City Council Meeting Date: July 1, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
Ben Martig, City Administrator
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Second Reading of Text Amendments to the Permitted Use Table in Chapter 34: Land Development Code.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to approve text amendments to the permitted use table in Chapter 34: Land Development Code.
Summary Report:
The City Council approved the first reading of the proposed text amendments on June 17, 2025.
On April 17, 2025, the Planning Commission (PC) reviewed the permitted use table to update uses for agriculture, group living, daycares and public, institutional, or recreational uses. The PC recommended approval of the amendments unanimously to the city council. These changes update our code to reflect the desired flexibility in land use regulations expressed by staff, policy advisors and policymakers.
Overall, the proposed amendments to Table 2.7-1 address some of the permitted uses that are dated. The proposed text amendment includes:
- updating the Agricultural Use category to:
o permit Crop Raising in the Industrial zoning district to complement/expand Cannabis/hemp Cultivation, Outdoor.
- updating the Group Living Use category to:
o permit Residential-Care, Licensed In-Home for six or Fewer Persons in the C2 zoning district, which are permitted in all other residential and commercial base zoning districts, except C2. Six or Fewer Persons and Six or more are allowed by right in the C1 district, so it is logical to include this use in the C2 district as well.
o permit Residential-Care, Licensed In-Home for More than six Persons in the C2 zoning district, which are permitted in all other residential and commercial base zoning districts, except R1 and C2. Same rationale as above.
o permit Specialized Care Facilities conditionally in R1 (currently not permitted - an example of this would be Laura Baker Services Association facilities), and permit them by-right in N1 and C1 (currently not allowed in either district) like Residential-Care, Licensed In-Home for six or Fewer Persons and Residential-Care, Licensed In-Home for More than six Persons where those uses are allowed.
- updating the Commercial Use Category to:
o permit Day Care Facilities, In-Home in R4, this is the only residential zone that does not permit in-home day care facilities. Day Care Facilities (not in-home) are permitted in R4. R4 is the city’s manufactured home park zoning district. The state licenses in-home day care facilities.
- updating the Public, Institutional, or Recreational Use Category to:
o change Cultural Facilities (CF) from a permitted use to a conditional use in the C1 and C2 zoning districts to match Religious Institutions (RI) and make no changes to RI. Initially, staff initially proposed RI to be allowed conditionally in Industrial, Agricultural and College Development zoning districts at the PC meeting. However, these zoning districts should be preserved for commercial and industrial development as outlined and supported in our comprehensive plan, so it was reverted to not allow CF or RI in these districts.
§ The current Land Development Code permits almost all defined institutional uses in all zoning districts save for the ones described in this staff report. A use is typically conditional because of hazards inherent in the use itself, or special problems that its proposed location may present. For example, cities often designate uses that generate traffic (such as family childcare, service stations, convenience stores, or drive-throughs) or infrequent, high-volume on-street parking (religious institutions, cultural facilities, schools) as conditional uses.
o permit School (Elementary or Secondary) conditionally in the C2 zoning district. Currently, listed as permitted existing. Permitted existing is a designation in the code that does not allow for new uses of this sort to locate in C2 districts. This would allow more flexibility for schools to locate in existing buildings, construct new buildings, and be located near other amenities to walk, bike and travel to and from the school.
o permit School (Trade, Business, or Other) conditionally in the Ag. zoning district. Currently, it is not allowed in the Ag. zoning district, but elementary, secondary, nursery or kindergarten schools are allowed conditionally in the Ag. zone already. This would open more opportunities for schools to operate.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommend the approval of these amendments to Permitted Use Table 2.7-1.
Alternative Options:
The city council can propose changes to the draft ordinance.
Financial Impacts:
Adding more permitted uses allows businesses more opportunities to locate within the city and thereby increases the potential tax base.
Tentative Timelines:
April 2, 2025: Public hearing notice published
April 17, 2025: PC public hearing and recommendation to City Council
June 17, 2025: First reading with City Council
July 1, 2025: Second reading with City Council and summary publication notice
July 9, 2025: Summary publication notice published
August 8, 2025: Ordinance adopted