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BACKGROUND <br />STUDY AREA <br />The i7~st Avenue FAST project area comprises 70o acres of land, of which approximately <br />X55 acres are wetlands. The wetlands are essentially two large bands running east <br />to west through the project area. There are nearly 8o acres of public right-of-way <br />for streets and the rail line, and 88 acres are currently developed lands that are <br />not anticipated to change. These developed lands include the built portions of the <br />Northstar Business Park (9 acres), Elk River Station housing development (39 acres), <br />and the single family residential surrounding Kleiver's Marsh (4o acres) in the northeast <br />corner of the study area. The remaining land, approximately 388 acres, will be the <br />focus of potential land use alterations <br />for the FAST project. Of these 388 acres, <br />roughly izo acres are northeast and z68 <br />acres are southwest of the rail line. <br />The Gateway area is a 75 acre area of <br />city owned land situated south of i7~st <br />Avenue. This land, acquired from Cargill <br />via agreement, mandates no residential <br />use on the property until zozo. The <br />portion of land immediately east of the <br />Gateway property, west of the railroad <br />tracks is owned by Cargill. The agreement <br />shows a roadway connection through <br />the Cargill owned land to 165th which can <br />occur anytime at the City's expense. <br />The Minnesota Department of <br />Transportation also owns land in the FAST <br />area. MN DOT is currently using the zo <br />acres of land just north of 175th Avenue <br />for aggregate extraction. <br />The Northstar commuter rail station, <br />currently under construction, is now <br />operating as a park and ride with <br />commuter bus service to downtown <br />Minneapolis. The commuter station will <br />have an 80o car surface parking lot, drop- <br />offand twin rail platforms for commuters. <br />The station sits in the heart of the study <br />area along the northern side of the rail <br />line and along Twin Lakes Parkway the <br />major roadway spine through the project <br />area. <br />Twin Lakes Parkway isenvisioned as asub- <br />regionalcollector for southeast Elk River. <br />The four-lane road with median is newly <br />constructed from the commuter station <br />north, and is envisioned to continue to <br />'• ~ `° ~ - the southeast through the Gateway & <br />,, ~ ~ . , '~ <br />1 :_ ': ~ _ ~ ,''_'~ ~° ~ ~~ Cargill property in the future serving >:a~: <br />1 ~ _ u I ~''% :\ s-.4 ;:voR.-rH the businesses and residents of east EI ` <br />River. <br />~ nyf.J <br />17'13t. CN2nU@ Focused Area STudy ~,R. <br />-.._.•~ <br />