Parking is available in the Econofoods parking lot.

6/24/09: The Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting at the Community Resource Bank, at which City Planner Dan Olson provided an overview of the LDC and the feedback process.

The Northfield area builders and developers met later in the afternoon at Culver’s restaurant for a similar presentation and discussion. The presentation prepared by City Planner Dan Olson is included below.

6/25/09: The Non-motorized Trnasportation Task Force and the Housing & Redevelopment Authority discussed their comments on the LDC at their respective meetings.

See the Schedule page for upcoming meetings.

Our current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2008, with the previous revision done in 2001. The last substantial revision to our current land use code was three decades ago, in 1981.

When reviewing and commenting on the draft LDC, the Comprehensive Plan’s Land Use Principles, expanded by the objectives and strategies outlined in Chapter 12 of the Comprehensive Plan, create the yardstick by which the new ordinances should be measured. Does the draft LDC further the objectives outlined in the Comp Plan? If not, what should be changed to make them do so?

The following Principles are verbatim from the 2008 Comp Plan adopted by the City Council in November 2008:

Land use principles are statements of intent that describe the direction of future development and redevelopment in the community. These principles will help guide the City on how to use its limited land resources efficiently and effectively to continue to foster a high quality physical environment. (See Chapter 4 for a more detailed description of the principles.)

The principles reflect a variety of land use topics and themes. They focus on the quality, pattern, character and organization of development. They specifically address mobility and connectivity as it relates to neighborhoods, districts and corridors. It should be understood that the City could take action that induces or inhibits, maintains or changes, future development patterns.

The City’s land use principles are:

1. The small town character will be enhanced.

2. The natural environment will be protected, enhanced and better integrated into the community.

3. The preference for accommodating future growth is in infill locations, then redevelopment/land intensification opportunities, and then on the edge of existing developed areas.

4. New and redeveloped residential communities (areas) will have strong neighborhood qualities.

5. Environmentally-sensitive and sustainable practices will be integrated into new developments and redeveloped areas.

6. Places with a mix of uses that are distinctive and contribute to increasing the city’s overall vitality are preferred.

7. Neighborhood-serving commercial will be small scale and integrated with the residential context.

8. A wider range of housing choices will be encouraged – in the community as well as in neighborhoods.

9. Rural character of certain areas of the community will be protected.

10. Streets will create an attractive public realm and be exceptional places for people.

11. Places will be better connected, in part to improve the function of the street network and also to better serve neighborhoods.

12. Opportunities will be created to walk and bike throughout the community.

(For a look at the history of the development of these principles and the Comprehensive Plan, see the project archive at www.NorthfieldPlan.org.)

Old meeting schedule information will be moved to the Past Meetings page after the meeting date has passed.

Several of the City’s Boards and Commissions will be holding meetings throughout June and July to fine-tune the draft ordinances. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings. The dates of these meetings are available on the Schedule page.

A public meeting to introduce the proposed ordinances will be held in August. The July issue of the “City Commons” will have more details about that meeting, and the details will also be posted here.

If you have any questions about the draft ordinances, contact Dan Olson, City Planner, at 507-645-3056 or dan.olson@ci.northfield.mn.us