HRSR AGENDA MEMO 02-25-2002 •
City of
Ells -�-
River
MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing & Redevelopment Authority
Mayor & City Council
FROM: Catherine Mehelich, Director of Economic Development/
DATE: February 25, 2002
SUBJECT: Agenda Memo for February 25, 2002 Joint Meeting
Attachments
• Downtown Riverfront Revitalization,Project Goal& Objectives
• Memo by Jim Prosser, Ehlers &Assoc. RE: Implementation Policies
• • Memo by Heidi Hall, Economic Development Assistant RE: Public Feedback
• Correspondence from Landscape Research RE: Progress on Contexts Study
• Related Articles:
o "Grand plan for redoing downtown takes shape" —Anoka
o "Urban-style development comes to the `burbs", Star Tribune 2-10-02.
o "Suburban `downtown' development plans", Star Tribune 2-10-02.
o "Met Council officials explain why they're supporting suburban
downtowns", Star Tribune 2-10-02.
5. Downtown Riverfront Revitalization Project
5.1 Review Project Goal, Objectives & Implementation Policies
Economic Development staff and project consultant,Jim Prosser of Ehlers &
Associates will review with the HRA and City Council the attached project goal and
design objectives, and implementation policies discussed at the February 4,2002
HRA meeting.
Following review and discussion, staff recommends the HRA and City Council
provide consensus on the implementation policies developed for the project.
5.2 Review Public Feedback & Communication Strategy
Economic Development Assistant, Heidi Hall will present the attached summary of
• concerns raised from the February 12, 2002 project open house and the February 13,
2002 River's Edge Business Association meeting.
Agenda Memo for 2-25-02 Joint HRA&City Council Meeting
February 25,2002
Page 2 of 2
• 5.3 Review Next Steps in Process
Mr. Prosser will discuss with the HRA and City Council the next steps that staff will
be undertaking in the redevelopment process. Next steps include mailing the
developer request-for-proposal materials and review/evaluation of proposals.
5.4 Historic Context Study— Update
The attached correspondence from Carol Zellie,Landscape Research provides a
brief progress report on the Historic Context Study. Ms. Zellie indicates that a
presentation of the Phase I&Phase II study findings would be prepared for the
HRA in April.
The Context Study will identify the historical themes significant to the heritage and
development of Elk River. This study,which is city wide, acts as a framework that
will be used to determine the historic significance of particular buildings and places
within the city. The Phase I study is conducted within most of the downtown
redevelopment study area and places structures into one of two categories: non-
significant or potentially significant. The basis used to determine significance
include: the historic contexts identified in the context study, the eight criteria for
rezoning property to "Heritage Preservation Overlay Zoning District" according to
the city's ordinance, and the four criteria for determining eligibility for the National
Register.
1111 The Phase II evaluation is completed on structures identified as potentially
significant. This is a more in depth evaluation including details such as who built the
building,when it was built and for what purpose was it built are thoroughly
researched.
Related Information
Attached are several recent articles that feature redevelopment activities of existing
downtowns,including Hopkins and Anoka.
110