8.3 SR 04-07-2025 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PROJECT j Y Downtown Elk River has been; at the heart of a growing region for decades. Once a clulet riverside hamlet surrounded by farmland, Elk River has grown: into a th fivi nig community of nearly 30,000. While the history of downtown is over a century old, much of the city's population growth has occurred in the last 30 years. This growth has largely fOCLIsed on an outward trajectory, as the city's service area, street network,, arid population distribution have spread into surrountfing farmland and green fields. As the city continues to Invest in its future, it finds itself looking inward to the heart of the city: DOWNTOWN. Downtown serves several important purposes. They provide a focal Point for COMMUnity identity, a place for serving daily needs, and an opportunity to provide a more compact and walkable urban environment. Public spaces downtown often serve as gathering points for community events like the farmer's market or summer concert nights. They serve an important economic development purpose acting as an incubator for small businesses, a vehicle for attracting outside spending and investment, and a place for local commerce to thrive, I'[Oj J r C I fJ li N lY, S] A id 1) J N i) Downtown Elk River is well -positioned for a bright future. It has a strong history, it's located at the crossiroads of two major thoroughfares, and it hats Ewen recently guided for signIficant growth and change through the visionary comprehensive plan update. The downtown master Plan provides the city with an opportunity to turn that vision Into reality by translating ideas and goals into outcomes. implementing change requires attention to, detail, and an understanding of how i-nuItiple parts corne together, with an understanding towards how the city can: QBuildings have been incrementally cleared for Varking and event space, but ay ham ve ore m n.fi6.I futures • Guide growth, particularly along Main St and Jackson St, with thoughtful development planning and design guidance. • Reinforce and enhance a connectivity network that makes it easy for people and goods to, get around, white addressing connectivity challenges from Hwy 10 aind the rail line. • Develop a p ublic realm arid open space network that brings people together and provides, space for cornmunily interactions. • Understand housing needs of the city and where to fiII the gaps. • Position Downtown Elk River to benefit from major transportation projects including l4wy 169 Redefine and c ha nges to Highway 10. (46he river, Hwy 10, and rail line "constrict" downtown development, and funnelt east/west traffic onto Main St NW and Hwy 10 River access and public space is centered around The (DStud area along Main St NW acts as a pass - River's Edge Commons, establishing more areas through linkage between Hwy 169 and Hwy 10, could increase downtown's draw but could benefit frorn an elevated character Both Hwy 10 and the rail line significantly encumber access, while sirnultaneousirbringing regional visitors ---localizing access cou d benefit the downtown Reconstfuction of the Hwy 169 intersection may relieve local congestion, with uncertain impacts on local businesses ON I�iC) YVN 10 V,0N S W MI A 111 A�i I I I K JH IV I R, M 1,i 7 Page 92 of 372 Page 194 of 249