HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Development Guide 6/06
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DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
CITY OF PRIOR LAKE
Hoisington Koegler Group
Ehlers S Associates
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Draft I
JUNE 2000
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Credits
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The planning process for the Prior Lake Downtown Development Guide relied
on the participation of the Prior Lake community to review. evaluate and provide
direction for the formulation of the plan. Through community meetings.
workshops. interviews and other methods. the people of Prior Lake were asked to
contribute their thoughts and insights related to the revitalization of their
downtown area. Without their input. this plan would not have been possible.
Special thanks go to the Prior Lake Economic Development Authority and City
Council. Both of these groups spent numerous hours to ensure that the
intentions of this plan match the needs and desires of the Prior Lake Community.
Economic Development Authority
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Bob Barsness. Chair
Pete Schenck
Wes Mader
Christine Walsh
Bill Criego
Mayor and City Council
Wes Mader. Mayor
Jim Ericson
Jim Peterson
Pete Schenck
Mike Gundlach
City Staff
Frank Boyles. City Manager
Donald Rye. Planning Director
Jane Kansier, Planning Coordinator
Bud Osmundson, Public Works Director
Connie Carlson, Planning Secretary
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Project Consultants
Hoisington Koegler Group Inc.
Ehlers and Associates, Inc.
Dale Helmich - Community and Economic Development
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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1 · Contents
I Development Guide Context
] Introduction I
Historical Framework 2
I Location and Study Area Boundary 3
Community Survey 3
I Existing Conditions 4
Land Use 4
I Building Character 10
Comprehensive Plan 12
I Zoning 13
Transportation 13
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Planning Process and Community Input
I Initial Community Meeting IS
Vision and Guiding Principles
A Vision for Downtown Prior Lake 17
Guiding the Vision 17
Alternative Concepts
Land Use Alternatives 22
Concept A - Crossroads at Main Avenue
And Dakota Street 22
Concept B - Main Street Revitalization 25
Concept C - A Downtown District 27
Architectural Theme Alternatives 29
Lake Theme 29
Historical Theme 31
Park Theme 31
Community Input - Composite Plan 34
Community Input - Design Theme 36
Redevelopment Plan
Redevelopment Plan Overview 37
Transportation 37
Land Use 39
I Future Land Uses 42
Redevelopment Summary 43
I Downtown Business Uses 44
I Streetscape Improvements 44
Development Guidelines 49
I Design Strategies 50
Existing Building Renovation Guidelines 50
I New Building Construction 55
Signage Guidelines 56
J Site Design Guidelines 56
Oversight of Design Guidelines 61
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Implementation
Keys to Implementation 63
Financial Tools 64
Tax Increment Financing 65
Tax Abatement 68
Special Assessments 69
Special Service District 70
General Property Taxes 71
Commercial Rehabilitation Loans and Grants 71
Other City Funds 71
Other Programs 71
Recommended Projects 72
First Step Project 81
Project Details 81
Financial and Procedural Overview 84
Appendix
Community Meeting Summary
Design and Theme Concepts Workshop Summary
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A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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Introduction
Prior Lake has a number of features that differentiate it from other suburban
Twin City communities. Obviously. its namesake, Prior Lake is one of those
characteristics. An intact. downtown area is another of its major attributes.
Throughout the Twin Cities and across the country today, suburban communities
are striving to establish downtowns. Creating a new downtown is a major
challenge. Restoring the vitality of an existing downtown is also a difficult task
but one that can be based on an existing framework with historical and cultural
significance to the community rather than based on an identified marketing
theme.
Prior Lake's downtown area has evolved over the past 100 years. As commercial
ventures were constructed along Highway 13, the focus of commercial activity
shifted to businesses along the highway corridor. More recently, commercial
developments in Bumsville and Savage have further eroded business conditions
in Downtown Prior Lake. The deterioration of downtown has been a concern of
the City for a number of years. In 1984. the City hosted a Governors Design
Team Visit which was a charatte-based planning session focused on downtown
improvements. The Design Team generated a number of ideas but the effort was
not an implementation-oriented process. The Design Team visit was followed up
by the preparation of plans for downtown improvements in 1991. The plans were
prepared under the auspices of the City and a group of business owners known as
the Towncenter Association. The 1991 plans advocated a number of physical
streetscape improvements paid partially by property assessments. Because of the
financing mechanism and other factors, the improvements were never
constructed.
In 1998, a task force submitted a report entitled "A Conceptual Design Plan for
the City of Prior Lake" to the Prior Lake Economic Development Authority
(EDA) recommending ways of revitalizing the downtown area. The report
addressed land use. building types, streetscape improvements and costs. As the
name implies, however, the purpose of the report was to present a conceptual
overview rather than a detailed implementation plan. One of the report's
recommendations was the preparation of a more detailed redevelopment plan.
This effort. the Prior Lake Downtown Development Guide represents that
suggested redevelopment plan. Its purpose is to build on the work that has
occurred since 1984 and to formulate specific recommendations for the
downtown area as well as an action plan for implementation. This devolopment
guide is expected to be used in a number of ways. It is:
A Resource - The Prior Lake Downtown Development Guide contains a
compilation of the research and analysis that occurred during the planning
process. The Guide can be used as a resource to promote a greater understanding
of the downtown area and the forces that have shaped its development. It serves
as a resource to explain the basis for findings and recommendations and it
provides background and suggestions for use in future planning and decision
making.
A Tool for Decision Making - The Development Guide serves as a tool for
evaluating potential development and redevelopment efforts. Consistent with an
Development
Guide Context
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suggested "updated buildings." Six percent wanted to "keep the old
town look:' Six percent suggested "landscaping:. Four percent urged
''upgraded roads."
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· Residents evaluated a number of proposals for the redevelopment of the
.. old downtown area:
o By an 85% to 11 % judgment, residents supported "adding more
retail and office businesses, such as shops and restaurants.
o By an 80% to 13% verdict. residents supported "adding
pedestrian and bicycle links to Lakefront Park:'
o By a 71 % to 22% margin, respondents supported "installing new
landscaping, benches, and lighting."
o By a 68% to 240/0 judgment. respondents supported "creating a
community gathering space, such as a 'town square. ttt
o By a 63% to 27% verdict, residents favored "improving the
entries to downtown, off of Highway 13."
o By a 61 % to 27% margin, residents supported "creating
additional parking:.
o Bya 58% to 30% decision. residents favored "providing higher
density housing, possibly for senior citizens:'
o By a 54% to 33% judgment, respondents favored "attracting
public services, such as a post office."
o By a 52% to 36% verdict, respondents supported 'reducing the
number of bars and auto repair shops."
o By a 48% to 22% margin. residents supported "improving the
existing park-and-ride lot:.
o By a 47% to 3~% judament, residents favored "installing a
traffic signal at the intersection of County Road 21 and Main
Avenue.
· Seventy-one percC!'Jlt "favored" the City of Prior Lake granting incentives
and tax breaks to attract ,desired commercial and light industrial
development to the community. Twenty percent "opposed" it and nine
percent were 'unsure."
The results of the survey show a strong interest in Prior Lake's downtown area
and significant public support for improving the area.
Land Use
Existing
Conditions
The analysis of existing land use for downtown Prior Lake started as a large-
scale effort that was then refined in scale. Figure X entitled Context and
Linkages depicts the initial broad based analysis. In order to gauge the
boundaries of downtown as well as to assess the impacts of nearby commercial
areas and community features, and expanded view was examined. The area
generally covered encompassed LakefrontPark, the community commercial area
north of 160tb Street SE, the community commercial area adjacent to the
intersection of Franklin Trail and TH 13. which includes Priordale Mall, and the
residential neighborhoods generally lying east and west of downtown.
The community commercial node abutting 160tb Street SE is an automobile
oriented business area. It does not have convenient pedestrian linkage to
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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LEGEND
_1._ Commercial Area * Primary Entry to Downtown ~ Major Roadway
Residential District ) Secondary Entry to Downtown Regional Bike Trail
..... Existing Natural Area 0 Major Pedestrian Crossing ~'_1_'~ Possible Linkage
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City of Prior Lake
Downtown Development Guide
Context &
Linkages
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downtown and it contains a variety of commercial enterprises including fast food,
retail, office and service uses. The Priordale Mall area, which lies north of 170lh
Street SE, contains similar businesses. The area surrounding Priordale Mall also
is home to a number of automobile sales .and service businesses that rely on a
highway orientation for traffic and visibility. There are no pedestrian or trail
links that connect the Priordale Mall to the downtown area.
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Residential neighborhoods flank the downtown area on both the east and west
sides. Highway 13 is a boundary on the east side between commercial uses and
residential neighborhoods. The roadway is an effective element separating the
two differing types of land uses. On the west side, the boundary between the
downtown area and adjacent residential neighborhoods is not as well defmed.
Arcadia Street and the church area on the west side of the street generally mark
the delineation between commercial and residential land uses.
. J The land immediately north and south of the existing downtown area contains
park property and natural resource areas. A large wetland complex serves as the
southern boundary of the area lying south of Pleasant Avenue on both sides of
TH 13. Lakefront Park, which is Prior Lake.s premier community park. lies
immediately north of downtown. Lakefront Park contains a large pond that can
be viewed from the rear portions of lots along the north side of Dakota Street.
The main entrance to the park is approximately 700 feet north of Dakota Street
off of Main Avenue. This entrance, which was constructed in 1999. results in
almost all of the park traffic either passing through downtown entering the park
from the south or through the northern downtown gateway intersection at
Highway 13 and Main Avenue.
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The land use pattern and the location of natural features described above
delineates the "edges" of the current downtown area. The wetlands and park
areas limit significant future expansion to the north or south. Highway 13
precludes the eastward expansion of downtown commercial uses. The residential
neighborhoods make westward expansion difficult. As a result, on a large scale,
the limits of downtown Prior Lake were generally defined as being consistent
with the present commercial boundaries with possible limited expansion potential
to the north, west and southwest. Downtown Prior Lake is viewed as a separate
commercial area from either the Priordale Mall area or the concentration of
community commercial uses abutting 169lh Street SE.
Existing land uses within the downtown area are shown on Figure X entitled'
Existing Conditions Analysis. Generally speaking, downtown Prior Lake
contains four clusters of similar hmd uses. The land areas north and south of
Dakota Street abutting Highway 13 contain auto-oriented businesses. Body
shops and automotive repair shops are located between Main Avenue and
Highway 13. An auto sales lot and an Amoco station with automotive repair abut
Highway 13 further to the south.
The area east of Main Avenue, south of County Road 21 and north of Pleasant
Street contains a number of destination commercial uses. Within this area, a
hardware store, video rentals and a liquor store are located. All of these
businesses are retail uses that are largely "drive to" destinations.
A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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The western portion of downtown contains a public use campus area. In recent
years, Prior Lake has made a commitment to retaining public uses as part of its
downtown area. The area lying east of Arcadia Avenue, north of County Road
21 and south of Dakota Street is a public use campus. The area contains the Prior
Lake City Hall, police department, and a new library, community resource
center. The City of Prior Lake is a significant owner of downtown property.
The fourth major component of the downtown land use pattern is the core
commercial area that generally abuts Main Avenue between County Road 21 and
Dakota Street. This area exhibits the land use pattern of a traditional downtown.
It is the location of a number of retail and office uses located in a mixture of
older and more recently constructed buildings.
Although the four land use clusters represent an overall pattern of uses in the
downtown area, a number of other downtown businesses do not fit within these
boundaries. Of note are the VFW club on Main Avenue; the lumberyard between
Main Avenue and Erie Avenue; the Scott Rice Telephone Company facility on
Colorado Street; automotive repair at the corner of Colorado Street and Main
Avenue; an auto repair facility on Main Avenue, north of Pleasant Avenue; and a
gas station at the comer of Main Avenue and Dakota Street.
A number of the businesses identified above are either generally incompatible
with a traditional pattern of downtown land uses or presently pose aesthetic or
operational conflicts. The lumberyard, which is largely a wholesale business, is
located in the heart of downtown. It is a facility with very little retail attraction,
open storage space areas and low employment generation compared to the
amount of land that the business occupies. It is not the type of business that
requires a downtown location.
The auto repair businesses north of Dakota Street are well maintained buildings
with attractive landscaping. Because of the detached location of these uses and
the nature of their business operations, they are likely compatible with future
downtown improvements. The auto sales lot on the north side of Dakota Street
sits at one of the downtown entrances off of Highway 13. Because of the
prominence of this location, a future use not requiring large outdoor storage and
sales areas would improve the appearance of the area.
Other auto-oriented businesses conflict with establishing a stronger traditional
downtown land use pattern. . The gas station at the corner of Dakota Street and
Main A venue is generally well maintained but not the type of land use that would
typically be found at the intersection of the two primary downtown streets. The
auto repair facility on the comer of Colorado Street and Main Avenue raises the
same concern, however, in the case of this business, the condition of the existing
building also detracts from the appearance of the downtown area. The auto
repair facility on the south end of Main Avenue. north of Pleasant Avenue, which
also encompasses and existing house is again, classified in a similar manner. In
the case of this business, however, outside storage of damaged vehicles and
outside repair of vehicles on the residential lot detracts from the appearance of
the area.
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. Residential Use 0 Historic/Cultural Use
. Commercial Use . Religious Use
. OovemmentalUse @ Existing Woodland
'..-.... Regional Bike Trail
P Public Parking Lot
8 - Views
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ExistiDg Condiuoos
Analysis
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,.,... I -~ Traffic Pat1em
o Pedestrian CrossiDg
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"1 State Trunk Highway 13
. I! · Three different entries provide good vehicle access to downtown.
. Limited pedestrian crossings.
· Steep slopes limit potential for trail or bikeway development to the south.
· Provides vehicular access to commercial areas on the north and south sides of downtown.
County Road 21
. Divides downtown to the north and south
. Limited pedestrian crossings.
. The backs of many businesses face road.
. No driveway access.
. Entry Plaza at Hwy 13 seems to float.
. Minimal landscape development.
South of County Road 21
. Municipal parking seems remote.
· Must drive through neighborhood to exit to the west.
· Residence on Pleasant Avenue and Main Ave. is isolated.
· Core of established businesses and potential. for Scott Rice expansion.
· Varied architectural styles and materials / brick, stucco, wood, stone
· Older buildings at sidewalk, while newer construction tends to be setback from property line.
· Minimal landscape development.
· Wetland to south provides natural amenity and limits expansion possiblities.
North of County Road 21
· Municipal parking at comer of Main Ave provides immediate parking for visitors.
· Governmental node to the west.
. Residences on north end of downtown are isolated.
· Core of established businesses and vacant land provides potential for future expansion.
· Varied architectural styles and materials / brick, wood and stone.
. Most buildings are at edge of sidewalk.
. Historic building adds link to the past.
· Lakefront park provides developed amenity and limits expansion to the north.
· Business and residence on Erie Ave. are isolated.
· Police garage could be upgraded.
· Neighborhood to the West has good ~ccess.
· Potential site for Post Office relocation.
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Existing Conditions
Analysis Notes
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Building Character
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The strength of downtown Prior Lake's built environment comes from its
existing pattern of development rather than its historic or unique architectural
heritage. Downtown Prior Lake has a traditional downtown building pattern with
structures placed at the right-of-way line. This pattern emphasizes pedestrian
accessibility, placing businesses convenient to curbside parking and in close
proximity to one another. The character and continuity of the buildings,
however, has been significantly altered over time. Unlike neighboring Shakopee,
downtown Prior Lake does not contain a recognized historic district. Although a
few existing downtown buildings may retain some local historic significance,
none of the structures in the area are listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
Most of the buildings in the downtown area feature an assortment of false fronts
that include mansard roof areas and a variety of wooden fa~ade treatments. None
of the older buildings retain any significant amount of their original architectural
detail. Newer, infill buildings, stand as examples of typical suburban
architecture. The building containing the video rental store and restaurant is
indicative of contemporary highway commercial architecture with awnings
serving as adornment and as a defining element for wall signage.
1Ypical Mansard Roof Attachment
While virtually all of the downtown buildings have "lost" their original style,
many still contain original materials and partially hidden details that reveal hints
of their past. The stone building in the northeast corner of Dakota Street and
Main Avenue retains its original building f~ade with more recent window
replacements. The rear wall of the old bank building in the southwest corner of
the same intersection reveals some of the brick work detail that was part of the
original structure.
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If anything currently establishes a building pattern for Prior Lake's downtown
area, it is the public buildings. City Hall, which incorporates portions of a grade
school that was constructed in 1941, is a brick building. The recently opened
library and community resource building, south of City Hall, is a noteworthy
addition to the architecture of downtown. The new building retains the use of
brick and contains strong architectural elements that are reminiscent of the
community's railroad heritage. The new structure maintains an attractive
presence on County Road 21, which is the former location of railroad right-of-
way.
Prior Lake City Hall
Public Library and Community Resource Building
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ami Downtown Develocrnent Guide
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Comprehensive Plan
Prior Lake updated its Comprehensive Plan in April of 1999. A number of the
plan.s sections contain information pertinent to downtown. Lakefront, one of the
planning districts identified in the plan. includes portions of downtown or "Town
Center" as it is referenced in the plan. The Lakefront Neighborhood Planning
District is clustered around Lakefront Park and Town Center. It includes a major
portion of the Town Center and is bordered on the southwest by County Road 21,
on the southeast by Highway 13 and on the north by Prior Lake. The plan
identifies objectives for the district that include:
· Continue improving access to Lakefront Park to better integrate the park
with adjacent neighborhoods, Town Center and other commercial areas.
A trail system should link all of these areas.
· Ensure that redevelopment projects in this district include better
pedestrian access and improved traffic circulation.
The plan also contains text that provides direction for the eventual improvement
of the Town Center area. It states that. "the Town Center classification is a
special designation for the historical and recognized Town Center, which has
retained attributes of a "downtown." despite relocation by some original
commercial uses. The classification strives to balance the civic center and
contemporary commercial features with new cultural.focused institutions and
enterprises. and redevelopment potential of retail and service uses.
,Excerpt from the J 999
Prior Lake Comprehensive
Plan
The Town Center may be characterized as a service hub with limited retail
shopping. Suburban vehicular access can be supported by effectively integrating
peripheral and on-street parking.
Limited residential uses., excluding single-family detached dwellings, can be
integrated with the commercial and service environment. Convalescent care
facilities and congregate senior citizen housing are appropriate uses at selected
locations away from thoroughfares.
Redevelopment stimulated by available City programs can effectively displace
uses that are no longer compatible with the purposes ,of the Center.
The proximity to State Highway 13 and County Road 21 presents a dilemma for
prospective development and redevelopment. The location presents prime access
to the area and it offers an opportunity for enhanced viability for some
businesses. The traffic generation and public safety needs are not conducive to
private access drives onto either thoroughfare or to pedestrian crossings without
electric lights.
The focus of the uses within the Town Center should be internal rather than
external. recognizing those enterprises on the perimeters will have extra value of
visibility. The Town Ccntcr should be the recognized civic, commercial and
cultural entity.
The ToWn Center character should be defined by an approved Planned Unit
Development plan; retail uses are expected to be relatively specialized and even
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I t unique and should easily mix with service uses and cultural places, rather than
serve as the foundation of another shopping node,'.
Zoning
Prior Lake's downtown area is presently zoned C-3. Specialty Business Use
District. The purpose of this district is to allow for a variety of commercial uses
within the framework of a traditional downtown area. The ordinance allows a
variety of uses either as outright permitted uses. permitted uses subject to specific
conditions, or uses allowed only through the issuance of a conditional use permit.
Uses allowed under each of these classifications include the following:
Permitted Uses
- MedicallDental Offices
- Retail
- Showrooms
- Offices
- Services
- Libraries
- Police and Fire Stations
Permitted Uses with Conditions
- Adult Day Care
- Dry Cleaning/Laundering
- Group Day Care
- Park/Open Space
- Private Entertainment
- Restaurants
- Multi-family Dwellings
- Community Centers
- Banks
- Appliance, small engine
and bicycle repair
Uses Permitted by Conditional Use Permit
- Motor Fuel Station
Transportation
- Businessrrrade Schools
- Business Services
- HotellMotel
- Printing Process/Supplies
- Studios
- Museums/Art Galleries
- Animal Handling
- Clubs and Lodges
- ConventionlExhibition Halls
- Food Service
- Public Service Structures
- Cluster Housing
- Elderly Housing
- Bed and Breakfasts
- Wholesale
Downtown Prior Lake sits at the junction of two major roadways, County Road
21 and State Trunk Highway 13. Both of these roadways have a significant
influence on the downtown area and will continue to do so in the future. In 1999,
traffic volumes on County Road 21, east and west of downtown respectively
were 9,600 and 9,900 vehicles (ADT). Volumes on TH 13. north and south of
the downtown area respectively were 16,900 and 15,200. By 2020, projections
contained in the 1999 Comprehensive Plan identify significant increases. Traffic
projections for the portions of County Road 21, east and. west of downtown
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respectively call for 17,000 and 25,000 vehicles. Projection for TH 13 both north
and south of downtown call for vehicle counts of 25.000.
II
Traffic counts in and around the downtown area have long been a concern of the
City and a topic of conversation with Scott County. In March of 2000. the
County commissioned a traffic study focused on the intersection of Main Avenue
and County Road 21. That study reached the following conclusions:
· The all-way stop at CSAH 21/Main Avenue currently operates at a good
level of service.
· As traffic volumes increase. the CSAH 21/Main Avenue all-way stop is
not an effective means of control. In the future, a signal could be used
for traffic control. Scott County currently considers the intersection as
meeting warrants for signal installation but stresses that the all-way stop
should remain in place until traffic volumes render it insufficient.
· Signalizing CSAH 21/Main Avenue may immediately interfere with
Main A venue driveway accesses.
· Traffic forecasts indicate a future need for an additional through lane on
TH 13 and a left turn lane on CSAH 21 at TH 13.
· Future CSAH 21 traffic may backup from TH 13 through the Main
Avenue intersection. This backup is minimized if the signal timing at the
two intersections is coordinated.
The recommendations of the CSAH 21/Main Avenue Intersection Traffic Study
and conversations between the City and the County are being used as a basis for
future downtown planning. Based on the report. it is assumed that the all-way
stop will remain in place ,until sometime in the near future when the capacity of
the intersection in its present form is overwhelmed by growing traffic volumes.
At that time, a signal will be installed along with turn lane improvements along
CSAH 21 and possible through lane improvements on TH 13. The signal will
have an impact on the existing driveways that access Main Avenue both north
and south of CSAH 21. Vehicles waiting on Main will periodically block the
driveway entrances.
In the long term, it is possible but not currently recommended that a median
might be extended along CSAH 21, across the Main Avenue intersection. Should
this occur, Main Avenue would be limited to right-in, right-out access only. At
that time, it is presumed that the traffic signal would be relocated to the CSAH
13/Arcadia Avenue intersection to provide full movement access to the
downtown area.
A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 14
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In order for any planning effort to be effective. it must represent the goals and
collective vision of the stakeholders that it is intended to benefit. In the case of
the Prior Lake Downtown Development Guide. the stakeholders are not simply
downtown business interests but the community-at-Iarge. Therefore, it was
essential to the success of the Guide to involve all interested parties in its
creation.
The planning process used to create the Guide blended the expertise of the
community with the consulting team experienced in land use, commercial
markets. and public finance. Two key elements, participation and evaluation,
were at the core of the process. Participation is critical in reaching a consensus
regarding community desires. While professional consultants can apply their
respective expertise. citizens bring a different perspective - they are the real
experts regarding downtown Prior Lake. They provided their expertise in a
planning process that used a series of town meeting and workshops. The initial
town meeting sought participation by the entire community. Evaluation occurred
during a series of public workshops with representatives of both the private and
public sectors. All of the meetings were held under the auspices of the Prior
Lake Economic Development Authority (EDA).
Initial Community Meeting
At the beginning of the process. an initial town meeting was held on May 13.
1999. The session, which was attended by approximately 50 community
representatives. consisted of a series of exercises focused on gaining insights into
downtown Prior Lake. A complete summary of the session is found in the
appendix. The following are highlights:
When asked. what characteristics define downtown Prior Lake, community-
meeting attendees offered the following:
· Proximity to the park
· Office/service orientation
· Civic structures
· Hodge-podge of quality and building styles
· County Road 21 is a plus and a minus
· Lack ofIdentity
· Location of a major library
· Heart of the Prior Lake community
· Thoroughfare. not a destination
When asked to look into the future and imagine what downtown might be like.
community-meeting attendees stated:
· Expand and connect downtown - link both sides of Highway 12 and
County Road 21
· Provide adequate parking
· Enhance park amenities - access to Lakefront Park
· Create attractions - possibly a farmers market or arts and crafts fair -
encourage more pedestrian traffic
· Expand housing opportunities
Planning
Process and
Community
Input
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Improve appearance - make the area aesthetically pleasing - add
streetscaping improvements
Expand retail and entertainment uses - consider mixed use
retail/housing, add a variety of retail and restaurants
Expand office uses
Accommodate pedestrians
Improve public facilities
When asked to identify downtown Prior Lake's opportunities and challenges.
attendees offered:
Opportunities
· Incorporate natural amenities such as the wetlands
· Reflect Prior Lake's history
· Smaller may be better - small scale might actually be advantageous
· Downtown is a center for public services
· Expand business opportunities - increase downtown's customer base,
add new businesses, increase the tax base
· Area has good transportation access
· Land is affordable
· Prior Lake has the chance to "do it right" - opportunity can be created by
need
· Identifiable redevelopment sites exist - Main Avenue to City Hall -
Dakota Street to Lakefront Park
· Provide youth activities
ChalleDlzes
· Paradigm shift - getting the community to "buy in'. - changing the
perceptions of do~town
· Manage the impacts of change - keep current businesses while making
needed changes
· Gain consensus/cooperation - reach a consensus of property owners and
community cooperation
· How do we pay for it?
· Attract local and outside interest
· Overcome regulatory barriers
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The material that was gathered at the initial meeting was important in setting the
stage for subsequent planning activities. The thoughts that were expressed at the
meeting were the basis for the establishment of a vision statement and a set of
guiding principles for downtown, both of which are presented in the next section.
The ideas that were generated also played a key role in the formulation of
alternative future land use concepts for the downtown area. The concept
alternatives are also documented within this report.
A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 16
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Vision can be defined in a number of ways. One definition states that vision is
an "imaginative contemplationtt, the ability "to actually perceive something not
actually visible.'. The Downtown Prior Lake Development Guide is all about
contemplation - with a little help and effort on the part of a lot of people. what
might the area become? How might it change? What should that change
include?
A Vision for Downtown Prior Lake
A common vision that addresses these questions is an important foundation for
the Downtown Development Guide. During the preparation of the Guide, the
vision statement was used as a constant reminder of what residents and
businesspeople indicated was important. After adoption of the Guide. the
community may need to periodically review the vision statement in orQer to
maintain its focus. The vision language makes a strong statement that is
indicative of the community's desired future.
Based on input received at the initial public meeting, the following vision
statement was assembled for the Development Guide.
Vision Statement
Downtown Prior Lake will continue to be the community focus of government,
culture and social interaction. Businesses within the area will provide a wide
range of goods, services and entertainment.
Downtown Prior Lake will be a vibrant destination. Its development pattern will
echo the lake environment that serves as an icon for the Prior Lake community.
Downtown Prior Lake will invoke a strong expression of community pride.
Guiding the Vision
Guiding principles are intended to serve as statements of more specific criteria by
which ideas, concepts and components of the Downtown Development Guide
can be judged. Downtown Prior Lake will continue to evolve over time,
generally in accordance with the adopted guide. Decisions on issues that are not
specifically addressed in the guide. however, will be necessary to react to unique
circumstances or conditions that were unknown at the time the plan was
assembled. Because of this. it is important that the tone of the guiding principles
be upheld.
In doing so. the principles will help ensure that decisions that are made are
consistent with the overall direction for the community that is articulated in the
development guide.
Together, the vision statement and guiding principles serve the following
purposes:
. They orient the community to the future, even to a future that is twenty years
distant. .
Vision and
Guiding
Principles
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· The require imagination. recognizing that the direction they set today will be
the reality of the future.
· The look to current conditions and community traditions for clues to the
appropriate future.
· They are based on a shared understanding of what the community desires for
itself.
· They will be used as tools for evaluation of proposals. projects. ideas and
future directions.
· They will be an anchor during conflict, a way of finding common ground
and shared values.
· They become a basis for coordination and cooperation.
· They are a source of energy and enthusiasm for maintaining a commitment
to the future of downtown Prior Lake.
l
Based on input received during the public meeting, the following set of guiding
principles has been assembled for the Development Guide. They are listed
randomly without any attempt to imply priorities or an overall ranking.
Guiding Principles
· A strategic approach...
The development process for Downtown Prior Lake must be strategic in that it
encourages further action with every step taken. As resources are applied, they
must be seen as an investment, with a return that can be used to foster additional
improvements. This series of sustained actions will be the fuel that keeps Prior
Lake moving toward a more vibrant future.
· A good place to do business...
Downtown Pri<,>r Lake needs to be a viable place for businesses to succeed. The
downtown area should be organized to serve the needs of the community and
businesses should be recruited to supplement the current mix of goods and
services.
· The center of Prior Lake...
Downtown Prior Lake has always been and will continue to be an important
commercial district in the community. By creating a dynamic mix of goods,
services and activities, downtown can continue to be the center of the
community. Offering attractions that appeal to a mix of customers creates an
active and lively place. It creates a compelling reason for people to come
downtown. to gather and to interact with one another.
· Downtown, a place for people...
The downtown environment should be pedestrian friendly. Streets and parking
areas should be designed in a manner that creates an attractive and safe
pedestrian environment.
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Downtown Prior Lake lacks a common theme or historical reference. As
buildings are remodeled and new structures are built, they should help unify the
downtown area through common setbacks. compatible materials, and facades that
are inviting from the street.
· Compllment the adjacent neighborhoods...
Healthy neighborhoods will support the revitalization of downtown Prior Lake.
Clear boundaries for the business area and integrated higher density housing will
create stability for the surrounding single-family neighborhoods and help to
maintain consistent property values.
· Meet and greet on the street...
Streets are great meeting places. Streets are accessible to residents and visitors
and they are a key part of the outdoor environment of the downtown area. Well-
designed streets can do more than accommodate the movement of vehicles. The
can become a stage for human activity. Streetscape design elements can tell a
story about the community and serve as a reminder of Prior Lake's unique lake
environment.
· Parks, not just parking...
The downtown Prior Lake environment offers unique natural and man-made
recreational opportunities. Parks and recreation areas should become integral
components of the downtown area.
· Work together to attain common goals...
Revitalization of downtown Prior Lake will require investment by both the City
and private property owners. Public resources should be used to provide an
environment that attracts private investment.
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G Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 19
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The input received from the general public and the EDA coupled with the vision
and guiding principle statements was used as a basis to assemble three alternative
concepts. All of the concepts focused on providing a uniform set of
improvements. They included the following:
· Civic Center - allow for growth and expansion of existing facilities
· Traffic - improve access to downtown. improve pedestrian movement
· Parking - improve access to commercial properties, provide safe and
aesthetically pleasing parking
· Higher Density Housing - integrate housing into the existing framework
of downtown. promote daytime activities. add to the customer base of
downtown
· Community Gathering - create a civic focal point. accommodate space
for community celebrations and events
· Commercial Growth - provide new opportunities for commercial
businesses to compliment existing growth
· Expand Existing Commercial - foster new growth of existing businesses
· Pedestrian Linkages - provide connections to the community, create
attractive and inviting pedestrian areas, establish a character of the street
that fits the Prior Lake community
· Entries - create inviting ways to access downtown
· Open Space Linkages - improve access to regional trails, local trails. and
Lakefront Park
Based on these points, three alternatives were assembled. Prior to the
presentation of each of the options. the following is a list of design elements that
were common to all of the concepts:
· The volume of traffic on County Road 21 will continue to grow.
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· Each of the concepts depicts alternate locations for a new Post Office.
At the time of the plan preparation, a number of sites throughout Prior
Lake were being considered for a new Post Office. Ultimately. the
decision was made to locate the post office outside of the downtown
area. Limited land availability for parking and difficulty in assembling
land parcels to match the Post Office.s needs were major considerations
in the decision to locate the facility outside of the downtown area.
· All of the concepts emphasize the strengthening of the existing public
campus adjacent to City Hall. Prior Lake has made a number of past
Alternative
Concepts
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decisions that emphasize public services in its downtown area. All of the
concepts continue to support this position.
· Future development and redevelopment efforts in the downtown area
were limited to land lying west of Trunk Highway 13. Traditionally.
Highway 13 has been a dividing line between commercial and residential
developments.
· All of the concepts depicted locations for multi-family residential
development in the downtown area. There is a market need in Prior Lake
and most communities for multi-family housing. A downtown site
provides locations for such housing adjacent to available goods and
services as well as Lakefront Park, which offers a wide-range of
recreational facilities.
· Each of the concepts shows a strong connection to Lakefront Park.
Lakefront Park is a tremendous asset for downtown Prior Lake. Each of
the alternatives seeks to establish stronger physical and visual
connections to Lakefront Park.
· Arcadia Avenue is extended south across County Road 21 enhancing the
connection of the north and south sides of the business district.
· The Kop farm on the north end of Main Avenue is incorporated into
Lakefront Park.
One of the purposes of the alternatives was to test a full range of possibilities in
the downtown area. Accordingly, they explored differing approaches to
expanding or retaining the current supply of commercial land as well as differing
locations and quantities of multi-family housing. The following is an overview
of each of the concepts.
Concept A - Crossroads at Main Avenue and Dakota Street
Concept A is shown on Figure X. This alternative explores retaining a compact
downtown area with an overall boundary that reflects existing conditions. One of
the major features of this concept is a shift of the "100% corner" from the
intersection of Main Avenue and County Road 21 to the intersection of Main
Avenue and Dakota Street. Historically. the corner of Main and Dakota was the
prominent intersection corner in Prior Lake. The purpose behind investigating
the shift is to minimize the impacts of the future growth of traffic on County
Road 21 on downtown businesses. The shift allows a pedestrian orientation for
the intersection that is not possible on a roadway carrying 25,000 vehicles per
day.
The heightened emphasis of the intersection of Main A venue and Dakota Street
is paired with streetscape improvements on both of the roadways. Intensive
streetscape improvements are envisioned along Main Avenue from County Road
21 to just north of Dakota Street. A similar level of improvements is
contemplated along Dakota Street. Main Avenue south of 21 will also see
~
Land Use
Alternatives
.' .a:,s
im~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
W Page 22
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City of Prior Lake .
Downtown Development Guide- Alternative A - Crossroads at Main Avenue and Dakota Street
COMMERCIAL GROWTH
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MIlia Ave. a DIkula St.
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deaIIly of conuntma1 UlIe.
PEDESTRIAN LINKAGES
. Sidewalks ... MDa Ave. md DldIDla St.
In enlwlIlIld to CIIIllIIDge people \0
walk, shop llDd linger dowDeowD.
. 11te &lreet III!llIIitics teftect die hir.tnry
IIIId UDique qualities of Prior Lake.
ENTRIES
. Foe. on o.tota St.'" MaiD Ave. lIS
die primBy !IIlllels in dowDIDwD.
OPEN SPACE LINKAGES
. &ie Ave. maI1liab cIowJdown to
LakefrolJl Paric.
. Pedeltrim oWllll Pl-.l Ave. mil
Main Ave. IiDb dowDtowD lD lJlItum1
_ 10 the IIl1Ilb.
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streetscape improvements. Because of County Road 21, which separates the
area, streetscaping in this area will be of a compatible nature of improvements
but as a less intensive level. For example, pedestrian seating areas will be more
frequent and prominent on the northern sections of Main Avenue than they will
be in the southern section of the street.
.
Concept A calls for significant land use changes over time. The area north of
Dakota Street, generally west of Main Avenue is a site identified for multi-family
housing. Multi-family housing in this area replaces existing single-family
homes. The plan identifies numerous infill-building opportunities in the
downtown area. The lumberyard site on the west side of Main Avenue is
redeveloped for commercial and possibly public uses.
Off-street parking is generally located in the interior portions of the blocks
flanking Main Avenue. Additionally, the plan contemplates diagonal parking on
both sides of Main Avenue and along one side of Dakota Street. Erie A venue is
emphasized as both a vehicular access roadway and a pedestrian corridor
connecting to the north to Lakefront Park.
In order to encourage a concentration of buildings along Main A venue south of
21, Concept A shows Colorado Street being rerouted to the south making a
connection to Pleasant Avenue. This alignment eliminates the connection of
Colorado Street to Main A venue, which exists as an intersection in close
proximity to the intersection of CSAH 21 and Main Avenue.
A future mixed-use redevelopment is shown at the terminus of Main A venue at
Pleasant Avenue. The plan contemplates opening a vista at the terminus of the
street to the wetland area to the south. A pedestrian plaza affording views to the
wetland could separate mixed-use buildings containing ground floor office and/or
retail development and attached housing on the upper floors. This feature would
strengthen the tie between downtown Prior Lake and the adjacent natural
amenities.
The existing green space in the foreground of City Hall is retained as an open
space area.
A summary of the characteristics of the Crossroads at Main A venue and Dakota
Street includes:
· Shift of emphasis of downtown pedestrian oriented retail activity north of
County Road 21
· Higher level of streetscape improvements along Main Avenue, north of
21 and along Dakota Street
· Compatible streetscape improvements along Main Avenue. south of 21
· Expansion of a public campus adjacent to Erie A venue with a pedestrian
link along Erie Avenue to the north. The campus could include and
expanded City Hall, a new police building. etc.
· Mixed use buildings are located at the terminus of Main Avenue
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
W Page 24
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· Colorado Street is re-routed to Pleasant Avenue
· New growth and infill of commercial uses occurs
· Higher density housing in located north of Dakota Street
· Diagonal parking is installed on Main A venue and Dakota Street
· Interior surface parking lots are located in close proximity to businesses
Concept B - Main Street Revitalization
Concept B, like Concept A retains the current boundaries of the downtown area.
Concept B, however, examines the retention of Main Avenue and Dakota Street
as the prime downtown intersection. Accordingly. major streetscape
improvements are located along Main Avenue both north and south of County
Road 21 and along CSAH 21 from Arcadia Avenue to Trunk Highway 13.
Since Main Avenue has such prominence in this concept, visual access to
Lakefront Park on the north and to the wetland to the south is part of this
concept. At both locations. small plazas could serve as gathering spaces allowing
views of the adjacent amenities. The trail connection to Lakefront Park connects
to the northern plaza area.
Concept B places multi-family housing north of Dakota Street. The public use at
the corner of Dakota Street and Main A venue was envisioned as a possible Post
Office facility at the time of the preparation of the plan. Since the Post Office
chose a site outside of the downtown area, either a mixed-use
residential/commercial development or an exclusively commercial development
could be located on the COrner.
Concept B calls for continuity along Main Avenue from Dakota Street to
Pleasant Street. The ability to tie the north and south segments of Main Avenue
together as one continuous street and business area is threatened by the presence
of CSAH 21 and ever increasing traffic volumes. Heavy traffic passing through
Prior Lake on 21 may make it difficult in not impossible to create a true
connection between the northern and southern segments of Main Avenue.
A summary of the Main Street Revitalization concept includes:
· Emphasis on existing Main Avenue, both north and south of 21
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· Civic use as a possible anchor at Main Avenue and Dakota Avenue
· Infill commercial along Main Avenue
· Housing on the north side of Dakota Street overlooking Lakefront Park
· Diagonal parking on Main Avenue and Dakota Street
· County Road 21 has more intensive streetscape improvements
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· Colorado Street is re-routed to Pleasant Avenue
· The integrity of the concept depends on the ability to have reasonable
access across CSAH 21 on Main Avenue
Concept C - A Downtown District
At the initial community meeting in 1999. a number of participants recognized
the value of a smaller, more compact downtown area. Others who participated in
the meeting saw value in an expanded downtown area. In order to investigate
this latter opinion, Concept C was created.
Concept C establishes a larger downtown district with significant opportunities
for growth and change. One of the most significant features of this plan is the
change in the roadway system.
As a part of the Downtown District, Trunk Highway 13 remains the eastern
boundary of the area. County Road 21 continues to be a major regional roadway
carrying traffic through the downtown area. Local streets, however. are
expanded as part of this concept. From the north intersection of Main Avenue
and TH 13, the entry to downtown is reconstructed to serve as a parkway
overlooking Lakefront Park. The road meanders to the southwest along the bluff
line, north of Dakota Street intersecting with Arcadia Avenue. Arcadia Avenue is
extended south to Pleasant A venue. The area east of the extension of Arcadia is
redeveloped into multi-family housing and commercial uses. This area
constitutes one of the plan's new areas for larger scale commercial
redevelopment.
On the north end, another substantial redevelopment area is created in this plan.
The re-routing of the north entry road creates opportunities for both residential
and mixed-use development in the northern portion of the downtown area. These
uses would support expanded commercial infill opportunities in this plan.
As with the previous concepts, Concept C forges stronger connections to
Lakefront Park and to the wetlands lying south of Pleasant Avenue. On the north
end, trail connections access downtown streets at Main Avenue. Erie Avenue and
Arcadia Avenue. The public campus remains around the existing City Hall area.
In this alternative, however, the City Hall is expanded to the south replacing the
public green space shown on the other alternatives.
Since Concept C emphasizes a district, streetscape improvements are shown on
all of the area roadways. More intensive improvements occur along CSAH 21
and Main Avenue.
A summary of the characteristics of the Downtown District includes:
· Expanded concept creates a larger downtown area
· A parkway is created at the northern end connecting to Main A venue and
Arcadia Avenue
· Main Avenue contains median landscaping and parallel parking
O! .'lS
~~~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
W Page 27
City of Prior Lake
Downtown Development Guide- Alternative C- A Downtown District
CIVIC CEN1'&1l
o Bx!JadIIo l2aIII pIBWay at An:8dia
&:Co. Rd. 21.
TRAme
o EUltiDg IlRet grid is edIlIIlIed to
CIIIdIl . cIowmOwn dislrict.
o PlIIkway is c:nllIIIId 011 oorth 10 bring
LIbInJat PIrt &: cIcnndoIm ~.
PARKING
o Main AYe. would nmain paIllIIeI pdiDc
with ccmr:r mediaa '-'-Ped
o1'addlll1olll_1ocaIed ill cIoIe pmximity
10 ~ _ _m the iDblriorof
~bbh
~
BIGIIER DEN8D'Y BOIJSING
o 0WlII00b LabfraatPadt__
. - downIowD IIICliIhIICIIbo
COlIOItlNITY GATJD.JUNG
o Plaza at ~....:tIoa of MaiD aod Padtway
1Iecomes ~ 1bcal poial.
~,
LEGEND
Y eom-lI:y GetlMdllc SpII:e
o Node
( Geleway
we PmtiDg
o 1I~ U.
. c-eialUse
. 0.............. Use
. Mied Use
_, - DowuIuwn BouodIry
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COMMERCIAL GROWTH
. Retml is m.:.-IOII Naill Ave. wiIh
miud_illlmdacedill_ ~
o 0fIil:e Dislriet cmdDd SODtb of Co. Rd. 21.
PEDESTRIAN LINKAGES
o Main Ave. reoIlIiDs __of~
. PedesIrian IIpace& begin 10 reflect_
of the 1IIIlll:riaIII1IlIed in LlhIToltt Park.
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ENT1lIES
o North ClIIlry eDeada lIIl the way to
SlaIe Hwy 13 8IId ~Ptakway.
. E1IIries ret'lclllt maIieriaIa md
cItIraceer elIJIIllI8ed 011 Main Ave.
f1i
OPEN SPACK LlNKAGIS
o LiDb _ CftIIIIed to the rooth wetI8IId
8IId I.abfioat FlIt.
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· The trail from Lakefront park has a number of connections to the
downtown area
· Community gathering spaces occur at the north and south ends of Main
Avenue
· Colorado Street is re-routed making a connection to both Main Avenue
and CSAH 21
· The existing public campus area is expanded
· Substantial infill commercial along Main Avenue, Colorado Street and
Pleasant Avenue
· Off-street parking is placed on the interior of all major blocks
· Multi-family housing is added in the northern and western portions of the
downtown area
In addition to the land use concepts, the exploration phase of the creation of the
Downtown Development Guide also examined appropriate architectural themes.
Because of the tremendous range of building styles in the downtown area. no
theme is currently readily perceptible. In order to examine possible themes to
help unify the appearance of downtown, historical resources and input from the
Prior Lake community were considered. As a result, three possible theme topics
emerged. They include the following:
Architectural
Theme
Alternatives
· A "lake" theme based on the obvious fact that Prior Lake is a lake
community. Prior Lake itself is not visible from the downtown area.
The only body of water adjacent to downtown is the pond in Lakefront
Park. Future physical improvements can reflect the community's lake
theme and heritage.
· A "historical, railroad" theme based on the fact that the railroad played a
key role in the original establishment of the community. Materials such
as brick and building styles echoing early railroad architecture could be
included as part of this theme. The new community library and resource
center has elements of railroad architecture.
· A "park" theme based on the location of downtown adjacent to Lakefront
Park. The park theme could emphasize natural materials and native
plantings as part of streetscape improvements.
Lake Theme
The lake theme is intended to remind downtown visitors that Prior Lake is a lake
community. Accordingly, design elements reflect a nautical influence in subtle
ways with materials and colors. Figure X graphically depicts some of the
qualities that could be incorporated into design elements to reflect this theme.
Major components include:
~ "'et
5~\ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 29
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Paving Pattem
Pedestrian Gateway
Streetscape ~
Section through Main Ave.
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f
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fir AMGUID pA1lIJNG
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12' r 12'
11IIW'IANB 11IIW'lANB
17'
fir AMGUlDPAIIIJNG
BANGJNG WOOD SIGNAGE
OIlNAMBNTAL IRON I'OIB
SHADE'I1lEE
OIlNAMBNTALDWNJtAILJNG
BUILDING SIGNAGE
BANGING AWNING
l'IlDJlS1lUAN UGB11NG
SHRUB MASSING
City of Prior Lake
Downtown Development Guide- Streetscape Historical Theme
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Streetscape Character
Pedestrian Gateway
Paving Pattern
Section through Main A vc.
15'~!I'~I2'
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umrr MOUNTED
ONBUlLDlNG
8S'-V
Law.
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BUILDING SIGNAGB
13'
BANNBIl POLES
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City of Prior Lake
Downtown Development Guide- Streetscape Park Theme
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· Ornamental lighting and banner poles
· Wall signage on buildings
· Use of native plant materials
In October of 1999, a public workshop was held to solicit community input
on the alternative land use concepts and the identified theme alternatives.
Participants collaborated in groups in a "hands on" work session marking up
the plans and making suggested additions and modifications. The result of
the effort is depicted in Figure X, the Public Comments Composite Plan. A
written ,summary of each of the group's comments is located in the appendix.
,~
Community
Input -
Composite Plan
The composite plan contains some of the features of each ofthe options. The
most notable characteristic of the plan is the emphasis of a compact
downtown rather than the expansive development pattern represented on
Concept C. Interestingly. when the public was asked which plan they would
select if they could not make any changes, Concept C, the Downtown
District garnered the second highest vote total.
A summary of the elements shown on the Public Comments Composite Plan
includes:
· Main Avenue and CSAH 21 are retained as the focus intersection of
downtown
· Infill commercial occurs along Main Avenue
· Multi-family housing is located north of Dakota Street
· A mixed-use development is located at the southern terminus of
Main Avenue
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· Arcadia Avenue is extended south to Colorado Street. Colorado
Street is extended south to Pleasant Avenue
· Main A venue north of the downtown area takes on the appearance of
a parkway
· Erie A venue is improved as a vehicle access and pedestrian way
connecting to the park
· Future expansion of public uses occurs east of the existing City Hall
· Diagonal parking is installed on both sides of Main Avenue and on
one side of Dakota Street
· Interior off-street parking lots are located in all blocks
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CMC CENTER
. New 0YIc Stntct1Ira are ...... .....
Erie Aft... lite IOtItIl ofDalu>la St. ......
....... n1aforoe tIte emcIal chk__
.ad .. tile IIra-...rk for. connectloa
~ IAllefr&t Pvk... DewatnL
TRAFI'IC
. 1'IIe iII~ of MalJI Aft, 01: 8W)' 13
II ......... tu bec:ome a ...... ....,.111.. tile
Dena.wL Milia Ia a parkwaJ rr.. Rwr
13 ID............ 1be DeW a\Ip~wIII
~ lIte.try to dowIIto_ thrwp tile
_ ofllnellcape eIemeaII sImbr ID theIe
.... .. tile MalJI Aft, ....... "'"
. AradIa Ave. Is uteaded ~ c.....-.
St... COoIlIf Rd n, to an-_ID
... bnIIIeases IOtItIl of Conlf Rd 21 ...
naee lite _nt oftra1llc ... tIIrwgh
tbe -'Pborhood to tile .....
. CeIlIndo St. is reroated to tile IRtIIID
___ w\tIt I'Ieuut Ave. ...... will ......
tile IOlItInreat ClII1lft' of MIlIa Aft, ...
c.unlf Rd 21 to deftIep_nt. It wID ....
naee awInrud tl'll1Ik: _ta at MaIn
Aft,... CoIondo St.
. Ceulf Rd 21 II IIItprned 1ritIIiD tile
......... IbaJta. 1'IIe _bill..... of.....
....... tile ArcHIa Aft. ...... will
IIeIp ID"'" tI'IIfIIc dowa wItItlD lite
......... \IDo1tI eel u.a- oppertuity
.... peepIe ID _........... ..._
COMMERCIAL GRowm
o.merdal JII'IIWlh is foc.... .. M.-
Aft, Coltllllleftial.......... bePt lIII ext.od
oat ud haye . p......ee.. 8W)' 13.
LEGEND
~ Coll1lllllllity G8IIIeriDg Sp.ce
o Impmved IDIaIectioo
C G8Ieway
I'8Itiug
ReaideutiaI UIO
CommIrd8l UIO
Civic UlIC
MixeclUlIC
TDditioal DownIuwn District
GteeD Spece
DowuImm Booudaty
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Pond
City of Prior Lake
Downtown Development Guide- Public Comments Composite Plan
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. N_IIOl1s1nlls located ""'DI Eri. Aft.
ID tbe north of Dakota St. n.... stru_
l"!iDforoe tile fram....rk eobIbllslted Ity...
_ civic IItnIct1I.... 10 the !IOlItII aDeI
lapport tile collnedlon between dewaIDwD
aDd Lakefront Park.
COMMUNITY GATHERING
. Commanity I"tII.rIDg spa.., DIICIl. tile
~ ed ...atII .lId. of MaiD A_ They
reinforce tII.lmlN'rtuce of MaiD Aft, u a
community fOCDl poillt .nd CODDed
dowlItlnn ID LakefroDt Puk UtI tile ........
_lIII tIJe _tb.
PARKING
. MalJI Aft ls.....tnadlIncI te ~
dI.gon.1 parking 011 hetb ,i_offlle street.
. Dakota St is reotructuedlD _mndate
d1aaoDaI parklDg .. _1IcIe wltb ......UeI..
tile otIIer ,Ide.
. sma.. p.rklDg Iou are locatIed .. tbe
iDIerIar of city bloc"" tu maximize the __
of bmD..... frolltlng Main A", TIley are ill
dale proJdmlty tu MaiD Aft ID ......... the
waIkIac dlltance from car to shoppillc.
PEDES~ SPACES
. MaiD Aft becom.. I pedetltri... Ii1e8dIy
Itreet tIIat _rages ...1kID1o s1topplDg IlIIcI
I\ugertIIg dOWllto..... ft II .ubu. t11l8l1gIJ
tile _ of iliad. trees, nnllJllflltalltreet
IIgIJdng. ........... paving'" otllel' site
.menllles .. reOect tII. .lIIqu. relatiOBOlolp
betweeu tile city; lt'l hilt...,. ud PrIer LlIb.
. c.UDIy Rd 21 Itece_ a landscaped
bou.....rd thlt IDdlcatel to elrlven that tile)'
Iulve eatered illto doWllWwa .ud tnllk:
are rednced within tII. ........ limits.
ENTRIES
. n.w.towD elltries .... marked tb...... the
_ III .rdtltecturaJ elements, I:ulIoaIp\II& ad
1IgIJtIna. They reflect the 1m. .... ~
eobIbllshed on Main A \'e.
~PEN SPA(;E LINKA~ES__
. Trails I\ak LDker.-.tpukUtl tile
-u...... Ile\Pborll....... tlI downllnnl ... tile
civic --. A traU aIao nu"" tII. _tIIen
uetpborllooda .Dd COIII_rdaI dIatrlct ID
tile dOWlltown ceDtral buliDeu diJtrid.
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· An enhanced pedestrian environment through landscaping, sidewalk
improvements, lighting and seating areas.
The workshop that was held in October of 1999 also focused on a community
review of the identified theme elements. When participants were asked to select
a preferred theme. the lake theme won by a slim margin with the other two
options getting equal votes. Because there was no clear choice on a favored
theme. elements of each of the theme ideas may be appropriate for the downtown
area.
Community
Input - Design
Theme
A complete summary of the public review of the theme elements is located in the
appendix.
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A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 36
.li.,.i-'~t------
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The planning process for the Prior Lake Downtown Development Guide involved
the assembly of a wide range of ideas, public review and input. EDA workshop
reviews, and ultimately, a series of decisions resulting in a preferred
redevelopment plan. Three options were originally considered. Based on those
options, the field was narrowed to the Composite Plan illustrated on Figure X.
The Composite Plan then became the subject of a more intensive review by the
EDA at a series of workshop meetings. The result of that process is the
Redevelopment Plan that is shown on Figure X.
The major difference between the Redevelopment Plan and the Composite Plan
involves the shift of the primary downtown pedestrian activity intersection from
Main A venue/CSAH 21 to Main A venue/Dakota Street. Traffic volumes on
CSAH 21 are the reason for this shift. After the Composite Plan was assembled,
the traffic study for the intersection of CSAH 21 and Main Avenue was
completed. The study emphasized that County Road 21 will be an even greater
barrier impacting downtown in the years ahead.
In order to respond to the impacts of CSAH 21. the downtown area is expected to
provide two slightly different types of commercial markets. Properties on the
south side of CSAH 21 are expected to contain community commercial uses that
are more automobile oriented. destination type businesses. The hardware store is
a good existing example of a business appropriate for the south side. The north
side of CSAH 21 is expected to be the home of smaller, retail, service and office
businesses that benefit frOM proximity to one another and the ability of
pedestrians to easily walk from business to business. Additional information on
anticipated types of businesses for each area is found later in this section.
The Prior Lake Downtown Redevelopment Plan is shown on Figure X. The plan
is intended to serve as a guide for future land use changes, development and
redevelopment activities. roadway improvements, and building improvements.
In order to describe the contents of the plan, an overview of transportation issues
will first be addressed followed by a block-by-block review of specific
recommended land use changes.
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Transportation
The redevelopment plan advocates three primary street changes. On the north
end of downtown, the intersection of Main Avenue and Trunk Highway 13 needs
to be reconstructed. When the City gains full control of the Kop farm, which lies
adjacent to the intersection, land area will be available to improve the
intersection consistent with the plan. The north and south legs of Main Avenue
need to be moved to the west allowing more stacking between Main Avenue and
Highway 13. The plan suggests that Main Avenue be improved either as a
parkway section with a landscaped median or as a resurfaced roadway with
additional boulevard landscaping. The Main A venue/Highway 13 entrance to
downtown has the ability to serve as a major entrance to downtown and also as
an attractive entrance to Lakefront Park. Enhanced landscaping along the
roadway would help unite unify the entrance area, Lakefront Park and downtown
Prior Lake. An identification sign should be placed at the Main Avenue and
Redevelopment
Plan
Redevelopment
Plan Overview
i! '"IS
s~i Downtown DeveloDment Guide
W Page 37
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Highway 13 intersection. Graphics and lettering should identify the location as
an entrance to both the park and downtown Prior Lake.
On the south end of downtown, Arcadia Avenue is extended south of CSAH 21
to Colorado Street. Colorado Street is subsequently extended southward to
Pleasant Avenue. The purpose of this improvement is to provide a more direct
"loop' around the southern section of the CBD. It will provide a more direct
connection to businesses on the south side of 21, west Main Avenue.
The major transportation change envisioned in the plan is the upgrading of
CSAH 21 to accommodate turn lanes and possible through lane improvements on
Trunk Highway 13. The construction of through lanes in the future will involve
the City but will be a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnlDOT)
project. Adding lanes to TH 13 will impact the community but is not expected to
have a major impact on downtown properties. Improvement of CSAH 21 to add
turn lanes, however, will have an impact on downtown properties. Creating a
turn lane for eastbound CSAH 21 traffic onto northbound Main Avenue and TH
13 will require property on the north side of 21. Property acquisition on the
south side of 21 is less likely because of business impacts. On the north side. the
taper for the northern curb alignment will begin just east of the new library and
extend eastward to TH 13. The old library building that is owned by the City of
Prior Lake lies in the path of the turn lane and will need to be removed to
accommodate construction. The city also owns a parking lot on the east side of
Main Avenue, a portion of which will also need to be used for right-of-way and
roadway construction.
One other transportation related change involves parking. Sufficient right-of-
way exists on portions of Main Avenue to install diagonal parking on both sides
of the street. Space exists along Dakota Street for diagonal parking on one side
of the roadway. Diagonal parking could increase the number of parking spaces
convenient for local businesses. Diagonal parking should be implemented
immediately by re-striping the spaces and then as street improvements occur, by
constructing permanent end islands and pedestrian connections.
Land Use
The redevelopment plan advocates a series of land use changes. In order to
provide a complete assessment of all of the recommendations, specific
geographic areas will be individually reviewed. Recommended timing for land
use changes is also included as part of the discussion for each area.
Improvements are generally expected to occur in the following increments: one
to five years, five to ten years, and ten years plus.
The northern portion of Prior Lake's downtown area lies north of Dakota Street
extending to Lakefront Park and to the Main Avenue and Highway 13
intersection. The roadway improvements in this area were discussed previously.
Land use changes involve two primary elements, infill of added commercial uses
and redevelopment of existing commercial and single-family residential uses.
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East of Main A venue and north of Dakota Street, the plan calls for an infill of
additional commercial uses and the redevelopment of the existing used car lot.
The purpose of the eventual redevelopment of the car lot site is to establish
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downtown buildings that reach out to Highway 13. Adding additional
commercial buildings that abut TH 13 helps to emphasize Dakota Street as an
entrance to downtown businesses. The timing of the improvements in this area is
expected to be 1 Q+ years.
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The land area west of Main Avenue. north of Dakota Street and east of the
extension of Arcadia A venue is slated for redevelopment within the next one to
five years. The plan recommends substantial change in this area. It is
recommended that the existing gas station at the corner of the intersection and the
existing daycare center be replaced with a mixture of attached housing and new
commercial structures. Either constructed as an integrated mixed-use project or
as two adjacent uses. the plan envisions a commercial building that fronts on
Dakota Street and a residential building that is located to the north to take
advantage of the views of Lakefront Park. Mixed-use integration of the two uses
is possible by creating a building that has ground floor retail and/or office space
and residential units on the upper floors. It is important that the ground floor of
any new building at this location contain retail or office uses in order to maintain
the intersection as a pedestrian oriented shopping and activity center. It is
equally important that the building be constructed at the right-of-way line on both
Dakota Street and Main Avenue. Parking to accommodate the uses could consist
of both surface parking and interior garage parking for the residential structures.
Further west along Dakota Street, the plan calls for the construction of additional
multi-family housing. Multi-family housing in this location would be more
compatible with downtown public and commercial land uses and could take
advantage of views to the north and readily available access to Lakefront Park.
The types of multi-family housing likely to be constructed in the area will need to
be determined by a specific market study. From general conditions in Prior Lake
and surrounding communities today, there appears to be a need for senior
. housing as well as market rate housing. The construction of market rate housing
in today's economic climate presents some challenges because rent levels have
not risen to a point that encourages private construction. A successful project at
the corner of Main Avenue and Dakota Street could help serve as a catalyst for
development of additional multi-family housing.
The Erie A venue right-of-way within this area provides access to Lakefront Park.
Today. pedestrians, bicycles and a limited number of automobiles share the
access. In the future, the access should be reconstructed to exclude motorized
vehicles. A gateway feature should be added in the area to serve as a portal to
both the park and downtown.
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The "heart'. of downtown is an area bounded by Dakota Street, Highway 13,
CSAH 21 and Arcadia Avenue. This area, like the area to the north is expected
to see significant change. The block within this area east of Main Avenue is
slated for infill commercial building construction and fa~ade improvements for
existing buildings. The new turn lane for CSAH 21 will remove the parking lot
that now exists on the corner of Main and 21. Space remains for new
construction in the area. This site should contain a building in the future rather
than an open parking lot to concentrate commercial activity at the corner and to
serve as a walking destination. Longer term, the small office building located
immediately south of the Amoco station could be replaced with a more
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substantial commercial structure in an architectural style compatible with the
remainder of the downtown area.
The buildings in this eastern block should also be upgraded with fayade
improvements. Mansard roofs and false fronts should be replaced with other
building treatments to create more harmonious blend of building styles. Fa~ade
improvements are expected to occur in the next I to 5 years and infill building
should occur within 5 to 10 years.
The block west of Main Avenue currently contains a mix of public and private
uses. Although some of the uses will change in the future, the mix will remain.
When CSAH 21 is improved, the turn lane construction will eliminate the old
library building. Land exists to construct a new building north of the old library.
Until it is necessary to remove the old library structure, it should continue to be
used for commercial purposes. The City should attempt to find a tenant
interested in a short-term lease. As redevelopment efforts get underway
downtown, the old library building can serve as a temporary location for
disrupted businesses. The library should not be removed until necessary due to
road construction.
One of the largest current land uses in this block is the lumberyard. The business
serves principally wholesale customers and is not a use compatible with the long-
term vision of downtown Prior Lake. Accordingly, the plan calls for
redevelopment of the lumberyard site with new commercial buildings. Since the
lumberyard has frontage on both Main and Dakota, new buildings could be
constructed with frontage on both streets. Surface parking is added at the rear of
the buildings on land that is now used for outdoor storage of building materials.
The parking could be shared with the public uses to the west.
The western portion of this block will remain as a public campus. The plan
allocates space for a new addition to City Hall, possibly providing new quarters
for the police department. The green space west of the new library and
community resource center is shown as a developed park area. The peripheral
placement of public and private buildings in this oversized block provides
interior parking that can serve a number of uses. Primarily, the area will provide
customer and employee parking for area businesses, City Hall and the new
library. The area, however, has the potential to be more than simply parking. It
could serve as the home for a regular Prior Lake farmers market as well as a
location for periodic art and craft shows. It could also host community festivals
or gatherings specifically promoting downtown businesses.
Vehicular entry to the interior parking lot is from the north and west. No access
will be available from CSAH 21. Pedestrians can enter the area from the
vehicular access points and from Erie Avenue, which will be improved as a
pedestrian walkway, connecting north to the park. Redevelopment of the
lumberyard site will also permit the installation of a narrow pedestrian walkway
access on the east side between the parking lot and Main Avenue.
Development within this block is generally slated for the next 5 to 10 years.
Fa~ade improvements should begin within the next 1 to 5 years. Removal of the
old library will depend on the timing of roadway improvements but is likely
within the next 5 -10 years because of growing traffic volumes on CSAH 21.
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The block bounded by Main Avenue, Highway 13, Pleasant Avenue and CSAH
21 is not expected to change substantially in the near future. This block is
currently the home of Main Avenue businesses and other businesses such as the
hardware store and video rental store that have a more suburban development
pattern with parking directly in front of the buildings. Within the short term of
one to five years, however, efforts should be made to curtail unscreened outdoor
storage and repair of vehicles that currently occurs on the south end of Main
Avenue. Within a time frame extending beyond 10 years, the existing single-
family home at the terminus of Main Avenue should be replaced with a new
commercial building.
A number of improvements are shown on the block bounded by Main Avenue,
Pleasant Avenue, reconstructed Colorado Street and newly extended Arcadia
Street. Both the street improvements and land use changes in this area are not
expected to occur for at least ten years. Re-routing Colorado Street provides a
direct connection to parking lots serving Main A venue businesses. By relocating
existing Colorado Street. a new commercial building can be build on Main
Avenue replacing the right-of-way area and the existing automotive repair
facility. Construction of a building in this location would continue the building
pattern that exists north of CSAH 21.
Redevelopment in this area can accommodate larger scale users or construction
of a multi-tenant building. It is assumed that the Scott-Rice Telephone Company
will maintain its office and switching facility at its current location. If warranted
by business conditions, this area could accommodate expanded telephone offices
or other business offices.
Property located along Pleasant A venue sits at the terminus of Main Avenue.
The Redevelopment Plan calls for the eventual construction of a mixed-use
development containing ground floor commercial uses and housing on upper
floors. In orderto afford views to the adjacent wetland, new buildings should not
be located directly along the sight line of Main Avenue. Construction of a plaza
at this location could provide a downtown gathering space and preserve public
views into the wetland area. Improvements in this area are not expected to occur
for at least 10 years.
Future Land Uses
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When the original three concepts were reviewed at public workshops.
participants asked if implementation of either the Main Street Revitalization or
the Crossroads at Main and Dakota Street alternatives (Figures X and X
respectively) precluded long-range implementation of Alternative C, the
Downtown District. Implementation of the proposed Redevelopment Plan does
not preclude longer-term implementation of a larger downtown district. The
Redevelopment Plan does include one future phase that provides housing along
Pleasant Avenue, west of re-routed Colorado Street. If planned multi-family
housing along Dakota Street and as part of the mixed-use development along
Pleasant Avenue is successful. there may be additional demand for attached
housing convenient to the downtown area. Accordingly, future housing is shown
on the Redevelopment Plan.
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One other area was discussed during the planning process but was not included
as part of the formal plan recommendations. The west side of Arcadia Avenue,
north of CSAH 21 is the location of a church campus and three separate single-
family residences. During the planning process, it was assumed that church
operations would continue on this site. The church makes a good buffer between
downtown land uses and residential neighborhoods further west. If in the future,
if the church decides to relocate, the site could be used for additional commercial
or multi-family housing. If the church remains, there is still an opportunity for a
small multi-family housing project replacing the existing single-family homes on
Arcadia Avenue and utilizing vacant church property that has frontage on CSAH
21.
Redevelopment Summary
The following is a summary of the major redevelopment actions contained within
the Redevelopment Plan:
Timeframe: One to Five Years
Actions:
· Upgrade Main Avenue from CSAH 21 to Lakefront Park
· Upgrade Dakota Avenue from TH 13 to Arcadia Avenue
· Redevelop land north of Dakota Street. west of Main Avenue
· Construct an entry sign at the Main AvenuerrH 13 intersection (locate
outside of future construction limits)
· Construct an entry sign at the CSAH 21/TH 13 intersection (located
outside of future construction limits)
· Install landscaping along TH 13 from the Main A venue/TH 13
intersection to south of the Pleasant A venuerrH 13 intersection
· Infill commercial and public uses
· Improve Erie A venue as a pedestrian and/or vehicle corridor
· Improve the open space area south of City Hall
· Existing building fa~ade improvements
Timeframe: Five to Ten Years
Actions:
· Realign the Main A venue/TH 13 intersection
· Upgrade Main Avenue from CSAH 21 to Pleasant Avenue
· Add turn lanes along CSAH 21 at Main Avenue and TH 13 and a traffic
signal
· Infill commercial
· Existing building fa~ade improvements
Timeframe: Ten Years or More
Actions:
· Extend Arcadia Avenue south ofCSAH 21 to Colorado Street
· Re-route Colorado Street to Pleasant Avenue
· Infill commercial
· Construct mixed-use project along Pleasant Avenue at the Main Avenue
terminus
· Existing building fa~ade improvements
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Downtown Business Uses
The Land Use section of the Development Guide outlined two slightly different
commercial areas for downtown Prior Lake with differing compositions of
business uses. Business uses on the north side or CSAH 21 are anticipated to be
those that are more specialized, ones that can benefit from compatible businesses
with a reliance on pedestrian circulation. Businesses on the north side would also
offer services to downtown workers and area residents.
Land on the south side of CSAH 21 is intended to accommodate larger scale
uses, many of which might be classified as "drive to" destinations. The
following is a list of potential uses for each of the two business areas. These lists
are intended to provide a sampling of the types of uses that may ultimately be
attracted to each area.
Community Commercial Area (South of CR 21)
Hardware
Pharmacies
Furniture Stores
Floor Covering Stores
Paint and Wallpaper Sales
Window Treatment Stores
Core Commercial Area (North of CR 21)
Specialty Home Furnishings
CameralPhoto Supplies
Convenience Stores
Specialty Food Services
Health and Personal Care
Cosmetics and Beauty Supply
Clothing Stores
Shoe Stores
Jewelry Stores
Hobby Stores
Specialty Music
Sewing and Needlework
Musical Instrument Stores
Florists
Gift and Novelty
Streets cape Improvements
Beer, Wine and Liquor
Communications Offices
Banking
Professional Offices
Telemarketing Bureaus
Newspaper Office
Public Uses
Securities Brokerage
Real Estate
Professional Offices
PortraitlPhotography Studios
Travel Agencies
BarberlBeauty Salons
Medial Offices
Restaurants
Drinking Establishments
Diet Centers
Day Spa
Bakery
Art Gallery/Supplies
Streetscape improvements are an integral part of the Redevelopment Plan.
Streetscape improvements in and of themselves are not enough to effectuate a
major redevelopment effort. Making an area more attractive and aesthetically
pleasing certainly supports other efforts to attract new businesses, to attract and
retain a stronger customer base and to enhance employment.
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Downtown Development Guide - Elevation of West Main Avenue
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Downtown Development Guide - Elevation of East Main Avenue
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Downtown Development Guide - Streetscape
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The Redevelopment Plan advocates extensive streetscape improvements on all of
the downtown roadways. More intense improvements are planned along Main
Avenue and Dakota Avenue to support the creation of a pleasing environment
that is attractive to pedestrians. Less intense, but compatible improvements are
identified on other streets.
Streetscape improvements include landscaping, new light standards, new
sidewalks, seating areas and trash receptacles. bollards, banner poles and
specialty elements. The design theme for these physical improvements focuses
on Prior Lake's "lake" heritage as well as subtle reminders of its history as a
railroad community. Figures X through X depict some of the major streetscape
elements.
Through the process of creation of a Downtown Development Guide, the Prior
Lake community has recognized a common vision for its downtown. This
district will continue to be the community focus of government, culture and
social interaction, and its businesses will offer a variety of goods and services.
Downtown will be a vibrant destination with development patterns that reflect
the lake environment that makes Prior Lake unique. In short, it will be the center
of Prior Lake and a source of community pride.
Development
Guidelines
While the picture created for Downtown Prior Lake might seem like a pretty
good sketch, it can never be considered to be exactly what will happen.
Communities evolve slowly, over many years; the changes anticipated for Prior
Lake will occur on a similar timeline. This is the Development Guide's
intention: to allow Prior Lake's downtown to grow and change in ways that are
dynamic and responsive rather than ways that are prescriptive. Every project
must be considered as a part of the whole to ensure it fits the patterns of the
district, but some latitude should be afforded the individual or group that is
undertaking the project.
New buildings will be built that fit the overall patterns but stUl express their own
individuality; old buildings will be restored to contribute to the mix that defines
the desired character for the downtown district; and the community will have a
life that springs from the way people do business.
While not every aspect of development is controlled, one aim of this Guide is to
restore authenticity to the community's downtown business district. The need for
rules must be recognized, however; this plan establishes "rules" that must be
interpreted by the community. In reviewing proposals for change, the first
criteria are whether the proposal meets the community's intentions as gauged by
this Guide. Ultimately. design guidelines are used to direct a proposal to the best
possible "fit." These "rules" might be codified, but to begin, the guide expects
the downtown district to evolve based on the sensibilities of a small town rather
than by legislation.
Not every building in Prior Lake is old, or is worthy of rehabilitation. Those that
are worthy should be viewed as community assets and required to conform to the
design guidelines. But new bUildings must also respect the design guidelines in
order to maintain the sense of connection to the district and the community. In
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the design guidelines that follow. patterns for creating new buildings and
restoring the character of older buildings can be found.
Design Strategies
A community's heritage is tied to its buildings, and buildings contribute
significantly to a community's image and identity. In Prior Lake's case. it is not
so much the character of any individual building as it is the intactness of the
downtown district as a whole. The scale of the buildings and their relationship to
each other and the street is much the same as it has always been, and that begins
to differentiate downtown Prior Lake from the rest of the community as well as
from surrounding cities. Marketing experts say that product differentiation is a
critical element for success; in this case Prior Lake may have something of value
in its current mix of buildings. There is. however, far to go before the
community's vision for its downtown district is realized. The design of buildings
will be an aspect of the work that must be accomplished.
Existing Building Renovation Guidelines
In general. not a great deal of architectural character exists in the structures on
Main Avenue and the old downtown area. Even so, significant improvements
can be made by simply removing inappropriate later fa9ade additions such as:
· Wood shake mansard roofs.
· Wood siding cover-ups.
· Large signs. sized to be read at high speeds
· Plastic or oddly shaped awnings.
· Window opening infills or surrounds designed to reduce window
openings.
· Lighting fixtures inconsistent to the era and style of architecture.
Most structures worthy of renovation are of brick or brick and stone masonry.
Quite often a window replacement has happened in the life of the building that
has detracted from the original character. Attention to detail and color of
window framing can add dramatically to a rather plain masonry building.
Windows at the street level should be large and transparent to depict activity to
the street with glass transoms above and paneled lower transoms below typically.
Boarded up windows should be uncovered and opened up. Large "expanses of
blank lower level walls are to be avoided. Windows are important to the vitality
of the street. Businesses that are not as naturally related to transparent viewing.
such as, law offices, etc., still need a visible connection to the street and should
respect the lines of the masonry structure with window and masonry infill. A
main street relies on the sense of transparency with people able to walk or drive
by, look in and see humans inside. see product for sale and see business being
transacted. Ground floor retail, service and restaurants should use large pane
~ D<?wntown DeveloDmentGulde
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windows framed by wall. The base of the building below the windows should be
treated with stone, paneled wood, tile or brick typically.
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Building color consistent to the building era is very important. In keeping with
the desire that downtown reflect an image befitting a lake community, natural
colors andmaIerlals'shouTd-&-uSed~I.argeexpansesof white are inappropriate
forbuiIdfrij;(oolorsofliTstor1C3OWiltowns. Window colors can have an enormous
effect on how one views a masonry f~e. Window trim colors should avoid
white and tend to be more muted such as~arm ~.'~a~~~~~~~~
Replacement windows should be of the same style as the original; typically this
would include double-hung or transom lights-type windows.
The addition of large
window and the removal
of mansard roofs and
false fronts can
dramatically change the
appearance of a building
Buildings
Masonry buildings should be cleaned to lighten the overall color. A stunning
result can often be obtained by combining masonry cleaning with window
replacement utilizing a sensitive trim color.
New masonry work should match the color and materials of the original. If the
buildings upper floor is brick, the lower floor should utilize brick (not painted
concrete block.)
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Renovations of existing
storefronts may have
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of inappropriate
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Awnings
Awnings should be permitted where appropriate and complimentary to the
building style. Canvas awnings are most desirable especially on sides of the
street where sunlight control is a significant problem. Retractable canvas
awnings create a variable facade, which creates more interest in even the simplest
buildings. Graphics and signage on awnings should be modest in size, with
proportions appropriate to the size of the awning. The form of the awning should
be a simple shed form; metal and wood shake awnings should be avoided.
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Color stabilized canvas
awnings help unile
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PriorLake's "lake"
theme. They should be
used to individualize
buildings and district
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Upper Floors
The upper and lower floor must look like they are part of the same building.
Materials, color, texture and form should show continuity.
Entrances
The entry points should be articulated with trim and detail to make them obvious
and the highlight of a building's facade.
Wall murals can add
color and vitality to
downtown Prior Lalee if .
done professionally and
appropriately
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New Building Construction
Add pedestrian
connections between
the street and rear
parking lot areas
Provide attractive rear
entrances to buildings ob
of rear parking lot areas
The siting and massing of new structures should seek to fill in gaps left in the
continuum of facades where they exist. in effect, filling in the "empty teeth"
between existing buildings with new construction. If buildings are not used to
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fill the space, fences with appropriate style should be used to complete the line of
the street wall.
The infill building should reflect the design of adjacent structures in height.
materials and style whenever possible.
Blank walls where visible to the public should be articulated with panels,
pilasters or similar architectural elements to establish some rhythm and relief.
Signage Guidelines
Projecting signage should be allowed and even encouraged as long as it relates to
the pedestrian scale of the streetscape and is well designed. Mounting brackets
must be as artfully designed as the sign itself, as it becomes an element of both
the sign and the building. Backlit and flashing projecting signs should be
prohibited.
One medium sized sign depicting the activity of the premises should be allowed
on the main fa9ade and one on the sidewall if the building is on a corner. Letter
height should be restricted to generally no more than 12 inches.
The signage is best illuminated with incandescent lamps directed onto the sign
from above or below. Backlit building fa9ade signs should be discouraged.
Signage on canopies or awnings should be fairly small, scaled to the pedestrian
on the sidewalk. Ground or sidewalk signs should be encouraged to help define
for the pedestrian user where the place of business is located.
Guidelines
Patterns described for the downtown district provide strong direction for the
growth and evolution of the district as a whole. To make each project more
meaningful to the community, design guidelines are illustrated. For projects that
receive any level of community support. the design guidelines described in the
following section should be followed. For all projects, they provide direction
that builds value and authenticity for the community.
Site Design Guidelines
1.0
Establish common setback and lot coverage standards to ensure
compatible and maximum development in the downtown district
1.1
Setbacks (minimum distance from a right-of-way in which no structure
may encroach) and build-to lines (a line measured from the right-of-way
which at least 70 percent of the primary structure must touch) for the
downtown district are established as follows:
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· Main Avenue from CR 21 to the curve north of Dakota Street
Build to line: 0 feet
· Main Avenue from Pleasant Avenue to CR 21
Build to line: 0 feet
· Dakota Street from Hwy 13 to Arcadia Avenue
Setback at front yard: 0 feet
&tablish setback area
requirements (Guideline
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· Pleasant Avenue from Hwy 13 to Main Avenue
Setback at front yard: 10 feet
· Highway 21 from Hwy 13 to Arcadia Avenue
Setback at front yard: 26' feet
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Minimum street frontage "build-out" (that portion of the primary street
frontage which must be occupied by the primary structure at the build-to
line or which must have a majority of the primary structure touching the
setback line) is established for the downtown district as follows:
· Main Avenue from Pleasant Avenue to the curve north of Dakota
Street: 100 percent, except that pedestrian passages and plaza spaces
developed in concert with buildings are exempt; 30 percent for cross
streets
.. Main Avenue from Pleasant Avenue to the curve north of Dakota
Street 100 percent, except that pedestrian passages and plaza spaces
developed in concert with buildings are exempt; 30 percent for cross
streets
Standards for minimum lot coverage by structures, in order to ensure the
best use of limited available land, are established for the downtown
district as follows:
· Main Avenue from CR 21 to the curve north of Dakota Street
50 percent, except that pedestrian passages and plaza spaces
developed in concert with buildings are exempt; xx percent for cross
streets
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Building footprint size and "bay width" (the width of a storefront or
segment of a continuous facade at which building must be divided) for
the primary structure on each site is as follows (larger footprint may be
allowed as a conditional use):
· Main Avenue from CR 21 to the curve north of Dakota Street:
2,000 square foot minimum, 15,000 square foot maximum. except
that buildings fronting Highway 21 may be up to 30,000 square feet
maximum; 20 to 40 foot bays, except that buildings fronting
Highway 21 may have bays up to 60 feet
Make buildings the focus of downtown Prior Lake, not parking
areas
Locate parking behind or beside buildings, with no more than 25 percent
of required parking in a side yard.
Prohibit parking areas adjacent to intersections of streets.
Require 12 feet of horizontal separation between parking areas (and drive
lanes in parking areas) and buildings for walks and landscaping; require
10 feet of horizontal separation between parking areas and public
sidewalks.
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Establish build to lines.
(GUideline J.J)
Establish requirements
for street frontage
buildout (Guideline J.2)
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Establish requirements
for minimum lot
coveraf!e (Guideline 1.3)
Establish requirements
for buildingfootprint
and bay width (Guideline
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2.4
3.0
3.1
Visual separation between parking areas and public rights-of-way should
use landscape materials or ornamental fences (no berms) such that a
screen that is at least 50 percent opaque is present in all seasons to a
height of 28-36 inches.
Create parking to accommodate anticipated and realistic demands,
without overbuilding parking facilities
Encourage development of joint-use parking facilities, balancing use on a
day-to-day and hour-to-hour basis to achieve the highest possible use of
each parking space created.
3.2 Create on-site parking for office uses at a rate of 4 spaces per 1000
square feet gross floor area; create parking for retail uses at a rate of 5
spaces per 1000 square feet gross floor area.
3.3
Discourage development with excessive normal peak parking demand or
development with a high peak parking demand that is not offset by joint-
use parking in order to keep development density intense (for example.
require that a church's parking be available to serve a nearby office
during the church's non-peak hours).
3.4 Change Main Avenue to diagonal parking.
3.5 Provide employee parking in remote areas to allow customer parking
close to businesses; prohibit employees from parking on downtown
streets.
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3.6 Create preferential parking zones in neighborhoods. if necessary
4.0 Develop each site to facilitate traffic movement and reduce conflict
points.
4.1 Where possible, provide full vehicular access to sites using cross streets
rather than Main Avenue
5.0 Establish continuity in the patterns of site development to maintain
coherency and cohesiveness in downtown.
5.1
Establish a common palette of materials for sites in each district
Lighting: Parking lot lighting of same height. pole type and
color, same fixture type and wattage, same mounting height and
light levels
Paving: Similar pavement materials and patterns for pedestrian
ways, with variations allowed at areas immediately at storefront
or in pedestrian plaza areas
Landscape: Similar requirements for plant type, installed size.
planting patterns and planting intensity; reflect the "natural"
forest/lake margin plant community qualities in planting layout
Signs: Limit number. size and placement of signs for a given
parcel or building
Locate parking behind or
beside buildings
(Guideline 3.1)
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5.2
5.3
5.4
6.0
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Require that parking lots be 25 percent shaded by trees within 10 years
of development
Use indigenous and/or proven native plant materials, focusing on species
related to forest/lake margin environments.
Encourage signs to be a part of the building rather than the site; allow
pylon signs on Highway 21 only for developments larger than 50,000
gross square feet (aggregate of all buildings on a site).
Develop a unified character for all built elements of Prior Lake's
downtown district to yield a greater sense of the community's
character
Formula and "corporate" architecture, and franchise patterns and /'
buildings that are designed as signs should be prohibited on Main and
discouraged on Highway 21 between Highway 13 and Arcadia Avenue.
New development should be compatible with existing development in
the district, achieving compatibility through similar scale, massing. bulk
and detail.
Buildings should be organized with primary axis perpendicular to streets.
6.4 Each building should be encouraged to explore some level of individual
expression in order to reflect the sense of a district rather than a strip
center.
6.5 No commercial or office building should exceed a height greater than
three stories plus the roof, except that civic or institutional buildings may
have elements that exceed three stories.
~ /' Awnings should be allowed to be continuous only across "storefronts" J
/ occupied by a single tenant; awnings should not be allowed to extend
across the face of more than one building, even if the buildings are
occupied by the same tenant.
6.7
7.0
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7.1
Detail should be integral to the building, not elements that are applied to
a standard building shell (such as a clock tower or dormers with no
usable space behind).
Require the use of quality building materials and methods to create
an enduring stock of buildings.
Materials should be durable, easily maintained, attractive at close
distances (for people walking on sidewalks or driving slowly on the
street, for example); materials should be scaled to pedestrians when
structures are within 10 feet of a public right-of-way or a walkway that is
intended for public use (avoiding the use of 'jumbo'. brick in these
circumstances).
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Align primary building
axis to be perpendicular
to the street (Guideline
6.3)
Awnings should cover
the storefront of a single
tenant,' awnings should
not be continuous across
more than one building
(Guideline 6.6)
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Brick, stone, wood, EIFS (exterior insulating finish system) or high 1//
quality precast concrete are acceptable finish materials; high quality V
metal (matte finish preferred) or synthetic siding may be acceptable if
used in combination with other acceptable materials; wood frame or
masonry construction is acceptable.
7.2
7.3 Transparent glass should be used at the majority of street level windows;
mirrored glass at street level is not acceptable.
7.4 Canvas awnings or extension of the roof material for awnings is
encouraged; nylon awnings or other synthetic materials, as well as those
awning structures meant to be illuminated from within, are not
acceptable on Main Avenue.
8.0 Develop buildings that relate to people at all publicly visible sides;
eliminate a "back door" appearance for service areas aad rear
entrances from parking lots.
Rear entrances need to be renovated to create attractive access to business from ptII'ting
lot areas
8.1
Facades facing streets or public walkways should be articulated with I
windows and doors resulting in a minimum of 40 percent window or
door area at street level (sidewalk to 12 feet high); windows should have
a generally vertical orientation.
8.2
Entries should be designed to be the highlight of the building.
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8.3
Mechanical systems should be integrated into the design of the building.
8.4
Trash storage areas should be completely enclosed and incorporated as a
part of the building.
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Provide a minimum of 40
percenttransparenl
window and door area at
the street/eve/
(Guideline 8.1)
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8.5 Only those entrances that are unlocked during regular business hours
should be considered public entrances.
8.6
8.7
Signs should be incorporated into the building facade, windows or
awnings up to a maximum of 1 square foot o~ area per linear foot o(
street facade (at t~~f~Q..I!t)::~~); signs that extend more than 12" beyond
tliepiaiie-Ofthe-building facade or signs that extend beyond the roof line
are not allowed, except that signs that project over the sidewalk are
allowed up to a maximum size of six square feet (marquis excepted);
signs that are within or a part of a window should maintain 70 percent
clear area in the surface of the window; one sign will be allowed for each _
usable public entry (signs that are a pa.rt.. O.f a. .n. awning or within or part Of~.
a window are encouraged and should!!~~ h.e co~nted in determining the
number of signs allowed).
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Tenant signage for multi-tenant buildings should occupy an area no
larger than 3 square feet per tenant at each public entrance.
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8.8 Temporary signage may be attached to the inside face of any window at
street level, provided that such signage does not obscure more than SO
percent of the total window area and does not remain in place longer than
21 days (leasing or for sale signs exempt from time limitations).
8.9
All buildings must be identified at each public entrance with its full street
address, in numbers and letters no smaller than 2 inches in height and no
larger than 4 inches in height; this signage should not be included in the
total sign age allowed.
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Oversight of Design Guidelines
9.0 In order for these Design Guidelines to be effective in maintaining
consistency with the community's visions for it's downtown district,
a body must be charged with their oversight.
9.1 The Planning Commission should be charged with further shaping and
refinement of the Design Guidelines, and the codification of appropriate
sections of the Design Guidelines.
9.2 The Design Guidelines should apply to all parcels and projects within the
boundaries of the downtown district defined by this Guide.
9.3 As the City considers assistance to developers of projects within
downtown, the Planning Commission could act as an advisory body to
the City Council. Assistance should be tied to compliance with the
Design Guidelines.
9.4 Prior to review of any proposal, which will be evaluated by use of the
Design Guidelines, the city planner should meet with the proposer to
review the project and determine how the Design Guidelines might apply
to the proposed project.
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Review of development proposals for conformance with the Design
Guidelines should be triggered by a building permit application or a site
plan/zoning review. or for any project that requests any form of city
assistance. The city may require additional material from a proposer to
fully understand the intentions and result of a proposal.
9.6
The city planner and/or planning commission may request additional
technical assistance for review of complex or controversial proposals.
Such technical assistance should be advisory only; the final
determination for conformance with the Design Guidelines in all cases
should be by the City Council.
~ Downtown DeveloDment GuIde
~ Page 62
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The recommendations found in this Development Guide call for significant
change. Aesthetic improvements and street overlays may make downtown Prior
Lake more attractive but they do not go far enough in and of themselves. to
improve the business climate and strengthen the role of the area as the
commercial focus of the community.
Implementation
Prior Lake does not find a "do nothing' alternative valid for the downtown area.
A continuum of related past planning efforts stands as a testimonial to this fact.
In community meetings that were held as part of the planning process and based
on prior efforts and recent community surveys. Prior Lake supports its downtown
area and has a strong desire to see it improved. Improvement is possible if the
talents and resources of both the public and private sectors are focused on the
same goals and the common methods of achieving those goals. This
implementation section provides a future course to help coordinate those actions.
The Development Guide identifies significant improvements for downtown Prior
Lake. Implementation of the recommendations will involve major expenditures
by both private investors and by the public. The full plan will not be quickly
implemented. The community realizes that there are a number of barriers and
constraints that must be overcome. Downtown Prior Lake has evolved for more
than 100 years. This Development Guide outlines a program for substantive
change over the next ten years and beyond.
Keys to Implementation
This Development Guide articulates a vision for downtown Prior Lake. A
number of factors will be key in its implementation. Key elements include:
· PubliclPrivate Partnerships - Achieving the vision for downtown
Prior Lake benefits businesses and property owners in the downtown
area and the entire community. Public and private parties must work
together to realize these benefits. While the City must play a lead role
in the implementation of the Development Guide, it cannot revitalize
downtown by itself. Businesses and property owners must play an
active role in shaping the future of downtown.
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· Patience and Commitment - Achieving the vision will not be easy nor
will it happen overnight. No single action can change the current state
of downtown. Economic reality will not support large-scale actions.
The vision can only be achieved through a long-term building process.
A series of well conceived. viable first steps will begin the process of
improving downtown. As initial improvements are made, other actions
become possible.
· The Importance of Public Institutions - Downtown is the center of
government. City government and the County library bring people into
the downtown area. Prior Lake has made past commitments to retain
downtown public uses. New facilities such as a new police department
building should be located downtown.
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· Build off of Existing Strengths - The greater downtown area currently
serves as a destination for commerce and recreation. Downtown must
capitalize on its proximity to Lakefront Park providing both physical
and visual connections to the open space area. Prior Lake's central
business district contains an existing mix of traditional downtown
buildings. Renovations of these structures and new buildings that are
added should conform to consistent patterns.
· Find Retail Niches - Downtown can be a great environment for retail
uses that don't fit within a mall or big box complex. Because downtown
features a mix of rents, smaller retail and office uses have a chance to
establish themselves and grow with minimal up-front capital
investments.
Financial feasibility is a key to redevelopment in downtown Prior Lake.
Financial feasibility relates to both public and private development. Successful
redevelopment requires the City to undertake and fmance key action steps. The
end result must be an environment that is financially feasible to private parties to
conduct business.
Financial
Tools
The redevelopment of the Downtown requires a framework for financial
decision-making. This section provides guidance on financing actions needed to
implement the Redevelopment Plan and the flexibility to tailor these actions to
meet the needs of projects as they occur.
The investment of public monies in the Downtown should be guided by several
broad principles:
· Financial resources are limited. The City has limited funding to apply to
the Downtown. The use of resources must be targeted to achieve the
greatest effect on the implementation.
· Financial decisions require a long-term 1)erspective. The current use of
fmancial resources may reduce monies available in the future. In
evaluating short-term opportunities. it is important to question the long-
term impact on redevelopment. Does this action lay the foundation for
future steps? Does the investment in a current opportunity lead to
additional revenues in the future?
· Public funds should lead to private investment. While this section
focuses on public finance, the Redevelopment Plan cannot become
reality without private investment. The use of public funds should be
targeted to actions that encourage private investment in downtown Prior
Lake.
The City of Prior Lake and its Economic Development Authority have the
development powers and financial resources needed to perform several critical
redevelopment actions:
· Acquire property and assemble suitable development sites. I
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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· Remove barriers to redevelopment, including structurally substandard
buildings.
· Make development sites in the downtown area economically competitive
with more traditional development locations in Prior Lake and the
surrounding communities.
· Make the public improvements outlined in the Redevelopment Plan more
affordable.
· Provide an economic incentive for existing businesses to reinvest in
buildings and facades.
The remainder of this section discusses how Prior Lake can use available
financial resources to implement the Redevelopment Plan. This discussion is
intended to highlight the tools available to the City and their potential
applications. The specific statutory requirements for using these tools are not
fully described. In addition. the laws governing these programs change over
time. Finance plans for actual projects should be made using appropriate
technical and legal advice.
Tax Increment Financing
Tax increment financing (TIF) is the primary development finance tool available
to Minnesota cities (Minnesota Statutes, Sections 469.174 through 469.179). TIF
is simple in concept, but complex in its application. Through tax increment
financing, the property taxes created by new development (or redevelopment) are
captured and used to finance activities needed to encourage the development.
The challenge in using TIF lies with the complex and ever-changing statutory
limitations. These complexities make it impractical to provide a thorough
explanation of tax increment financing as part of this Plan. Instead, this section
highlights the use of TIF as it relates to the implementation of the Plan.
Uses
Tax increment financing can be used to finance all of the important
implementation actions facing the City: land acquisition. site preparation,
parking. and public improvements. In addition. TIF creates a means to borrow
money needed to pay for redevelopment costs.
Existing TIF Districts
The City has three tax increment financing districts located within the planning
area.
. TIF District #1-1 consists of five parcels west of TH 13 and north of
Dakota Street. This district was established in 1985. It is scheduled to
end in 2012
· TIF District # 1-2 includes the Amoco station at the corner of Dakota and
STH 13. This district was established in 1988. It is scheduled to be
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decertified in 2005.
· TIP District #2-4 contains three sets of noncontiguous parcels. Five of
the parcels are located in the Downtown at the southwest corner of the
CR 21 and TH 13 intersection.
The fund balances and annual revenues from these districts may provide financial
resources to assist with implementing the Downtown Plan. The evaluation of
this use must occur in conjunction with a specific development activity. The use
of these funds requires answering to two basic questions. Is this use authorized
by the TIP Plan? How does the use fit with the statutory constraints that apply to
the district? Each of these districts is subject to different statutory constraints
tied to the date they were created. Within the statutory limits, the TIF plans can
be amended to address the current needs of the Downtown.
New TIF Districts
The implementation of the Downtown Plan will probably require the creation of
one or more new TIF districts. The following overview highlights some of the
considerations in creating a TIF district. This information is intended solely as a
basic framework for finding applications within the Downtown. All specific uses
will require a thorough analysis of all statutory factors.
Qualifications
The ability to meet the statutory criteria for establishing a district is a key to the
use of TIP. Three types ofTIF district have application to the Downtown Plan.
. Redevelopment: A redevelopment TIF district has two basic criteria. (1)
parcels consisting of 70% of the area of the district are occupied by
buildings. streets, 'utilities. or other improvements. To be occupied not
less than 15% of the parcePs area must covered by the improvements.
(2) more than 50 percent of the buildings, not including outbuildings, are
structurally substandard to a degree requiring substantial renovation or
clearance (as defined by statute). A redevelopment district may consist
of noncontiguous areas, but each area and the entire area must meet these
criteria.
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· Renewal and renovation: A renewal and renovation district requires
similar, but reduced criteria. The following three factors must exist. (1)
the same 70% occupied test applies. (2) the minimum amount of
structurally substandard buildings drops to 20%. (3) 30% of the other
buildings require substantial renovation or clearance to remove existing
conditions such as: inadequate street layout. incompatible uses or land
use relationships, overcrowding of buildings on the land, excessive
dwelling unit density, obsolete buildings not suitable for improvement or
conversion, or other identified hazards to the health, safety, and general
well-being of the community.
. Housinsz:: A housing TIF district is intended to contain a project, or a
portion of a project. intended for occupancy, in part. by persons or
families of low and moderate income. A district does not qualify as a
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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housing district if the fair market value of the improvements which are
constructed in the district for commercial uses or for uses other than low
and moderate income housing consists of more than 20% of the total fair
market value of the planned improvements in the development plan or
agreement. There are several variations of housing districts that apply
different rent and income restrictions and apply to owner-occupied and
rental housing.
Uses
The use of tax increment revenues is controlled by both State Law and by local
plan. State Law sets forth specific limitations based on the type of TIF district.
These limitations generally tie back to the original criteria use for establishing the
district. For example, at least 90% of the revenues derived from tax increments
from a redevelopment district or renewal and renovation district must be used to
finance the cost of correcting conditions that allowed for the designation of the
district. The use of tax increments must also be authorized by the tax increment
financing plan adopted by the City.
Pooling
The term pooling refers to the ability to spend money outside of the boundaries
of the TIF district. For redevelopment districts, not more than 25% of revenues
can be spent on activities outside of the TIP district. The limit is 20% for all
other districts. Monies spent on administrative expense count against this limit.
This limit reduces the ability of TIF to pay area-wide improvements and to use
excess revenues to support other development sites.
Local Contribution
In creating a new TIP District, the City should elect to make a qualifying local
contribution to avoid the loss of state aid (LGAlHACA). For a redevelopment
and a regular housing qistrict. the local contribution is equal to 5% of the tax
increment revenue. A renovation and renewal district requires a 10%
contribution. A qualified housing district has no local contribution requirement.
In implementing the Downtown Plan, expenditures should be earmarked for the
local contribution. The amount of the local contribution must be made out of
unrestricted money of the City or EDA, such as the general fund, a property tax
levy. or a federal or state grand-in-aid which may be spent for general
government purposes. The local contribution may not be made, directly or
indirectly. with tax increments or developer payments. The local contribution
must be used to pay project costs and cannot be used for general government
purposes.
Timing Constraints
Timing factors must be considered in creating a TIP district. Establishing a
district too far in advance of actual development may limit future use. The key
timing constraints are:
· Within 3 vears from the date of certification, the City must undertake
activity within the district. The statutory criteria of activity includes
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issuance of bonds in aid of a project, acquisition of property, or the
construction of public improvements. Without qualifying activity, no tax
increment can be collected from the district.
· Within 4 vears from the date of certification, the City or property owners
must take qualifying actions to improve parcels within the district. All
parcels not meeting these statutory criteria must be removed (knocked
down) from the district. Upon future improvement, any parcel so
removed may be returned to the district.
· After 5 years from the date of certification. the use of tax increment is
subject to new restrictions. Generally. tax increment can be used only to
satisfy existing debt and contractual obligations.
· The geographic area of the District can be reduced, but not enlarged,
after 5 vears from the date of certification.
Tax Abatement
Tax abatement acts like a simpler and less powerful version of tax increment
financing. With TIP, the City controls the entire property tax revenue from new
development. Under the abatement statute (Minnesota Statutes, Sections
469.1812 through 469.1815). the city, county and school district have
independent authority to grant an abatement.
Uses
Abatement in Minnesota works more like a rebate than an abatement. The city
(and other units abating taxes) adds a tax levy equal to the amount of taxes to be
abated. The revenue from the abatement levy can be returned to the property
owner or retained and used to finance development activities. Tax abatement can
be use to finance the key redevelopment actions in the Downtown: land
acquisition, site preparation and public improvements.
Tax abatement is perhaps best suited as an incentive for reinvestment in existing
property. While TIF deals with only the value from new development, abatement
can apply to both new and existing value. This power provides the means to
encourage building rehabilitation and storefront improvements. The City could
agree to abate all or part of the municipal share of taxes to encourage
reinvestment tied to the Downtown Plan.
The statute grants the authority to issue general obligation bonds supported by
the collection of abated taxes. The proceeds of the bonds may be used to pay for
(1) public improvements that benefit the property. (2) land acquisition, (3)
reimbursement to the property owner for improvements to the property, and (4)
the costs of issuing the bonds.
Limitations
State Law places several important l,imitations on the use of tax abatement:
.
In any year. the total taxes abated by a political subdivision may not
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exceed the greater of 5% of the current levy or $100,000.
.
If one political subdivision declines to abate. then the abatement levy can
be made for a maximum of 15 years. If the city, county and school
district all abate, then the maximum period drops to 10 years.
.
Taxes cannot be abated for property located within a tax increment
financing district.
Special Assessments
Public improvements are often financed using the power to levy special
assessments (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429). A special assessment is a means
of benefiting properties to pay for all or part of the costs associated with
improvements and to spread the impact over a period of years. From a city
perspective, this authority provides an important means of raising capital.
Uses
Special assessments can be used to finance all of the public improvements
needed to implement the Plan. Eligible improvements include streets, sidewalks,
street lighting, streetscape. and parking.
Special assessments provide a means to borrow money to finance public
improvements. Chapter 429 conveys the power to issue general obligation
improvement bonds to finance the design and construction of public
improvements. Important factors in the use of improvement bonds include:
· A minimum of 20% of the, cost of the improvement must be assessed
against benefited properties.
· Beyond the 20% threshold. any other legally available source of
municipal revenue may be used to pay debt service on improvement
bonds.
· Improvements bonds are not subject to any statutory debt limit.
· Improvement bonds may be issued without voter approval.
Limitations
Careful consideration must be given to setting the amount of the assessment.
From a legal perspective, the amount of an assessment cannot exceed benefit to
property as measured by increased market value. There are also practical
considerations. Benefiting property owners should pay for a fair share of
improvement costs without creating an economic disincentive to operating a
business in the Downtown area. Within this limitation, several factors will shape
the amount of the assessment.
· The amount of the assessment must be 20% or more of the improvement
cost to allow the issuance of bonds.
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· Local improvement policies and/or decisions made on previous projects
often create parameters for assessments. Likewise. assessment decisions
should be made with consideration of the potential implications for
future similar projects.
· The assessment must strike a balance between equity and feasibility.
Properties that benefit from improvements should pay a fair share of the
costs. The assessment must be affordable for both the property owner
and the City. Reducing the assessment to the property requires the City
to allocate other revenues to the project.
Special Service District
A special service district is a tool for fmancing the construction and maintenance
of public improvements within a defined area. Minnesota Statutes. Sections
428A.0 I through 428A.l 0 govern the creation and use of special service districts.
This legislation is currently scheduled to sunset in 2005. A special service
district provides a means to levy taxes (service charge) and provide
improvements and service to a commercial area.
Uses
A special service district has several applications for the Plan. The district
provides an alternative means of financing the construction of any of the public
improvements discussed previously with special assessments. The service
district approach avoids the benefits test imposed by special assessments. The
test for the district is that the amount of service charges imposed must be
reasonably related to the special services provided. The costs of parking or
streetscape improvements, for example, may be better spread across a district
than through assessments to individual properties.
An important use of the special service district is the maintenance of public
improvements. Some of the improvements described in the Plan require a level
of maintenance above the typical public improvement. Items such as banners
and planted materials must be maintained and replaced. Higher levels of
cleaning and snow removal may be needed. Without a special service district,
these costs are borne through the General Fund of the City.
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Limitations
The use of a special service district is subject to some important constraints:
· The process to create district and to levy taxes to use must be initiated by
petition of property owners and is subject to owner veto. The use of a
special service district requires a collaboration of property owners and
the City. There are two separate steps in the process: (1) adoption of an
ordinance establishing the service district and (2) adoption of a resolution
imposing the service charges. Neither step can be initiated by the City.
The City ~e Detitio~ed ~ undertake the processes to create a special
service district and to Impose service charges. At a minimum. the
petitions must be signed by owners representing 25% of the area that
would be included in the district and 25% of the tax capacity subject to
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the service charge.
· The actions of the City Council to adopt the ordinance and the resolution
are subject to veto of the property owners. To veto the ordinance or the
resolution, objections must be filed with the City Clerk within 45 days of
initial Council action to approve. The objections must exceed 35% of
area, tax capacity or individuaVbusiness organizations in the proposed
district.
· The service charge applies solely to non-residential property. State Law
limits the application of a service charge to only property that is
classified for property taxation and used for commercial. industrial, or
public utility purposes, or is vacant land zoned or designated on a land
use plan for commercial or industrial use. Other types of property may
be part of the service district, but may not be subject to the service
charge.
General Property Taxes
General property taxes can be used to finance many of the services,
improvements, facilities and development activities needed to implement the
Plan. Taxes may be levied through the General. Fund, to pay debt service on
G.O. Improvement or G.O. Tax Increment Bonds, and as a levy for the Economic
Development Authority. The ability to use property taxes provides another
resource for the plan. For taxes payable in 2001, the levy is not subject to levy
limits. This situation may change in the future.
Commercial Rehabilitation Loans and Grants
Through HRA's and EDA's, cities have broad powers to facilitate the
revitalization of existing' buildings. State Law also creates specific statutory
authority for loans by cities. The City may establish a program to make loans to
finance the rehabilitation of small and medium sized commercial buildings (M.S.
Section 469.184). The program can be funded through the issuance of bonds.
Other revenues of the CitY (i.e. - tax increment or tax abatement) could be used
to assist the program.
Other City Funds
Other funds of the City may playa role in financing the implementation of the
Downtown Plan. Other funds may help support the costs of streets, utilities and
other improvements. The use of other city funds should be factored into capital
improvements planning and eannarked for the Downtown.
Other Programs
Funding may be available for other units of government to assist with
implementing the Downtown Plan. Typically, this funding is tied to policy
objectives other than the general redevelopment of Prior Lake. If these
objectives match project needs in the Downtown, then these other programs may
provide assistance. Other program possibilities include:
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· Improvements to County Road 21 and TH 13 funded by County and
State
· Housing programs funded by the Scott County HRA.
· Assistance through the Metropolitan CounciPs Livable Communities
Program.
· Redevelopment. business assistance and environmental cleanup
programs through the State Department of Trade and Economic
Development.
It will take years to fully implement the Redevelopment Plan outlined in this
Design Guide. Complete implementation will result from a series of projects.
some of which can be accomplished in the short term and some of which can
only be implemented over a longer period of time. Where possible, this Guide
provides details necessary to begin implementation efforts. Complete details of
longer-term projects are not available at this time and will need to be filled in
later.
Recommended
Projects
The Redevelopment Plan outlines a series of improvements that are meant to be
implemented in three time frames: short term (1-5 years). mid term (5-10 years)
and long term (10+ years). The following projects are recommended in the plan:
Proiects to be Comoleted in 2000 to 2005
Project: Upgrade Main Avenue from CSAH 21 to
Lakefront Park '
Actions: Complete reconstruction of existing streets and replacement of storm
sewer and water lines as required. Sidewalk paving, lighting and other site
amenities consistent with patterns identified in the design guidelines and
streetscape standards.
Purpose of Project: Improve the appearance of the downtown streetscape and
alleviate existing utility deficiencies.
Anticipated Cost: $635.000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties: Business and property owners along the length of Main
Avenue
Potential Funding: Tax Increment from Existing Districts
Tax Increment from New District
Bonds
Special Assessments
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Special Service District
Utility Reserves/Revenues
General Tax Levy
Other Reserves
Project: Upgrade Dakota Avenue from TH 13 to Arcadia
Avenue
Actions: Improve Dakota Avenue from curb line to right-of-way line. Project
includes curb and gutter. sidewalk, lighting and landscaping. Project will need to
be coordinated with redevelopment efforts on the north side of Dakota Avenue.
Purpose of Project: Improve the appearance of the downtown streetscape and
emphasize Dakota Street as a minor entrance to downtown off of Trunk Highway
13.
Anticipated Cost: $240,000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties: Business and property owners along the length of Dakota
Avenue. City of Prior Lake.
Potential Funding: Tax Increment from Existing Districts
Tax Increment from New District
Bonds
Special Assessments
Special Service District
Utility Reserves/Revenues
General Tax Levy
Other Reserves
Project: Redevelop Land North of Dakota Street, West of
Main Avenue
Actions: Redevelop land lying north of Dakota Street in multiple phases
incorporating both commercial and residential land uses. The parcels near the
corner of Dakota Street and Main Avenue are identified as commercial and
residential (possibly mixed-use) and land lying further west is identified as a site
for multi-family residential. Potential public actions include land acquisition and
site preparation.
Purpose of Project: Provide opportunities for new commercial uses and new
multi-family housing that is convenient to downtown goods and services and to
recreational opportunities at Lakefront Park.
Anticipated Public Cost: To Be Determined (Based on specific development
proposal)
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Responsible Parties: Private landowners and developers with assistance as
needed by the City of Prior Lake.
Affected Parties: Property owners along the north side of Dakota Street.
Potential Funding:
Private Investment
Tax Increment Financing from New District
Bonds
EDA Property Tax Levy
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Grant Funds
Scott County HRA
Project: Construct Entry Signs at Main Avenue/TH 13
Intersection and at the CSAH 21/TH 13 Intersection
Actions: Design and construct entry signs at primary downtown gateway
locations. The sign on the northern end should identify both downtown Prior
Lake and Lakefront Park.
Purpose of Project: Enhance major downtown entry points with attractive entry
signs. Signs serve as identifiers for downtown and Lakefront Park.
Anticipated Cost: $60,000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake. Possible participation by downtown
businesses and/or community groups.
Affected Parties: Sign on north end, none. Sign at TH l3/CSAH 21 may have
minor impacts on adjacent properties.
Potential Funding:
Donations from Downtown Businesses
Tax Increment from Existing Districts
Park Dedication Funds
General Fund Revenues
Project: Install Landscaping Along TH 13
Actions: Install street trees along TH 13 from the Main AvenuerrH 13
intersection to the intersection of Pleasant AvenuelTH 13.
Purpose of Project: Improve the appearance of the frontage of Highway 13
passing through Prior Lake. Installation of street trees along TH 13 will help tie
the roadway into the downtown area and create a different look that reminds
people that they are on the edge of the downtown area.
Anticipated Cost: $75,000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake with cooperation of the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT)
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Affected Parties: Adjacent property owners
Potential Funding:
Donations from Downtown Businesses
Special Service District
Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
Park Dedication Funds
General Fund Revenues
Project: Improve Erie Avenue as a Pedestrian and/or
Vehicle Corridor
Actions: Improve Erie Avenue as a connection between the downtown public
campus area and Lakefront Park to the north. The section north of Dakota Street
is to be designed to accommodate pedestrians only and the section south of
Dakota Street will accommodate pedestrians and vehicles.
Purpose of Project: Provide a convenient, attractive connection between
downtown and Lakefront Park.
Anticipated Cost: $100,000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake in cooperation with parties involved in
the redevelopment of property north of Dakota Street.
Affected Parties: Existing property owners abutting Erie Avenue.
Potential Funding:
Donations from Downtown Businesses
Donations from Community Groups
Tax Increment from New District
Special Service District
Park Dedication Funds
General Fund Revenues
Project: Improve the Open Space Area South of City Hall
Actions: Design and construct a city commons park in the open space area
immediately west of the library.
Purpose of Project: Provide a passive park area as a site for community events
and possibly a farmers market.
Anticipated Cost: $150,000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties: None
Potential Funding:
Donations from Downtown Businesses
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Special Service District
Park Dedication Funds
General Fund Revenues
/'
Project: Existing Building Fa~ade Improvements
Actions: Create a revolving loan and grant fund for building fayade
improvements.' The fund(s) could be used to help offset design and/or
construction costs.
Purpose of Project: Encourage the upgrading of building facades consistent
with the Design Guidelines. Projects should be required to adhere to the
principles outlined in the Guide as a condition of receiving assistance.
Anticipated Cost: Building fayade improvements are expected to range from
$15,000 to $50,000 depending on the scale and size of the project. Costs might
be split in some manner between the property owner and the Prior Lake EDA.
Responsible Parties: Private building owners and the Prior Lake EDA.
Affected Parties: Applicable private building owners.
Potential Funding:
Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
EDA Revolving Loan Fund Program
Interest Reduction of Bank Loans
Private Investment
Proiects to be Comoleted in 2005 to 2010
Project: Realign the Main Avenue/TH 13 Intersection
Actions: Reconstruct the Main Avenue/TH 13 intersection
Purpose of Project: Create a more efficient and attractive entrance into
downtown and Lakefront Park. Provide adequate separation and stacking for
turning vehicles in the intersection.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake and Mn/DOT
Affected Parties: None
Potential Fundinc: Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
State of Minnesota
Bonds
Other City Funds
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Project: Update Main Avenue from CSAH 21 to Pleasant
Avenue
Actions: Complete reconstruction of existing street and replacement of storm
sewer and water lines as required. Sidewalk paving, lighting and other site
amenities consistent with patterns identified in the design guidelines and
streetscape standards.
Purpose of Project: Improve the appearance of the downtown streetscape and
alleviate existing utility deficiencies. Construct streetscape improvements that
are compatible with the remainder of Main Avenue, north ofCSAH 21.
Anticipated Cost: $250.000
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties:
Avenue
Business and property owners along the length of Main
Potential Funding:
Tax Increment Financing
Bonds
Special Service District
Utility ReserveslRevenues
Special Assessments
General Tax Levy
Other Reserves
Project: Construction of Turn Lanes along CSAH 21 and a
Traffic Signal at CSAH 21/Main Avenue and CSAH 21/TH
13 Intersections
Actions: Acquire right-of-way and reconstruct portions of CSAH 21 to add left
turn lanes and a traffic signal at the intersection of Main Avenue CSAH 21.
Purpose of Project: Manage growing traffic volumes on CSAH 21 and preserve
vehicle access into downtown Prior Lake.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake and Scott County
Affected Parties: City of Prior Lake and landowners along CSAH 21
Potential Funding:
Tax. Increment Financing
General Fund Revenues
Scott County
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Project: Infill Commercial
Actions: Construction of new commercial buildings in the downtown area either
on land that is currently undeveloped or on land that becomes available due to
property acquisitions. Potential City actions include acquisition of property,
assembly of viable development sites. removal of existing structures. and other
site preparation.
Purpose of Project: To create new office and retail opportunities to enhance the
range of goods and services available downtown.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: Private land and building owners and the City of Prior
Lake.
Affected Parties: Private land and building owners.
Potential Funding: Tax Increment Financing
Tax Abatement
Private Investment
EDA Levy
Project: Existing Building Fa~ade Improvements
Actions: Utilize a revolving loan and grant fund for building fayade
improvements. The fund(s) could be used to help offset design and/or
construction costs.
Purpose of Project: Encourage the upgrading of building facades consistent
with the Design Guidelines. Project should be required to adhere to the
principles outlined in the Guide as a condition of receiving assistance.
Anticipated Cost: Building fayade improvements are expected to range from
$15,000 to $50,000 depending on the scale and size of the project. Costs might
be split in some manner between the property owner and the Prior Lake EDA.
Responsible Parties: Private building owners and the Prior Lake EDA.
Affected Parties: Applicable private building owners.
Potential Funding: Tax Abatement
EDA Revolving Loan Fund
Interest Reduction of Bank Loans
Private Investment
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Proiects to be Completed Bevond 2010
Project: Extend Arcadia Avenue South of CSAH 21 to
Colorado Street
Actions: Extend Arcadia Avenue south of CSAH 21 to Colorado Street as a new
public street.
Purpose of Project: To enhance access to business properties located south of
CSAH 21 and to establish a circulation pattern around the downtown area via
Dakota Street, Arcadia A venue, Colorado Street and Pleasant Avenue.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties: Private land owners adjacent to the roadway extension
Potential Funding:
Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
General Fund Revenues
Project: Re-route Colorado Street to Pleasant Avenue
Actions: Re-route Colorado Street to Pleasant Avenue as a new public street.
Purpose of Project: To enhance access to business properties located south of
CSAH 21 and to establish a circulation pattern around the downtown area via
Dakota Street, Arcadia Avenue. Colorado Street and Pleasant Avenue.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: City of Prior Lake
Affected Parties: Private land owners adjacent to the roadway extension
Potential Funding:
Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
General Fund Revenues
Project: Infill Commercial
Actions: Construction of new commercial buildings in the downtown area either
on land that is currently undeveloped or on land that becomes available due to
property acquisitions.
Purpose of Project: To create new office and retail opportunities to enhance the
range of goods and services available downtown. The area south of CSAH 21
contains sites designated for larger scale commercial uses.
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Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: Private land and building owners and the City of Prior
Lake.
Affected Parties: Private land and building owners.
..J Potential Funding: Tax Increment Financing
EDA Levy
General Fund Revenues
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Project: Construct Mixed-use Project on Pleasant Avenue
at the Foot of Main Avenue
Actions: Redevelop land on the south side of Pleasant A venue incorporating
both commercial and residential land uses. Construct a public plaza affording
views of the adjacent wetland.
Purpose of Project: Provide opportunities for new commercial uses and new
multi-family housing that is convenient to downtown goods and services and to
recreational opportunities at Lakefront Park.
Anticipated Cost: To Be Determined
Responsible Parties: Private land owners and developers with assistance as
needed by the City of Prior Lake.
Affected Parties: Property owners along the south side of Pleasant Avenue.
Potential Funding: Private Investment
Tax Increment Financing
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Grant Funds
EDA Levy
Scott County HRA
Project: Existing Building Fa~ade Improvements
Actions: Utilize a revolving loan and grant fund for building fa~ade
improvements. The fund(s) could be used to help offset design and/or
construction costs.
Purpose of Project: Encourage the upgrading of building facades consistent
with the Design Guidelines. Project should be required to adhere to the
principles outlined in the Guide as a condition of receiving assistance.
Anticipated Cost: Building fa~ade improvements are expected to range from
$15,000 to $50.000 depending on the scale and size of the project. Costs might
be split in some manner between the property owner and the Prior Lake EDA.
A Downtown Development Guide
~ Page 80
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Responsible Parties: Private building owners and the Prior Lake EDA.
Affected Parties: Applicable private building owners.
Potential Funding:
Tax Increment Financing
Tax Abatement
Private Investment
EDA Levy
The most important component of any redevelopment effort is,a starting point.
The Guiding Principles that shaped the Redevelopment Plan advocate a strategic
approach - one that builds momentum and then capitalizes on success to move
onto the next challenge.
First Step
Project
Upon adoption of this Development Guide. Prior Lake needs an immediate
course of action for implementation. Therefore, this Plan identifies a "first step."
In assessing alternatives for a first step project. all of the recommended projects
were examined. Criteria that were used to help define the most appropriate
project include:
· The project must make economic sense. With limited financial
resources, the initial implementation actions must allocate available
resources in the best possible manner. The first step project needs to
create opportunities for private investment.
· Location is important. Since implementation of the Development Guide
will consist of a series of actions. the location of the first step project
should lay the fou,ndation for subsequent actions.
· The project needs to represent a bold move. Prior Lake has been
examining its downtown area and formulating plans since 1984. It is
now time for something to happen. It is also time for something to
happen that grabs the attention of the community. The first step project
must make a statement that Prior Lake is serious about redeveloping the
downtown area and is willing to make a commitment to see that the
Redevelopment Plan is implemented.
Project Details
The recommended "first step" project involves the redevelopment of the
northwest corner of the intersection of Dakota Street and Main A venue. The
project area is shown on Figure X. The first step project consists of the following
elements.
1. Site Acquisitiont Demolition and Building Construction
The first step project is intended to be a cooperative effort between the
City of Prior Lake and private landowners. It is based. in part, on a
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preliminary proposal that the City received for portions of the identified
area.
The project consists of acquiring various land parcels within the
identified boundary area. Four existing buildings including two
residential structures, the gas station, and the daycare facility will be
cleared. New construction on the site will include a mixed-use
commerciaVresidential building and a separate multi-family residential
structure. Parking for the site will be provided through an interior
surface lot. underground parking and on street parking for commercial
patrons. Both buildings are expected to be two or three stories in height
and should be designed in a manner consistent with the design guidelines
found in this study.
2. Streetscape Improvements
It is important that the first step project begin the process of enhancing
the physical environment of the downtown area. Construction of new
buildings is only part of the need. The project also needs to include
construction of initial streetscape improvements. The following
improvements are included:
· Main Avenue from CSAH 21 to a point approximately 200 feet
north of Dakota Street. Main Avenue improvements will involve
complete street reconstruction including utilities.
· Dakota Street from Main Avenue extending approximately 200
feet west of the intersection. This section corresponds to the
street frontage of the proposed project. Dakota Street
improvements will be limited to features behind the existing curb
line. Resurfacing of the street is not envisioned as part of the
first step project.
3. Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings
Implementation of the Development Guide also involves the
improvement and renovation of existing buildings. A portion of the first
step project establishes a grant and loan program for fa~ade
improvements. Small grants could be offered to cover the costs of initial
professional design work. Low interest loans and other incentives such
as tax abatement could be offered for qualifying projects. The City could
work with one or more local banks to create the loan program. Criteria
would need to be established regarding incentives and priorities.
4. Administration
The first step project will involve participation by both the private and
public sectors. The City is expected to play a key up-front role in the
project. In order to be most efficient~ the City of Prior Lake will need to
identify a project administrator who can oversee the details of the project
assembly and the activities of a variety of specialized consultants with
expertise in public finance. appraisals, and acquisition and relocation.
A Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 82
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Downtown Development Guide- "First Step" Project
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Once the property has been acquired and cleared for development. the
role of the City's project administrator will shift to the streetscape
improvements portion of the project.
Financial and Procedural Overview
The Redevelopment Plan targets the area west of Main Avenue. north of Dakota
Street and east of the extension of Arcadia Avenue (Block 9 of the Original
Town subdivision) for redevelopment in the near term. A closer examination of
this block provides valuable guidance on the strategies and actions needed to
implement the Plan.
The City has received a proposal for the redevelopment of a portion of Block 9.
The proposal would create 63 housing units and 22,000 square feet of retail space
in a mixed used development. While this type of development is a good fit with
the Redevelopment Plan, it illustrates the challenges of redevelopment.
1. Will the City take what comes or be proactive in seeking redevelopment?
The proposal wraps around the existing day care and gas station
occupying the southeast corner of Block 9. This development proposal
reflects the practical realities of creating redevelopment sites. The
proposal fits development onto land that can be acquired by the
developer.
Redevelopment. of the entire block would have far greater benefit to the
Downtown. New development would be immediately adjacent to the
core area at the MainlDakota intersection. The hope of extending the
development is to promote activity on adjacent properties. The
development would also reinforce the public improvements to Main and
Dakota.
2. Will the City play an active role in acquiring property?
Assembling sites is perhaps the greatest challenge of redevelopment.
Unless redevelopment means a series of small projects, then existing
parcels must be combined into larger sites. If parcels cannot be
purchased. then the City faces the potential use of condemnation. The
implementation of the Plan requires the City consider if it is willing to
condemn property for redevelopment and if so under what conditions.
3.
Can a TIP district be created?
The development proposal for Block 9 does not request financial
assistance in the form of tax increment financing. However, expanding
the project to include all of the Block and adjacent public improvement
will. require additional public funding. TIF is the most likely source of
this funding.
~ Downtown DeveloDment Guide
~ Page 84
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The ability to use tax increment financing on Block 9 depends on the
answer to the following questions. Is enough of the area improved? Do
any of the buildings meet with statutory definition of structurally
substandard?
The statutory criteria for both redevelopment and renovation/renewal TIF
districts require the presence of improved parcels. The test for
improvements has two elements:
· Parcels consisting of 70% of the area of the district are occupied
by buildings, streets, utilities. or other improvements.
· A parcel is deemed to be occupied if 15% or more of the parcel
area contains buildings, streets, utilities, or other improvements.
In its current lot configuration, the entirety of Block 9 cannot meet the
improved area criteria. The vacant parcels on the northern portion of the
Block exceed 30% of the area. A TIF district could include parcels on
the south one-half of the block. Several combinations of parcels could
meet the improved area criteria.
It is important to recognize that the redevelopment of this property would
result in replatting and a change in parcel layout. The current parcels
would be combined into larger development sites. Through the
combination of vacant and improved parcels. the replat might meet the
statutory criteria for a TIF district.
The second test involves the presence of structurally substandard
buildings. There are five buildings (not including outbuildings) on Block
9. To create a redevelopment TIF district. three of the buildings (more
than 5(010) must meet the statutory test. Two buildings (more than 30%)
must meet the test for a renovation and renewal TIF district.
State Law uses two factors to determine if a building is structurally
substandard:
· The building must contain defects in structural elements or a
combination of deficiencies in essential utilities and facilities,
light and ventilation, fire protection including adequate egress,
layout and condition of interior partitions, or similar factors,
which defects or deficiencies are of sufficient total significance
to justify substantial renovation or clearance.
· The building is determined not to be in compliance with the
building code applicable to new buildings or could not be
modified to satisfy the building code at a cost of less than 15%
of the cost of constructing a new structure of the same square
footage and type on the ,site.
The evaluation needed to make this determination has not been made as
part of the Downtown planning process. Experience with similar
G Downtown DeveloDment Guide
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properties suggests that some of the buildings in Block 9 may meet these
criteria.
.
4. Is redevelopment financially feasible?
The ability to create a TIP district does not guarantee that redevelopment
will be financially feasible. The expanded redevelopment of Block 9
faces the following public costs:
· Land acquisition.
· Relocation of existing property owners.
· Building demolition and site clearance.
· Adjacent public improvements.
The cost of these activities less monies from the sale of land to the
developer and use of other city improvement funds represents the
potential need for TIP. The amount of tax increment is determined by
the property value added by new development. The table below shows
the estimated annual tax increment and long-term fmancing capacity
from different levels of estimated market value captured by a TIF
district.
Captured From New Development SJpportable Debt
estimated Tax Tax 10 Years 15 Years 20 Years
Market Value Capacltv Increment 7.75% 8.00% 8.25%
$100,000 $2,400 $2,955 $20,000 $25,000 $28,000
200,000 5,300 6,526 44,000 56,000 63,000
300,000 8,700 10,712 73,000 92,000 103,000
400,000 12,100 14,899 101,000 128,000 144,000
500,000 15,500 19,085 130,000 163,000 184,000
600,000 18,,900 23,272 158,000 199,000 224,000
700,000 22,300 27,458 186,000 235,000 265,000
800,000 25,700 31 ,644 215,000 271,000 305,000
900,000 29,100 35,831 243,000 307,000 345,000
1,000,000 32,500 40,017 272,000 343,000 386,000
1,100,000 35,900 44,204 300,000 378,000 426,000
1,200,000 39,300 48,390 328,000 414,000 466,000
1,300,000 42,700 52,577 357,000 450,000 507,000
Depending on the type of project, new commercial development of
25.000 square feet or more should create a financially feasible project.
i~ Downtown Development Guide
~ Page 86
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Downtown Development Guide - City of Prior Lake
Discussion Summary
May 13,1999
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Exercise One Existin Characteristics
Downtown Prior Lake has evolved over the past century. Today, it is a collection of
public and private land uses that provides an array of goods, services and
entertainment. But what is Downtown Prior Lake? What characteristics define the
downtown area? What makes the downtown Prior Lake unique? Please identify some
of the existing characteristics of the area:
. Proximity to park
. Intersection of two roads
. Night life
. Office/service orientation
. Diversity of business
. Civic structure
. Hodge-podge of quality and style of building
. Historical center
. Compact
. No access to lake
. Shortage of retail attractions
. Natural barriers to expansion
. No malt shop
. County Road 21 +1-
. Adjacent and In downtown resources
. Lack of family restaurant
. No sidewalk sales
. Severed by major road
. Scattered retail
. Pedestrianlbicycle access not connected
. Lack of Identity
. Major library
. Good place for events
. No youth or attractions for youth
. Inadequate parking
. HublHeart of community
. Poor pedestrian circulation
. Impact of 44
. House adjacent to Conoco, B&B?
. Segregation of downtown by 21
. No hotel downtown
. Thoroughfare, not destination
Downtown Development Guide
City of Prior Lake
May 13,1999
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Exercise Two Future Characteristics
Prior Lake's downtown area today is the result of a variety of economic and physical
forces. As we look to the future. image what the downtown area might be like. What do
you want downtown Prior Lake to be like in ten or twenty years?
EXPANWCONNECTDOWNTOWN
. Bigger businesses
. Trolley and/or bus system
. Bridge over south wetlands (floral shop to
CH. Carpenter)
. Tie uptown with downtown
. A "link to bring both sides of Highway 13 and
County Road 21 together" Join the N&S
business
. Downtown expansion (larger - more area)
. Expand to allow more growth
PROVIDE ADEQUATE PARKING
. Parking
. Adequate parking
ENHANCE PARK AMENITIES
. Community designed central park
. Access to lake and lakefront park
CREATE ATTRACTIONS
. Create special draw
. Glockenspiel
. Youth center
. Farmers market and arts and crafts fairs
. More pedestrian traffic day and night
EXPAND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
. (Dense) housing overlooking the pond
. Senior housing
IMPROVE APPEARANCE
. Remove dilapidated structures
. Aesthetically pleasing
. Streetscapelparklng
. Bed and breakfast (historical preservation)
. Compatible facia
. Retention of historical
EXPAND RETAIUENTERTAINMENT USES
. Micro-brewery
. Another Grainwood Hotel (near pond)
. Lifecycle services
. Mixed-use retaiVhousing
. Lunch
. Variety of retail and restaurant
. (More) family restaurants
. Retail
. Coffee shop
. Specialized retail shops
. Quality retail
. Family dininglbakery
EXPAND OFFICE USES
. Office campus
ACCOMMODATE PEDESTRIANS
. Pedestrian friendly/controlled traffic
IMPROVE PUBLIC FACILITIES
. Public restroom
Exercise Three Opportunities and Challen es
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Downtown Prior Lake is not a blank slate. To improve the area, there are assets that
may need to be built upon and challenges that must be recognized and overcome where
feasible. List as many opportunities and challenges as you feel appropriate and then as
a roup. define those that you consider to be the five most 1m ortant in each cate 0
Downtown Development Guide
City of Prior Lake
May 13,1999
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, I OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDE YOUTH ACIVITIES
, I . More youth activities
INCORPORATE NATURAL AMENITIES CHALLENGES
I . Natural wetlands
REFLECT PRIOR LAKE'S HISTORY PARADIGM SHIFT
. To preserve Prior Lake history . Attitudes (paradigms)
. Getting the community to "buy In"
SMALLER MAYBE BETTER . Changing the downtown perception
. Small size (scale's) Is advantageous
MANAGE IMPACTS OF CHANGE
EXISTING ENTERTAINMENT BASE . To keep current business while making
. Night Ine changes
. Business interruption
CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICES
. City Hall GAIN CONSENSUs/COOP ERA TION
. Telephone company . Consensus of property owners
. Library . Uniting business owners
. Dance center . Community cooperation
. Strong existing businesses . Cooperation (business, government, residents)
. Growing company. Scott -Rice
. Move post office downtown HOW DO WE PAY FOR IT?
. Financing
EXPAND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES . City take the lead in financing
. Increase the customer base . Financial considerations
. New businesses . Financing
. Increased tax base
. Job opportunRies construction & new ATTRACT LOCAL AND OUTSIDE INTEREST
businesses . To attract new business and developer
. Increase tax base investment
GOOD TRANSPORTATION ACCESS OVERCOME REGULATORY BARRIERS
. Good road access -in and out of downtown . Barriers with city zoning
. Traffic COlJnt
AFFORDABLE LAND
. Land banking
. Low land costs(presently)
CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT
. To focus community (once chance to do it)
. Opportunity Is created by the need
IDENTIFIABLE REDEVELOPMENT ~ITES
. expansion of downtown
I . Redevelop main to city hall
. Redevelop Dakota to park
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.J Downtown Development Guide
.-.1 City of Prior Lake 3
May 13,1999
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Exercise Four Other Ideas
Throughout the course of tonight's meeting, we have gathered a great deal of
information for the Downtown Development Guide. This Is your opportunity to tell use if
we've missed anything. Are there any other issues that you think will be important to the
downtown area In the next ten to twenty years that have not been raised this evening?
. Increased need for medical services
. Convenience for residential or business center
. Move utilhies underground
. Make downtown unique/niche
. Separate downtown from other commercial
. Enhance existing business
. Downtown competing wnh urban expansion
. Containment of downtown
. Plan for future growth
. Access, topography, lake/unique boundaries
. Can downtown survive adjacent competnion
. Build in .sense of community'
. City. Advertise downtown
. Connections from 169 & 135
. Future roll of CH 21
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Downtown Development Guide
City of Prior Lake
May 13,1999
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Grcqt " 0pII0ft A 0pII0ft A - c-I'Nds at IIIlIIn Ave.lIIIlI Dakota at. 0p60n B 0p60n B - ... StrMt RftItaIDtIon 0p60n C 0p60n C - A DownIDwn Dlatric:t
Score Score Score
1 1 Great Idea for Post 0lIice - Is it enough room? 3 Bad location for Post 0lIice. 2 Too Much - UnreaIislicI
County Rd 21 should be addressed. Post 0lIice would fit better in Gov'I Campus No Center Median on MaIn Ave.
Include ... south d 21 as inlIIlgnII part d downtown. Incble aI d Main Ave up lID Hwy 13 Intersedion. ImprolIements lID County Rd. 21 good
Reroute d Colorado Sl a good idee. Good location for.- City Hal Provide lraI CDh.1edion under Hwy 13. lICl'ClSS welIand lID
Provide lraI conneclion under Hwy 13. lICl'ClSS welIand lID Improvements lID County Rd. 21 good pubic gathering space lit PIeasent Ave. & Main Ave.
pubic ga\hering space lit PIeas8nl Ave. & Main Ave. No Blvd on Main Ave.
AnrIe Parking Good
Provide lraI ClhMlCtion under Hwy 13, lICl'ClSS welIand lID
pubic gathering space lit PIelIsant Ave. & Main Ave.
Reroute d Colorado St. 811 inlplovement
. Hiah Densilv Hftu!oina North d D8kallI a aood idee
2 2 No Post 0lIice - T__ up too much parIdng space 3 Improve County Rd. 21 lID lIIow traIIic thIOugh beaulfic8tion 1 Soulh edge d PIeas8nt c:ouId be Phase 2 for Option B
No Pertcing along llIUfront Park Good Ioc:lIlIon for Post aIIice No mecfl8l1 on MaIn Ave. - Too much IIlIIinlenlmce
No ParkIng lois along Hwy 13 - not a good image lID por1ray Good location for pmtcing lots adjacent lID AlIa. uses No parIdng along 13 - does not convey positive image
Good Dhase one ~ lID ......;. c
3 1 ExIIIInd Main Ave lID the south lID connect lID PriordaIe Mal 3 No Center Median on County Rd. 21 2 Do IIllt expand downtown Iimils to the souIhwest
Do IIllt remove existing busiMss on Northeast side d Lbs nltaIIc:ommunity gathering space at Pleasant Ave. Lbs addilion d ResIdenliaI along existing residential and
PIeas8nt Ave. & MaIn Ave. & Main Ave. facing park.
Stop Ught at County Rd. 21 & Main Ave. Connect Rescun:e Center lID llIkefront Park on Erie Ave. Likes removing AulDmaII for HousIng
Ukes f*IlInlI behkld Scoll Rice Ukes Gathering space on NoI1h edge d Main Ave.
Ukes addition d all parking lots adjacent to retaI
No dlagonaI p8rking an MaIn - wIIl110w traIlic
Ukes Housing on North side d Dakota
ReaIace AulIlrnalI with HcusinlI
4 2 ExIend dDwnlDwn ImiIs lID Evanston Ave. Then jog one 1 Extend cIowntDwn Iimils lID Evanston Ave. Then jog one 3 ExIIIInd downlDwn ImiIs lID Evanston Ave. Then jog one
block.. on MinnaDlII St. and continue lID North lID n1Ml block east on MinMSOla St. and continue lID NoI1h lID meet block .. on Minnesota Sl and continue lID NoI1h lID n1Ml
wiIh existing boundary. with eJCisting boundary. willi existing boundary.
Emphasize Main Ave. Extend Ar1:adia Ave. io \he Soulh lICl'ClSS County Rd. 21. No MedIBn an Main Ave.
Do IIllt _ busir-. around Lumber Yard. Lbs galeway lit Hwy 13 and Main Ave. Ukes Gathering space on NoI1h edge d Main Ave.
Improve aa:ess lID downtown at Dakola Sl & Hwy 13 Encugh parking? Ukes removing AutDmaI for HousIng
Ukes Gathering Specie an NoI1h side d Erie Ave. Good concept lID lIIow down traffic Ukes residential uses around park
No retaI behind existind oftices on Main & Dakola
I 1 Do IIllt _ exis!inlI busir-. on NDIlMast side d 3 Do IIllt _ existing busiMss on Ncr1hMst side d 2 Do IIllt remove existing busiMss on Ncr1hMst side d
Pleasant Ave. & MaIn Ave. Pleasant Ave. & Main Ave. PleasantAve. & MaIn Ave.
I 1 Do not nIRlUtIt Colorado St. 2 Lbs I'8IaIIc:ommuni gathering space lit Pleasant Ave. 3 Ukes Gathering SplIce at PIeas8nt and MaIn Ave.
Stop Light at County ReI. 21 & Main Ave. & Main Ave. Ukes Housing North d Dakola & bulrering nelghbDrtlDDc:lllD
Provide turn laMs at Hwy 13 and County Rd. 21 In1prowmenls lID County Rd. 21 good - turn lanes the Scuu-t
No CllIfIIJI8IdaI on IlClIthside d County Rd. 21 '*-en Reroute d Colorado St. an impRMlment InIersecliDns on County Rd. 21 would be dangerous.
Hwy 13 and Main Ave. Lbs Convnunily Gathering space on IlDl1h end d Main Ave. Must llave sigiIaI at MaIn. Ave. & County Rd. 21.
Ukes Housing on NorIhside d Dakola Widen Main Ave. willi Turn t.anes from Dakota lID Hwy 13 Implement CDDpeI1Itive ~ for signal
Ukes Gov'I uses lit Erie and Dakola Lbs Housing DIl NoI1hside d DakDla Need lID acqun R.O.W. for median on CoUnty Rd. 21
Bad L.ocaliDn for Post 0IIice - CClll1l1lelr:ial would bring in S$ liles CMlnIII aim and busiMss
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GnIup #I 0pII0n A Option A - C....... ....... Ave. 8lId DtIkata St. 0pII0n B Option B -....n StrMt RwItaJIzIIIIon Option C 0pII0n C . A Downtown DIstrict
Score Score Score
7 2 IJces relallcommunity gathering space at Pleasant Ave. 3 Extend medians & planting across Hwy 13 to the East 1 No mecfl8n on Main AYe.
& MUl Ave. - No mixed Use Add left turn arrows at Hwy 13 and County Rd. 21 . IJces partway to An:adia
Extend An:adia AYe. to the South across County Rd. 21. IJces reIaIIc:cmmunily gathering space at Pleasant Ave. Extend Arcadia Ave. to the South across County Rd. 21.
NO Post Offlce & Main Ave. - pntfenJ commercial vs. mixed use. Extend entry to Lakefront park out to Hwy 13
Provide mixed use on North side d Dakota where Housing Teen Center might be good candidate for Pleasant & Main Remove entry at MUl Ave. & Hwy 13
is shown. Lbs single famiy residential at CoIorIIdo & Pleasant Be sensitive to removing nice horna southd PI_sant Ave.
Add Median on County Rd. 21 Extend An:adia AYe. to the South across County Rd. 21. Extend medians & planting across Hwy 13 to the East
Emphasize Main Ave. between Dakota & County Rd. 21 High Density Housing North d Dakota a good idea
Post Office an OK location
Extend entry to Lakefront park out to Hwy 13
Remove entry at MUl Ave. & Hwy 13
Add ParkwaY from Oulion C to this oalIon
. 2 IJces mixed uselcommunily gathering space at Pleasant 3 Improvements to County Rd. 21 good - turn !lines 1 IJces Parttway on Main Ave. from Hwy 13 to Dakota
Ave. & Main AYe. Likes retaiIcommunity gathering space at Pleasant Ave. Does not like Parkway extending over to ArcacfI8
Lbs Housing on Northslde d Dakota & Main Ave.
IJces Gov't uses at Erie and Dakota Erie AYenue becomes wasted space south d Dakota
L,i(es emPhasis on Main AYe.
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, 1 IJces mixed uselcommunity gathering space at Pleasant 2 Improvements to County Rd. 21 good 3 Ukes exlencflll9 An:adia to Pleasant Ave.
Ave. & Main AYe. Extend medians & planting acrass Hwy 13 to the East. Intersection at Erie and County Rd. 21 a so-so idea
R-'8 d C%nIdo St - a good idea. Show lIOl/\hem gateway to downtown belween wetlands on IJces commercial and Public Gathering space south of
P..tckIg along Hwy 13 - a not 10 good idea Hwy 13. Pleasant Ave.
Bad location for Post Offlce Likes relallcommunity gathering space at Pleasant Ave. No median on Main AYe.
HousIng North of Dakota St 8 good idea & Main AYe. No Parking on Hwy 13 and County Rd. 21
Not along term solution OK with single famIy residential on Colorado extension Lbs Gathering space on North edge d Main Ave.
L,i(es anc:hor bulding on Hwy 13 & County Rd. 21 Lbs ntIIIOYing AulDm8lI for Housing
Uces paJ1dng behind buildings Uces resIdenliaI uses around park
Uces Community Gathering space on north end of Main AYe. Lbs gldew8y at Main Ave. & Hwy 13
Post Office too big for this location G,.mlong nmge appnlllCh
High Density Housing North d Dakota a good idea Uces Housing on An:adia between County Rd. 21 &
Ukes new City Hal Pleasant Ave.
Lbs gl1Mll Spece on An:adia & County Rd. 21 How do you access park?
Uces GatewaY at Main Ave. and Hwv 13
Totals 13 LhId Gov't use at Erie Ave. & Dakola St 23 Bad LocatIon for Post Ollice 1. Long Range Plan
Mixed feelings abotlt location d Post Office Liked mixed uselcommunity gathering space at Pleasant LhId Housing around park edge
Housing North d Dakota is a good idea Ave. & Main Ave. Extend An:adia acrass County Ref. 21
LhId mixed useIcommunity gathering space at Pleasant Colorado St. Reroute an inprovemenl ContRlIing tral'Iic on County Rd. 21 irnpoItant
Ave. & Main Ave. Liked Improvements to County Rd. 21 - exlend across Hwy 13 No Center Median on Main Ave.
County Rd. 21 needs to be addntssed Housing North d Oakola is 8 good idea LhId gathering space on the North end of MUl
MIxed feelings on CoIonIcIo St ReroulIl Extend An:adia across County Rd. 21
Liked daIherina SO&Ce on the North end of Main
SlIIIIIIIUY The Community felt slrOngIy 8bout II-. __: The Community had mixed feelings about II-. ~:
of__ Trdicon c-.ty Rd. 21 needs to be addntssed Rerouting d Colorado St.
HousIng north d DakoIa seems to make_ LocatIon for Post Offlce
PubIc Gathering Spec:es on the North & South ends of
Main Ave. wodd be an inpnwement
Focus ...llIopment on Main Ave.
Extend An:adia across County Rd. 21
DiagOnal ParkIng would impRwe Main Ave.
No median on Main Ave. should be in
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Score Score Score
1 3 Ute rnidbIock 8CCllSS to sidewalks 1 No Canvas Awnings - Would Fade & be High Maittenanc:e 2 No Center Median on Main Ave. - No Banners - Yuck
Uc8s IBlging wood signs- No Trucks Want AngJte Parking
No Trucks on Main Ugly lighting Too High Maintenanc:e
Wants CoII'ee HolDe on Main Ave. Yuck - does not like Posts & Ropes
Low MairIIlIMnc:e
Uc8s HlatoricIII Liaht FIXIur8
2 1 Too Cold Feeling 2 No Post & Ropes theme 3 Uc8s nalInIlooIcing entry
Too high Maintenance LMs Streetsc:ape Characler Sketch
No Center Median - Not prac:ticaI- Cuts views to busiMss
Likes tying Pm to Main Ave.
Low Mainl8nance
I 3 1 No Cclmment 3 No Comment 2 No Comment
I 4 2 No Comment 1 No Comment 3 No Comment
I I 3 No Comment 2 No Comment 1 No Comment
. 1 ,. Uc8s cIiagonlII pMUng 3 LMs diagonal p8fking 2 Likes fieldstone bases for Iighling
Uc8s hanging wood signs- LMs decorative planters on Main Add ftDwer planters
No median
7 3 Uc8s hMgIng wood signs 2 Lights ani OK but not great 1 likes lighting on buIcIIngs
Uc8s HiIItDricaIlight fixIure ExIendIng sidewalk out to s1reel wtdd make it dillicult to No median
Uc8s ORIlIIMIItlIIlron nIIIng removesnow. No nalurIIIlook on stnlet
Uc8s Gal8w8y Gateway OK
Would work weI with existing busiMss
ExtItndIng sidewalk out to stnlet wtdd make it cfllficult to
remove_.
I 2 Do not Ike hanging signs 3 Ute Canvas Awnings 1 No Median
Canvas Awnings a MaintIIII8lICe Concern No natural.look
Gatew8v OK if Maintained
. 1 Do not Ike hanging signs 3 Ute Canvas Awnings 2 No Median
Does not Ike gataway LMs Post & Ropes - Nautical theme
Llkes
[ToIaIs 17 Milled feelings on lhe HangIng Wood Signs 20 Canvu AwnIngs Nice but a maintenance c:oncem 17 No Cenlier Median
l.bd diagonal p8fking Liked diagonal p8fking Mixed on Entry Signage
Mixed teeIinas on the Post & RODI!S theme NalInIIook iIot for downIDwn
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