July 14, 1994 Steering Committee Minutes

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Steering Committee Minutes July 14, 1994 railroad, or walls with walking bridges over owner, felt the railroad may be an asset in opportunities to Minneapolis and St. Paul. the tracks. Robert Dare, business the future for providing mass transit Pat Dwyer noted the downtown area has been studied over and over, but the some problems remain, such as cost of redevelopment and parking. Service - oriented businesses will likely locate in downtown, but some type of redevelopment project will be required. Steve Johnson, business owner, commented that it has been past practice to reinvest commercial tax dollars in residential projects. He suggested that a portion of the City's taxes be set aside to reinvest in its downtown. Discussion followed regarding the T.I.F. program. Bill Rubin informed the Committee that there are many positive attributes in the downtown area. There are no boarded up buildings downtown, it is clean, and the recent landscaping and expansion projects in the downtown are attracting attention. Also, Elk River is unique in that it has an actual "Main Street" . Discussion followed regarding boundaries of the downtown. Don Heinzman explained that business owners north of the railroad tracks do not seem to feel they are a part of the downtown and questioned the definition of "downtown". Bill Rubin referred to the map outlining the central business district, including the C-1, Central Business District, the core downtown area, and areas complimenting the downtown such as the East Main Street corridor. Bill stated that the defining the downtown would likely be an internal issue. Hank Duitsman stated that some commercial tax dollars do go back into the downtown by providing police and fire protection, and other services, indicating that he hopes a plan for the downtown can be agreed upon so that some type of funding can be provided in the future. Arne Engstrom emphasized if money is not available to invest now, the City can create a theme by using the mechanics of the ordinance to regulate construction and remodeling in the downtown area. Margo Foster expressed her concern that retail in the downtown area not be limited to a service district that would coexist with retail. Pat Dwyer agreed there are retail uses that would be compatible. The concept of entrances to the downtown businesses and shops facing the river was discussed. Mr. Dare expressed his concern for the deteriorating riverbank, noting that 12 to 15 feet have eroded away since his business located there. Marlon Glines indicated he did not feel either of his businesses were part of the downtown, one being north of the railroad tracks and the other on East Main Street. He agreed that the downtown area is appropriate for service -oriented businesses and specialty retail, and that people would be more likely to spend time walking around in the downtown area.