HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-15-25 The Fresh NewsletterAugust 15, 2025
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Schedule
Parks Commission Meeting
Monday, August 18, 2025, 6:30 pm
Economic Development Authority Meeting
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 - 6:00 pm
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 7:00 pm
Meetings are held at City Hall, 3880 Laverne Ave N.,
Lake Elmo, MN 55042. Changes or cancellations will be
posted at Lakeelmo.gov/calendar.
How to Watch
Watch online or on cable television here.
Find meeting agendas and minutes at the City of Lake Elmo, MN
Summer Hours
Beginning the week of Memorial Day and continuing through Labor Day, Lake Elmo City Hall’s business
hours will be:
Monday – Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Friday 8:00 AM – Noon.
CITY BUSINESS
Gate Valve Exercising begins August 4
With over 1200 gate valves in the city, preventative maintenance
needs to be done to ensure gate valves operate correctly when
required. Public works staff will be exercising water gate valves for
two weeks, starting August 4. During this time, about 1/3 of the city
will be completed.
Many of the city’s water main gate valves lie eight feet beneath the
surface of the street. Without exercising the gate valve regularly, it
can seize up, becoming inoperable. Sand or rocks can also fill the
access hole, preventing staff members from operating them in an
emergency.
The valves are strategically placed to isolate areas of the main in
case a main break or leak occurs. Without these valves in good
working condition, large areas of the system would have to be shut
down instead of isolating small segments of the water
main. Residents may experience a loss of water pressure for a short
period. Should you see Public Works staff exercising valves, please
slow down to prevent injury or damage to equipment.
Reid Park Parking Lot Construction
The Reid Park parking lot will be under construction starting August
18. The project will extend the existing sidewalk from the park to 30th
Street, add a new trail, lay down a new asphalt surface, increase
parking spaces, and install concrete curbs to manage stormwater.
Access to the park will be limited to pedestrians during the week of
August 25, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of
September.
It's Here!
Our much-anticipated new website is finally here! Visit LakeElmo.gov
and take a virtual tour. We hope you love it as much as we do!
SUMMER ROAD PROJECTS
10th Street East of Palmer Drive to Manning Ave. To
Close August 18 for Three Weeks
10th Street east of Palmer Drive will close for three weeks starting
August 18th. This is the same closure that was announced a couple
of weeks ago, but the contractor encountered groundwater issues
and had to revise the plan to finish the school utility extension work.
Washington County / Lake Elmo Summer Road Projects
The Washington County Inwood Avenue (CSAH
13) road project is finished and is now open in
Washington County will begin Phase 3
of the County Highway 15 (Manning
Avenue) August 18.
both directions.
Crews will stripe the roads on Monday, August
18th, and Tuesday, August 19th. There may be
temporary shoulder closures, but the road will
remain open.
The project includes the addition of
center left-turn lanes and right-turn
lanes at key locations, the elimination
of (northerly) 18th Street North access
to Manning, a trail connection from
18th Street North to 18th Street Ct,
and pavement rehabilitation.
This project is expected to be
completed by the end of the fall. You
can learn more here.
LAKE ELMO PARKS AND RECREATION
With over 500 acres of city parkland and more than 80 miles of trails, Lake Elmo features an extensive park
and trail system for residents and visitors to enjoy and explore. Our park and trail system provides a diverse
range of recreational opportunities, including organized sports, casual play, nature appreciation, hiking,
cross-country skiing, horseback riding, picnicking, relaxation, and many other outdoor activities.
Each park offers high-quality recreational facilities and open spaces for the community to enjoy while
preserving the history, setting, character, and unique features that make each park special. We are excited
to highlight one of Lake Elmo Park's parks biweekly, inviting our community to learn about and appreciate
the contributions these parks make to our growing and thriving community.
The asphalt trails at Pebble, Demontreville, and Kleis Park have been completed.
Hammes Park
Hammes Park features three separate playground areas, complete
with swings, slides, monkey bars, climbing walls, benches, and a
picnic table. This park is ADA accessible.
Visit Hammes Park at 9337 6th St. N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042, or visit
LakeElmo.gov to learn more about our parks.
LIFE IN LAKE ELMO
Attention Lake Elmo Businesses, non-profit
organizations, and Neighborhoods!
You may have heard that Lake Elmo is celebrating its 100th
Anniversary this year. In September, we would like to encourage you
to host an event to commemorate this centennial celebration, or
weave the 100th anniversary into an existing event. Consider a
sidewalk chalk art contest, scavenger hunt, Lake Elmo temporary
tattoos, a contest around the theme of 100, or a game from 100
years ago.
To commemorate this special milestone, Connect Lake Elmo is also
highlighting Lake Elmo-themed products and promotions with a kick-
back to our community.
You can check out the Connect Lake Elmo website for more
information on how to submit your event or themed product/service.
LAKE ELMO CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 9.13.25
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 13, 2025.
Join the City of Lake Elmo as we celebrate our 100th birthday with a
street dance, food trucks, and a beer tent, culminating in a small
fireworks display.
Follow along for more details.
Stillwater Area Schools Back to School Reminder
Parents, get ready - it's back-to-school time again!
Following are start dates:
August 18* Grade 6 & 9 - Orientation and First Day of School.
Grade K-5 - Ready, Set, Go conferences.
August 19* Grade 7-8, 10-12 - First Day of School.
August 21* Grade K-5 - First Day of School.
August 25* Preschool - First Day of School.
The new Lake Elmo Elementary School is on target to open for the
2026/27 Academic School Year. You can find out about your school
here.
Lake Elmo Farmer's Market Final Week of the Season!
RUN, don't walk, to the final market of the season! The end of an 11-
year era. This week, make sure you: stock up on market favorites,
find out how you can get market finds in the off-season, try
something new, take time to thank market staff, and support
local small businesses! Produce. Flowers. Meat. Honey. Baked
Goods. Eggs. Bath & body products. and so much more!
Lake Elmo Farmer's Market is located at Lake Elmo Elementary,
Saturday, August 16th, from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
See YOU at the market!
Join the Guided Tour of the Tree Trek Exhibit
After a little over a year, our little Tree Trek trees are starting to grow
up. On Saturday, August 16th, and 1 p.m., we’ll be offering a guided
tour of the exhibit so you can see how far they’ve come.
A cooperative effort of the Washington County Master Gardeners
Tree Squad and the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center, our
Tree Trek follows a short path around the center, then along a
wheelchair accessible trail into the park, with information along the
way about the various tree species that you will encounter.
Take a guided tour with local master gardeners and learn all about
native trees and tree life in Sunfish Lake Park, with a special focus
on what happens to those trees during the summer season. This is a
free event and open to the public. Learn about the SMINC’s Tree
Trek, and come join us.
Recycle Your Mattress for Free
Now through September 8, Washington County households can
register to bring up to four mattresses/box springs to an
Environmental Center free of charge.
Online sign up is required. Once registration is submitted,
participants will receive an email with detailed drop-off instructions.
Collection may end early if limit is reached.
Register online
Watering Season and Irrigation
Lake Elmo City Watering Ordinance allows properties connected to
the city water system to irrigate twice a week, as indicated on the
city's irrigation zone map. Irrigation is restricted from 5:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Hand watering is permitted at any time, and new sod
waivers are available if needed.
Using a smart irrigation controller device can further reduce your
water usage. For more information on watering restrictions, please
visit lakeelmo.gov.
What Do My Taxes Pay For?
The City Council adopted the 2025 Tax Levy on December 17. City
Finance staff have developed a downloadable property tax calculator
that estimates 2025 city taxes (no other jurisdictions) on your home.
It shows approximately how much of your taxes are allocated to each
service area.
Check it out here.
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, and printed copies are
available at City Hall. A recording of the meeting is available 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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Our mission is to provide quality public services in a fiscally responsible manner in
partnership with our community.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North | Lake Elmo, MN 55042 US
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