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<br /> STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: 7/8/2025 <br /> Workshop <br /> <br />TO: Lake Elmo City Council <br />FROM: Nathan Fuerst, AICP, Consulting Planner <br />AGENDA ITEM: MUSA Boundary and Imagine 2050 Planning Discussion <br />REVIEWED BY: Jason Stopa, Community Development Director <br /> Sophia Jensen, Senior City Planner <br /> <br /> <br />CORE STRATEGIES: <br /> <br />☒ Vibrant, inclusive, connected community ☒ Efficient, reliable, innovative services <br />☒ Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance ☒ Balanced Finances now and future <br />☒ Managed Growth ☒ Resilient Infrastructure <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />As part of the Metropolitan Region, the City of Lake Elmo must update its Comprehensive Plan every 10 <br />years. The decennial process has already been underway, and some of the first steps in the 2050 planning <br />cycle (Imagine 2050) were started this year with approval of policy plans by the Metropolitan Council. In <br />September of this year, it is anticipated that the Metropolitan Council will begin to send out system <br />statements. System statements contain information on regional growth and expectations for Receipts of <br />system statements are the formal starting point for City updates to municipal comprehensive plans. <br /> <br />To begin preparing for the City’s 2050 Plan update, high level feedback is needed to ensure staff <br />understand the level of effort required to meet the Council’s goals. Staff are hoping to receive feedback <br />on the following which are discussed in grater detail in this report: <br />1. Whether and where the MUSA Boundary and Phasing Plan should be adjusted <br />2. Level of community engagement desired <br />3. Identification of special areas of concern for the community <br /> <br />ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: <br />The City Council is asked to provide feedback on the general areas of discussion to help inform how staff <br />approach the Imagine 2050 Comprehensive Plan update process. <br /> <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: <br /> <br />Discussion Point 1 - MUSA Boundary and Density <br />Over the last several years, the City has received several requests to expand the MUSA (Metropolitan Urban <br />Sewered Area) boundary which results in increased densities and population. Requests to amend the MUSA <br />on a one-off basis are generally discouraged as the City’s long-range plans are intended to account for only <br />so much demand on public infrastructure systems, including drinking water, sanitary sewer and <br />transportation system. The Imagine 2050 process represents an opportunity to think more proactively about