City of Northfield MN
File #: PC M2025-003    Version: 1 Name:
Type: PC Motion Status: Failed
File created: 2/11/2025 In control: Planning Commission
On agenda: 2/20/2025 Final action:
Title: Recommendation to Designate Central Park (421 4th St. E.) as a Local Heritage Preservation Site.
Attachments: 1. 1 - HPC 2025-001 Resolution, 2. 2 - Central Park Designation Form and Appendices, 3. 3 - Original Northfield Plat, 4. 4 - Northfield Central Park SHPO Letter, 5. 5 - Central Park Presentation
PC Meeting Date: February 20, 2025

To: Members of the Planning Commission

From: Mathias Hughey, Associate City Planner
Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner

Title
Recommendation to Designate Central Park (421 4th St. E.) as a Local Heritage Preservation Site.

Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission (PC) is asked to recommend to City Council, by a motion of support, that Central Park (421 4th St. E.) be designated a local Heritage Preservation Site and provide comment on the compatibility of the nomination with the Comprehensive Plan.

Summary Report:
The city may determine certain places, buildings, structures, properties, district areas, or properties within the community are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, landscaping, and culture and that those locations should be subject to additional review as they relate to the Land Development Code (LDC).

The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) initiated an application for Heritage Preservation Site Designation for Central Park, located at 421 4th St. E, at their November 2024 meeting. After submitting the proposal to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) (in accordance with city code and state statute) the HPC received a letter from them describing the nomination as "ideal." At their January 2025 meeting, the HPC voted to recommend to City Council that Central Park be designated a local Heritage Preservation Site.

City code establishes six criteria that need to be considered in review of heritage preservation site designations. They are:
(1) That the quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, landscaping, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association; or
(2) That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or
(3) That are ...

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