6. HRSR 12-05-2005ITEM # 6.
River
MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Heidi Steinmetz, Assistant Director of Economic Development
DATE: December 5, 2005
SUBJECT: Form Based Zoning Education Update
Last month, the HRA indicated an interest in learning about form based zoning. Staff
anticipates an optional educational opportunity during the January 23, 2006 Planning
Commission work session per Chair Anderson's approval. The Heritage Preservation
Commission will also be invited. More details will be provided at the January 3, 2006 HRA
meeting.
liver
MEMORANDUM
TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Scott Clark, Community Development Director
DATE: November 28, 2005
SUBJECT: Worksession Regarding North of Highway 10 Redevelopment
At the November 7, 2005 HRA meeting it was agreed upon that the primary purpose of
"north of Highway 10 redevelopment" is to create a downtown extension of the "south of
Highway 10" redevelopment.
Staff has spent a great deal of time attempting to begin the process of preparing preliminary
goals and policies by using a basic SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and
Threats) analysis as a starting point. The end result of this type of analysis is to help create a
beginning outline that will start to chart a path for both a proper land use and a
redevelopment implementation strategy.
After going through this analysis at a staff level, it became clear that there axe a number of
major issues with achieving the goal of a "downtown extension". Based on this, staff is of
the opinion that it would be beneficial for the HRA to go through their own SWOT analysis.
Staff is of the opinion that one of the benefits of having the HRA go through this process is
for the Commissioners to gain a greater appreciation of the major redevelopment issues and
challenges in redeveloping this area. Put into another perspective, the SWOT analysis is the
difficult first step that will start the process of clarifying the right land use and related
redevelopment issues.
After discussion with the Chair of the HRA it was agreed that our December meeting will
center on doing a SWOT analysis (a brief memo as to the purpose and process is attached.)
Since the time needed to conclude this could run later than 6:30 p.m. (Council start time) we
will have the work session in the Upper Town room. Staff would suggest that
Commissioners walk through our redevelopment study area sometime before the meeting
and look at this area within the perspective of the challenges necessary to develop/redevelop
into a downtown.
S:AYLANNING\Scott Clark\2005 HRA memos\ll 28 OS Noxth Hwy 10.doc
SWOT ANALYSIS
A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or a business. In this particular
case, the HRA's SWOT analysis should be focused on the creation of a downtown
renewal/redevelopment north of Highway 10 (this was the agreed primary purpose
reconfirmed at the last meeting). Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the project.
Opportunities and threats originate from outside the project.
Staff has listed a few examples, from our internal discussion, for this project:
Strengths
Access to Highway 10 and 169
Proximity to schools/parks
Weaknesses
• Extraordinary high cost to redevelop
• Long term non-compatible uses (industrial)
Opportunities
Relocation of County offices
Highway 10 improvements
Threats
• Competing retail interest from "south of 10"
• Post office relocation
The end result of the SWOT analysis will create the following benefits:
1) A foundation of mutual understanding (between the HRA and staff] regarding the
issues of redeveloping the subject area.
2) A process that will allow the HRA to affirm or modify their "primary purpose of
redevelopment"
3) Ideas generated will help create an outline for the next step, which is detailed
operating goals and policies.
S:\PLANNING\Scott Clark\2005 HRt1 memos\SWOT Analysis Memo.doc
Citv of
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Downtown North of Hwy I 0
Purpose, Project Goal and Objectives
Purpose: Investment in the downtown has stagnated and area businesses and residents alike are
concerned about the need to revitalize downtown and attract people there.
Neighborhoods age, and change will occur whether or not the City intervenes. Controlling that change
through revitalization and redevelopment planning will ensure that the types of changes that occur in
downtown Elk River are the ones people want -those that will keep our community vital and flourishing.
Primary Goal: To assure the long-term viability of downtown by making a connection to the rest of the
community by strengthening the commercial and residential neighborhood, and to stimulate new
investment.
Development Objectives:
• Strengthen gateways to Core CBD
• Encourage ease of access (pedestrian and vehicular) between north and south downtown areas
• Identify parking issues
• Encourage off-street parking
• Encourage office, service, institutional and housing uses in addition to mixed use with first priority
of mixed use redevelopment being located north of the railroad tracks and east of Jackson Avenue
• Rehabilitation of residential areas
• Strengthen connection to the community
• Recognize those buildings that have potential for rehabilitation
• Replace market/economic obsolete buildings
• Identify areas of greatest opportunity such as the Post Office, the former Arrow Building Center
site/Eagles building and the homes along Main Street