2017 Normandale Lake District Plan Update

• Updating future land use assumptions
• Updating traffic and utility modeling based on future land use assumptions
• Updating the implementation plan based on model outcomes
• Updating the funding strategy to pay for recommended public improvements in the district

The Normandale Lake District Plan (NLDP) established a vision to guide future re/development of the area and identify associated public infrastructure improvements.  The original plan assumed significant amounts of office development in the area.  To address traffic issues associated with a high concentration of office development, much of the 2008 plan focused on improvements to the intersection of Normandale Boulevard and West 84th Street. The NLDP outlined a detailed phasing schedule and funding strategy to implement the recommended public improvements (roads, urban design, and pedestrian bridge).

Since 2008, market demand for office development has significantly declined.  This has led to some property owners replacing proposed office development with multi-family and/or hotel development.  These land use changes alter traffic patterns as well as water and sewer demand, which directly influences the need and timing of infrastructure improvements. 

In addition, a key roadway improvement – a ramp from E. Bush Lake Rd. onto west-bound I-494 – has gained broad support, significantly improving its implementation feasibility. During preparation of the 2008 NLDP, the E. Bush Lake Rd. freeway ramp was discussed as a potential means to reduce peak traffic volumes at Normandale Boulevard and West 84th St. and thus minimize the need for intersection improvements. However, due to a multitude of design and funding challenges, support for this ramp was considered to be too far into the future to address pending development needs in the district.  Since 2008, key design challenges have been successfully addressed and the ramp project has gained support from agency and funding partners.  In addition, traffic counts indicate that implementing this project would eliminate the need for the costly Normandale Boulevard and West 84th Street intersection improvements proposed in the 2008 NLDP.

To include the freeway ramp project in the funding strategy for NLDP, the physical boundary of the district will be amended to encompass the ramp area, which extends north of I-494.  Given recently approved and pending requests for land use changes, it seemed prudent to concurrently consider the impacts of these changes and conduct a more comprehensive update to the NLDP. 

 Draft Plan

• Normandale Lake District Plan Update Draft 11-02-2017.pdf

Open House #1 Materials

• 2015 10 07 Factsheet_Kickoff.pdf
• 2015 10 07 Open House Boards_sm.pdf

Open House #2 Materials

• 2016 04 20 Open House Boards.pdf
• 2016 04 20 Factsheet_ModelingResults.pdf
• Draft Implementation Plan.pdf

Open House#3 Materials

• Normandale Lake District Plan Open House 3 Boards.pdf

The Plan vision and goals set in the 2008 NLD Plan continued to guide the district and the 2015 Plan Update process.

To position the entire District to gain maximum benefit from private and public investments, the vision for the District is to:

Continue to develop as a high quality, high density mixed use area in a manner that extends, reinforces and celebrates the natural environment.

Three primary goals to achieve this vision include:

1. Expand the park-like character.
2. Improve identity and connectivity.
3. Achieve a more visually cohesive built environment.