HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-29-26 The Fresh NewsletterFriday, May 29, 2026
Lake Elmo City Center Public
Meetings
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - 7:00 p.m.
Meetings are held at City Hall, 3880 Laverne
Ave N., Lake Elmo, MN 55042. Changes or
cancellations will be posted
at Lakeelmo.gov/calendar.
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/calendar]
How to Watch
Watch online
[https://www.youtube.com/@CityofLakeElm
oMN/videos] or on cable television SCCTV
[https://vod.scctv.org/internetchannel/?
channel=10]
Find meeting agendas and minutes at the
City of Lake Elmo, MN
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/agendacenter]
*Please Note: Beginning the week of
Memorial Day and continuing through Labor
Day, Lake Elmo City Center's business hours
will be:
SUMMER HOURS
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday - 8:00 AM - Noon
2026 Lake Elmo Roadwork and Construction Updates
Minnesota's Other Season -
Road Construction
Welcome to Minnesota’s other season—road
construction 🚧
As roadwork ramps up across the
community, we’ll keep you informed on
projects, timelines, and any impacts
throughout the summer. Stay tuned for
updates to help you plan ahead and travel
safely!
CSAH 14 - Stillwater Blvd
Closure Westbound from 39th
St. to Lake Elmo Ave. N Delayed
to June 8
Traffic control and detour setup for the CSAH
14 Watermain Improvements project has
been postponed until June 8 due to
contractor crew and equipment availability.
Construction is expected to take
approximately two months to complete,
weather and progress permitting.
Prewarning signs will be installed one week
before the detour route is in place.
CSAH 14 (Stillwater Boulevard) will be closed to
westbound traffic from 39th Street to Lake Elmo
Ave. N. (west of the elementary school).
Stillwater Boulevard will be eastbound traffic
only. All access points to side streets (Lake
Elmo Avenue, Laverne Avenue, and Layton
Avenue) will be open to turn onto off Stillwater
Boulevard.
All residential and commercial driveways that
access to Stillwater Boulevard will be open
during construction and accessible if traveling
eastbound on Stillwater Boulevard. The work is
expected to take approximately 2 months to
complete (weather dependent).
HWY 36 & Lake Elmo Avenue
Project Updates
The construction phase of the Hwy 36 and
Lake Elmo Avenue project will begin in June.
The project is expected to last through the
fall of 2027.
Access to and from Highway 36 at Lake Elmo
Avenue will be closed during construction,
and two lanes of traffic in each direction on
Highway 36 will stay open and will be
separated by concrete barriers.
Access to homes and businesses will stay
open as much as possible, but there may be
short temporary closures. Property owners
will be notified ahead of time about any
closures. People in the area may notice extra
noise and dust during construction. We
appreciate your patience and will do our
best to reduce disruptions. Follow this HWY
36 project here.
[https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9519d
bdf93294a3a84fb1dbc02dbc361]
Lake Elmo 2026 Street and
Utility Improvement Project
The 2026 Street and Utility Improvement
project is underway. The project includes
roadway work on portions of 26th Street
North, 27th Street North, Imperial Avenue
North, Innsdale Avenue North, and Inwood
Avenue North.
Improvements will include reclaiming and
repaving streets, adding concrete curb and
gutter, and repairing or extending storm
sewer systems where needed. No street
widening or major roadway layout changes
are planned. “No Parking” signs will also be
added in accordance with City policy.
Stay up to date on street project schedules,
timelines, and construction details here.
[https://clients.bolton-
menk.com/lakeelmostreets2026/]
City Business
City-180 Acres: Community
Engagement Now Open!
The City of Lake Elmo wants your feedback
on upcoming development at the City-
owned 180 acres (Ideal Ave. & 34th St.)
This acreage is across three parcels The
site's development potential, and the high
visibility of the parcels have created a
unique opportunity for the City. As the City
continues to make progress on this project,
we want to gather community input and
learn about resident priorities.
The City is launching the first round of
community engagement and inviting
residents to share feedback.
Residents can participate in the survey here.
[https://polco.us/n/res/vote/lake-elmo-
mn/city-owned-180-acres-or-community-
engagement-main-version]
City 180-Acre Project page
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/439/City-180-
Acres-Ideal-Ave-34th-St].
As part of this launch, the City has also
renewed our community engagement
platform, Polco, making it easier for residents
to stay connected and participate in future
City projects and initiatives.
Community feedback plays an important
role in helping shape City projects and future
decisions, and we encourage all residents to
participate
Lake Elmo Launches Public Art
Program
The City of Lake Elmo is launching a new
quarterly Public Art Program featuring
rotating exhibits at Lake Elmo City Center.
Local and regional artists, including high
school artists, are encouraged to apply and
showcase their work in a public setting.
The program celebrates creativity and
brings local art to the community year-
round. Learn more about the program and
apply on the website.
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/463/Lake-Elmo-
Public-Art-Display-Program]
City Council passes
amendment to the City Code
to Allow Short-Term Rental
Properties
The City Council passed the amendment to
Title 105 of the City Code, which governs
zoning regulations related to short-term
rental properties Tuesday.
Short-Term Rental Property City Code,
Section 105.12.500, allows a home within the
city to be rented on a short-term basis, 30
days or less, with appropriate licensing.
The City allows a limited number of Short-
Term Rental (STR) licenses to help balance
neighborhood character, housing
availability, and visitor accommodations.
You can learn more about Short-Term
Rentals on the website
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/457/Short-
Term-Rentals]here.
National CPR and AED
Awareness Week June 1-June
7, 2026
It’s CPR Week and we’re supporting the
American Heart Association to help save
lives! Anyone can learn to save a life with
CPR. If you see a teen or adult collapse, call
911 and push hard and fast on the center of
the chest.
You can take a Hands-Only CPR Class at the
Fire Department June 6. See below!
Be ready. Learn more
atwww.heart.org/nation
[http://www.heart.org/nation].
#NationofLifesavers
Lake Elmo Fire Department to
Offer Hands-Only CPR Training
The Lake Elmo Fire Department is offering
free Hands-Only CPR training for residents
and business owners. Participants will learn
two simple steps that can help save a life:
call 911 and push hard and fast in the center
of the chest.
Dates: June 6, August 8, October 10
Learn more and register here: CPR Class
Request Form on the website
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/301/CPR-
Training].
Questions? Call 651-747-3904.
Please note: At this time, no dates have been
confirmed for Heartsaver CPR/AED/First Aid
or Basic Life Support (BLS) sessions.
New Polling Location for
Primary Elections
Heads Up, Lake Elmo Voters! Precincts and
polling locations have changed ahead of the
August Primary Election. Now is a great time
to check your voter registration and polling
place.
Updated Precinct Locations:
City Center – 3880 Laverne Avenue N
*New this year - Rockpoint Church – 5825
Kelvin Avenue N
Absentee Voting:
Early voting begins Friday, June 26. Visit
MNVOTES.GOV [https://www.mnvotes.gov]to
learn more about absentee ballots and early
voting.
Check your polling location:
Visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s
website [http://mnvotes.gov]or contact
Lake Elmo City Hall to confirm your assigned
polling place. (Please note, we do not control
when the upcoming election information is
loaded on the Secretary of State's website; it
may be too early for the primary election to
be active in the system.)
Visit our elections page
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/175/Elections]on
the website for updates this summer.
Around Town
Mark Your Calendars
Summer in Lake Elmo is full of traditions that
bring residents together to celebrate our
community.
Families can look forward to the beloved 4th
of July Kids Parade, where children decorate
bikes, wagons, and strollers for a festive
morning celebration.
On Tuesday, August 4th, Lake Elmo Night
Out returns and offers an evening of
connection with neighbors, first responders,
and family-friendly activities.
The 100th Anniversary Celebration last fall
was so popular, City Council has approved a
plan to host an annual street dance and
food truck celebration, which will take place
Saturday, September 12, in downtown Lake
Elmo.
More details to come!
Lions Park Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony June 2
The community is invited to celebrate the
updated Lions Park with a ribbon cutting
ceremony on Tuesday, June 2 at 4:00 p.m. at
3604 Layton Ave N, Lake Elmo.
Residents are encouraged to attend, explore
the park improvements, and help mark this
exciting community milestone. We look
forward to celebrating with you!
Adopt-a-Drain Challenge
Results
A huge congratulations to our community
for an incredible showing in this year’s
Adopt-a-Drain Community Challenge!
Thanks to residents stepping up across the
community, Lake Elmo achieved:
15 newly adopted storm drains during the
challenge period.
Dozens of storm drain cleanings reported since
the beginning of the year
Hundreds of pounds of leaves, grass, and
debris kept out of local waterways this spring
That’s real, measurable impact—helping
protect our lakes and streams one drain at a
time.
A big shoutout to everyone who adopted a
drain, checked in on their curbside
neighbors, and reported cleanings (even “no
debris” counts—you still made a difference!).
This challenge showed what happens when
small actions add up: cleaner streets,
healthier water, and a stronger sense of
community pride.
Thank you, Lake Elmo—you showed up, got
involved, and made it count!
(and you can still adopt a storm drain at any
time at www.adopt-a-drain.org).
Family Nature Day Saturday,
June 6, 9:30 a.m. - Noon
Join us on June 6th for the annual Sunfish
Lake Park Family Nature Day celebration!
(9:30 a.m. to noon).
We’ll have educational activities for kids and
grown-ups, from bees and other pollinators
to the geology of Sunfish Lake Park, and
everything in-between. Take a stroll on our
storybook trail and enjoy a beautiful summer
Saturday with the family.
Our friends from Carpenter Nature Center
will be back with live animals. We’ll have
coffee and lemonade on hand. This event is
free and open to all!
Learn more at SMINC. [https://sminc-lake-
elmo.org/]
15th Annual "More than a Plant
Sale" Landscape Revival
Nature Plant Expo
Join Landscape Revival on Saturday, June 6,
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for their annual Plant
Sale and Expo at Rockpoint Church in Lake
Elmo.
Shop a wide selection of Minnesota native
plants from local growers and connect with
conservation and restoration groups offering
tips on pollinator-friendly planting that
supports wildlife and water quality. Learn
more at the St. Paul Birding Alliance here St.
Paul Birding Alliance Plant Sale
[http://Tiny.cc/LR26]
Save Money on Your Water Bill
In partnership with the Metropolitan Council
(Met Council) the City of Lake Elmo is
offering a rebate program for purchases of
eligible water-efficient products.
This funding has enabled Lake Elmo to
provide a rebate to current water customers
who replace existing devices with specified
water-efficient products, or who have an
irrigation system audit completed by a
professional.
Qualifying purchases are eligible for a
rebate on your water bill. These credits
range from $150 to $500, dependent on your
rebate type.
Go to the Water Rebate Program page
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/225/Water-
Rebate-Program]on the website for
guidelines, restrictions, and a list of
qualifying items.
Food Scraps Program
Did you know 20% of our trash is wasted
food? You can recycle your food scraps at
home through the Food Scraps Program.
[https://foodscrapspickup.com/]
The Food Scraps Pickup Program is a new
way for residents of Ramsey and
Washington counties to recycle food scraps
from home for free! Watch the video here
[https://foodscrapspickup.com/?
_gl=1*5jwmqo*_gcl_au*MTQ1MjI5MzAyMi4xN
zc0NTM4ODg4*_ga*NjUzMjA1NzMzLjE3NTgxMj
Y0NDU.*_ga_PTZ28Q6VZZ*czE3Nzk0NjA4NTYk
bzE2JGcxJHQxNzc5NDYyMjMwJGoxMyRsMCR
oMA..]about the journey of food scraps from
your home to the compost dirt market.
Irrigation Restrictions Continue
This Year
Now that spring is here, please remember
the irrigation restrictions affecting The City of
Lake Elmo will continue again this year.
To learn more about zone schedules visit the
website.
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/261/Watering-
Irrigation]
What Do My Taxes Pay For?
The City Council adopted the 2026 Budget
on December 16, 2025. 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.
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/230/Property-
Tax-Calculator]
If you need to search your property, you can
view the Washington County Property Tax
Search here. [https://mn-
washington.publicaccessnow.com/]
Volunteer, Connect, Get Involved!
Looking to get more involved in the community? Lake Elmo’s local
organizations offer great opportunities to volunteer, connect with
neighbors, support local causes, and take part in community events
and activities.
Whether you’re new to the area or a lifelong resident, these groups
help make Lake Elmo a welcoming and vibrant place to live. Learn
more about Lake Elmo's Community Organizations here.
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov/316/Community-Organizations]
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Ave. N. | Lake Elmo, MN 55042
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov]www.lakeelmo.gov
[https://www.lakeelmo.gov]
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Copyright 2026 The City of Lake Elmo. All Rights
Reserved.
3880 Laverne Ave. N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042
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