HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 17 - Village Land Use Plan - Exerpt Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan—Met Council Draft 1018113 Chapter 111—Village Land Use Plan
extensions into the Village Planning Area. Future sewer extensions can be divided into three distinct
phasing areas as follows:
- New development areas east of existing residential and commercial development, north of 30'
Street, and South of State Highway 5;
- New development areas located north of 39'Street and west of Lake Elmo Avenue; and
- Existing homes and businesses within the Village Planning Area served by a new sewer line
within or parallel to Lake Elmo Avenue.
Water and other municipal services are already present in those portions of the Village Planning Area
that are already developed, and these other services will be extended into future developments
concurrent with sewer service.
The City intends to be flexible with the timing of each of the project phases described above in order to
remain responsive to market conditions. Developments within each phase may occur independently of
the other phases; however,the City's ability to efficiently serve a proposed area with municipal services
(including public sanitary sewer and water) must be addressed by potential developers. In general, a
development must either be contiguous as much as possible to areas that have already been served, or
as an alternative,there must be an approved plan for extending services that also addresses the
financing related to these improvements. All projects will be evaluated for continuity with existing
service areas and whether or not the City can efficiently provide services to a site.
The Existing and Planned Land Use Table (Table 3-13) includes the updated projections for land use
changes based on the Village Land Use Plan. Urban services will be extended to the Village starting in
2014. Following the availability of services, development is expected to occur in the Village throughout
the planning time period in response to market conditions.
Implementation
The City of Lake Elmo will use a wide variety of tools to implement the vision for development within the
Village Planning Area, specifically focusing on the following:
Zoning
In order to achieve the desired vision for the Village Center,the City will adopt a mixed-use zoning
district. The purpose of the mixed-use district is to establish land use and performance standards with
the intent of enhancing the existing "main-street" character and aesthetic found within the Old Village.
The mixed-use district will allow for a variety of use classifications, as long as the various land uses can
be integrated into the context of a traditional downtown. These land use classifications include various
types of residential and commercial uses, as well as multiple land uses integrated into the same site or
structure, such as multi-family housing above retail or office space. With the intent of maintaining a
pedestrian friendly downtown in the Village Center, different use classifications will be evaluated based
upon their impact on the built environment. Use classifications that are more auto-oriented in nature
and do not conform to the form found in traditional downtown developments will be subject to special
performance standards to ensure that these uses can coexist in the downtown setting. The City may
also identify the areas of the Village Center that are more conducive to auto-oriented uses.
It is important to recognize that there are many existing single family homes located within the Village
Center. Similar to many other historic downtown areas, the City values these properties as an integral
part of the aesthetic and character of the area. Akin to other historic districts, these properties will have
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan—Met Council Draft 1018113 Chapter 111—Village Land Use Plan
the opportunity to transition or redevelop to other land uses. However, single family residential uses
will continue in the mixed-use area as well. In order to provide the necessary protections so that these
different uses can coexist in the downtown,the mixed-use (VMX) zoning district shall include
performance standards aimed at buffering residential properties from other more intensive uses. In
addition, existing single family homes in the mixed-use district will not be given non-conforming status.
These properties may continue to be used in a manner that is consistent with their existing zoning
classification.
Finally, the City will consider drafting performance standards specific to the LDR and MDR zoning
districts in the Village Planning Area. These standards would be informed by the objectives and goals of
the Village Planning Area,translating the vision towards implementation. To achieve the desired vision
for the Village, it is important to integrate performance standards that are consistent with the vision and
can be implemented into the built environment.
Form-Based Zoning
In addition to standard zoning, the City will pursue the adoption of a form-based code, or hybrid code, in
the Village Center or mixed-use area. The purpose of this code is to more effectively regulate the form
and street pattern in the Village Center, providing more concrete guidance for the downtown. At a base
level,this form-based code will be aimed at extending the traditional main street development pattern
that currently exists in downtown Lake Elmo. The City views the continuation of this development
pattern as crucial to establishing downtown Lake Elmo as a destination, evoking a unique and inspiring
sense of place. As part of the form-based code,the City will consider different standards for pedestrian-
oriented uses and automobile-oriented uses, possibly resulting in two transects within the mixed-use
area. The ultimate goal for the Village Center is to create a pedestrian-friendly district that provides
excellent opportunities to live,work and play. The form-based or hybrid code may be critical in making
the downtown district a success.
Design Standards
Considering the fact that it is difficult to transform the built environment once it has already been
established, it is important to incorporate quality design elements from the onset. As a result, it is
important to provide guidance or standards related to site and building design as the City proceeds with
growth and development. To ensure that the newly developed areas of Lake Elmo are of a high quality
in both form and function,the City will pursue the adoption of design guidelines or standards. These
standards will be applicable to the higher intensity uses in the community. More specifically, design
guidelines or standards will be established for high-density residential, commercial, business park and
mixed-use development in Lake Elmo. These higher intensity uses will have a larger impact on the built
environment and public spaces of the community. Creating a set of uniform guidelines ensures that
everyone is playing by the same rules,thereby protecting the property values of all who invest in the
community. In addition to guidelines aimed at site and building design, the design standards may
encourage other guidelines related to environmentally sensitive design or site specific considerations,
such as acoustical standards near the Lake Elmo Airport. These considerations will be offered as
guidance as opposed to strict standards. To ensure the success of the newly developed areas over the
long-term, it is important to promote high quality site and building design.
Greenbelt/Open Space
The provision of open space is a critical component of fulfilling the vision of the Village Land Use Plan.
Equally important is the method of implementation. If the implementation of the Village Open Space
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