North Arm public access redesign

Hennepin County is redesigning the North Arm Public Access on Lake Minnetonka in Orono. This project will repair important infrastructure and improve access for all users. 

Planned improvements

Improvements planned for the North Arm Public Access include:

• Maintaining infrastructure by repairing structural deterioration at the access point, repairing asphalt, and maintaining for stormwater management.
• Constructing one of the only Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible ramps in the metro area.
• Making safety and efficiency improvements, including:
  • Realigning the boat launch for safer maneuverability to launch boats.
  • Angling the parking stalls to improve navigation in the parking lot.
• Increasing recreational accessibility by adding lake access for users in human-powered crafts like canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
• Making improvements for shoreline anglers, including better accessibility, sightlines, and lighting and "pods" that extend out into the lake to improve the fishing experience.
• Incorporating climate and resiliency features, including redesigning the stormwater management system.

Timeline

Project timeline

• Fall 2024: Develop design and conduct community engagement.
• Fall 2025 through spring 2026: Secure city approvals for site plan. 
• Summer 2026: Create construction documents and select construction contractor.
• Fall 2026 through fall 2027: Construction, which will be done in phases and will prioritize maintaining public access during the busiest portion of the fishing and boating season.

Community meetings and feedback opportunities

Presentation to the Orono city council

The county will present the North Arm Public Access redesign project to the city council on April 13, 2026. The presentation will include updates made in response to public feedback from the November 2025 Planning Commission meeting. For details, refer to the project proposal (PDF, 3MB) and project renderings and site plans (PDF, 7MB).

Summary of November 2025 feedback and proposed solutions

Additional details about feedback received in the November 2025 Planning Commission meeting are included in the project proposal.

Trash and litter management

• What we heard: residents were concerned about waste management at the site. Illegal dumping and litter have been ongoing issues.
• Proposed solution: remove the dumpster and switch to a pack in, pack out system. Provide small trash and recycling bins in the shore fishing area. Continue using Sentenced to Service crews for litter cleanup. Add signs with a QR code and phone number to report dumping or litter. Track and respond to complaints within two business days. Monitor how this works and adjust as needed.

Commercial access

• What we heard: Residents were concerned that commercial use of the site would increase.
• Proposed solution: A proposed vertical access was removed before the November 2025 Planning Commission meeting. Staging commercial materials at the access has never been allowed and will continue to be prohibited. The county will post signs restricting use to 20 minutes and limiting each user to one parking stall enforced with the City of Orono as it is now. An internal legal review of state statute governing public access sites concluded that the county lacks authority to prohibit commercial use.

Landscaping and perimeter buffers

• What we heard: residents were concerned about removing existing vegetation and privacy screening.
• Proposed solution: The existing privacy screen is made of volunteer trees, many of them invasive or ash trees that will be lost to emerald ash borer. More trees will be planted than removed, and the new mix will support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. The selected trees will establish quickly and strengthen the privacy buffer. Two turf areas will be restored to prairie, creating pollinator habitat and a more attractive flowering landscape for site users and neighbors.

Wetland impacts

• What we heard: residents were concerned that wetland areas would be negatively impacted by the project.
• Proposed solution: after the November 2025 Planning Commission meeting, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District has issued the project a “no loss” decision, declaring that no regulated wetlands will be impacted.

Site lighting

• What we heard: residents were concerned that adding more lighting would create too much light.
• Proposed solution: the project includes three short light posts that follow Starry Skies North guidelines to reduce light pollution. They will be 20 feet tall instead of 30+ feet and have adjustable brightness and timing. The county plans to turn the lights off at 10 p.m. and will monitor how this solution works. Adjustments can be made based on feedback from neighbors after the project is complete.

User fees

• What we heard: residents asked if the county could charge user fees to restrict certain types of users.
• Proposed solution: A legal review found the county could charge fees through an ordinance, but it would need approval by Carver County, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District. This would be a long process. Other regulatory options may exist at different levels of government, including the City of Orono. For example, Minnetonka limits some commercial use at Gray's Bay through city zoning. If Orono adopts its own restrictions, the county will follow all applicable laws, but it will not pursue an ordinance to charge user fees.

Road access to the site

• What we heard: residents expressed safety concerns regarding the entrance/exit from North Shore Drive.
• Proposed solution: County transportation staff will keep monitoring traffic and crash data. Only one crash has been reported near the boat launch driveway in the past 10 years, so this is not currently a priority for safety improvements.

Nonmotorized boat launch

• What we heard: residents expressed safety concerns about the location of the nonmotorized launch.
• Proposed solution: The county has moved the nonmotorized launch away from the channel and the shore fishing area to the other side of the motorized boat launch.

Presentation to the Orono Planning Commission

The county presented the proposed changes to the North Arm Public Access redesign to the City of Orono Planning Commission on November 17, 2025.

After discussion and public comments, the advisory board did not recommend approval of the project application. See the public meeting agenda (PDF), video recording of the meeting, and the county’s presentation of the proposed changes (PDF, 10MB).

Next steps

The county is incorporating additional feedback from the community and the Orono Planning Commission and updating design plans and the project application for discussion at a future city council meeting in early 2026. Approval from the Orono City Council is needed for this project to move forward.

Virtual information session and in-person open house in January and February 2025

Hennepin County and IMO Consulting Group held an in-person open house on January 29 and a virtual information session on February 4 to share information on the project, answer questions, and gather feedback on updated design concepts.

Seventeen people, including residents who live near the access and representatives from local businesses, nonprofits, and local government, attended a session. Attendees shared feedback on access and parking, commercial usage and vertical access point, landscaping and stormwater management, and waste management.

See the feedback on updated design concepts (PDF, 1MB) for a summary of the feedback received and how the county will incorporate suggestions into the design or policies that guide the county’s approach to the suggestion.

Virtual information session recording and slides

Slides shared during session (PDF, 2MB)

Recap of open house held for the community in October 

Hennepin County and IMO Consulting Group held an open house for the community on October 4 to share information about the project and gather feedback on the initial design concepts. Ten people attended, including residents who live near the access and representatives from the Lake Minnetonka Association, Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 

Attendees shared feedback on topics including the access design, fishing, boating, parking, signage, and waste management. Hennepin County and the consultant team are reviewing the feedback, developing responses to questions raised, and modifying and refining the designs to incorporate suggestions.

Feedback from October open house (PDF, 1MB)