City Council Meeting Date: December 3, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Jake Reilly, Community Development Director
Title
Consideration of the Second Reading of Ordinance No. 1071 Amending Chapter 34 - Land Development Code Related to Industrial and Agricultural Land Uses.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the second reading of Ordinance No. 1071 Amending Chapter 34 - Land Development Code Related to Industrial and Agricultural Land Uses.
Summary Report:
Council Discussion & Recommendation
Much of the Council discussion regarding the text amendments related to considering the range of uses possible in the I1-B Industrial zoning district relative to the oral and written comments from residents, neighbors, and customers of adjacent and adjoining natural and structured recreational opportunities at Planning Commission public hearings. The council also asked questions regarding language associated with performance standards for uses, including data processing centers, that were cited as a concern by multiple constituencies. Some of those concerns included the carbon footprint of data processing centers generally as well as concerns related to how data processing facilities make use of water, energy, and potential to produce sound, light, and vibrations. The council also discussed - and reiterated - the policy intent and the long-held understanding of a policy direction to diversify the tax base, in part through identifying new land within the city limits to zone for commercial and industrial uses, being the primary goal of the council regarding economic development initiatives. The Councilmembers clearly stated support for ensuring growth sectors could locate in Northfield and that those new businesses meet as many goals as possible associated with sustainable development while not sacrificing the potential for increased tax capacity.
At the November 26, 2024, regular meetin...
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