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<br />City of Ell< River <br />2004 Annual Report <br /> <br />PLANNING <br /> <br />MISSION ST ATE.ME.NT: <br /> <br />The mission of the Planning Department is the orderly development of a livable and <br />sustainable Elk River community. <br /> <br />YEAR IN REVIEW <br /> <br />In 2004, a number of plans were considered and adopted by the City Council. These <br />plans are the foundation of future development and build out for the city. In addition to <br />the culmination of a number of planning processes, the planning staff reviewed numerous <br />case files, supported the efforts of the Economic Development staff, and implemented a <br />new 24/7 web-enabled service. <br /> <br />LONG-RANGE PLANNING PROJECTS <br />Comprehensive Land Use and T ransponation Plans <br />The City Council adopted the Comprehensive land Use and <br />Transportation Plans on August 16,2004. The Comprehensive Land <br />Use Plan identifies an ideal population at build out of approximately <br />37,000 people. Significant changes to the land use of the city include: <br />creation of two new land use designations (Old Town and <br />Commercial Reserve) and phasing out of the Agricultural District in <br />favor of Rural Residential north of County Road 33. This will increase <br />the density of housing in the area from I unit per every 10 acres to I <br />-.. unit per every 2.5 acres. <br /> <br /> <br />I <br />Ii <br />~ <br />iliill.1iI <br /> <br />The Transportation Plan identifies immediate, mid, and long-term transportation projects <br />that the city should implement in order to maintain adequate levels of service on the <br />city's roads. Many of the transportation solutions will require extensive cooperation and <br />coordination with Sherburne County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. <br />The Transportation Plan identifies areas where new corridors should be built, projects <br />levels of congestion based on the land Use Plan, and suggests policies that the city <br />should consider. <br /> <br />Natural Resources Inventory and Greenway Plan <br />The City Council authorized the Parks and Recreation <br />Commission to solicit Requests for Proposal for the completion <br />of a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) and greenway plan. This <br />was a direct recommendation from the Comprehensive Plan. In <br />March 2004, Bonestroo and Associates were hired to complete <br />this work. They used existing data and field inspections to <br />identify and evaluate natural communities within the Rural <br /> <br />