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Through an examination of its existing development patterns, a community can both glean a sense of its past and also gain valuable insight into its potential future. The City of Cle Elum has a historical development pattern based on coal mining, the railroad and timber harvesting. This rich history of early reliance on natural resources and freight movement is another guide to defining the City's future. Incorporating Cle Elum's distinct identity and rich heritage are important to its present and future residents. I. Natural Environment The natural setting of Cle Elmn within the Yakima River Valley affords good opportunities for residentia1living, supportive services and future sub-regional employment centers. At the same time development constraints such as watershed, rivers, streams, floodplains and floodways, wetlands and steep slopes shape development of the City into key areas. The City of Cle Elum is set between the forested Cle Blum Ridge and the Yakima River, approximately thirty (30) miles east of Snoqualmie Pass, and twenty- five (25) miles west of Ellensburg. The vistas and scenic views of the SWTounding ridges and mountains provide a unique setting and identity for the community. They also represent a natural resource which is now subject to intense reSidential development pressure. The location of the vast majority of Cle Elum's available industrial land places them squarely in conflict with the natural environment Cle Elum was founded as a railroad and mining town, consequently all original platting and development was located in a close and linear proximity to the railroad mainline. The railroad parallels the Yakima River which is prone to flooding. This severely limits or even negates the use of Cle Elum's current industrial land use inventory because of FEMA floodway and floodplain designations. These vacant industrial lands also are key natural resource areas for enhancing water quality, providing important fish and wildlife habitat, and serve as water retention and flood stozage areas. Cle Elum is actively working to re-Iocate industrial lands to a more suitable corridor. n. Bullt Environment The Growth Management Act requires the preparation of a Land Use Element that identifies the existing general distribution and location of various land uses, and the approximate acreage and range of density of existing land uses. Historically, Cle Blum developed in a very linear pattern north of the Northern Pacific Railroad (now the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad) and the Yakima River. The original downtown area (now referred to as "Old Town") grew around the intersection of First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, in close proximity to the original Railroad Depot and Cle Elum Hotel. Residential development was located between Old Town and the base of Cle Elum Ridge and east and west of downtown, as well as in one twelve block area south of the Yakima River adjacent to the Town of South Cle Elum. City of Cle Elum -Land Use Plan 5