City Council Meeting Date: April 1, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mathias Hughey, Associate City Planner
Title
Public Hearing on Ordinance 1075 to Designate Central Park (421 4th St. E.) as a Local Heritage Preservation Site.
Body
Action Requested:
The City Council is asked to hold a public hearing on Ordinance 1075 to Designate Central Park (421 4th St. E.) as a local Heritage Preservation Site.
Summary Report:
The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) has applied to designate the property known as Central Park (Public Square on the original town plat) as a local Heritage Preservation Site.
Public hearing notices were mailed to property owners with 350 feet of the parcel and an official public notice was printed in the Northfield News on March 19th, 2025. A copy of the mailing and map are attached.
The following is the procedure of the public hearing per the City Council’s adopted Rules of Business:
Public Hearing Procedure:
A Public Hearing is used to solicit the public's comments on various projects or City operation procedures.
A. The Mayor will open the hearing by identifying the subject.
B. Staff Presentation - staff will give a presentation on the subject.
C. Applicant's Presentation - if needed
D. Public Input - The public will have the opportunity to speak for or against the issue. The public may ask questions, make comments, voice support, agree or disagree with the issue.
1. The Mayor will recognize a speaker at the podium and comments/conversation will be between the Mayor and speaker; and between the Mayor and Council Members.
2. At the podium the speaker must give their name, address, and if representing a business, must give the name of the business or corporation. If an Attorney or consultant is representing a client, the client must be identified for the record.
3. Speakers will be allowed to speak a maximum of two (2) minutes per item (not including interpreter’s time).
4. Speakers who have material to be handed out to the City Council Members will pass the material to the City Administrator. The City Administrator will then pass the information to the appropriate people. A minimum of twelve (12) copies are needed.
E. Questions or Clarifications from City Council - After the public input of the public hearing is completed, the City Council may request questions or clarifications prior to closing the public hearing. This section will be used when there are questions related to the topic on which the public hearing is being held. Questions should be succinct and avoid being rhetorical or leading in nature. Subsequent actions of the City Council provide for opportunities for further questions or clarifications from City Council.
F. Any material to be entered into the record shall be noted. Any written communication presented to the City Council during a City Council meeting shall be read into the record or summarized for the record or simply delivered to the City Council, as the City Council may determine. They shall then be recorded in the minutes by title and filed with the minutes.
G. Motion to Close Hearing - The Chair will state if there is an extension of time for public input into the hearing. If not, the City Council will make a motion, second, and vote on closing the public hearing.
Associate City Planner Mathias Hughey will give a brief overview of the process of designating a local preservation site before presenting the application. The associated ordinance and relevant background materials for this item are included in the agenda item immediately following the public hearing to consider action on the application. There will not be a separate staff presentation for that agenda item and there will not be separate testimony for that for the applicant or public at that time.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommend designating Central Park as a local heritage preservation site.
Alternative Options:
NA
Financial Impacts:
NA
Tentative Timelines:
ü November - HPC initiates designation process
ü January - HPC and PRAB review and recommendation
ü February- PC review and recommendation
• April - City Council review and decision
• May - If designated, the ordinance goes into effect