PC Meeting Date: March 19, 2026
To: Members of the Planning Commission
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Staff Updates.
Body
Action Requested:
Staff provide updates to the Planning Commission.
Summary Report:
City Council & Board/Commission Updates
- The upcoming agenda items list is attached for reference.
- A reminder that board/commission terms now run through the month of April.
o Will Schroeer is terming off and will not be eligible for reappointment.
o Bill Kuhlmann’s term is ending and is eligible for reappointment.
- The meeting schedule for the year is attached.
Zoning Code Update & Redesign
- Houseal Lavigne (HL) and city staff kicked off the zoning code update and redesign last week! March 10th included a tour of the city for HL by staff and the Zoning Technical Advisory Committee (ZTAC) and Zoning Policy Advisory Committee (ZPAC) meetings. March 11th included a city staff kick-off meeting, meeting with focus groups and the open house. Next steps include HL summarizing all the data collected and working on preliminary recommendations.
- Zoning Code Update website is attached! The questionnaire is live on the website as well and will be up for at least two weeks! Please share!
Planning Applications & Related Updates
- Park & Trail Dedication Fees: Over the last several months, staff have been reviewing the 15-year-old park and trail dedication fees policy, in order to update and “right size” to reflect development in Northfield in 2026. On a transactional level, the formula for 1) land dedication and 2) cash-in-lieu were reviewed. On a systemic level, the 3) park standards and 4) what the city can afford were reviewed. Upon further review, the 1) land dedication formula seems to be operating well - when land is dedicated, the city is receiving enough to properly create parks in the community. This will focus our review on 2) the cash-in-lieu formula. Given the co-occurring zoning code update, staff plan to incorporate a review of 3) the standards and 4) affordability in partnership with Houseal Lavigne. Staff are comparing the tradeoffs of various 2) cash-in-lieu options and will present these options in a future planning commission meeting.
- See the hyperlink in the attachments for the City’s Development Map.
- Redevelopment Update: The Archer, located at 212 Division Street South, previously received conditional approval for a mixed use residential and commercial building. However, Rebound Partners announced last November that the redevelopment plan in downtown Northfield was not financially viable at that time. Staff is in ongoing discussions with Rebound on the development. More information will be shared when available.
- The Cedar Meadows development has completed their financing and is finalizing their financial security documents. The city and the development team have signed the development agreement and final plat to be recorded with Dakota County. The grading permit is approved and the development team will begin site work to clear trees and grade the site once the development agreement and plat are recorded with Dakota County.
- Staff continue to work with Post Consumer Brands on the Ames Mill Dam. The main discussion includes timeline of transferring ownership of the dam. The dam is part of our Downtown Historic District, so a certificate of appropriateness and Section 106 review will be required.
Training Opportunities
- The Maryland Department of Planning has free webinars on a variety of topics. Please see the link in the attachments to view and/or subscribe.
- The National Alliance for Preservation Commissions (NAPC) has webinars related to historic preservation. The city is a member and can share webinar links if there is interest.
- The NAPC is hosting their bi-annual forum in Minneapolis! Forum 2026 will be over July 22-26. The city is a member and can look into adding commissioners who may wish to attend who are interested. Please let Mikayla or Mathias know.
Alternative Options:
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Financial Impacts:
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Tentative Timeline:
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