04-11-1994 EDA MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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EDA Meeting Minutes April 11, 1994 Page 2 6. Joint Meetino with the Elk River Utilities Commission Discussion Reoardinq Alley between the Sunshine Depot and the Main Street Redevelopment Site President Gongoll introduced this item for discussion. He stated that the EDA's questions for the Utilities Commission relate to the feasibility of vacating the alley and relocating the utility lines in order to add 20 feet of frontage to the Main Street site. Bill Birrenkott stated that there is a photo cell on the alley side of the Sunshine Depot building which provides power for the area including the downtown underground street lights. He explained that if the alley was vacated and a building put up next to the Sunshine Depot, conduit could be run through a building. tvir. Birrenkott noted that this would make access very dif:'icult if there were a problem. He further explained that it would also be very difficult and expensive to convert the power lines to underground that are located on the south side because of the large chunks of concrete buried there. Phil Hals explained that the water drainage system through the alley began as a creek that ran down to the river parallel to Jackson Avenue. He stated that the present storm water conduit was rebuilt in 1988 as part of the Main Street project. He further stated that this system provides drainoge for the area which includes the Bank of Elk River, King Avenue and Jackson. Phil explained that there are only two alternatives to relocating the storm water drainage: 1. Dig up Moin Street and Jackson over to King Avenue, thereby redoing half of the Main Street Project; and, 2. Encase the storm water lines in their present location so that a building could be built around or over the lines. He noted that it would be virtually impossible to locate or repair any problems that occurred in the lines with this plan. Phil further noted that if a building was constructed over the olley, a tunnel situation would be created, making repairs difficult. Phil Hals explained that in addition, there are also natural gas and phone lines that would need to be relocated. He added that it was his opinion that if the site was developed as a park, the alley would still be necessary for access. Discussion followed regording a riverwalk concept and handicap accessibility. It was the consensus that the alley between the Main Street Redevelopment Site and the Sunshine Depot would remain, due to accessibility and economic utility relocation issues. 7. Consider TIF Reimbursement Reouest from Tescom Corporation ITIF District No.9) COMMISSIONER HOLMGREN MOVED TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR TIF REIMBURSEMENT BY TESCOM CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $53,000. COMMISSIONER DWYER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0.