Thursday, March 28th, 2024 Church Directory
BECKER’S MARIE PFLIPSEN (L) AND MARY ROE (R) answered questions and gave away goodies June 2 cabout their 2040 Comprehensive Plan at Becker City Park during their “Remark at the Park” event. (Photo by Katherine Cantin.)

Becker’s Roe, Pflipsen talk Comprehensive Plan

June 2, Becker City officials Mary Roe (city planner) and Marie Pflipsen (community development director) set up a table at Becker City Park to field questions about the proposed comprehensive plan for the city. The two women said not too many people showed up to ask questions that day, but they had a lot of interest at a similar event at Pebble Creek recently, especially from families and individuals who had recently moved to the area. 

What is the Comprehensive Plan?

The city’s comprehensive plan is a roughly 20-year plan that sets up direction and goals for city growth. The plan covers nine different topics: Image and Opportunities; Land Use; Transportation; Parks and Recreation; Natural Resources, Housing; Utilities and Community Facilities; Economic Development; and Finance. The outline of the city’s plan can be found at Becker2040.WPComStaging.com. There is also a survey available at the site for citizens who wish to voice their opinions about the plan. A public hearing about the plan will be held at the next planning commission meeting, June 28, 6 p.m. in the city hall council chambers. The public hearing will be the last opportunity for citizens to voice their opinions about the plan before the plan is brought before the city council.

Image and Opportunities

The Image and Opportunities section of the plan highlights areas in the city that can be further developed or improved, especially regarding city streets. It indicates areas where traffic will naturally flow and where improvements can be made to city streets.

Land Use

The Land Use section of the proposed plan outlines Becker’s needs as it continues to grow. It outlines the challenges of having Hwy. 10 divide the city into separate halves and the competition for industrial-type businesses from Monticello and Big Lake. This section also includes a map indicating sections of land use, such as those for residential, commercial, industrial, etc.

Transportation

The Transportation section indicates the need for more road, sidewalk, and bike infrastructure, while also highlighting the benefits Becker already has, such as access to the BNSF Railway and the Northstar bus line. 

Parks and Recreation

Independently of the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the parks department created its own growth plan in 2019. Some of the goals in the plan include promoting health and wellness of Becker citizens and ensuring all residents are within walking distance of a park.

Natural Resources

Being situated between the Mississippi to the south and Elk River to the north, Becker has plenty of greenspace and wildlife habitation for residents to enjoy. The city aims to mitigate runoff and issues stemming from development in order to preserve Becker’s natural resources. 

Housing

During the last year, there has been a lack of all types of housing, but trends from further back show that the city is especially lacking in inventory for renters and first-time homebuyers. Going forward, the city hopes to be more proactive in attracting developers to the area and seeking out housing for starting homes and rental opportunities for families. 

Utilities and Community Facilities

The biggest issue the city faces regarding utilities is the simple need for expanded infrastructure. The industrial park is growing, and therefore needs water and sewer hookups. With the expansion of the industrial park comes a greater need for housing for industrial park employees, which also require utility infrastructure.

Economic Development

The city’s plans for economic development include, of course, expansion to the business park, but staff hopes to expand the park in a controlled manner, to make sure that incoming businesses have the resources they need (such as access to the river, rail lines, etc.) while making sure to maintain a sense of order, so traffic and access to these resources doesn’t create issues going forward. Staff also wanted to create a more cohesive “sense of place” along the First Street corridor – the commercial area that runs along the north side of Hwy. 10 – and turn it into more of a true commercial district. 

Finance

The city will continue to pursue various sources of funding for all of these projects, be it grants, state aid, or finding the most efficient uses of taxpayer dollars.