the opportunity to find housing in Lake Elmo.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Existing Conditions
The following section is intended to report population and housing demographics based upon 2010
Census and American Community Survey data. It is important to understand the existing demographic
and housing trends in order to identify Lake Elmo’s future housing needs.
Population
The city of Lake Elmo, Minnesota has been experiencing slow and steady population growth since the
1960’s. Throughout this period, the greatest population growth occurred during the decade of the
1970’s. During this decade, the city added 622 households, experiencing a population growth of 31.3%.
Table 4A reveals the overall trends of population growth throughout the last 50 years.
As of the 2010 Census, there are 2,779 households in the city of Lake Elmo with a population of 8,069
residents. These figures represent an average household size of 2.90 persons per household. Figure 4A
shows the breakdown of this population by age and sex. It is clear from this population breakdown that
the two largest segments of the Lake Elmo population are between 5-19 years old and 40-54 years old.
This data indicates that there are many families with children in Lake Elmo. In addition, the population
breakdown indicates that there is a gap in the Lake Elmo population between the ages of 20-39. Finally,
the 2010 Census data also reveals that the Lake Elmo population is aging. Table 4B confirms this trend.
Year Population Households Total Pop Change Change Total HH Change Person Per HH
1960*550 162 3.40
1970**4,032 1,065 3.79
1980 5,296 1,687 1,264 31.3%622 3.14
1990 5,903 1,973 607 11.5%286 2.99
2000 6,863 2,347 960 16.3%374 2.92
2010 8,069 2,779 1,206 17.6%432 2.90
*Population reflects original village.
**Population reflects incorporation of surrounding township.
Table 4A
Lake Elmo, MN Population Growth
Year Population Median Age Residents Over 65 Percent Over 65
1970 4,032 23 214 5.3%
1980 5,296 27.6 270 5.1%
1990 5,903 32.7 347 5.9%
2000 6,863 37.3 481 7.0%
2010 8,069 42.4 886 11.0%
Lake Elmo, MN Population Over Age 65
Table 4B
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Figure 4A
The data in Table 4B reveals that 11% of the Lake Elmo population is over the age of 65. This is a
significant trend indicating a likely need to provide additional senior housing in the future. In addition,
the gap in the Lake Elmo population of 20-39 year olds, found in Figure 4A, may point to important
trends related to housing affordability in Lake Elmo. These are important questions to consider when
crafting a strategy to meet Lake Elmo’s future housing needs and goals.
Housing
According to the Census, there were 2,779 occupied housing units in 2010. Of these 2,779 occupied
housing units, 95.3% (2,648) of these units were owner-occupied. The remaining 4.7% (131) of the
housing units are renter-occupied. Given these figures, it is clear that the majority of Lake Elmo
residents live in owner-occupied housing units. Comparing these figures to neighboring communities,
the 2010 Census reveals that the home-ownership rate in Washington County is 83%. It is quite clear
Lake Elmo does not contain a significant amount of rental housing.
Regarding median home values, the housing stock in Lake Elmo remains significantly more valuable than
the median values of Washington County, MN. According to American Community Survey (ACS) data,
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
the median home value in Lake Elmo from 2006-2010 was $396,500, whereas the median home value in
Washington County during this same period was $264,800. This significant gap in the median home
values indicates that housing affordability will be an important issue in meeting Lake Elmo’s future
housing needs.
Regarding the existing stock of housing that remains affordable, Lake Elmo does have some housing that
meets the Metropolitan Council’s standards of affordability. According to the 2011 Met Council
standards, a family making 60% of the area median income ($50,340) can afford the purchase of a home
valued at $171,500 or less. Additionally, the 2011 Met Council affordability standards deem a two-
bedroom rental unit at $1,134/month or less as affordable. Conducting an analysis of the existing
housing stock in Lake Elmo reveals that there are 567 such properties that are affordable by the Met
Council standards, which equates to 20.4% of the occupied housing units in the city. These properties
can be found in Map 4-1. Four hundred-thirty (or just over 76% of the City’s affordable units) are found
in the Cimarron Manufactured Home Park where there is a mix of affordable ownership and rental
opportunities. The remaining 137 affordable owner-occupied housing units are mostly located in the
Western portion of Lake Elmo near County Road 6, as well as within the Old Village.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Map 4-1
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Future Housing Needs
In order for Lake Elmo to achieve balanced growth and maintain its strong sense of community, it is
essential to plan and develop the future housing stock in a manner that is mindful of the city’s
population trends and future needs. For this reason, it is important for Lake Elmo to clearly define its
goals as they pertain to housing.
Goals
In planning for the land use and future growth of Lake Elmo, the City aims to achieve the following goals
related to housing:
1. Continue to support and develop family-friendly neighborhoods, emphasizing safety and access to
open or recreation space. Throughout its history, Lake Elmo has been lauded as a great place to
raise a family. For this reason, many of Lake Elmo’s future residents will be families with children.
In planning future housing for these residents, it is the responsibility of the City to be cognizant of
how site, building, and street design relate to safety and access to public recreation space.
Promoting these principles will ensure that the future population of Lake Elmo is safe and healthy.
2. When planning for the future residential neighborhoods in Lake Elmo, it is critical to incorporate
walkability into the design of housing and streets to ensure a positive pedestrian environment in
both the I-94 Corridor and Old Village. In order to maintain a healthy and vibrant environment in
Lake Elmo, safe and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian spaces within residential neighborhoods are
essential. Additionally, for the Old Village land use plan to effectively support and promote walking
in Lake Elmo’s downtown, steps must be taken to ensure that walkability is considered when
planning future housing. Creating a more walkable downtown area with more street amenities
encourages nearby residents to travel by means other than the automobile, which in turn promotes
pedestrian traffic and physical exercise. In addition, increased pedestrian accessibility to downtown
should drive greater support and patronage of local businesses in the Old Village. Finally, greater
pedestrian traffic could allow for reduction in needed parking facilities, decreasing the amount of
impervious surfaces and easing the burden on storm water management systems.
3. Expand housing opportunities for seniors in Lake Elmo, placing an emphasis on affordability and
life-cycle housing. As the data from the 2010 Census indicates, the Lake Elmo population is aging.
11.0% of the population in Lake Elmo is over the age of 65. In order to provide opportunities for
these residents to remain in Lake Elmo, the City must strive to attract and develop a greater variety
of housing that suits the needs of seniors, including those who require medical assistance or are
disabled, requiring barrier-free housing. In addition, affordability is increasingly becoming
important factor for many seniors in making housing choices. To give these residents the option to
remain in Lake Elmo, developing housing options that are both senior friendly and affordable will be
critical over the next 25 years and beyond.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
4. Provide a greater variety of housing in terms of cost and tenure type (ownership vs. rental) in
order to give more people the opportunity to live in Lake Elmo, particularly younger residents and
families. Considering the gap in the Lake Elmo population of 20-39 year olds, it is important to be
cognizant of how housing affordability relates to the current demographics of the city. If the city
wishes to retain younger residents and families in Lake Elmo, then opportunities for more affordable
and rental housing must be present. Adding more young residents to Lake Elmo will strengthen the
social fabric of the community and encourage more unique activities and programming.
Additionally, providing more options in terms of affordability will allow more employees of
businesses located in Lake Elmo the option of both living and working in the community.
Future Housing
According to Met Council forecasts, the growth of Lake Elmo will result in an increase of 5,948
households by 2030, representing an increase of 214%. In order to achieve this growth in a balanced
and sustainable manner, as well as fulfill Lake Elmo’s housing goals, the I-94 Corridor and Old Village
land use plans provide opportunity for a wide mix of housing types and densities. These housing
densities will vary with a floor range of 2.0 units per acre to 10 units per acre, allowing for a greater
variety of housing in Lake Elmo. These new housing units are guided for the I-94 Corridor and Old
Village at the following minimum densities:
I-94 Corridor
• Urban Low Density: 2.5 units/acre
• Urban Medium Density: 4.0 units/acre
• Urban High Density: 7.0 units/acre
Old Village
• Village Low Density: 2.0 units/acre
• Village Medium Density: 4.0 units/acre
• Village High Density: 10.0 units/acre
These densities result in meeting the Met Council expectations of adding a minimum of 4,200 new
housing units to the I-94 Corridor and Old Village as outlined in the MOU. The City will work to pursue a
mix of densities that are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan with the understanding that the City
and Met Council will monitor growth against the expectations of the MOU. The City recognizes that
development at densities above the minimum requirements may create opportunities to provide
increased open space above the typical standard and other amenities considered a public benefit,
thereby improving the character of these areas to better blend with the overall rural character of the
community.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Affordable Housing
In terms of fulfilling Lake Elmo’s regional obligations for affordable housing, the Metropolitan Council’s
allocation of affordable units within Lake Elmo for the 2011-2020 timeframe is 661 housing units. Again,
affordable housing is defined as housing units that are priced at monthly payment that are no more than
30% of gross income of a household earning 60% of the Twin Cities median family income. This
definition translates into a home purchase price of $171,500 (or less), or a rental housing opportunity of
$1,134/month (or less) for a two-bedroom unit. If Lake Elmo would like to retain and attract younger
residents and families, it is critical to encourage greater affordability within the future housing stock as
well as provide options for rental housing.
Related to the affordability of Lake Elmo’s future housing stock, several areas in the I-94 Corridor and
Old Village will provide an opportunity for the development of more affordable and rental housing.
Specifically, several areas of the I-94 Corridor and Old Village are currently guided for densities that
would be conducive to greater affordability. In addition to areas guided for multi-family housing, the I-
94 Corridor and Old Village will also make use of mixed use zoning to provide more housing options.
The areas can be viewed in Map 4-2 and 4-3, highlighted by white circles.
Map 4-2
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
Map 4-3
Regarding implementation, the City will work directly with developers to explore various funding
opportunities to support greater housing variety and affordability. To support these efforts, the City of
Lake Elmo will investigate working with the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority
(HRA). This relationship may prove valuable in working with developers of affordable and senior
housing to identify additional funding opportunities. In addition, the City will explore opportunities for
affordable housing when considering the disposal of excess properties. Given the stated goals related to
future housing, the City would like to support efforts to diversify the current housing stock to meet the
future needs of Lake Elmo.
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter IV - Housing
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