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<br /> <br />Infrastructure Planning: <br /> <br /> The 165th Street Corridor is primarily gravel between Hwy 61 and Elmcrest. The road <br />will need improvements, including paving due to development pressures, anticipated increases in <br />traffic volumes, and the need for traffic from the south to have better connectivity to a collector <br />street. East of Hwy 61, there is also a pending development proposal. While the road in this <br />section is paved, there is a need to extend the City’s sewer and water infrastructure to this area. <br />Additionally, the City’s Parks Plan shows a recreational trail along the length of 165th Street. <br />There is also a need to review planned land uses along this corridor, which is characterized by <br />abundant natural resources. If the corridor and associated infrastructure is improved, it will be <br />transformative for this part of the city. The City Council initiated a land use and infrastructure <br />study coupled with an environmental review. Once the environmental review is complete this <br />spring, the City will be ready to make decisions on the timing and scope of street improvements. <br /> <br /> Otter Lake Road. The City of Lino Lakes is planning to extend Otter Lake Road in <br />2026. The road would extend north from CSAH 14 and will join Elmcrest near the main <br />entrance to Heritage Ponds at the Hugo border. Then, in future phases, the road would eventually <br />continue north along the Elmcrest route to Forest Lake and Coumbus. Coordination of this <br />project involves 4 cities and both Anoka and Washington Counties, and a cooperation agreement <br />was signed between the entities last fall. In Hugo, connections to the new road at Heritage <br />Parkway will involve a new intersection design, where it converges with both Elmcrest Ave, and <br />Otter Lake Road. <br /> <br /> Elmcrest Ave is a gravel road north of 158th Street. Since the first phase of the Otter <br />Lake Road project terminates in this vicinity, if no further improvements were made, it would <br />dump large volumes of traffic onto a gravel road. For this reason, Hugo and Lino Lakes are <br />planning for temporary paving improvements to Elmcrest from 158th Street north to 170th Street. <br />Hugo would likely need to cost share for this project in 2026. <br /> <br /> Hwy 61. Washington County has recently completed the Hwy 61 visioning study. <br />Fixed-route transit has been removed from this transportation corridor, which changes right-of- <br />way needs, removes access controls and will impact future land use planning along the corridor. <br />We now anticipate a discussion surrounding a “turnback” of the road to Washington County, and <br />a discussion on needed corridor improvements in connection with a turnback. <br /> <br /> Ditches. City staff will continue working with the RCWD concerning ongoing minor <br />maintenance of Judicial Ditches. <br /> <br />Water: <br /> <br />White Bear Lake Lawsuit. The saga continues. Following a decision last year from the <br />Court of Appeals, the City is again preparing for a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge <br />concerning the City’s Water Appropriation Permit and related conditions. Depending on how <br />this plays out, the City may have several action steps to take. Meanwhile, the White Bear Lake <br />Comprehensive Plan Work Group, is meeting, and is charged with recommending solutions to <br />the lake level problem by the 2027 legislative session. The recommendations from this work <br />group could be consequential to all communities in the northeast metro.