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Lake Elmo workshop debates how to define sidewalks and which winter paths residents must clear
Summary
Council directed staff to draft clearer definitions and a policy for winter clearing after staff presented a new paved-trails map showing 26.3 miles of asphalt trails and explained the city code currently lacks a clear definition of 'sidewalk' versus 'trail.'
Public-works staff presented an updated map and opened a debate at the March 11 Lake Elmo workshop about whether the city’s code and snow‑removal policy should treat some hard-surface trails the same way it treats sidewalks.
"We have 26.3 miles of asphalt trails in the city," staff member Marty said while showing the updated map. "On the very bottom along Hudson Avenue Boulevard there's a couple of small segments that probably do not quite connect yet, but here within the next year we're hoping the majority of those do."
Why it matters: Lake Elmo's ordinances require residents to remove snow from sidewalks within 48 hours, but staff and councilmembers said the municipal code does…
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