The Northfield Council approved spending dollars on a land use consultant, a recommendation from the newly formed Northwest Area Process Advisory Committee. Mayor Pownell created the PAC to advise on what to do with the land annexed west of the hospital. In 2009 the City annexed 540 acres in Greenvale Township. A consultant was hired in 2010 and drafted a Master plan in 2011. Ultimately it went nowhere. Now that a Senior Housing project is set to break ground in June, City officials are looking to future development. Community Development Director, Chris Heineman,
said with the approval to hire a consultant, the PAC will now complete four tasks, including solicit and review consultants, recommend financing options, add an additional EDA member to the PAC and then recommend a consultant to the council. The area in question is zoned agriculture and is about the only large piece of land left in Northfield that could be considered for commercial development. Some Councilors wanted to be sure that local businesses had input into the vision. The PAC didn’t address that but Heineman said they’re always talking with the established businesses and they could add it to the RFP process. Zweifel said, “just to reiterate that it’s more than just support and expansion of those existing businesses but it’s recruiting and drawing those businesses that will synergize, augment and support those existing businesses. A new development doesn’t mean that you don’t take into account what we already have”. DeLong was concerned that the three farmers who own a large portion of the land be involved in the visioning in some way. While the land is annexed, they still own it and should have buy in for what’s proposed. Pownell commented this morning, “without a vision you don’t have any defined direction or clear direction given to your City staff so that they can go out then and accomplish it”. From this point, the PAC is expected to have a recommendation for a consultant by May 31st. Pownell’s entire interview is on kymn.net under the Morning Show tab. 1 – NW Area Process Advisory Committee Recommendation (1) 2 – Council PowerPoint NW Area PAC (1)
Express Clinic to open April 9th
Northfield Hospital and Clinics new Express Clinic will open Monday, April 9th! Dr. Adam Ailibouni is the Medical Director, he said the goal is to treat minor injuries, cuts, stitches, some respiratory conditions, ear infections, etc. Initially the walk-in clinic in the Sterling Drug building on Division St., will be open Monday thru Friday from noon to 7:45 with a goal of opening on weekends as soon as they have a fully trained staff. (Which they expect to be soon) A certified nurse practitioner will be the primary care provider. If there’s a need for further care, they’ll coordinate with NH&C to get you taken care of.
Fireflies and a haiku….
Fireflies and a haiku, wild ones, white space and robins. They’re all winners. The Northfield Arts and Culture Commission, in partnership with the Friends and Foundation of the Library, announced the winners of the City’s eighth annual Sidewalk Poetry Contest. Five poems were chosen out of 64 submitted. The winners are Becky Boling, Avery Eastvold, Steven McCown, Julie Ryan and Marie Vogel Gery. The full press release, along with their poems are on kymn.net. They’ll be guests on Art Zany with Paula Granquist on April 27th. sidewalk poetry 2018 press release winners announced Winning 2018 Sidewalk Poems.
