City Council Meeting Date: May 20, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jake Reilly, Community Development Director
Melissa Hanson, Housing Coordinator
Risi Karim, Assistant to the City Administrator
Mike Morehouse, Building Official
Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Second reading of ordinance updating Chapter 34 - Land Development Code related to rental licenses, tenant protections, and affirmatively furthering fair housing
Body
Action Requested:
Consider second reading of ordinance to amendment Chapter 34 - Land Development Code related to rental density and short-term rental licensing and registration.
Summary Report:
The City of Northfield continues to be a growing community, and, like the rest of the country, the city is seeing an increased demand for all types of housing and a limited supply of housing of all types. Two ordinances are presented to address life-safety concerns and economic development and housing security concerns associated with rental properties.
Background:
Thjs is the Second Reading of this ordinance. The first reading passed unanimously by consent agenda at the May 6th City Council meeting. The following background was provided previously and included again with the second reading.
Background
To ensure safe and healthy housing for all, the city initiated a review of the City's rental housing licensing program in 2019. This evolved to include amending other related ordinances, including strengthening of the city's nuisance codes and enforcement tools, including hiring sufficient qualified staff to implement and enforce the code requirements. Those amendments were considered by the HRA in March 2022 and adopted in April 2022 in Ordinance No. 1031. To develop the ordinance, staff worked with consultants from WSB and city attorneys from Flaherty & Hood, P.A. to:
* Assess the weaknesses and strengths of the existing rental housing licensing program
* Identify goals for the new version of the program.
* ...
Click here for full text