6. EDSR 07-09-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Elk River Newsletter Volume 16. No. 4 July/August 2007 City Hall Police Fire Building Planning Streets WWTP Utilities Library Parks & Recreation 635-1150 Senior Ctr 241-4434 Ice Arena 635- 1140 WEBSITE (City Hall) www.ci.elk-river.mn.us Mayor Stephanie Klinzing 441-2210 Councilrnembers Ward I Nick Zerwas 635-1005 Ward 2 Jerry Gumphrey 44 I -7363 Ward 3 Larry Farber 441-5317 Ward 4 Paul Motin 24 I -0592 The Cu~ent -, ..._ 1 :'l > ~ / /} . .. _ . r1• ~ n n. ~~~ . '1t~ r 635-1000 635-1260 635-1100 635-1060 635-1030 635-1120 635-1170 441-2020 441-1641 City Conducts Redevelopment Framework Study The City of Elk River is conducting the Mississippi Connections Redevelopment Framework study to develop a blueprint for future private investment in the 400- acre greater downtown area. The study would create an overall plan and vision for the greater downtown area to ensure its long-term health and vitality. The three purposes of the study are to: ^ Develop a framework to encourage the vitality, vibrancy and reinvestment of the study area that is consistent with the community's future vision; ^ Encourage reinvestment and assure the long-term stability of existing resi- dential neighborhoods; ^ Develop a plan to protect one of the major highway corridors through the city-Highway 10-from piecemeal and inappropriate development. The City Council created a 13-member task force to gain public participation in the redevelopment framework study. The Task Force consists of residents, business people, and members of city boards and commissions that deal directly with devel- opment. "As with other cities, Elk River's down- town is no longer a retail center partly due to the evolution of strip malls and big box retail along Highway 169. At the same time, we have the amazing asset of the Mississippi River through our downtown and we want to take advantage of it and ensure downtown is once again a destina- tion place for residents and visitors alike," said Mark Urista, Task Force Chair. "We called the study Mississippi Connections because the river is a natural focus point in which we want to connect the community." "Because of changes downtown and gen- eral development patterns, the Task Force extended its study area beyond the core downtown to neighboring residential and commercial areas and the Highway 10 cor- ridor," said Urista. Urista adds, "We expect with the suc- cesses downtown, there will be additional redevelopment interest in the community. We want to ensure that the only type of development that takes place is consistent with community goals and achieves the community's long-term 20-year vision. We want to encourage the vitality of some of the community's oldest residential neigh- Framewnrk Study corazirxuerl on page 1