6.4. SR 11-19-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Geraldine Graham 17451 Tyler Street N. W. Elk River, MN 55330 763/441-5762 November 19, 2001 Dear Mayor Klinzing and Council Members: I had planned to attend tonight's Council meeting and comment, but an event that I must attend at my children's school has arisen, so I'm hoping you'll consider the following written comment for the record. This concerns the 80 acre neighborhood where I live at the southeast corner of the intersection of 175th Avenue and Tyler Street N.W. During October 2001, the Elk River Planning Commission considered whether or not this neighborhood should be included in the urban service district. After study of the issue, visits to the area, and hearing testimony from affected residents, the Planning Commission voted not to include this 80 acre area in the urban service district at the present time. I'm writing to tell you that I support the Planninq Commission's decision and urqe you to accept the Planninq Commission's recommendation. There are several reason's why the Planning Commission's decision is a sound one: 1) This 80 acre neighborhood is a buffer between a wetland and a Cargill property, both rich with wildlife, and the rapidly changing eastern areas of Elk River, where a business park and higher density residential development are being promoted. Allowing the 80 acre neighborhood in question to maintain its current land use pattern helps protect the natural areas that border it, and provides a transitional space between the natural area and the nearby business/higher density residential areas. 2) The current land use in our 80 acre neighborhood includes single family homes, most of which have from three to ten acre lots. Most of these residences have large, farm-type outbuildings; some of the residences have large or small livestock - all of which is allowed in the current land use designation of the neighborhood. However, if this 80 acres were to be included in the urban service district, an immediate result will be high density residential development, which will not be compatible with the current residences, outbuildings and livestock. Conflicts will arise between new homeowners who come into the newly built high density areas, and neighboring, long-established properties that may have horses, chickens, etc. regarding animal noise, safety, aromas, etc. All of the current homeowners in this area (many of whom have lived here for a long time) chose Elk River and this neighborhood because of the current land use designation. It seems wrong and rather arbitrary to change the rules of the game now, after the neighborhood has been established for so long.