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Encourage Quality <br />Materials and Design <br />To ensure development reflects the community's desire <br />for high quality and attractive housing, the city should <br />encourage the use of high quality materials, design, and <br />construction in all new development. The Pullman Place <br />Cooperative multi -family 65+ community living develop- <br />ment is a good example of high quality design and comple- <br />mentary architectural style that is context sensitive and <br />should be used as a model for future multi -family develop- <br />ment. <br />Practice Smart Growth <br />The city should practice smart growth that prioritizes infill <br />development and discourages greenfield development. <br />As infill opportunities become limited, expansion of the <br />Urban Service Area will be necessary. A smart growth <br />approach to the expansion of the Urban Service Area <br />would ensure that areas made available for new develop- <br />ment have access to municipal utilities, are not in a flood <br />hazard area or wetland, have access to roadways with <br />capacity to support additional traffic, and can be connected <br />to existing neighborhoods and destinations in the city. <br />Potential Roadway <br />Extensions' <br />L . Residential <br />Growth Area <br />To promote more efficient and sustainable development, <br />the city should establish standards of review for subdi- <br />vision applications that follow best practices in smart <br />growth. By establishing these standards, the city would <br />not only clearly communicate its preference for sustain- <br />able development, but would also ensure that elected <br />and appointed officials are protected from arbitrary and <br />capricious decisions regarding the approval or denial of <br />subdivision applications. <br />Proactively Up -Zone to Align <br />with the Land Use Plan <br />The city should consider proactively up -zoning existing <br />neighborhoods, as identified in the Housing Plan, for <br />higher density housing. Municipal utilities currently <br />have the capacity to support higher density development <br />within these areas and permitting multi -family and mixed <br />residential in strategic areas would help alleviate housing <br />demand. By eliminating barriers to development, the city <br />will communicate to developers that higher density infill <br />development is a priority of the city. Up -zoning has the <br />potential to add more affordable market rate homes in <br />already well-connected and established neighborhoods <br />and expand housing choice. <br />13dsting Tree Canopy <br />Preservation <br />Existing Residential <br />Neighborhoods <br />36 <br />IDICL\arri7C1CSMAIMAVE9]Elb'1 <br />Housing Plan • Elk River Comprehensive Plan <br />