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q -U N \sif ? ?fiver TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: GENE SCHULDT, COUNCILMEMBER DATE : NOVEMBER 19 , 1992 SUBJECT: CITIZENS ' CONCERNS REGARDING ELK PARK WEST DEVELOPMENT I apologize for the delay in producing this memo, but the recent elections set back my timetable . Also, the result of the election gave me pause as to whether or not it would be of much use in set- ting these comments down, but I have concluded that it is in the best interests of all concerned to do so. On Tuesday, October 27, 1992 I had a dinner meeting with Phil JOhnson and Rolfe Anderson of the Citizens Who Care neighborhood group to , discuss concerns about the north Jackson Avenue commercial develop- ment known as Elk Park West . It was I who called the meeting, and I did so after Terry Maurer ' s presentation at the Planning Commission workshop on October 20, 1992 on his Traffic Impact Study. I have • felt for several months that concerns related to the development were not being addressed . It was comments made at the Planning Commission meeting that convinced me to meet with the leaders of the neighbor- hood group. I understand that plans for the development are being withheld from the City Council until they are finalized and ready for council scru- tiny . That makes sense, but my present concern is not what will take place within the development , but rather outside the development - the impact on the surrounding neighborhood and the city in general . Some months ago I tried to initiate a discussion at a council meet- ing regarding these concerns , but was unsuccessful . What follows are the concerns discussed at the supper meeting . Terry Maurer ' s Traffic Impact Study, dated August 1992 , was a main topic of conversation. What stood out most was the calculated sum of 32 , 044 daily trips being initiated by this development . The question arose as to how all that traffic would be handled . For instance , School Street would have to be widened to four lanes . According to Terry Mauer , it now has the equivalent of three lanes . The fourth lane would have to be added in what is now the boulevard on the north side of the street , because there is not any room on the south side , from Proctor Avenue to Freeport Avenue . There would have to be a sidewalk installed along the south side of • School Street . A couple of years ago I inquired of the City Council as to the feasibility of installing the sidewalk/ using MSA funds , due to the nine apartment buildings in the area and two churches , one 720 Dodge Avenue N.W., Elk River, Minnesota 55330 (612) 441-7420