8.1 SR 10-18-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ti Established Residential Established residential areas include stable neighborhoods or subdivisions with primarily single-family detached development. The majority of these neighborhoods were built over 40 years ago in the north, west, and more recently in the east of the city. Established residential areas are within the existing Urban Service Area and are directly connected to municipal sewer and water. Established residential areas include a variety of block layouts but are primarily curvilinear. Many of the existing established resi- dential neighborhoods feature sidewalks and connections to adjacent neighborhoods. Strategic In fill While much of the established residential areas in the city are built out, there are still opportunities for infill develop- ment. Areas of strategic infill development, as identified in the Housing Character Areas map, are intended to fill gaps between existing neighborhoods. In addition, stra- tegic infill should be contextually sensitive to surrounding development and provide opportunities to further expand pedestrian and vehicular mobility between neighborhoods and across the city. As such, it is key that infill development provide a robust network of sidewalks and roadways that linkup to existing roadways/sidewalks/paths in adjacent neighborhoods. Expand Pedestrian Connections Existing pedestrian routes within established residen- tial areas should be tied into the future trails network as roadway improvements are made to provide seamless connections and access to key destinations in the city. New development should provide a complete network of sidewalks and roadways that support access to adjacent neighborhoods and provide seamless ties to the city's trail network that make it easy to walk, bike, or drive. Encourage Density The majority of established residential areas consist of only single-family detached home. Although the character of these neighborhoods is desirable, they do not maximize the development potential of residential land within the city's Urban Service Area. Mixed residential development, which encourages a range of compatible housing types within a single residential development, is one strategy that should be used to accommodate greater variety within Elk River's housing stock and allow for more flexibility to build desirable and more dense residential development. Mixed residential should also be utilized to provide a buffer from lower intensity traditional single-family neighbor- hoods to higher intensity uses such as multi -family, mixed use, or commercial development. 42 101X-11ad9i7:1OWN l�ViVKi701WO Housing Plan • Elk River Comprehensive Plan