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Council debates expanding mailed public-hearing notices to 500 feet and boosting push-notification outreach
Summary
Planning staff presented research on public-hearing notice practices. Councilors debated state-minimum 350-foot mailings vs a 500-foot standard, and supported adopting push notifications and social-media posts to broaden outreach. Staff will draft any code amendments and implement Notify-me notices.
City planning staff presented research on public-hearing notification distances and outreach methods at the Dec. 9 workshop, and councilors discussed whether Lake Elmo should keep the state baseline of mailed notices to property owners within 350 feet or move to 500 feet.
Staff said the city and some neighboring municipalities follow state statute requiring mailed notice within 350 feet and publication in the official newspaper at least ten days prior to the hearing; several nearby cities use a 500-foot radius or vary notice by application type. Planning staff advised maintaining a consistent distance in code to avoid ad-hoc decisions, but also recommended adding more content to the mailed notice and enabling Notify-me push notifications on the new website.
Council members split: several supported moving to 500 feet to cast a slightly wider mailed net, while others argued that in rural, large-lot areas 500 feet may not capture additional nearby households and that push notifications and social posts are a better use of staff resources. Staff demonstrated the Notify-me option and confirmed the platform can text or email residents and that texting is part of the platform without a per-message fee.
Direction: council indicated interest in both approaches — staff may bring a text amendment to change mailing distance to 500 feet if council wishes, and staff will implement push notifications and social-post strategies for public-hearing notices and outreach.
