Forest Lake Council approves revisions to landscape rules, adopts ordinances 757 and 758

Forest Lake City Council on the night of the meeting approved two ordinances that reorganize the city’s landscape regulations to reduce the quantity of required plant materials and make mitigation more flexible.

Community development staff presented the zoning-code update, describing it as an effort to consolidate landscape standards that had been scattered through multiple sections. “I think the biggest change is that we will require less landscaping,” the presenter said, adding the revisions were intended to make the code less burdensome while preserving design quality.

Council members asked whether the changes would allow developers to redirect mitigation—such as by paying fees rather than replacing trees—and staff confirmed the code includes fee-in-lieu provisions. Staff also said the city maintains a park capital fund specifically for tree mitigation in public places.

A council member moved to approve Ordinance No. 757 and Ordinance No. 758, both addressing the city’s landscaping regulations; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The ordinances were recommended by the planning commission after a July public hearing and staff revisions. Council members and staff said the goal is to maintain well-landscaped developments while avoiding requirements that are impractical for typical projects.

The council did not provide a roll-call vote in the public record; minutes note the motion carried. The council’s action completes the code consolidation step for landscaping; any future enforcement or implementation specifics will follow the updated code.