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BACKGROUND <br />SITE CONTEXT <br />Situated in the southeast portion of Elk <br />River, the FAST area comprises nearly <br />70o acres. The project area is bound by <br />State Highway io~~69 to the west with the <br />Mississippi River running parallel to the <br />highway only a few hundred feet beyond. <br />Along the northern edge of the project <br />area a range of land uses exist from office <br />and industrial uses west of Twin Lakes <br />Parkway to high and low density housing <br />and parkland toward the northeast. <br />Much of the land to the east and south <br />of the project area is owned by Cargill <br />Corporation, nearly 75o contiguous acres. <br />About half of the land, mostly to the <br />south, is currently utilized as agricultural <br />research with the remaining land area <br />comprised of a large wetland complex <br />which defines the majority of the eastern <br />edge of the project area and extends in <br />to the site. <br />The Burlington Northern Stnte-Fe rail line <br />bisects the site moving from northwest <br />to southeast and carries a large number <br />of heavy rail trains each day in addition <br />to the Northstar commuter train. The <br />Northstar station is located in the center <br />of the study area, approximately two <br />miles from Downtown Elk River to the <br />northwest. <br />A number of community parks are <br />adjacent to the study area. Hillside City <br />Park, Kliever Marsh Park, Kliever Lake <br />Fields, Babcock Memorial Park and the <br />Youth Athletic Complex (YAC) are all <br />within close proximity. The Kelley Farm, <br />a registered national historic landmark is <br />located just south of the study area along <br />the banks of the Mississippi River off of <br />Highway io~i69. <br />17131. QV@r1U2 Focused Area STudy ~ <br />Just north of the study area a large commercial center exists at the intersections of <br />Highway i69 and Main Street and extends north to School Street and includes Wal- <br />Martand Home Depot as major retail anchors. Great River Energy has a power plant <br />and satellite offices located northwest of the study area across Highway i6g and has <br />an ongoing operation with the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Plant in the southern portion <br />of the study area to produce energy from pelletized waste created at the plant. <br />Figure z. t: Site Context Map <br />