01-02-2007 DTMIN
MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER
DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TASKFORCE
HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL
MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2007
Members Present: Stewart Wilson, HRA Chair; Louise Kuester, HRA Commissioner; Larry Toth,
HRA Commissioner; Lance Lindberg, Heritage Preservation Commissioner; Dana
Anderson, Planning Commissioner; Mike Niziolek, Parks & Recreation
Commissioner; Dan Tveite, EDA Commissioner; Dave Rymanowski, Business
Representative – First National Bank; Keith Holme, Business Representative
(Kemper Drug); Molly Nadeau-Peterson, Resident Representative (arrived at 6:30
p.m.); John Anderson, Resident Representative
Members Absent: Jean Lieser, HRA Commissioner and Mark Urista, Business Representative
(Coldwell Banker Vision)
Staff Present: Community Development Director Scott Clark, Director of Economic
Development Catherine Mehelich, Assistant Director of Economic Development
Heidi Steinmetz and Planner Chris Leeseberg
Others Present: Stacie Kvilvang of Ehlers & Associates, Inc. and Michael Schroeder of LHB
Architects & Engineers
1. Welcome/Meeting Recap
Stacie Kvilvang of Ehlers & Associates welcomed the taskforce members to their third meeting. She
summarized the results of the last meeting; specifically that the members had answered “no” and one
member was unsure regarding the following question: Is the former/current model of downtown
still viable?
2. Approve December 4, 2006 Minutes/Purpose of Meeting
The December 4, 2006 minutes were approved.
Ms. Kvilvang introduced guest speaker Michael Schroeder of LHB Architects & Engineers. She
stated that the main goal of tonight’s meeting is to learn and gain ideas from Mr. Schroeder regarding
the following main topics:
Designing along the river
Sense of place and how it relates to historic preservation
Downtown redevelopment principles
3. Presentation by Michael Schroeder, LHB Architects & Engineers
Mr. Schroeder provided the taskforce with a two-hour presentation, followed by a question/answer
session. Key presentation points included:
Current and future improvements to the downtown will be historical buildings someday.
Connecting a river walk with the rest of downtown can be uniquely designed; i.e. “weaving”
between buildings.
Historic preservation is not necessarily saving buildings; it’s about sense of place and
experiences.
Smooth correlations between the residential neighborhoods and other downtown areas are
critical.
Downtown can be defined by “a place where the greatest number of activities take
Downtown Redevelopment Plan Taskforce Minutes Page 2
January 2, 2007
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place in the least amount of space.”
Provide less parking than logic dictates; sharing of parking spaces allows for sharing of
customers.
A successful downtown has a “layered texture”of regular events/activities, places to go and
destinations.
It is important that Elk River focuses on its assets.
Redevelopment/restoration can be done incrementally.
Question/Answer Session
Member Holme asked how we are going to fund the implementation of the redevelopment plan. Mr.
Schroeder reminded the group that there are costs for developing the redevelopment plan itself and
costs for plan implementation. Community Development Director Scott Clark stated that the
taskforce will complete a better plan if they focus on visioning rather than the constraints of funding.
He added that typically it is staff’s role to determine how to fund the plan’s implementation. He
further explained that funding strategies will be included within the plan and that it is a long-term
plan.
Mr. Schroeder added that the taskforce should not forget about the private sector’s role in
redevelopment. Member Holme mentioned that City staff should remain proactive in the
redevelopment process rather than allowing developers to push redevelopment ideas onto the
community.
Member Dana Anderson stated that he wants to create momentum with this plan rather than
reverting back to the past thirty years when numerous taskforces or community groups tried but
were unsuccessful to implement various redevelopment plans.
Member Niziolek stated that he views that the taskforce is going to have major challenges in putting
a plan together because of Hwy 10 and the railroad. He asked Mr. Schroeder for input. Mr.
Schroeder suggested that staff discuss the issue with MnDOT employees who support context
sensitive design, which is a type of design that considers the context in which highways flow within a
community. Member Niziolek asked Mr. Schroeder how important the highway and railroad are in
relation to the plan. Mr. Schroeder answered that both are just as important as all of the other issues
within the plan.
4. Next Steps
February Meeting
Ms. Kvilvang informed the taskforce that developers will be attending the February meeting to
educate the group on current market conditions. She explained that tonight’s meeting and February’s
meeting represent two opposite sides of the redevelopment spectrum; the dream and the reality.
Homework
Staff distributed disposable cameras as part of a “homework” assignment for the taskforce.
Members were asked to take pictures over the next month of things they like and/or dislike, which
will be used as examples for what they feel should/should not be included in the redevelopment
plan. Ms. Kvilvang asked the taskforce to take photos of anything and everything whether it be
photos of something that represents a sense of place, landscaping, parking, buildings, etc. The
results of this homework assignment will be provided in March.
5. Final Comments
Ms. Kvilvang asked each taskforce member to talk about his/her “ah ha” moment during Mr.
Schroeder’s presentation. The following items were mentioned more than once:
Downtown Redevelopment Plan Taskforce Minutes Page 3
January 2, 2007
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It is important that the taskforce focus on the larger redevelopment area boundary rather
than the “core” downtown.
Downtown business entrances are more important than windows.
Elk River should not look like every other downtown.
It is important that the taskforce discuss the residential components of the area in more
detail.
People will walk further (park further away) if there is a bigger “draw” downtown; i.e. the
new park.
Submitted by,
Heidi Steinmetz
Assistant Director of Economic Development