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STEARNS COU'NTY ADMIN./HUMAN RES, NO. 572 P. 2 <br />COUNTY OF STEARNS <br /> Administration Center Rm 121 · 7135 Courthouse Square St. Cloud, MN 56303 <br /> 320-656-3601-Fax 320-656-6393 <br /> <br />May 18, 2000 <br /> <br />Mr. David Loch <br />6834 Majesta Lane <br />Lake Shore, MN 56468 <br /> <br />Dear Dave: <br /> <br />At their most recent Board meeting on May 16, Stearns Conmy Commi~ioncrs discussed <br />published reports of polL~wfial St. Cloud train station sites for the Northstar Corridor Project. <br />Although our Board took no form_al action, several key members expressed the/.r concern <br />regarding a proposed downtown site un_'_l!~ng property currendy owned by Stearns County. The <br />follovoxg is a mrmmary of a few of these concerns. <br /> <br />The location sited on the map published in the St. Cloud Times is configured iu a way that is <br />not conducive to locating both a station and a parking facflLry. Alternatively, locating a station <br />on the site and a parking facility across the street conflicts with the. City aM county's future <br />ma.qter plans for Law Enforcemeat Center building expansion. <br /> <br />Several comssioners questioned the wisdom of locating a parking facility so far north and <br />west of the heart of downtown. Such a facility would be almost useless to downtown <br />customers as well as County customers. Downtown employees would also likely find the site <br />to be less than d~sirable. <br /> <br />The location of a downtown station with adjacent downtown ramp parking appears to be less <br />des[table to Stearns Connty residents th, g the east side alternative. Given a choice between <br />fighting downtown traffic or crossing the Mississippi bridge to a surface lot adjacent to the <br />train station, our commissioners sense that its constituents would prefer r_he latmr. <br /> <br />Given Board members comments, I suspect the Steams County Board would be a more active <br />supporter of the entire Northstar Corridor Project should a suitable stat/on site be locamd on <br />the east side of the river. They would likely become active opponents should a station be <br />loca~d downtown. <br /> <br />"Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer" <br /> <br /> <br />