8.2. SR 05-19-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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20 / Chapter 4: Community Context Elk River Comprehensive Plan Geographic Setting Elk River is situated at the conﬂ uence of the Mississippi and Elk Rivers in Sherburne County, roughly 34 miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis. It is bordered by the City of Ramsey to the east, the City of Otsego to the south, Big Lake Township to the west, and Livonia Township to the north. U.S. Highways 10 and 169 and State Highway 101 are the three main arterial routes. Elk River has a station on the Northstar Commuter Rail line to downtown Minneapolis. Elk River Past, Present and Future A Comprehensive Plan forms a bridge between the city’s past and the city’s future. The Plan as a tool for managing and directing future actions naturally looks forward, but building the future occurs within the context of Elk River’s past because the city’s history and heritage are important parts of community identity. Failure to recognize and build upon Elk River’s heritage risks losing the community’s identity – making Elk River just like any other place. As the name suggests, Elk River’s roots lie in the river. The ﬁ rst dam was built in 1851 and led to the construction of mills, making the river the catalyst for commerce in the area. Initial development included a ﬂ our mill and a saw mill. The community was originally platted shortly thereafter in 1855, as the town of Orono. This original plat covered an area of approximately 14 square blocks. Then, in 1864, the St. Paul and Paciﬁ c Railroad line reached Elk River, which drew development further to the east. The town of Elk River was platted in 1865 with the development pattern of the town oriented to the rail line and the depot. Rail service spurred the development of a variety of businesses in Elk River. In 1880-1881, the town sites of Elk River and Orono were combined and incorporated. In addition to the railroad, farming played an important role in the development of Elk River. The original claim of the City’s most famous farmer, Oliver Kelley, dates to 1850. By 1860, there were 110 recorded farms in Sherburne County. This number grew to a peak of 1,190 in 1910. Agriculture in the area included grain crops, potatoes, and dairy cattle. The current City of Elk River covers 44 square miles. The largest area of the city was added in 1978 by the merging of Elk River Township. This expansion of Elk River provided the capacity for recent development. This Comprehensive Plan is about planning for the future of Elk River. It’s about making choices on how to address signiﬁ cant issues that the community is currently facing or will be facing in the coming years. Issues like rising energy costs, increased trafﬁ c congestion, and changing demographics. Moreover, this Plan is about guiding change in a positive way. Elk River