Lake Elmo council approves 2½-day ULI technical assistance panel for 180‑acre city site

The Lake Elmo City Council voted May 20 to engage ULI Minnesota for a 2½‑day technical assistance panel to advise on the city-owned 180‑acre site, approving the recommended, larger TAP format and the associated $35,000 fee.

Meg Flanagan of ULI Minnesota described how a TAP convenes cross‑sector experts to evaluate land-use questions, deliver a presentation at the conclusion of the panel, and issue a written report in the weeks thereafter. "A technical assistance panel is essentially where a community comes to us with a land use challenge or a policy question, and we put together a panel of cross sectoral experts," Flanagan said.

Flanagan said the 2½‑day TAP would produce a more in‑depth report and allow ULI to bring up to two panelists from outside the Twin Cities when specific expertise is needed. She said a one‑day TAP is faster and cheaper but limits stakeholder outreach and the depth of early recommendations.

City staff told the council the county Community Development Agency has an existing grant that could fund 50 percent of the TAP fee; staff said the other 50 percent would come from the city’s community development budget. "One thing I would wanna add... we've been talking to the county CDA, and there is a grant for this project that covers 50%." Flanagan confirmed budgets start at about $17,500 for shorter engagements and that the 2½‑day option she recommended is $35,000.

Council discussion centered on whether the TAP’s purpose would be to prepare the site for sale to a private developer or for city-led development. Council members said they preferred using the TAP to prepare the site to attract the right private developers and to address actionable items—stormwater, phasing, and potential subdivision—so a buyer could evaluate the parcel. Several council members said the site is a rare opportunity and should be done right.

A motion to approve the 2½‑day TAP proposal passed by voice vote; council members in the meeting signified their approval by saying "Aye." Staff said they expect ULI to begin assembling the panel in the coming weeks and that ULI generally completes a draft report within about a month after the panel, with final delivery in the following months.

City staff and council identified likely TAP questions in advance, including highest-and-best-use, whether to subdivide the site or sell in phases, phasing plan options, and how to structure the site to attract developers. No further council action was required at the meeting beyond the approval to proceed with the 2½‑day TAP.

The council approved the contract amount and direction to proceed; staff will follow up on grant paperwork and steering committee membership.