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In 1918, a major fire destroyed most of the original downtown. When rebuilt, the <br />downtown was oriented in an east -west direction along an approximate five -block area of <br />Firm Strect, between Oakes Avenue and Peoh Avenue. First Street, paralleling the <br />Railroad, then became the major commercial Strom. Over time, as ties to the Northern <br />Pacific Railroad weakened and the importance of the automobile increased, First <br />Street/SR903 became the major highway through town. Commercial (and some <br />industrial) development spread, in strip fashion, along the full length of First Street. *Mis <br />strip development consists of both older resYdential uses converted to commercial use and <br />new construction. Construction of lnta state 90 with its associated inteadwnges at each <br />and of the City and partial interchange at Oakes Street reinforced the existing linear <br />developrr►ent pattern. Highway oriented commercial uses then also developed around the <br />interchanges at each end of the city. hxhntrially zoned land which is mostly vacant, <br />odes the area between the RaihuW and Intestate 90; however development is <br />constrained by limited access, lack of utilities and its location in a floodplain. Most of <br />this area is not suitable far building due to flooding. <br />The older areas of Cle Elum are platted in a traditimW grid pattern, with lots generally <br />fix"Ifing the t -west streets. Most commercial lots are 25 -fed in width x 120 -feet in <br />length, and most residential lots, 50-€eet a 1204et. Tan to twenty -foot wide alleys bisect <br />the blocks in an cast west direction. Properties at the east and west ends of the City were <br />subdivided later and included a mix of lot sizes with a less rigidly developed stmt <br />pattern. Streets within the original downtown are generously wide - First Street, Oakes <br />Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Harris Avenue, and Ballitt Avenue have 100 -foot rights - <br />way. Second Avenue, Billings Street, Wright Avenue, and Peoh Avenue have 80-1oot <br />right -way. <br />Many of the existing, older commercial and residential structures show signs of age and <br />"historically inappropriate" tecbmques and materials have been widely used in <br />mointenanae and repair. Revitalizing the City's character and oharm will require special <br />attention to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of these existing structures in the CBD. <br />To tbat foci the City is reluctant to zone additional lands within close proximity to its <br />Historic CBD "commercial". This Comprehensive Plans Land Use Analysis demonstrates <br />that apple opportunity exists within the CBD for developmeatIm-development. A <br />challenge of paramount importance to the City is to integrate the pr esauures of new <br />development with our historic commercial and residential core. <br />Cbasracteiriistaes of Existing Land Uses/Land Use Inventory <br />The Growth Management Act requires the preparation of a Land Use Element that <br />identifies the existing general distribution and location ofvarious land uses, and the <br />approximate acreage and density of existing land uses. <br />The inventM of existing land Uses can be used to gauge the proportion of total land area <br />that the city may need to devote to specific uses in the fixhrre. The existing Proportions <br />and distribution of had uses may be adjusted for shifts in the desires and needs of the <br />community, or to accommodate projected future needs. Table 1 below provides the <br />City of Cie Elurn -- Land Use Plan 6 <br />