Lake Elmo planning commission recommends denial of High Point Crossing land‑use amendment after septic tests fail

The Lake Elmo Planning Commission on July 28 recommended that the City Council deny a developer’s request to amend the city’s comprehensive plan and expand the Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA) to serve the 78‑acre High Point Crossing site in the Inwood area.

The developer sought a new future‑land‑use category described by city staff as “open space low density residential” (OPLDR) and a limited MUSA extension so the project could connect to public sewer. After discussion and public comment, the commission voted to recommend denial; the item will go to the City Council for a final decision.

The recommendation follows the developer’s disclosure that a proposed community septic (shared) system for the previously approved open‑space planned unit development would not meet revised state review standards. Nathan (city planning staff) told the commission the developer completed additional soil testing and a mounting (hydraulic connectivity) study, and the results indicated the community system would not be reliable for the site. The developer explained that, because of that testing, their team explored alternatives including individual on‑lot septic systems, redesigns with fewer lots, and a public‑sewer option.

High Point Crossing was…