HomeMy WebLinkAboutComp Plan - Planned Land Uses Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter 111—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]
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 1-94. [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
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 1-94. [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
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Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Chapter 111—Land Use Plan
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 1-94. [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 1-94. [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 1-94 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
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
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