5.0. 6.0. 7.0. 8.0. EDSR 01-11-1999

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01/07/99 THU 10:34 FAX 904-HA I NSTREET 0002 • DRAFT DRAFT Elk River Where city and country flow together... LOGO City Planner - Position Profile The Community The City of Elk River is located on Hwys. #169 and#10 within a thirty minute drive time to the Twin Cities metropolitan area or to St. Cloud. The City is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Elk River creating a peaceful setting for 17,000 residents. Elk River serves as the county seat of Sherburne County. Sherburne County is currently one of the fastest growing counties in the State of Minnesota. COMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT The City's historic downtown is active and vital with retail and businesses serving customers from Elk River and the surrounding areas. In addition,substantial commercial and retail development has taken place along the Highway 169 corridor and the Highway 10 corridor. There is excellent potential for additional retail and industrial development. Several industrial sites are located adjacent to major • transportation links and house a variety of industries. Great River Energy is the City's largest tax payer, employing 500 workers and supplying electricity to 15 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1988, the company constructed a receiving and storage building which bas since become part of the Anoka County Resource Recovery Facility. Municipal solid waste is brought to the facility from five counties and recycled or processed for fuel. A $2.2 million expansion of the plant was completed in 1993. Numerous manufacturing companies are located within the City's seven industrial parks with capacities of up to 120-acres. The Elk River Industrial Park covers 80-acres and is fully developed. A new business park of over 40 acres will be developed in 1999. Over the past seven years, annual commercial and industrial construction values have been approximately$10.5 million. In. 1994, infrastructure improvements supported the development of a 31.0,000 square foot retail center on. a 52-acre site. Tenants include Target, Cub Foods, Taco Bell, First National Bank of Elk River, and Norwest Bank. A more recent development is Hillside Crossing -a 14-acre commercial site housing Sax Food and Drug. A 1.60,000 square-foot Menards, Applebee's Restaurant, Holiday Gas Station and Convenience Store, and a second building for L&W Liability Co. have recently been constructed. An additional 300,000 to 500,000 square feet of retail space is anticipated to be available by 2000. Recent expansions have occurred at Time Out Sports Bar and Restaurant, Independent School District 728, Central Lutheran Church, Fairview Hospital and Healthcare Services, Sherburne County Courthouse,Bank of Elk River, and the Guardian Angels nursing facility. A commercial center was constructed between the Holiday Store and Applebee's. Industrial expansions have occurred at Shiely • Masonry, E&0 Tool and Plastics, Morrell Transfer, Barton Sand and Gravel, Metropolitan Gravel, Weicht and Associates, and Plaisted Companies.