HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-22-25 The FreshAugust 22, 2025
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Schedule
Planning Commission Meeting
Monday, August 25, 2025, 6:30 pm -CANCELLED
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
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.
The Public Works Crew is out doing Ditch Mowing
The Public Works crew is out in the community doing ditch mowing
and will continue for the next two weeks.
Ditch mowing improves sight distance for traffic, reduces snow
drifting onto the road, and lessens the need for chemicals to control
noxious weeds. Please drive safely.
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
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.
Washington County will begin Phase 3
of the County Highway 15 (Manning
Avenue) August 18.
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.
Ivywood 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
Come Celebrate With Us ~ Lake Elmo is Turning 100!
This year marks a century of community, tradition, and hometown
pride, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate with you.
Join us Saturday, September 13, as we honor our history, enjoy
time together, and look forward to the next hundred years.
Details: Saturday, September 13, 2025
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Lions Park, Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Festivities include a street dance, food trucks, a beer tent, and a
small fireworks display. We hope to see friends, neighbors, and
families all come together for this once-in-a-lifetime milestone.
Follow us at Centennial Street Dance & Celebration | Lake Elmo, MN
for more details.
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.
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!
Our summer camps are all wrapped up, but for our
littlest campers, the fun continues!
Our Toddler Tuesdays are modeled on our Little Explorer camps—
just on a different day. Our first one is on Tuesday, September 9 th:
Damselflies and Dragonflies!
Do you know what critters are known for their incredible aerial skills
and can catch 96% of their prey they chase? If you guessed
dragonflies and damselflies, you were correct! Come join us to learn
about these amazing flyers. At the end of the camp, you can even try
your hand at catching a few.
Looking for a unique experience with a nature-based program for you
and your toddlers? The Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center is
excited to present its second year of our Toddler Tuesdays
program! The program runs 1 ½ hours – 1 hour is structured with a
nature-themed story time, a take-home craft, and a movement game.
The last 30 minutes is time to explore the nature center and make
new friends!
We will be outside in the milder months and inside for the colder
months, except for part of the WINTER FUN program. Adults must
accompany children.
$8.00 for children 1-5 years old. Adults & children younger than 1 are
free. Space is limited to 25 participants, so register early.
Bluegrass Festival returns to Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Sept. 6
Washington County’s 23rd annual Bluegrass Festival will be from 2
to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at Lake Elmo Park Reserve’s South
Pavilion.
The free family-friendly event fuses community, the great outdoors,
and homegrown bluegrass music.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for an
afternoon of enjoyment. Food trucks will be on-site selling food, and
there will be fun activities such as face painting. Camping is available
by reservation at the park’s campgrounds.
The music schedule is:
• 2-2:50 p.m. – Barley Jacks
• 3-3:50 p.m. – Triple Fiddle
• 4-4:50 p.m. – Brotherhood of Birds Band
• 5-6 p.m. – Monroe Crossing
The Bluegrass Festival is free with a vehicle permit ($7 daily, $30
annually), which is required to enter the park. No animals or alcohol
at the festival. Lake Elmo Park Reserve is at 1515 Keats Ave. N. in
Lake Elmo. See WashingtonCountyMN.gov/Parks for maps and
more information.
Inspire Your Community by Becoming a Recycling
Ambassador
Recycling Ambassadors take a six-week training program to learn
more about food waste, composting, environmental health, waste
systems, and general recycling. Recycling Ambassadors will have
opportunities to volunteer and encourage others to reduce, reuse,
and recycle.
Classes are held on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in
September/October. Classes are virtual, except for in-person tours
scheduled for Sept. 10 and Oct. 1.
Register at https://bit.ly/4mAX8r1.
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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