City Council Meeting Date: January 19, 2021
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Consideration of Ordinance Rezoning PID 2231226001 from I1-B: Industrial to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2 (Second Reading).
Body
Action Requested:
The City Council is asked to conduct the second reading on the requested rezoning for PID 2231226001 from I1-B: Industrial to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2.
Summary Report:
This is the second reading of the ordinance. The first reading was passed 7-0 by the City Council on January 5th.
There are two parcels of land that are being requested for a rezone - 1050 Highway 3 N and PID 2231226001. Both parcels are located northeast of Fremouw Avenue and Sheldahl Road. The applicant, Community Action Center, wishes to rezone both parcels to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2 to facilitate building the proposed Hillcrest Village, an accessible and sustainable housing community. The proposed project would create 6 buildings and 17 units - two 4-plexes, one 3-plex, and three 2-plexes. Following the rezoning, the applicant intends to file for preliminary and final plat.
This staff report is for the ordinance of the rezone request for PID 2231226001. The applicant requests PID 2231226001 be rezoned from I1-B: Industrial to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2.
The Conservation and Development map in the Comprehensive Plan denotes this parcel as “Developed”. This parcel seems to be a remnant of when Sheldahl Road was constructed. The parcel is noted as “Developed” though nothing is built on it.
The Framework Map of the Comprehensive Plan designates the parcel as “District”. These zones are generally special use areas found within the city. The districts within Northfield are typically of single use; in this case composed of large business or industrial structures. Districts are located along collectors and arterial roadways. This description is fitting of this parcel though no development has occurred on this parcel or the land on the west side of Sheldahl Rd. Multek Flexible Circuits, Inc. owned the parcel and now the Community Action Center of Northfield retains ownership.
In addition, the N1-B: Neighborhood General 1 district is a Fixed-Boundary District. Fixed-Boundary districts are maintained in the LDC to minimize the creation of nonconformities, but amendments of the zoning map to the N1 district are prohibited. Therefore, rezoning PID 2231226001 to N2 is the next viable option and is part of the reasoning why the larger parcel, 1050 Hwy 3 N, is being requested to be rezoned to N2 as well. If just PID 2231226001 were rezoned N2 and 1050 Hwy 3 N remained N1, then two zoning districts would end up on two parcels based on the current proposed site plan. This could be worked through by staff and the applicant, but given there are less variances anticipated for the project if both parcels are zoned N2 it makes sense to amend the zoning map to N2 for both parcels, so there is only one zoning district for the project.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously, in favor, to make a recommendation to the City Council approving a zoning map amendment for PID 2231226001 to be rezoned from I1-B: Industrial to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2. Two written comments were received, one from the Environmental Quality Commission and the other from Habitat for Humanity, in support of the rezoning for this project.
Approval Criteria:
When reviewing a rezoning, the Planning Commission is to consider several criteria as established in Article 8 of the Land Development Code (8.5.14.C). The Planning Commission and City Council shall review the necessary submittal requirements, facts, and circumstances of the proposed amendment and make a recommendation and decision on the application based on, but not limited to, consideration of the following criteria:
(1) The specific policies, goals, objectives, and recommendations of the comprehensive plan and other city plans, including public facilities and the capital improvement plans.
The Conservation and Development map in the Comprehensive Plan denotes this parcel as “Developed”. This parcel seems to be a remnant of when Sheldahl Road was constructed. The parcel is noted as “Developed” though nothing is built on it. The long and narrow configuration of the property does not lend itself to be easily developed by industrial uses. The minimum lot size for an Industrial zoned parcel is 40,000 SF. PID 2231226001 is 28,519 SF, which does not make it buildable in its current state. Rezoning the parcel to N2-B would better serve the community because it would unify the zoning with the neighboring parcel, 1050 Hwy 3 N (if approved for rezoning as well), to then be combined as part of the platting process. This would make more efficient use of the land to allow for better neighborhood feel and layout.
The Framework Map of the Comprehensive Plan designates the parcel as “District”. These zones are generally special use areas found within the city. The “Districts” within Northfield are typically of single use; in this case composed of large business or industrial structures. Districts are located along collectors and arterial roadways. This description is fitting of this parcel though no development has occurred on this parcel or the land on the west side of Sheldahl Rd. Multek Flexible Circuits, Inc. owned the parcel and now the Community Action Center of Northfield retains ownership.
In addition, following the Strategic Plan, the rezoning of this parcel helps facilitate the city goals for workforce and affordable housing:
• The preference for accommodating future growth is in infill locations, then redevelopment/land intensification opportunities and then on the edge of existing developed areas (Principle 3).
• New and redeveloped residential communities (areas) will have strong neighborhood qualities (Principle 4).
• Environmentally-sensitive and sustainable practices will be integrated into new developments and redeveloped areas (Principle 5).
• A wider range of housing choices will be encouraged - in the community as well as in neighborhoods.
• The small town character will be enhanced (Principle 1).
• Workforce Housing
o HS 1.6 Establish standards for compact residential development and intensified land uses.
o HS 1.7 The preference for new residential development should be for infill, then redevelopment/land intensification.
• Affordable House
o Objective 3: The City should assist in providing affordable housing.
o HS 3.4 Continue to utilize community organizations and area agencies that promote affordable housing, such as …, nonprofit organizations familiar with affordable housing …., to plan and develop affordable housing.
o HS 3.5 Provide housing that is accessible to community resources such as jobs, commercial districts, and bike and pedestrian paths.
(2) The purpose and intent of this LDC, or in the case of a map amendment, whether it meets the purpose and intent of the individual district.
The existing zoning is I1-B: Industrial and its purpose is to provide an area to accommodate manufacturing uses, general businesses, offices, service and repair businesses, warehousing and office showroom uses in a functional, attractive manner that does not unduly affect the development or use of nearby property. Therefore, the zoning does not permit the proposed uses of 2-plex, 3-plex and 4-plex residential homes.
The request to rezone the property to N2-B would help facilitate the next steps in the process for the Community Action Center to developed Hillcrest Village.
(3) The adequacy of infrastructure available to serve the proposed action.
The properties are served by adequate public utilities for the proposed use, including existing water and sanitary sewer mains off Sheldahl Road. The infrastructure would continue down the public street to service the units. Adequate access for emergency vehicles will be met by the standards in the LDC and reviewed with the Fire Chief.
(4) The adequacy of a buffer or transition provided between potentially incompatible districts.
No buffering standards are required for the N2 zone per LDC Table 3.5-3. Buffering for parking lots is required per 3.5.8 Parking Lot Landscaping Requirements.
Based on the analysis, the parcel meets the approval criteria for a zoning map amendment listed in 8.5.14(C) of the Land Development Code (LDC). Staff recommends City Council approve the first reading and adopt the findings for a zoning map amendment for PID 2231226001 to be rezoned from I1-B: Industrial to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2.
If approved, future redevelopment will be subject to site development standards for the N2-B: Neighborhood General 2 district as defined in Article 3 of the LDC, Sec. 3.2.
Alternative Options:
The City Council may approve or deny the request for rezoning with a simple majority vote.
Financial Impacts:
There are no immediate financial impacts to the City.
Tentative Timelines:
City Council First Reading: January 5, 2021
City Council Second Reading and Summary Publication: January 19, 2021
If approved, the summary publication would be published to the Northfield News on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 and the zoning map amendment would become effective 30 days from the publication date, which would be Friday, February 26, 2021.