Change may be in store for Lake Elmo's Old Village

Plans to redevelop the heart of Lake Elmo, including adding more than 900 housing units, have some of the 8,000 residents worried about changing the city's small-town character.

The Old Village district plan, which includes adding the housing units as well as businesses to the downtown area, is in part an effort to address "external pressures" from the Metropolitan Council regarding population growth requirements, said City Administrator Dean Zuleger.

But in the face of those mandates, he said, maintaining the city's "rural flavor" has been in the forefront of planners' minds.

"At the heart of this planning is keeping that open field and subdivision feel to Lake Elmo," Zuleger said. "A lot of people have been very thoughtful and careful to keep that green space. That is who we are.

"People really like that village green approach," Zuleger said.

He said the plans attempt to develop a "stroll district" for Lake Elmo, with places like coffee shops and boutiques. "It's not a number [of new businesses] that we're looking for so much, but the type of business that would attract people in a walkable community."

But some residents, including former Mayor Susan Dunn, remain concerned the plan will compromise the city's character.

The city held a public meeting last month in which the Lake Elmo Planning Department presented a proposal for the village area to residents. Zuleger said the city has received "constructive feedback" through such meetings. "This isn't being done in a vacuum," he said.

Dunn, who attended the meeting, said city leaders should work harder to involve residents. "Whenever you're talking about something that will change the entire complexion, they should be reaching out to the whole city," she said. "What I care about, and always have cared about, is the people that are here and value what they have."

Former Council Member Steve DeLapp said he supports the plan to develop and revitalize the Old Village but understands the concerns. "I am a strong proponent of what we're doing," he said, having been involved in its development during his 16 years on the City Council. "It just has to be done very carefully."

One of the concerns is the potential increase in traffic from new houses in Lake Elmo and, farther to the east, a new St. Croix River bridge when it opens in 2015 or 2016. The Old Village project also studies a realignment of Hwy. 5 -- which now runs through the heart of downtown -- to reroute "cut-through" traffic.

In addition, the plan includes an "open space buffer" around downtown Lake Elmo "to foster a true village feel." Also mentioned is developing the area on a "village" scale rather than a "suburban" one.

"The numbers are not realistic, especially with the economy the way it is," Dunn said. "It's important to have businesses that are viable, and we have a lot of great places already."

With the Met Council population mandates and the proposed I-94 to 30th Street Infrastructure Project, which would bring a sewer line to the Village area, Zuleger said he hopes the city and residents can settle on a plan by summer.

Lake Elmo is "a gem, a special place," Dunn said. "Once the character is gone, you can't get it back."

Said DeLapp: "It's going to happen. We just have to do it in a way where residents, and future residents, find it attractive."