8.1 SR 10-18-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Develop "Third Places" Future development should provide opportunities for enhanced placemaking, public art, community iden- tity, and development of "third places" Third places are informal areas where residents and visitors can meet and gather outside of home (first place) or work (second place). These amenities offer an opportunity for social interaction and can anchor civic life in Elk River. Third places, such as small plazas and parklets can serve as focal points for future pedestrian activity, functioning as an amenity to business patrons as well as residents and visitors. Third places should be integrated into all new commercial devel- opment whether it be downtown or along Highways 169 or 10. The city should consider establishing either incentives or requirements, or a mix of the two, to promote the develop- ment of third places within new and existing commercial areas. Some regulations the city should consider include requiring new commercial development of a certain size to provide a minimum square footage of public gathering space as well as standards for how the space should be activated. For example, the city could require develop- ments with multiple commercial buildings or buildings with more than 100,000 square feet include an outdoor gathering space equal to 5% of the building area. Developers could also be required to choose a minimum number of amenities from a list including features such as lighted bollards, movable tables and chairs, fountains or other water features, benches, seat walls or raised land- scape planters, or public art. Alternatively, or in addition to requirements, the city could identify potential incentives to encourage third place improvements. For example, the city could consider reducing the number of required parking spaces for commercial developments by increasing the requirement for floor area ratio (FAR) per parking space. This would help to incentivize the development of third spaces on site and reduce excessive parking lots in the development. Another potential incentive for third place development could be waiving or reducing parkland dedication require- ments in exchange for third place improvements. In the downtown, the city could offer a fee -in -lieu of providing the outdoor gathering space on site to go towards the expansion and enhancement of Rivers Edge Commons Park and improvements to the public realm. 54 Economic Development Plan • Elk River Comprehensive Plan I07CL\arri76*1SMA1�VWVKO101WO