10. PRSR 11-14-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Fitzgerald has been a participant in the YMCA discussions and in the Center for • Community Committee meetings (chaired by Don Heinzman) so he is aware of both the family/arts center and the YMCA proposals. As such,John knows that the city has offered the YMCA one of two sites and that the City Council has reacted favorably to the proposal from Director of Community Education Charlie Blesener for land for the family/arts center. In my discussions with John, I advised him that he has every right to come and present his request to the city, but that the only eight acre site we have is BP property east of Highway 169 that is owned by the EDA. This site was the Brown property that the city purchased with development fund money and which the EDA owns. By way of background information, five years ago,in 1996, the city made a commitment to the Minnesota Sports Federation (MSF) that it would give them land around the Lake Orono water tower (approximately six acres) for their facility provided that their financing was acceptable per analysis from our financial consultants. In the last year, the city has offered the same site to the YMCA along with an alternative site south of the Home Depot/Walmart area This alternative site is EDA owned BP land. (The city advised MSF that if the YMCA selected the water tower site on the west side of Elk River then the city would work with MSF in order to locate a different site). Even more recently...the City Council reacted favorably to the request for land for the family/arts center. The number one location choice of this group would be the water tower site, but certainly they will accept any free land. The only other property available is BP property which the EDA owns. Finally,we are hearing a request from the Land of Lakes Choirboys organization for approximately eight acres of free land in order for them to locate their facility in Elk River.With this Choirboys request, there is only one site of this size available and (again) this is the BP land out east. A question could be asked regarding whether or not all of these projects will really develop—but this may be a question for later in the process. Regarding the water tower site,the city is receiving more and more feedback that,in looking 20+ years in the future, there will be a premium need for this park and recreation land around Lake Orono and that we should preserve what we can as open space for future generations. Accordingly, the City Council needs to consider this issue and the possibility of none of these facilities being located at the water tower site. As you can see, land is in demand at good locations and with free land organizations can put more money into their facilities and make them bigger, better, and more functional, etc. The BP land has been secured for economic development (jobs and tax base),which makes the city more whole and complete; however, the organizations are requesting land to develop very significant cultural, recreational, educational, and/or social facilities that also help make the community whole and complete. I am not sure that the city or EDA should be giving land to the Choirboys organization, but I am also not sure how a distinction can be made between this organization, the YMCA, and the family/arts center. (Over the years,the city has provided "free" land to the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce and the Elk River Boys & Girls Club by way of a long-term lease.) In dealing with the current requests, the city needs to know if the EDA supports providing BP land to the YMCA, to the family/arts center, and to the Land of Lakes Choirboys organization. What is envisioned by some is a campus setting out east,whereby all or some of these facilities could be grouped together to serve the community. Besides dealing with this