6.3. SR 06-16-1997c~ty of
Item# 6.3.
River
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
MEMORANDUM
Mayor & City Council
Pat Klaers, City Admi~
June 16, 1997
SUBJECT: Area Learning Center
Attached for your review is some material from the School District on a
revised concept for the Area Learning Center (ALC) project. Also attached is
my memo that was sent to the Park and Recreation Commission and the
Planning Commission for their joint meeting on June 11, 1997. Much like
the original school concept for an ALC facility, the District is looking for some
general feedback and indication from the Council on whether or not the
concept is acceptable before investing time and money into developing the
site specific drawings.
The ALC concept received limited discussion at the joint Park and Recreation
and Planning Commission meeting. The brief comments are not surprising
and are related to compatible to land use, traffic, parking, and expansion
concerns.
Later in the Park and Recreation Commission section of the June 11, 1997,
meeting, a more extensive discussion took place. Although the Park and
Recreation Commission felt that this location was slightly better than the
original concept, the response from the Commission was generally negative.
The Commission unanimously voted (6-0) to recommend that the City
Council reject this ALC concept based on safety, land use compatibility
issues, and expansion concerns.
There has been no detailed analysis of any type completed on the ALC
concept and I do not know if all of the planning issues and land use issues
can be adequately addressed. I believe that the school, or any property
owner, has a right for reasonable use of their property and that saying to the
school, or any future property owners of the school Oak Knoll land, that they
can use the Oak Knoll property only for youth recreation fields may not be
considered reasonable. If this assumption is true, the current ALC concept
appears to be better than the original ALC concept provided that only one
field is taken for the project and that the city obtain ownership of the balance
of the soccer fields.
Council feedback on the concept is requested.
13065 Orono Parkway · RO. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425