HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-21-25 The FreshMarch 21, 2025
Public Meetings Next Week:
Planning Commission Meeting
March 24, 6:30 p.m. Cancelled.
Visit our website
Join us on Nextdoor
Full meeting packets and meeting minutes can be accessed here:
Agendas and Minutes
Utility Rate Change in April
Utility Rate increases are planned for the Quarter 1 billing in April. The rate changes were determined by
an extensive utility fund financial study that accounts for strategic moves toward funding capital needs,
decreasing debt, as well as the need to fund operations of the new water treatment plants.
The overall utility bill impact to an average residential property using 20,000 gallons is expected to be $35
per quarter, or less than $12 per month.
Find out more at City of Lake Elmo, MN
The Lake Elmo Jaycees
donated $12,000 to the city
during Tuesday night's City
Council meeting.
On Tuesday night, the Lake Elmo
Jaycees presented the City Council with
a $12,000 donation from their charitable
gambling pull tabs.
The Lake Elmo Jaycees Charitable
Gambling fund has been supporting St.
Croix Valley communities for years,
fulfilling its mission to be better.
Spring Cleaning Begins!
Public Works will begin street sweeping on
Tuesday, March 24th, and continue through
Friday, March 28th.
Please minimize street parking and keep garbage
containers behind the curb in your driveway.
Metro Transit is opening Gold Line BRT (bus rapid transit), Minnesota’s first Bus Rapid Transit line to operate primarily in
bus-only lanes. Service will begin on March 22, 2025. The METRO Gold Line is a 10-mile Bus Rapid Transit project that
connects St. Paul to Woodbury with 16 stations along mostly bus-only lanes.
The Gold Line will operate between 5 a.m. and midnight, seven days a week. Service will be every 10 minutes
on weekdays during peak and midday times and every 15 minutes during peak and midday times on
weekends. End-to-end travel time for the Gold Line is 35 minutes eastbound and 37 minutes westbound.
An Opening-Day Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony will be held on March 22 at 10:00 a.m. at the Woodlane Park & Ride in
Woodbury. This event is open to all, and guests can expect remarks from federal, state, and local policymakers.
Two Opening Day Community Celebrations will be held on March 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Woodlane Park &
Ride in Woodbury and the Sun Ray Park & Ride in St. Paul. The events are open to all, and guests can expect food
trucks, entertainment, giveaways, and activities and resources for all ages.
Rides on the Gold Line will be free for seven days, beginning on opening day, Saturday, March 22, through Friday,
March 28. Washington and Ramsey Counties sponsor the free rides.
Each March, Washington County sends
property owners a Valuation
Notice outlining their property's assessed
market value.
What if you believe your assessed value
or classification is incorrect? If you want
to discuss your tax assessment,
contact the Washington County
Your property's market value, defined
by Minnesota Statute 272.03, sub 8 .,
provides the basis for the property taxes
you pay each year.
2025 assessed values are based on real
estate transactions between October 1,
2023, and September 30, 2024.
To learn more, visit Washington County's
website Understanding Your Property
Value and Tax section.
Assessor's Office, or email
assessor@co.washington.mn.us.
If you want to learn more or appeal your
tax valuation, attend the 2025 Local
Board of Appeal and Equalization (LBAE)
meeting on Tuesday, April 15, from 4:30
p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Lake Elmo City Hall.
What do my property taxes pay for?
Property Tax Calculator
The City Council adopted the 2025 Tax Levy on December 17. City Finance Dept. staff has
developed a downloadable tool that estimates 2025 city taxes (not other jurisdictions) on
your home and shows approximately how much of your taxes go toward each service
area. Check it out at
https://www.lakeelmo.gov/departments/finance___utility/property_tax_calculator.php
More courts are open!
Lake Elmo Public Works crews installed pickleball and tennis nets at
Pebble Park and Tablyn Park today. Next week, Lion's Park nets will be
installed.
You can learn more about the parks in Lake Elmo by visiting the provided
link.
Spring Load Restrictions
start March 1
The Minnesota Department of Transportation,
MNDOT, will start spring load restrictions in the
SOUTH, SOUTHEAST, AND METRO frost zones,
including Lake Elmo, on Monday, March 3, 2025,
at 12:01 a.m.
Lake Elmo follows MNDOT's start and end dates
for the metro seasonal load limits. View the Spring
Road Maps and Lake Elmo road restrictions here.
Road Restrictions
Cimarron Community Farm's
2025 Summer CSA
Do you love fresh, organic veggies? Do you want to
support your local food system? Cimarron Community
Farm's 2025 Summer CSA program is now open and a
perfect way for your family to eat fresh all season.
16 weeks of fresh, local, organic produce (mid-
June to September.)
$530 for a summer share.
On-farm pick-up, Wednesdays, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
A typical box may include fresh herbs, tomatoes,
zucchini, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, kale, eggplant,
onions, and more.
Sign up now for our Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) membership to access the best produce in town!
cimarroncommunityfarm.com
cimarroncommunityfarmMN@gmail.com
(952) 607-0157
Lake Elmo Public Works
is hiring!
We are hiring seasonal maintenance staff to
assist our full-time Public Works staff in
maintaining and repairing our city streets and
parks.
This position will involve training in several
areas. Work up to 40 hours per week, with an
anticipated start date in May.
Salary range is $18 to $19 per hour/ starting
pay. Must be 16 years of age and have a valid
driver's license.
Apply Here
BECOME A WASHINGTON COUNTY TREE STEWARD
Join the Washington Conservation District and
UMN to learn more about trees and how to help
care for our collective urban forest!
The Minnesota Tree Steward program is
designed for people who love trees, enjoy being
outdoors, and want to volunteer with their
community.
Through a partnership with the Washington
Conservation District (WCD) and the University
of Minnesota, you’ll learn how to care for young
and newly planted trees in public spaces of
Washington County.
After completing the training and short
assessment, you‘ll also become a certified Tree
Steward Volunteer who can participate in
activities under the guidance of WCD/ host site
Forestry staff.
To stay active, volunteers must complete 25
hours of volunteer work and/or participate in 3
tree-related volunteer events each year.
Questions? Email Jessica Sahu Teli
Workshop dates (Pick one): April 5th: 9am - 2
pm: Scandia Community Center April 12th: 9 am
- 2 pm: Nordic Center in Lake Elmo Park
Reserve. Register Here.
Pothole Season is upon us
A pothole is a depression or hollow in a road
surface, caused by ground water and traffic.
Potholes form when water seeps into tiny cracks in
the road surface, usually caused by traffic. When
this water freezes it expands and then when it
thaws, it gets smaller. This makes the cracks
larger, further weakening the road and increasing
the amount of water that can get under the
surface. As the road surface weakens, traffic
breaks it up to create a small hole, which expands
as more traffic passes over.
Need some help from our public works team?
Report a pothole here.
Winter Parking Ordinance
The winter parking ordinance
prohibits parking on Lake Elmo
streets from November 1
through March 31 between 2:00
AM and 7:00 AM, or during a
snow event outside of those
hours.
Remember, if the City's trucks
are blocked they can't plow your
streets!
Lead Service Line Inventory Project
The City of Lake Elmo has completed and submitted its service line materials inventory to
the Minnesota Department of Health. The service line inventory is publicly available, and
you can check the materials for your service line by visiting the Lead Inventory Tracking
Tool (LITT) at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/ you may also contact us Lake Elmo staff @ 651-
747-3946. To complete the service line inventory our system gathered information from
building records along with, door to door and self verification. As on 09/27/2024, our
inventory contains 0 lead, 2 galvanized requiring replacement, 280 unknown material and
3327 non-lead service lines. You may contact the Lake Elmo Public Works Department to
update the tracking records at any time.
Tree Trimming
Lake Elmo Public Works Staff will be trimming trees over public sidewalks, trails
and along the roadways as weather permits. Tree trimming is necessary to improve
the health and appearance of trees and to lessen the interference with pedestrians,
bikers and traffic. Trimming is required if trees are obstructing street lights, signs,
trails, and roadways. Trees are trimmed to 20 feet over streets or curb, and 7 feet
over a sidewalk or path. Staff will only be trimming trees which are in the city’s
right-of-way (typically 15 feet behind the curb or road edge) or impede on a city
sidewalk and trail. Limbs will be cut back to the trunk of the tree and will be
removed from the site. To balance the appearance of a tree staff will occasionally
trim around all sides of a tree.
Questions can be directed to Lake Elmo Public Works
Attention – NEW Utility Billing Payment Portal
We have moved to an intuitive new Utility Billing Portal called Paya.
Grab your City of Lake Elmo utility account number and proceed to Paya at the link
below to register, manage your account, set up autopay, or make payments.
LakeElmo.PayaCP.com
If Autopay isn't for you, try out the new Text-and-Pay option.
If you need assistance, reach out to us at RNess@LakeElmo.gov or call 651-747-
3906.
Safe Drinking Water Meeting
Replay is Available
The City of Lake Elmo, along with the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA) and Minnesota Department
of Health (MDH) hosted an
informational meeting regarding
PFAS, safe drinking water and private
wells on July 25, 2024, where
presentations were given by MPCA,
MDH and Lake Elmo’s City Engineer
as well as a question and answer
period for the participants. The
presentation slides are
available here as well as printed
copies are available at City Hall. A
recording of the meeting is
available here.
Private Wells
and PFAS
If you have questions about your private well water quality, please reach out to the MPCA.
You can request your well be tested here: https://webapp.pca.state.mn.us/gw-
sampling-req/
PFAS well sampling FAQs: PFAS Well Sampling Frequently Asked Questions
(state.mn.us)
Water filtration FAQs: PFAS Water Filtration Frequently Asked Questions
(state.mn.us)
MDH website about PFAS filtration PFAS and Home Treatment of Water - MN
Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)
Private well sampling interactive map: Private Well Sampling in the East Metro Area
(arcgis.com)
If you have questions about private well testing in the East Metro, call 651-757-
2903, or email
east_metro_pfas_private_well_sampling_inquiries.mpca@state.mn.us
Information about PFAS from the department of health can be found Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)
MPCA blueprint for Minnesota and PFAS. Minnesota’s PFAS Blueprint | Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (state.mn.us)
Good information to reduce your exposure to PFAS can be found Reducing
Exposures: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-MN Dept. of Health and
PFAS - SixClasses.org
Please visit the City of Lake Elmo’s water resources webpage to learn more
at lakeelmo.gov/residents/index.php
If you know someone who has concerns about their water, please forward this newsletter
to them and encourage them to sign up for the FRESH HERE
The Lake Elmo Community Development
Department is happy to share our new Sign
Guide, created to help local businesses and
residents understand the sign regulations in
our community. This guide offers information
on the types of signs allowed, size
requirements, placement, and more. Whether
you are a business owner looking to advertise
or a resident curious about neighborhood
guidelines, this is a good resource for you.
Check out the Lake Elmo Sign Guide (linked
here: Sign Guide) to learn more.
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