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Economic Development Authority Minutes <br />November 9,2020 <br />Page 4 <br />walkable. <br />Ptesident Tveite disagreed on it being the heart of the city but felt it meant a quaint, intimate, niche <br />q?e sPace. <br />Commissioner Ovall sated he struggles with the location of downtown as it is shoehorned between <br />Highway 10, the raikoad, and the rivet. \U7hy can't western Elk Rivet improve and be included. He <br />noted Main Street on the north side of the railtoad tracks is ripe for tedevelopment and will be <br />challenged to have the downtown connecdon because of the tracks. <br />Mr. Leighton feels adding more housing adds mote vibrancy and use to the area. Hestated this <br />Iocation may always be a stnrggle fot Elk fuver. <br />Commissioner Wagner stated aplan for downtown will be complicated and require a lot of <br />feedback. She noted there is curently a developer who wants to move forward quickly. She stated <br />it should be broken into short- and long-term plans. She stated in the short term the city should <br />reviewJackson Avenue as a one-way or pefinanent closure, which would add more parking and <br />help businesses on the east side of the steet. <br />The Authority concured with Commissioner Wagner's statement. <br />Commissioner Blesenet further noted there are some policy changes that could happen <br />concurrently. <br />Land Availabilitv <br />Mr. Leighton oudined four action steps in the plan <br />Mt. Shardlow stated his son, who works for government relations in Cargill, reached out to othets <br />in the company who said they would be eager to meet with the city. He stated his daughter also <br />works for Cargill and they have sevetal significant initiatives which may have some synergies to Elk <br />River progtams, and he would be willing to set up a meeting. <br />Mt. Leighton stated the discussion with Cargill can go beyond land acquisition noting thete could <br />be partnership opportunities for other initiatives. <br />Commissioner Blesener stated it would be an exciting opportunity to explore. <br />Commissioner Christianson feels development of the mining area is quite a few years down the <br />road and it may be too eady to update the mining plan because there ate a number of other items <br />to vet out, nodng it can be expensive to expand city services. He stated the needs of the city can <br />change quite a bit in 8-10 years. <br />Mr. Leighton noted the fust gravel plan was completed n 2015 and it stated the fust phase would <br />be completed n 2020. This did not occur but could be needed as eatly as 2022 and the city should <br />plan for it. <br />Mr. Shardlow stated it is never too soori to create a long-tange use plan. He stated basic <br />0 <br />NA <br />1 <br />1