04-09-2007 DTMIN
MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER
DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TASK FORCE
HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007
Members Present: Stewart Wilson, HRA Chair; Louise Kuester, HRA Commissioner; Larry Toth,
HRA Commissioner; Jean Lieser, HRA Commissioner; Lance Lindberg, Heritage
Preservation Commissioner; Dan Tveite, EDA Commissioner; Dana Anderson,
Planning Commissioner; Dave Rymanowski, Business Representative (First
National Bank); Keith Holme, Business Representative (Kemper Drug); Mark
Urista, Business Representative (Coldwell Banker Vision); Molly Nadeau-Peterson,
Resident Representative; John Anderson, Resident Representative
Members Absent: Mike Niziolek, Parks & Recreation Commissioner
Staff Present: Community Development Director Scott Clark and Assistant Director of Economic
Development Heidi Steinmetz
Others Present: Stacie Kvilvang of Ehlers & Associates, Inc., Michael Koop of the State Historic
Preservation Office and Bonnie McDonald of the Preservation Alliance of
Minnesota
1. Approve April 9, 2007 Agenda
The April 9, 2007 agenda was approved.
2. Approve March 5, 2007 Minutes
The March 5, 2007 minutes were approved.
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3. Recap of Last Meeting & Purpose of April 9 Meeting
Ms. Kvilvang provided a recap of the last meeting, which was dedicated to Highway 10 issues. She
highlighted Task Force consensus items including:
Leaving Hwy 10 at grade would be the least detrimental to downtown due to the importance
of maintaining a sense of place and image that one is entering the downtown.
It is important for downtown to be accessed from Hwy 10, although recognized that the
downtown does not draw or depend on customer traffic from Hwy 10.
North of Hwy 10 downtown is not an extension of the core downtown but that the land
uses on the north side should compliment the core downtown.
The natural progression of downtown redevelopment will most likely extend west along
Main Street as driven by the market. The group agreed to this but did not agree that
redevelopment should extend west.
4. Preservation and Redevelopment
Ms. Kvilvang introduced tonight’s guest speakers; Michael Koop of the State Historic Preservation
Office and Bonnie McDonald of the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. Mr. Koop and Ms.
McDonald provided the Task Force with a PowerPoint presentation including case studies of other
communities that have completed preservation projects while revitalizing their downtowns and
financial incentives available to cities to conduct preservation work.
Downtown Redevelopment Plan Task Force Minutes Page 2
April 9, 2007
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Community Development Director Scott Clark asked the presenters to expand on the mechanics of
local historic designations. Ms. McDonald answered that not every building within a designated area
has to contribute to the designation. Mr. Koop added that building owners in designated areas are
not required to preserve their buildings but when they chose to change or improve their buildings,
the HPC would have to be involved.
Task Force Member Stewart Wilson asked Ms. McDonald to expand on facade easements. Ms.
McDonald stated that building owners provide her organization (or whatever organization has a
façade easement program) with their easement rights, which discounts the facade improvement costs
since the easement constitutes as a donation. Mr. Wilson asked if the easements affect property
values. Ms. McDonald was unsure but stated that these types of programs have been around since
1971 and that her organization has offered their program since 1985.
Task Force Member Molly Nadeau asked the typical cost of a survey of historic properties. Mr.
Koop answered that grants are available but the cost to complete a survey of Elk River’s “greater”
downtown would probably be $5,000. Mr. Koop added that since the Elk River HRA funded the
Historic Contexts Study back in 2002, the City may have a better chance of obtaining a grant to
conduct a survey.
Task Force Member Lieser asked if the Elk River HPC would complete local historic designations
and be involved in developing preservation guidelines. Mr. Koop said that the HPC would probably
hire a consultant to complete the work. Ms. Lieser also asked about the statistics in Mr. Koop’s
presentation regarding the relationship between energy cost savings and preservation projects. Mr.
Koop responded with an example that new buildings rot faster than old buildings and that may be
the reason for the savings.
The Task Force had no further questions, so Ms. Kvilvang thanked Mr. Koop and Ms. McDonald
for their time.
5. Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) Recommendations to Task Force
Task Force Member and HPC Chair Lance Lindberg provided a PowerPoint presentation
highlighting a document entitled “Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission Policy
Recommendations”, which was distributed to the Task Force in their April 9, 2007 meeting packet.
Ms. Kvilvang asked Mr. Lindberg for clarification that the HPC suggests that no changes be made in
the redevelopment study area. Mr. Lindberg stated “yes”.
6. Task Force Member Reports
Task Force Member and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Chair Stewart Wilson
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summarized the HRA’s discussion at their March 5 regular meeting regarding whether or not the
Task Force’s would want to add the “Quinn area” to their redevelopment study area. Chair Wilson
said that the HRA prefers that the “Quinn area” be added now instead of later since the
Redevelopment Plan has not been completed yet.
Community Development Director Scott Clark recommended that the Task Force not add the
“Quinn area” since the dynamics of the area do not “fit” with the rest of the study area. Assistant
Director of Economic Development added that the study area is already 728 parcels in size and that
the Task Force should take that into consideration.
MOVED BY TASK FORCE MEMBER DAN TVEITE AND SECONDED BY TASK
FORCE MEMBER DANA ANDERSON, THE TASK FORCE AGREED TO ADD THE
“QUINN AREA” TO THE REDEVELOPMENT STUDY AREA. THE MOTION
CARRIED 11–1. TASK FORCE MEMBER DAVE RYMANOWSKI OPPOSED.
Downtown Redevelopment Plan Task Force Minutes Page 3
April 9, 2007
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Task Force Chair Mark Urista provided the Task Force with an update on his March 12, 2007 update
to the City Council regarding Task Force progress to date. Mr. Clark added Council Member Zerwas
prefers that the public input process for the Redevelopment Plan be extended.
7. Discuss Task Force Policy Assumptions
Nine policy assumptions were included in the April 9, 2007 Task Force packet, which were drafted
by staff based on Task Force meetings and input. Staff distributed an updated version of
assumptions at tonight’s meeting containing two additional assumptions. The Task Force voted on
each of the eleven assumptions and agreed with all but two of them and also agreed that they may
feel more comfortable with the two assumptions as the visioning process takes place.
8. Next Steps
Ms. Kvilvang stated that the next meeting will be entirely devoted to “visioning” (developing land
use concepts for the study area).
Submitted by,
Heidi Steinmetz
Assistant Director of Economic Development