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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-05-25 The Fresh Weekly NewsletterSeptember 5, 2025 PUBLIC MEETINGS Schedule​ Planning Commission Meeting Monday, September 8, 2025, 7:00 pm - CANCELLED City Council Workshop Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 6:30 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 CITY BUSINESS Pickleball Court Changes We understand that pickleball has quickly grown in popularity and brings many neighbors together, but we also recognize concerns about noise from the courts. To help balance recreation with neighborhood peace, the City has set all city park pickleball court hours from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Play is limited to daylight hours only, and no lighting will be used or allowed after sunset. These guidelines ensure everyone can enjoy the courts while respecting the quiet and comfort of nearby homes. Out of respect for our surrounding neighborhoods, the practice walls at the Pebble and Tablyn courts will be removed to eliminate extra noise. Park users are reminded that amplified music is not permitted on the courts. To further reduce sound impacts, the City will research and recommend options like sound-reducing barriers and additional landscaping with trees and bushes for consideration in 2026. These steps continue our effort to balance recreational opportunities with the comfort of nearby residents. Water Tower 1 is scheduled to be removed the week of September 15 . Water Tower 1 is a 75,000-gallon tank built by Universal Tank & Iron Works, Inc. in 1962 to serve the Old Village area of Lake Elmo. The City has hired Iseler Demolition to remove the existing water tower at the south end of Langly Court. The work is tentatively scheduled for the week of September 15th. The removal of the tank is expected to take one or two days and will involve closing the roadway in the cul-de-sac. Site cleanup and restoration will follow, with construction scheduled to be completed this fall. 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. Crack Fill and Seal Coat Projects have Begun Over the next two weeks, the City of Lake Elmo will be out on the streets doing some much-needed maintenance, including crack sealing and seal coating. These improvements help extend the life of our roads and keep them in good shape for years to come. Please be patient and drive safely around public works crews. See the complete map here. It's Here! Our much-anticipated new website is finally here! Visit LakeElmo.gov and take a virtual tour. Stay updated on news and other topics in Lake Elmo. Our new website offers notifications about updates on road and trail closures, detours, and important announcements through our Notify Me option. To sign up, navigate to the NOTIFY ME from the notifications tab in the center of the home page at LakeElmo.gov, choose email options, and/or if you prefer text messages on your phone, select that. Then choose from different lists, such as News Flashes, Agendas, and Calendars. It’s an easy way to stay informed about ongoing developments. You can unsubscribe anytime! ROAD PROJECTS 10th Street East of Palmer Drive to Manning Ave. Closed through September 12 10th Street east of Palmer Drive is closed and is expected to be completed by the middle of September. Washington County / Lake Elmo Summer Road Projects Washington County's Phase 3 of the County Highway 15 (Manning Avenue) 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. Kleis Park Kleis Park has a new playground with a paved trail for bikers, strollers, and walkers. The baseball field is set on plenty of green space, and the mature trees make a great spot for a picnic. Visit Kleis Park at 5285 Jamaca Ave, 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 - Flyover 5:40 pm - Mayor's Welcome 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm - Food Trucks, Beer & Seltzer Trailer 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Street Dance with music by Tyte Phitt 9:00 pm - Fireworks Display Lions Park, Lake Elmo, MN 55042 *You must be 21 years of age or older and present a valid ID to consume alcohol. Follow us at Centennial Street Dance & Celebration | Lake Elmo, MN for more details. This weekend kicks off the first events celebrating Lake Elmo's 100th Anniversary This weekend kicks off the first events celebrating Lake Elmo's 100th Anniversary! Throw on a cozy sweater and join in on the fun. About the anniversary: https://connectlakeelmo.org/100years Full calendar of events: https://connectlakeelmo.org/events Happening this week: FRI, SEPT 5 (3-6 pm) CENTENNIAL SIP & SAVOR TASTING at Lake Elmo Village Wine & Spirits Raise a toast and join Village Wine & Spirits for a fun, informal gathering to celebrate this exciting milestone and sample a variety of tastings. 10% of proceeds from featured tastings will be donated to Connect Lake Elmo. FRI, SEPT 5 (4-7 pm) COMMUNITY DAY PICNIC at Lake Elmo Bank (Lake Elmo Branch) To kick off Lake Elmo's 100th Anniversary, Lake Elmo Bank is hosting its 29th annual Community Day Picnic, open to the entire community. This FREE event offers something for everyone - grilled hot dogs, roasted corn, ice cream, music, bingo, petting zoo, and more. Make plans to join us. LEB Community Day SAT, SEPT 6 (1-3 pm) ICE CREAM SOCIAL at Gorman's Restaurant Enjoy a free ice cream treat and select from 21 flavors! Drive through, sit on the deck, or join us inside to look at all of the memorabilia and history of Lake Elmo. SAT, SEPT 6 (2-6 pm) BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL at Lake Elmo Park Reserve The annual Washington County Bluegrass Festival fuses community, the great outdoors, and homegrown bluegrass music. It’s our way of celebrating a successful summer season and giving thanks to everyone for supporting Washington County. Text Link Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center Fall Fundraiser Mark your calendars: September 20, 4 to 7 p.m. We’re having a Fall Fundraiser for the SMINC. As we come to the end of our fiscal year, we’re putting on one more fundraiser for the center. We’ll have food, games, and crafts for the kids, and music by local musician Colton Warren. Come out, enjoy the hiking and biking trails, have some food and drink, and listen to some fantastic tunes out on our patio. Suggested donation for admission is $5 per person, payable at the event. All profits from ticket and food sales benefit the nature center. Colton Warren is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Twin Cities area who embraces a variety of musical styles. In the vein of Jack Johnson and The Lumineers, Colton uses his six-string guitar and rich baritone voice to create music that sounds like waves, whiskey, and wanderlust. Colton also integrates his 12-string guitar into live sets, building an atmospheric sound that is both soothing and vibrant. Whatever the instrument, his songs are crafted to inspire listeners in their own creativity. Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center 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. BIZ RECYCLING Get free recycling assistance at your apartment! Property managers in Ramsey or Washington County can get free help through BizRecycling—a program that offers: · Free in-unit recycling bins and signage · Expert waste-reduction guidance · Up to $20,000 in grant funding for recycling improvements In 2025, a 174-unit property in Oakdale observed an estimated cost savings of $300 a month following the construction of an enclosure funded by the BizRecycling grant! This free assistance can help address illegal dumping, prevent contamination and overage charges, and reduce overall trash volumes. Get started by scheduling a free waste assessment and submitting a contact form here:. If you are a resident at an apartment and want to get involved, forward this to your property manager! *Multi-unit residential properties with 5 or more units in Ramsey and Washington counties are eligible for BizRecycling assistance. 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. Join us on Nextdoor Visit our website 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 Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice