Jane McWilliams, LWV Observer
Commissioner Tracy Davis chaired the meeting in Commissioner Greg Colby’s absence.
All other members were present.
There was standing room only at this meeting. Over 50 people were on hand, drawn by the question to be addressed at the public hearing: Is the proposed annexation of the Prawer/Gill properties consistent with the Comprehensive Plan?
In their report , the staff provided an analysis of how the proposed annexation might meet the many elements of the Comprehensive Plan. For example, though the plan expresses a preference for infill development, it also provides for development at the edge. This must occur with an effort to minimize new infrastructure, and should be designed to create areas of commerce that will “serve to create a green edge and not compromise the rural landscape and small town character.” The staff concluded that the properties “are within the priority growth area and could be described as being a part of future land use strategy.”
For the foreseeable future, the property owners will continue to use the land for agricultural purposes, and eventually will sell them for a business park development. According to the Comprehensive Plan, by the year 2027, 1,411 acres will be needed to accommodate growth. Annexation of the Prawer/Gill properties, together with the recently annexed land west of the city hospital would “also represent a significant shift in the balance of the land resource inventory when comparing residential land use with commercial and industrial land use of the City of Northfield”.
The first speaker at the hearing was Kathleen Doran-Norton, a Bridgewater Township Supervisor. Referring to the report from “Rice Creek Concerned Citizens Recommendations,” she noted that these were the result of weekly meetings over a number of months to devise ways to protect the two streams and other natural areas in the area. The group urges the local governments (Cities of Northfied and Dundas, as well as Bridgewater Township) to work together “to develop and implement a long-term monitoring project along the creeks.”
League of Women Voters of Northfield and Cannon Falls member Alene Moesler said the League had no position on annexation, but based on the League’s policy on natural resource protection is concerned that strategies to protect the creek be created. Moesler is a former director of the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, and she reminded the group of work CRWP staff member Chris Robbins had done in the late 1990’s. Funded by the McKnight Foundation, the legislature and the Nature Conservancy, CRWP developed a plan to protect Rice Creek. Robbins also tried, unsuccessfully, to get a stream protection plan adopted by the city of Northfield.
The two landowners spoke. Both reported that the city’s Economic Development Authority had approached them to apply for annexation. He said it “didn’t come easy.” The farm has been in the family for 100 years. He realizes it is in the urban expansion zone and that the city needs land for local jobs. He has spent some money on a concept plan, which is subject to change. Bonnie Prawer told the commission “We love the land. We have not entered into this with the idea of selling the land.”
Like many other speakers, St. Olaf professor Paul Jackson said he has concerns about how the annexation will affect the area’s natural resources. He has met with the concerned citizens group regularly in a room at the college’s science center from which you can see an expanse of the large roofs of the light industrial development below. He has three concerns: that we recognize the outstanding recreational and educational value of the area; that regulations be in place to protect the warm and cold water streams; and that the city get base data and then commit to maintaining or improving the watershed while also improving the economic system. Don Werner owns property adjacent to the annexation area and fears the nice features of the land will be lost if it goes through, and that development will reduce property values.
Northfielder Jim Holden, an avid trout fisherman, said that 80 or 90 years ago the Schilling family (former owners of the Prawer property) “bought trout and dropped them into the stream and now the DNR uses them as brood stock in their hatcheries.” One speaker, Bridgewater Township Supervisor Glen Castore, is concerned that the anticipated development will harm the financial health of Northfield, and that the city is going forward without sufficient analysis to be certain that the investment will yield reward. He isn’t against annexation, but thinks there needs to be more discussion. “We don’t want to have a half-developed industrial park”.
At the end of the hearing, Commissioner Davis thanked the citizens for their testimony and explained that the commission will use the Comprehensive Plan as a lens through which it will consider their comments and arrive at the decision. Community Development Director Brian O’Connell said they will synthesize what the commission has heard and decide on the next steps. When asked about a timeline, he said that in order to make sure the commission is ready to make a recommendation to the council, “it is incumbent on us to the time we need.”
During the business portion of the meeting, Michele Merxbauer, city Housing Manager, explained the request for the Commission to recommend to the city council establishment of a tax increment finance district to finance the rehabilitation of the 30 year old Jefferson Square Town Homes, as well as to amend the master Development District, and to determine that this is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. This financial assistance will make it possible for the town homes to be completely refurbished inside and out, and for there to be built a small club house and additional parking space and still keep the housing affordable. The partners in this project include Dominium Development, Three Rivers Community Action, Inc., and the Northfield HRA. According to the staff report, Dominium Development uses principles of good land use by preserving and renovating existing rental property. The HRA assisted Dominium in applying to the federal Housing Finance Agency for tax credit assistance by agreeing to a waiver of certain fees and the development of a TIF district.
The request was approved unanimously.
The commission meets next on December 1, 2009.
