City Council Meeting Date: April 5, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Resolution for Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider a resolution approving the preliminary plat for Harvest Hills 2nd Addition with conditions.
Summary Report:
Schrom Construction, Inc. has applied for a preliminary plat for Parcel ID - 2212426022 (Outlot A, Harvest Hills Addition) located in Rice County. Harvest Hills Second Addition is a two-phase, 71-unit market rate rental townhome development on a 10.30-acre parcel situated on the south side of Northfield and west of the Northfield Middle School.
At the April 16, 2026, Planning Commission (PC) meeting, the PC voted to recommend approval of the preliminary plat unanimously with conditions recommended by staff (7-0 vote). The PC received considerable public input via eComment, email, and live public comment at the meeting during the public hearing. Concerns from the public included concerns related to increased traffic, cost of new streets and maintenance, stormwater / runoff, water pressure, location of pedestrian connections, when the zoning change occurred to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2, rental vs. home ownership, property values, lighting, noise, and emergency services access. These concerns are addressed in the resolution findings.
Background:
The preliminary plat is planned to include the following mix of residential units:
• Twenty-one (21) Duplex homes - (42 units),
• Five (5) Tri-plex homes (15 units),
• Two (2) Four-plex homes (8 units),
• One (1) Six-plex building (6 units),
• Total Project unit creation is 71 - this equates to a gross property density of 6.89 units per acre.
Analysis:
Sanitary Sewer and Water:
The Comprehensive Sewer and Water Plan’s show the sewer and water lines have capacity to serve this development and future growth. The new housing in this area will be adequately served by the extension of lateral sewer and water lines to the proposed development area.
Stormwater:
A Stormwater Management report has been completed and is included with the submittal. A proposed stormwater pond will be constructed on the southeast corner of the site. The developer is also planning to harvest water from this pond to operate lawn irrigation systems for all the homes. This pond, along with rainwater harvesting for irrigation, will provide control of volume, water quality, and rate as required by the City of Northfield stormwater rules. The Engineering department will ensure it meets all regulations of city code and state statute.
Streets, sidewalks and trails:
The streets within the development are extensions of three existing roadways: Fillmore St., Greenfield Dr. West, and Greenfield Dr. East. The applicant will also construct a new east-west public street (Wheatland Ln). All proposed roadways are local streets except for Fillmore Street, which is a minor collector. Fillmore Street will extend to the south and will connect to a future east-west collector (Ford Street) and eventually County Road 1. Fillmore Street connects north to Roosevelt Drive an existing collector roadway. The street extensions and Wheatland Ln. were developed to construct a grid design to the greatest extent possible.
Sidewalks will be installed and are required on both sides of all streets. There is a planned path/trail on the east side of the property, connecting to Carter Dr. on the Northfield Middle School property as well. On the east side of Fillmore St. a path/trail is also planned. The developer will update and include both paths/trails in the preliminary and final plats.
Park Dedication:
The developer will provide park dedication in the form of cash-in-lieu, which is estimated to be $24,680. This will be formally calculated as part of the final plat application and incorporated into the development agreement. The developer will also complete the trail connection to the Northfield Middle School and a trail on the east side of Fillmore St. to connect to a future trail to connect to Tyler Park. In the City’s Park Master Plan, a new neighborhood park is planned further to the south of the proposed Harvest Hills Second Addition. As further development to the south occurs, a neighborhood park will be constructed.
Adjacent Property:
The property is situated south of Greenfield Dr. E. and W. Neighboring properties include the Northfield Middle School to the east, existing residential development to the north and west, and undeveloped farmland to the south.
Conformance with Comprehensive Plan:
The project is in conformance with the comprehensive plan and is located within city limits. The parcel considered for development was platted as an outlot from the Harvest Hills Addition. Outlots require formal platting in order to be built upon. The City Council resolution that approved the Harvest Hills Addition, calls out that Outlot A (Harvest Hills Second Addition) shall go through the preliminary and final plat processes, and that if the preliminary plat, is not entirely platted within five years, the preliminary plat shall be considered null and void.
The intent of the project reflects the three core principles from Northfield 2045, the city’s comprehensive plan, of Economy, Environment and Equality along with its Guiding Values. In addition, the future land use map denotes the area as Mixed Use Residential Neighborhood and Enhance as part of the Intervention Map. All of which support the proposed preliminary plat. A in-depth analysis is provided in the findings of the resolution.
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety:
The proposed development will create 71 units, and each unit will average 7 trips per day based on data from the Institute of Traffic Engineers multi-family modeling. Based on 7 trips with the development creating 71 units, that equals approximately 497 trips per day. The first phase of the development will be approximately 38 units equally about 266 trips per day. The trips will primarily utilize Carter Dr. & Fillmore St. Filmore St. is a designated minor collector and growth in traffic volume is planned on this street. A map is attached (Harvest Hills 2nd Addition Vision Map) to conceptually identify the extension of the future collector roadways, trails, and the greenway corridor.
As part of hearing the concerns of pedestrian safety from the public, the Engineering department will perform pedestrian crossing counts at three main intersections: 1) Fillmore St. & Carter Dr., 2) Fillmore St. & Hayes Dr., and 3) Hayes Dr. & Roosevelt Dr. W./E. Upon collecting and reviewing the data, the Engineering department will determine if a marked pedestrian crossing is justified. During the 2023 street improvement project, the neighborhood didn't identify any safety concerns during public engagement for that project, however, other traffic safety/traffic calming measures could be further evaluated for the neighborhood.
Recommendation:
Staff recommend the City Council approve the preliminary plat for Harvest Hills Second Addition based on the criteria and findings with the addition of the following conditions:
1. All subsequent Final Plats shall comply with the provisions of all state statutes and standard procedures for platting in Rice County.
2. Prior to the City’s execution of a Final Plat, the Applicant must enter into an agreement with the City for the installation of all required improvements, which shall be referred to as the “Development Agreement.”
3. Pursuant to Northfield City Code, Chapter 34, Section 8.5.12 (4) (a) the city council can approve a different time period as part of the preliminary plat approval. The preliminary plat expiration date shall be five (5) years after the date of approval.
4. The Applicant shall meet the park dedication requirements in City Code, Chapter 34, Section 5.2.6 in the form of cash-in-lieu of approximately $24,680.00.
5. The Applicant shall develop a phase specific erosion and sediment control plan for each individual phase.
6. The Applicant shall install an east/west 10-foot shared use path connection from the east side of Greenfield Dr. E. in between Lots 1 and 2 Block 5, to the east property line, and then running north/south the length of the east project property line, and connecting to the Middle School or Carter Dr., whichever is most feasible due to grade changes.
7. The Applicant shall install an 8 ft. path (or a narrower path depending on right-of-way available and/or other impediments such as trees or utilities) on the east side of Fillmore St. from the north property line of the development to Greenfield Dr. E.; along with pedestrian crossing improvements at the intersection.
Alternative Options:
City Council could add, change or remove any of the conditions of the preliminary plat. The applicant is entitled to the preliminary plat as it meets the required criteria attached to the resolution.
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
The applicant wishes to begin grading and construction this spring / summer of 2026. The anticipated timeline for the final plat for the first and/or second phase would follow preliminary plat approval.