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Lake Elmo growth leads to water issues
The city says it sometimes uses a contaminated well to meet water demand. But blended with clean water and it’s not a threat.
LAKE ELMO, Minn. — The city of Lake Elmo is exploding so much that it’s now the fastest-growing city in Minnesota.
What was a town of about 6,700 in 2005 is now nearing 14,000. Officials predict it could grow past 18,000 by 2030.
“I think people in Lake Elmo are really invested in the community and they want to see it survive and thrive,” said Lake Elmo Mayor Charles Cadenhead.
The population boom is so big that up to 300 homes are built every year and now includes the city’s first apartment complex.
Add in an expected 1,000 new students in the next decade and the school board recently approved a resolution to hold a $175 million bond referendum on November 7, 2023.
And then there’s the water issue.
“Everybody thinks it’s the land of 10,000 lakes, you’ve got a ton of water, right,” said Cadenhead. “Well, not necessarily so.”
The city gets all its water from the ground, but the Department of Natural Resources says it can legally only pump 260 million gallons of it every year. Cadenhead projecting it needs two times that by 2027.
“We are actively trying to make sure we’re good stewards of the resource,” he said.
What’s worse is that some of the water is contaminated with chemicals called PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl. For years, 3M Co. made the chemicals that leaked into underground aquifers after being disposed of.
To meet the water demand, the city says it has to use that contaminated water, but blended with clean water, Cadenhead says it’s not a public threat. He says the city’s two other pumps do not contain PFAS.
“We’re just trying to manage it best with the pumps we have online now,” said Cadenhead. “And we’re trying to make sure we have neighborhoods get hooked up to clean city water; it just makes it a little more difficult in the long run.”
Some solutions include imposing residential water restrictions for now and building a water treatment plant later. The city also applied for grants from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to fund treatment of the water and another line to divert more water from the cleaner pumps.
“We’re tying to be very solution-orientated,” said Cadenhead. “But then it’s our responsibility to make sure it grows in the right way.”
As for the bond request, it would cost taxpayers with a median priced home of $500,000 about $17 per month.
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The “Westopolis” name is meant to highlight the cities’ vibrancy and proximity to Minneapolis.
The marketing and tourism organization formerly known as Discover St. Louis Park has rebranded this fall with a bold, new name:
The organization, which launched in 2011 and grew to also incorporate Golden Valley in 2017, began using the “Westopolis” name this month. According to Westopolis President and CEO Becky Bakken, the name is designed to highlight the vibrancy and urban character of St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, which both border Minneapolis and have a combined population of nearly 75,000.
“A lot is behind the name,” Bakken said. “Westopolis just kept speaking to us. In this process, we really leaned into the fact that we are the closest neighbor to downtown Minneapolis. To be honest, we are closer to downtown than parts of Minneapolis are. And it really felt like our primary differentiator.”
Bakken said the change to “Westopolis” is also meant to help the organization communicate better with event planners and out-of-town vendors, who sometimes confuse “St. Louis Park” with St. Louis, MO. Between St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, the cities boast nine hotels with nearly 1,500 combined rooms, and the tourism organization now known as Westopolis plays a key role in drawing visitors and filling those rooms.
“When people are looking for a place to go, that aren’t from this area, they know the big city. They know Minneapolis. We wanted to make sure they knew how close we were to that, and once they’re here they discover all the other things,” Bakken said. “The name is unique, it’s different. It’s not on a map, we understand that. We think the name is edgy, and when we’re working with planners, they’re gonna lean in and say, ‘tell me more about this place.'”
This week, Westopolis is enjoying a nice boost from the Twin Cities Film Fest, a staple of St. Louis Park that draws talent and crew members to the city’s West End from across the country. It’s the kind of annual event that Westopolis would love to see more of in the coming years.
“The West End was sort of the rationale for why Discover St. Louis Park — and now Westopolis — exists. It’s this great area that is a real driver for visitors,” Bakken said. “But both communities have their thing. Golden Valley has a big chunk of Theodore Wirth that we love to claim, and Brookview that has a lot of outdoor activities, so we really like to lean into this urban oasis.”
To unveil the new brand, Westopolis rolled out a website and held a launch party this fall.
“Change is change, and that’s always interesting,” Bakken said, “but mostly people are really excited about the new name and we’re ready to market the new name.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — The City of Minneapolis will move ahead with new carbon fees after a contentious back and forth at City Hall concluded with the council overriding the mayor’s veto.
The new fees, which target carbon emissions from city businesses, will be implemented on July 1, 2025, according to the council.
Minneapolis already has a pollution fee system, known as the Pollution Control Annual Registration or PCAR. The fees go into the city’s Green Cost Share program, helping pay the costs companies incur bringing down their emissions.
The current PCAR system covers emissions of other air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, heavy particulates, and sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, lead, and carbon monoxide. Companies are required to report their emissions levels to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which, in turn, charges fees of $100 per ton.
The City Council voted Oct. 2 to add carbon dioxide to the list. The resolution seeks to impose a $452 per ton fee for carbon dioxide.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
“I am all on board for PCAR fees—but it’s time the Council stops playing games and follows the processes in place to enact lasting change,” said Mayor Jacob Frey, in a statement to KARE.
Before his veto was overridden, Frey had told KARE that if the measure were to move forward, companies hit with the fees would likely sue the city and win.
Council Member Robin Wonsley, who co-authored the measure, took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to Frey’s veto on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
TWO RIVERS, Wis. — About a month after 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s remains were recovered from a private property in Wisconsin, state authorities announced Thursday that charges have been filed against the boy’s mother and her partner.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
Vue went missing in February and it wasn’t until September that his body was recovered and identified.
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