HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-21-25 The Fresh Weekly NewsletterNovember 21, 2025
PUBLIC MEETINGS
City Hall Meetings Schedule
Planning Commission Meeting
Monday, November 24, 2025 - 6:30 p.m. - 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
CITY BUSINESS
City Hall will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27, and Friday,
Nov. 28, in observance of Thanksgiving.
City Hall will be closed on Thursday, November 27, and Friday,
November 28, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
We will reopen and resume regular business hours on Monday,
December 1. We wish everyone a safe, restful, and happy holiday
weekend.
Lake Elmo prepares the proposed 2026 Budget & Tax
Levy
The City’s annual budget is more than numbers on a page—it’s the
financial plan that supports day-to-day operations, drives community
projects, and helps carry out the priorities set by the City Council. It
guides policy decisions and ensures staff can deliver the services
and improvements our residents rely on.
State law requires cities to prepare a budget each year, but the
process is ongoing and thoughtfully designed. Our budgeting work is
shaped by long-term strategic planning, public feedback, and
direction from the City Council.
Want to learn more about the 2026 preliminary budget? Visit the
2026 Budget & Tax Levy page to see how the plan is being built and
what it means for Lake Elmo.
The City Council is scheduled to adopt the final levy and budget at
the December 16 City Council meeting.
Learn About the Features on Our New Website
What's happening in Lake Elmo? Check out our Life in Lake Elmo
page. You can view the calendar to see upcoming meetings and find
information on sustainability, parks, community events, and resident
resources.
ROAD PROJECTS
UPDATE: Road Closure on Hudson Blvd East of
Inwood
Hudson Boulevard east of Inwood Avenue will be closed to
westbound traffic, along with a full closure of Hudson Boulevard east
of Eagle Point Boulevard, starting September 11, 2025, to complete
a forcemain replacement project. Business access will be fully open
west of Julia to the point of the road closure.
The closure and detour route are shown on the attached drawing.
Construction is expected to extend by an additional 2 to 3
weeks.
Washington County / Lake Elmo Road Projects
Washington County's Phase 3 of the
County Highway 15 (Manning Avenue)
The project includes adding center-left and right-turn
lanes at key locations, eliminating (northerly) access
to Manning from 18th Street North, adding 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.
Tana Ridge Park
Tana Ridge Park, located at 4670 Linden Trail N., is a welcoming
neighborhood park that offers something for all ages to enjoy. The
park features a playground for children, open ball fields for
recreational games, and picnic tables perfect for family gatherings or
a quiet lunch outdoors.
With its mix of play areas, sports fields, and relaxation spaces, Tana
Ridge Park provides a convenient, family-friendly spot for the
community to gather and enjoy the outdoors.
Visit Tana Ridge Park or visit LakeElmo.gov to learn more about all
our parks.
LIFE IN LAKE ELMO
November is National Native American Heritage Month!
Join us November 22 at 1:00 pm at the Sally Manzara Interpretive
Nature Center for a special gathering with Dr. Paul Red Elk for an
interview about a Native American’s viewpoint on this created
holiday, life on the reservation and why people stay, discussion of
spirituality, ceremonies and basic life of historic native life.
If you want an opportunity to ask questions about Native life, Paul
will do his best to answer.
This is a rare and wonderful opportunity to connect to the Native
culture. The cost of this event is $25 per person. Visit our website to
sign up! Visit our website to sign up! Sally Manzara Interpretive
Nature Center
Light Up Lake Elmo returns December 6!
It's that time of year again! Our charming, small-town tradition, Light
Up Lake Elmo, is on Dec 6th from 3-5 pm. Keep an eye out for Santa
after 4:15, as he will roll in on a firetruck.
Gather in the Hagstrom Builder courtyard for caroling and tree
lighting, which will take place around 4:30. It's sure to be a magical
evening in Lake Elmo. Please note: To secure a safe area to stroll
Main Street and take in the festivities, Lake Elmo Ave will begin
closing just before 2:30 and will reopen after the crowd disperses
(between 5:00-5:30 pm) around the event area.
The event is organized by Connect Lake Elmo, in partnership with
the City of Lake Elmo, the Lake Elmo Fire Department, and the
Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you to our sponsors, Lake Elmo Bank, Lake Elmo Rotary
Club, and Sally Manzara Nature Center.
Please visit the website below to learn more about our in-kind
sponsors who make this event really special, as well as the
businesses hosting activities that afternoon and evening.
You can find more at Light Up Lake Elmo on the Connect Lake Elmo
website.
Free entry to all Washington County Parks on Friday,
November 28
Spend some time outdoors during your Thanksgiving weekend.
Washington County Parks is offering free vehicle entry to all its parks
on Friday, November 28, encouraging residents and visitors to spend
time outdoors with friends and family during the holiday weekend.
County parks offer many amenities, including hiking, mountain
biking, horse trails, and cross-country skiing in winter.
For more information, visit Washington County Parks | Washington
County, MN - Official Website
Drop off your hazardous materials and electronics
before the holidays get too busy!
Washington County operates two Environmental Centers in Forest
Lake and Woodbury for the collection of household hazardous waste,
electronics, and more! Both the North Environmental Center in
Forest Lake and the South Environmental Center in Woodbury make
it easy to safely recycle and dispose of household hazardous waste,
electronics, and food scraps.
From old paint and batteries to broken TVs and compostable kitchen
waste, these centers provide a safe, convenient way to protect our
environment and reduce landfill waste.
Plus, don’t forget to check out the Free Product Room, where
residents can pick up usable items like paint and cleaners for free!
Visit https://www.washingtoncountymn.gov/626/Recycling-and-
Waste-Disposal to learn what’s accepted, view hours, and find the
location nearest you.
For full details on accepted items, hours, and neighborhoods served,
visit washingtoncountymn.gov/environment.
Join the Lake Elmo Rotary
Come and join the Lake Elmo Rotary Club. We are a dynamic group
of women and men doing great work in the community and looking
for other members of the community who believe in providing service
to others, promoting integrity, and understanding to others.
Lake Elmo Rotary Club - Free Breakfast Coupon
Join us the 1st or 3rd Wednesday of each month, at 7:00 AM
Lake Elmo Inn, 3442 Lake Elmo Ave., Lake Elmo MN
Please RSVP Mondays by noon - text Liz at 651.283.8794
Expires January 30, 2026
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.
What Do My Taxes Pay For?
The City Council will vote and adopt the 2026 Budget on December 16. City Finance staff have developed
a downloadable property tax calculator that estimates 2026 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.
If you need to search your property, you can view the Washington County Property Tax Search here.
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
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