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2. To preserve and protect the City's physical natural environment. 3. To maintain and to add to the City's current housing stock to meet the needs of all residents. 4. To develop and maintain the letsure opportunities and transportation needs of the community. 5. To continue to provide the programs necessary of the general public safety of all residents and visitors. The CiYy achieved several objectives within the goals stated above, summaries of the results are shown below. Fconomic Deveionment 1997 was an active economic developmenC year. With the settlement of the Centre Pointe business park legal issues, we saw the construction of two motels totaling i90 units, and four additionai office buildings totaling an additional I55,000 square feet. Additionally, Opus Development compieted the land preparation of a 19 acre parcel at the City's southern gateway and began construction of over 120,000 square feet of officeAindustrial space. Overal1, the City had a record-breaking year in the number of building permits being issued, and the second highest total building values of over $55,726,236. (See Table 12.) � The City's housing improvement program was more fully developed in 1997, as several new programs were begun as part of the metropolitan area concern for creating liveabily. The City purchased several substandard homes in 1997 and began their renovation with the intent to place them on [he market in 1998. Additional loan programs, in cooperation with the Minnesota Housing Authority, and local banks were put into place. The purpose of these programs is to aid the housing transidon from older residents to new families moving into the community. Several of the loan programs also aid residents in remodeling and upgrading their current home. The City, in cooperation with Ramsey County, purchased over 70 acres of former St. Paul Water Authority property for use as a natural areas park. The purchase was arranged with internal financing combined with wireless tower rentals providing a payback over a 20 year period. A park facilities task force submitted its report for improving the city's park system. The implementation began in late 1997, with the purchase of a well-placed parcel of property to be designated as Pioneer Park. Other portions of the report will be implemented throughout the next 5 years. Traffic concerns were addressed through the improvement of a number of neighborhood street projects and by the City working cooperatively with Ramsey County and the State of Minnesota on their designated streeCs within Roseville. 3