12-05-2005 HRA WorksessionWORKSESSION OF THE ELK RIVER
HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2005
Members Present: Chair Wilson, Commissioners Kuester, Lieser, and Motin
Members Absent: Commissioner Toth
Staff Present: Community Development Director Scott Clark, Director of Economic
Development Catherine Mehelich, Assistant Director of Economic
Development Heidi Steinmetz, and Recording Secretary Jessica Miller
Call Meeting To Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the worksession meeting of the Elk River Housing
and Redevelopment Authority was called to order at 5:28 p.m. by Chair Wilson.
2. Complete StrenItths, Weaknesses Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis for
Downtown North of Highway 10
Community Development Director Scott Clark indicated that at the November 7, 2005
meeting, the HRA agreed that the primary purpose of "North of Highway 10
redevelopment" is to create an extension of the downtown "south of Highway 10"
redevelopment. Mr. Clark explained that staff spent a great deal of time conducting a
SWOT analysis. He explained the purpose and the process of a Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis and asked the HRA to conduct their own
analysis to gain a common understanding of the issues. Below is the HRA's SWOT anaysis:
Strengths
■ Visibility to Highway 10
■ Centralized location
o City
o Community
o Regional
■ Existing residential
o History
o Affordability
■ Jackson Street's capacity
■ Current businesses
■ South side project
■ Lions Park
Weaknesses
■ Lack of pedestrian infrastructure
o From south side
o Within whole area of north side
■ What is the utility infrastructure?
■ Railroad Location
Housing & Redevelopment Authority
December 5, 2005 - Worksession
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o Residential proximity
o Traffic flow
■ Highway 10 uncertainty
■ Lack of off-street parking
■ Current industrial uses
■ Long-term uses
■ Location of historic structures
Opportunities
■ Improve traffic flow of Railroad Drive
■ Post Office relocation
■ Current vacant buildings
■ Increasing population
■ Promote ideas for Highway 10 to MnDOT
■ City to take leadership role
■ Retail synergy
■ Use vacant building for YMCA
Threats
■ Highway 10 uncertainty
■ Land cost/development cost
■ Market competition
o Popularity of big box retailers
■ Convincing the market
Sumrn Mary
■ Highway 10 uncertainty
■ Long-term plan (phasing)
■ Update market research
■ Retain existing housing stock
■ Evaluate/develop infrastructure needs
■ Complete property and valuation inventory
■ Complete preliminary financial feasibility study
9. Adjournment
There being no further business, Chair Wilson adjourned the worksession.
Page 2
The meeting of the Elk River Housing and Redevelopment Authority adjourned at 6:39 p.m.
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Jessica Miller
Recording Secretary