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<br />"er, prior to adopting the Business Park Zoning Ordinance, ~ <br />t:. .ity expanded the Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning <br />de: ~~ation and underlying land use of light industrial to <br />cov~: the identified business park and commercial area. The <br />combination of this zoning and land use preserved the integrity <br />of a future business park until the Business Park Zoning <br />Ordinance had been adopted. <br /> <br />A CHANGE TO COMMERCIAL <br /> <br />Representatives from Menards have been looking for a site in <br />the Elk River area for the past few years. Recently, they have <br />focused in on an area lying west of the Fairgrounds to the <br />County Government Center. Menards would like to build a new <br />store as part of a major shopping center (approximately 350,000 <br />square feet) which would consume both the 20 acre and 25 acre <br />parcel. To accommodate this development request, the Land Use <br />Plan will have to be amended to reflect an underlying land use <br />of HB (Highway Business). The HB land use designation will <br />allow retail commercial similar to that found along Highway 169. <br /> <br />ANALYSIS <br /> <br />Prior to considering this land <br />properties, it is important to <br />following issues: <br /> <br />use plan <br />recognize <br /> <br />change for these <br />and evaluate the <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Inventory of available industrial and commercial <br />property for development. There are approximately <br />140 acres of commercial property along Highway 169 <br />that either has water and sewer available or is close <br />proximity to the utilities. On the other hand, <br />industrial property is limited to 8 platted <br />industrial lots (13 acres) and one unplatted tract of <br />approximately 45 acres. The diminishing availability <br />of industrial property has raised concern and is one <br />of the challenges the Business Park Task Force has <br />taken on to expand that industrial inventory. <br /> <br />Concentrating commercial activity along Highway 169. <br />By encouraging commercial development along the <br />Highway 169 corridor, a critical mass of commercial <br />activity would draw focus and identity to the <br />corridor. The identity would not be a pedestrian <br />oriented downtown, however, the massing of commercial <br />activity will reinforce the central retail district <br />of the City. Focusing on Highway 169 corridor and <br />the Main Street corridor to the original downtown <br />area will unify and bring together the three types of <br />commercial found in the City, highway commercial <br />along Highway 169, offices along Main Street, and ~ <br />service oriented businesses within the downtown ,.,. <br />commercial area. <br />