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Commission recommends approval of Primrose Schools conditional use permit for daycare at Bridgewater
Summary
The Lake Elmo Planning Commission recommended approval of a conditional use permit for a two‑story Primrose Schools daycare (12 classrooms, up to 192 children) at 11899 Upper Fortieth Street in the Bridgewater development, subject to standard permit and subdivision improvement conditions and agency requirements for stormwater and traffic.
The Lake Elmo City Planning Commission on May 27 recommended approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) for Primrose Schools to build a two‑story daycare at 11899 Upper Fortieth Street in the Bridgewater development.
Planning staff told the commission the site is zoned commercial and the proposed use requires a CUP. The proposed building would include 12 classrooms, two stories, capacity for up to 192 children and about 20 staff, one indoor play area and two outdoor play areas. Staff said the project meets city design and parking standards, has addressed landscaping comments, and must complete required public-works and engineering improvements in the Bridgewater subdivision before a building permit will be issued.
Marvin Wensman, a Primrose Schools representative, said the Primrose curriculum is used across the company’s network and that “our franchise owners are local residents of Lake Elmo.” He described typical drop‑off and pickup windows, saying morning drop‑off peaks roughly 7:30–8:30 a.m. and afternoon pickup roughly 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Bridal Barth, an engineer with Stantec Consulting Services, answered questions about stormwater. Barth said the site will include an infiltration basin to reduce runoff and a wet retention pond north of Upper Fortieth sized to provide a water reservoir for irrigation. "It's gonna have particle filtration and UV treatment so the water coming out is as clean as possible," Barth said, describing the pump, filtration and treatment system for reuse irrigation on the site.
Commissioners raised concerns about traffic and pedestrian connections to nearby trails, and one commissioner asked about highway and airport noise referenced in a Washington County comment letter. Staff said county comments must be addressed and agencies' conditions met. As with the subdivision item, no public comments were submitted and no one spoke at the public hearing.
A motion to recommend approval, conditioned on the findings and standard conditions in the staff report (including that Bridgewater subdivision improvements be constructed and accepted before permit issuance, execution of a site-improvement agreement, and stormwater maintenance easement), carried. Staff said the item is slated for Lake Elmo City Council consideration on June 3.
