|
Northstar Corridor
<br />Rail Statio~ Feasibility Study
<br />
<br />Rarnsey Station
<br />
<br />t0. Currently, a strip of land between TH 10 and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main line is
<br />used as an outdoor sales area for recreational vehicles and various other freeway accessory
<br />businesses. SOuth of TH 10, the land transitions from agricultural to new housing subdivisions
<br />and a large park on the banks of the Mississippi River. Agricultural land is located east of the
<br />tracks and north of Ramsey Boulevard. South of Ramsey Boulevard is a developing business
<br />park. Most of the housing in Ramsey is located in Iow- to medium-density areas. The existing
<br />land uses immediately surrounding the proposed station are agricultural, parkland, and
<br />commercial.
<br />
<br />Ramsey's business base includes such companies as Life Fitness, Connexus Energy, Vision
<br />Ease Lens, and Zero Zone Refrigeration. Other land uses in Ramsey include more than 500
<br />acres of parkland and trails within the city limits. There is a middle school in Ramsey and two
<br />fire stations, but most of the institutions serving the population (schools, hospitals, airports, etc.)
<br />are located beyond the P, amsey city limits.
<br />
<br />Projected Land Use
<br />In November 2001, the City of Ramsey placed an advisory referendum on the ballot asking
<br />whether Ramsey residents would support a town center mixed-use development on a site of
<br />more than 300 acres. The response was 6'1 percent in favor of the Town Center project.
<br />Ramsey Town Center is planned for the land between Ramsey Boulevard (CSAH 56) and
<br />Armstrong Boulevard (CSAH 83), from TH '10 to approximately CSAH 116. As planned, Town
<br />Center will be a mixed-use development of medium- and high-density residential, commercial,
<br />office, light industrial and public uses. The development is planned to be pedestrian-friendly and
<br />transit-oriented. Ultimate build-out of Town Center would include 2,000 housing units, with a mix
<br />of single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, and apartments, and approximately
<br />775,000 square feet of non-residential uses (e.g., commercial, office). The existing wetland
<br />corridor on the site would be maintained, and a ring of parks would circle Town Center, which
<br />would link the wetlands to a linear park system in the eastern portion of the site. Neighborhpod-
<br />scale streets would be buffered from high-volume auto traffic streets/[o facilitate pedestrian and
<br />bicycle access.
<br />
<br />Town Center would also include a new city hall for Ramsey, a grocery store, small retaiI shops,
<br />and a mix of commercial uses. Approximately 48 acres have been designated for employment
<br />use, with another 8.4 acres of mixed-use space that could also be developed for employment.
<br />
<br />The final concept plan for Ramsey Town center places the Northstar commuter station in the
<br />south central portion of the site on approximately 4.7 acres, with more than 150 park-n-ride
<br />spaces in the adjacent parking ramp.
<br />
<br />Figure 2:2 shows Ramsey FUture Land Use.
<br />
<br />Employment Data
<br />Of the approximately 18,500 residents of Ramsey, the U.S. Census indicates that 83.4 percent
<br />of those over ,16 are employed. Management/professional is the leading category, numbering
<br />almost 3,700, followed by sales/office at more than 2,900, manufacturing at 2,300, and retail
<br />trade at just over 1,100. The U.S. Census indicates that the mean travel time to work for
<br />Ramsey residents is 30.,1 minutes, indicatin9 that most who live in Ramsey work outside the
<br />city.-However, there is an employment base in Ramsey, which is home to I:ife Fitness, Con-
<br />nexus Energy, Vision Ease Lens, OIdcastle Precast, and Zero Zone Refrigeration.
<br />
<br />Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc,
<br />
<br />March 2004
<br />
<br />-4-
<br />
<br />
<br />
|