5.1. EDSR 12-09-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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November 21 Task Force Meeting • November 14,2002 Page 4 • The Plan can acknowledge the potential need for an east/west corridor and set a framework that promotes the best route for Elk River. • The Plan determines that such a road is not in the best interests of Elk River and seeks ways to discourage the upgrading of County Roads to serve as such a corridor. This approach may not be able to limit improve outside of Elk River and the amount of traffic that flow into the city. • The Plan is silent on the issue. Planning occurs based on current usage of the roads. Gravel Mining District The City Engineer has concluded that the technical capacity exists to provide sewer and water service to the gravel mining district. A trunk line can be built to collect and transport wastewater from development to the wastewater treatment plant. The feasibility of these improvements will be driven by financial considerations. The trunk lines must pass through existing unsewered residential neighborhoods along Highway 169. Extending utilities without providing service creates financial gaps. The improvement costs are not proportionate to the benefiting properties and the ability to collect revenues. This situation brings community development and financial issues together in the southern sections of the District. Regardless of who pays for the improvements (the city or developers), the form and timing of development creates the revenue needed to pay for the improvements. These factors need to be considered as the Task Force plans for development in the District. This area provides a good example of an underlying challenge of planning. How does planning balance the desires of the community with the desires of the property owner? The charge of the Task Force is to view • this development from the community perspective. The objective is to guide development in a manner that best serves the community with recognition that the plans must be feasible. As we design specific development concepts for the southern sections of the District, we will explore potential combinations of retail, industrial and residential development. East Elk River All factors point to the eastern section of Elk River as the primary residential growth corridor. Potential development sites are within the Urban Service District and the city's utility system is designed to expand in this direction. Development groups are acquiring property to prepare for future growth. Street System The capacity of the street system to support future development is one of the most important factors to consider in planning for the future of east Elk River. In broad terms,the street system needs to achieve the following objectives: • Primary transportation routes (collectors and arterials) need to connect neighborhoods with the regional transportation system. At the present time, the regional system means Highways 169 and 10. These connections provide residents with access to employment and other activities outside of Elk River. • A set of primary routes also needs to facilitate movement within Elk River. The street system must provide routes for people to travel from their neighborhoods to shopping, schools and other facilities in Elk River. • Local streets are provided to provide access to individual neighborhoods. • If a city does not plan for a street system that meet each of these needs, then traffic shifts to undesired locations. In many respects traffic is like a river. When the flow of the river exceeds the capacity of the