Lake Elmo council approves Primrose daycare permit, subdivision cleanup, street design work and U. of M. seed trial

Lake Elmo City Council took several land-use and project decisions at its June 3 meeting, approving a conditional-use permit for a Primrose Schools daycare at 11899 Upper 40th Street, adopting a four-lot minor subdivision and a zoning map amendment for the Birshins property, authorizing preliminary design and geotechnical work for the 2026 street and utility program, and approving a University of Minnesota low-input grass seed test plot including a temporary irrigation waiver. The council also approved the consent agenda and appointed Giovanni Boyer to the parks commission.

The Primrose Schools conditional-use permit: The council approved Resolution 2025-044 to allow Primrose Schools to build a daycare at 11899 Upper 40th Street in the Bridgewater Village area. Planning staff presented that the site is currently undeveloped, zoned commercial and guided for commercial uses in the comprehensive plan. The proposed one-story facility would include 12 classrooms, one indoor play area, two outdoor play areas and a capacity for 192 students with 28 staff. Hours of operation were presented as 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with peak drop-off between 6 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and peak pick-up between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The applicant proposed 56 parking stalls; staff said 55 were required.

Planning staff said agency review returned standard comments from fire, public works, the Valley Branch Watershed District and others; staff recommended conditions including that all city and other permits be obtained, subdivision improvements in Bridgewater Village be constructed and accepted before building permits are issued, and that the CUP would lapse if substantial construction had not started within 12 months. The planning commission recommended approval 6-0 and there were no public…