City Council Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
To: Mayor and Members of Council
City Administrator
From: Mathias Hughey, Associate City Planner
Title
Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit for Off-Street Parking at 212 Division St. S.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves Resolution Approving Conditional Use Permit for Rebound Real Estate to Construct 19 Off-Street Parking Spaces in the H-O District.
Summary Report:
The applicant, Rebound Real Estate, has applied for a CUP for 212 Division St. S. The proposed project includes a 57-room hotel, mixed commercial space (retail and restaurant space) and 19 lower-level off-street parking stalls. The site development standards for the C1-B: Downtown zoning district denote in Table 3.2-5: Historic District Sub-District standards states, “Off-street parking is allowed only by Conditional Use Permit in this sub-district.”
At the June 18, 2026 Planning Commission (PC) meeting the PC unanimously approved a resolution recommending approval of the CUP. The PC did not recommend any conditions as part of the approval.
At the June 18, 2026 Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) meeting the ZBA unanimously approved a variance to exceed the maximum height limit.
A Certificate of Appropriateness for new construction in the Historic-Overlay district was issued with conditions at the June 3, 2026 Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting. The approval was unanimous with one member absent. The conditions imposed by the HPC include:
- Matte finishes (paint) on the roof-top screening
- Reducing the variegation of the primary brick in the material selections
- Including arched-toped windows on the rear façade to match the front
- Providing a greater tonal differentiation between the two cultured stone selections.
- Final review of 30% construction drawings to confirm consistency with renderings.
The proposed off-street parking will be located under the ground floor commercial spaces and accessed via an easement on the west side (facing the Cannon River), and contained entirely within the building footprint. The rear of the building is proposed to include a patio on the south end, and a deck on the north, which will serve separate commercial uses. Between these spaces will be separate entrances for the parking and elevator access to the commercial spaces and publicly accessible restrooms.
Conditional Use Permit Approval Procedure & Approval Criteria:
A CUP follows the Type 4 Review Procedure found in Section 8.4.7 of the LDC. For the Type 4 Review Procedure, the Planning Commission holds a public hearing and makes a recommendation to City Council, and City Council makes the final decision.
In the approval of a conditional use permit, the Planning Commission may recommend that City Council impose such conditions as necessary to make the use compatible with other uses allowed in the same district zone or vicinity. Of the criteria, Criterion (a) is required and is met. Criteria (b) through (n) shall be considered and of those 13, 11 are met, and 2 are not applicable. A detailed analysis of the findings is included in the draft resolution.
The previous iteration of an infill project on this site was canceled in late 2025 due to financial infeasibility. That project received a CUP for construction of 34 off-street parking spaces, with several conditions recommended by the PC. Those conditions were related to the provision of EV ready parking spaces, adequate bicycle parking, and receipt of a COA from the HPC. These are now addressed by changes to the parking requirements of the Land Development Code and the City’s sustainable building policy. The applicant is pursuing a B3 certification to meet that policy.
Minimum bicycle parking for the site, based on LDC requirements, is 12 spaces, half of which must meet the standards of long-term bicycle parking. The proposed hotel use is anticipated to generate lower demand for bicycle storage and therefore staff is not recommending additional bike parking spaces or conditions.
All vehicle parking spaces are currently proposed to be EV-ready based on the B3 requirements.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommend the City Council approve the CUP of 19 off-street enclosed parking spaces.
City Plans & Policies Relevance:
A detailed assessment is provided in the Findings attached to the resolution because one of the findings is consistent with City plans and policies.
Alternative Options:
If the proposed conditional use satisfies both the general and specific standards set forth in the zoning ordinance, the applicant is entitled to the conditional use permit. Importantly, if the applicant meets the general and specific ordinance standards, the city usually has no legal basis for denying the CUP.
Financial Impacts:
NA
Tentative Timelines:
June 3, 2026 - HPC COA Preliminary Approval
June 18, 2026 - Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing and Decision on Height Variance
June 18, 2026 - Public Hearing and Planning Commission Recommendation on CUP for Off-Street Parking
June 27, 2026 - Initial 60-day review timeline for site plan - to be extended
July 1, 2026 - HPC review and acceptance of 30% construction drawings
July 7, 2026 - City Council Decision on CUP