By Rich Larson, News Director
On Tuesday night, in an effort to combat Northfield’s housing shortage, the City Council discussed the Bluffview development in the South East corner
of town, where a little used tool would be employed to help get things moving.
City administrator Ben Martig said the developer would like to extend Ford Street west to Highway 246 in order to develop about 60 new single dwelling homes and townhomes. Normally, a developer would pay the cost to extend the road, but there is an ordinance on the books that allows for the city to construct the road and then be repaid in full by the developer as the new units sell. Martig said that there is a strong demand for housing in Northfield, and in fact the city is conducting a study to determine just how strong that demand is. The sixty new houses and dwellings are needed right now, and this would be a way to help a developer with some initial aid to get the project off the ground.
“We are concurrently looking at some policies around parameters dealing with the amount of debt we should take on as a city to do this, but we think it’s another tool to get some housing built in the community.”
The council was asked to approve the design of the development on Tuesday night, which would be built in three phases. There was quite a bit of discussion and concern about connectivity in the area. With the development being so close to several schools, there are concerns that students and young children will be crossing Highway 246 at dangerous areas. The design, however, was approved unanimously.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Administrator Martig can be heard here.
Walz signs Draheim’s dentist bill
State Senator Rich Draheim said this week that he is happy with the direction in which the state’s vaccination program is headed, but he still has some misgivings about where the vaccine is being prioritized.
Yesterday Governor Tim Walz signed a bill chief authored by Senator Draheim into law that will allow dentists to administer vaccinations for Covid-19. Draheim said that he was approached by the state dental association offering to help with the rollout. Dentists he said, are highly medical trained and are already administering Novocain via injection. What’s more, he said, Minnesota is one of only a handful of states that allow dentists to administer a flu shot, as well, to people 19 and older. The bill Draheim put together reduces the age requirement for a flu shot to 16 and allows for dentists to administer the vaccine. Draheim said he does not foresee dentists giving vaccinations in their offices, but rather sees this as another group that can help in vaccine centers. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives with a sunset date of sometime next year. The Senator said he disagrees with that condition, but rather than send the bill to a conference committee and delay further action in a time of need, he said he has concurred with the provision in order to get the bill to the governor’s desk and signed.
The Senator also said that he does not agree with all of the different groups being vaccinated right now, when the state has not yet finished vaccinating the group most at risk from the virus.
“I do question some of the people they are putting ahead of our seniors. When you look at the death numbers, the majority of the deaths are that 65 and older crowd. All the vaccines that we have, in my opinion, should be going to them. Any extra we have. We should be doing everything we can to make sure that percentage of the population are first in line.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, nearly one million Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and nearly half-a-million Minnesotans have been fully vaccinated.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Senator Draheim can be heard here
Home & Garden show set for May 15
In a sure sign that spring is coming, and on an optimistic note that life might begin to return to normal, the Northfield Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 2021 Home and Garden Show will take place at the Dundas Dome on Saturday, May 15.
The Home & Garden Show always offers a wide variety of vendors. Last year attendees were able to talk to everyone from landscaping and construction companies, to people from civic offices and medical clinics, and the Chamber is promising exhibitors to meet all home, garden, lifestyle, health and leisure needs.
With the Dundas Dome as the site of the show this year, there will be health and safety protocols in place. In their announcement, the Chamber said they are working in partnership with the dome and Rice County Public Health. Covid-19 safety protocols will be posted within 30 days of the show.
“During this time,” the statement said, “we urge all in the community to follow guidelines from local public health officials. The wellbeing and safety of all attendees and exhibitors are our first priority in creating a dynamic marketplace.”
Vendors can register for the Home & Garden Show at northfieldchamber.com. The registration page can be found here.
