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Maintain and Enhance the Appearance <br />of Commercial Corridors <br />The appearance of commercial corridors is essential in <br />attracting new businesses and patrons. Although the <br />city's commercial areas are generally well kept, deferred <br />maintenance may begin as properties and businesses age. <br />To combat this, Elk River should continue to encourage <br />property owners to enhance their properties overall <br />attractiveness by investing in upkeep of parking lots, <br />building facades, landscaping, and other elements. To <br />further improve the appearance of these corridors, the city <br />should consider enhancing its standards for landscaping, <br />signs, and other site improvements as well as standards <br />for building materials to boost the appearance of these <br />areas overtime. To incentivize reinvestment, the city <br />should consider expanding the Downtown Revitalization <br />Financing Loan program, discussed later in this chapter, to <br />businesses outside of downtown. <br />The city should continue to work with the Economic Devel- <br />opment Authority to recognize business owners whose <br />efforts to clean, repair, improve, and enhance the overall <br />aesthetics of either the interior or exterior of the business, <br />property and/or space through the Beautification Award <br />program. <br />Multiple Curb Cuts <br />Promote Access and Mobility <br />Much of the commercial and industrial development in <br />Elk River is accessible primarily by vehicle and requires <br />patrons and employees to drive rather than walk due to <br />a lack of bicycle parking and on -site pedestrian connec- <br />tions. The ability to walk or bike to work or to shop is not <br />only healthy for people and the environment, it is also <br />increasingly a factor taken into consideration when people <br />and families are deciding where to live. To ensure that the <br />city's commercial and industrial corridors are accessible <br />via all modes of transportation, the city should require new <br />development to provide bicycle parking and pedestrian <br />walkways from public sidewalks to building entrances <br />and between adjacent buildings. Further, Elk River should <br />encourage developments to integrate wayfinding signage <br />to clearly communicate to patrons that walking between <br />businesses is easy and efficient. To promote safety, the city <br />should reduce curb cuts and consolidate access points on <br />side streets and alleys. <br />Additionally, the city should consider studying the feasi- <br />bility of a shuttle and/or bike service at Northstar Station to <br />help complete the last mile connection between the station <br />and the city's employment areas. <br />Reduced <br />Curb Cuts <br />IKPW ­ 17� <br />Sidewalk Connections <br />within Site and to <br />Surrounding Neighborhood <br />I� Internal Vehicular <br />Circulation <br />R� <br />GOOD <br />56 Economic Development Plan • Elk River Comprehensive Plan <br />IDIX-11arri7:1: 0AIXiVEi101Wo <br />