The work on the Northfield Comprehensive Plan has moved into the second phase of the process. After collecting a substantial amount of information from the public, the consultants from Stantec, who have been hired to do much of the planning work, will now try to distill common themes from that information to identify what Northfielders find most important for the future of the city.
The Northfield Planning Commission is the governmental body that, by state statute, is responsible for the planning process, and they devote at least part of every meeting to working on the plan.
Betsey Buckheit, the chair of the Planning Commission, said there are certain facets of the process that must be completed. The data from the 2020 census is a foundation for the work being done, but more important is the information received from the public. Buckheit said city staff has been working since last summer, asking for information and taking surveys from attendees at the annual dog swim, Third Thursday Events, the Hispanic Heritage Festival and more. One of the differences between the process this year and from times past, she said, is the proactive nature of those gathering information. Rather than wait for information to come in, questions are being taken to certain groups within the community.
“We’ve done some different things this time in terms of looking at some equity metrics, and asking ‘So where in town do our lower income residents live?’ We’re trying to do a little bit less waiting for people to come to us to tell us things, but to go out and ask people, ‘We haven’t heard your voice before. Can we talk to you about what Northfield should be in 20 years?’”
It’s also important that each of the boards and commissions are kept abreast of what is going on as well. Buckheit said information is being both gathered from and shared with each of the city’s boards and commissions to ensure that incoming policy recommendations are in agreement with the larger goals.
“One of the things that happens is you have the comprehensive plan and then you adopt other policies and now is the chance to bring them all back together and make sure they all fit together. You have to make sure one doesn’t say one thing, and another says something completely different. I think the city policies are pretty generally consistent, but we have to make sure to bring them all together.”
The initial phase of the project has also taken input from local organizations like Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce and will continue to discuss the plan with other civic groups as well.
For those looking for more information, the city has put a page devoted to the Comprehensive Plan on its website at northfieldmn.gov.
Necessary high school fixes will not come cheap
As the Northfield School District continues to discuss a possible bonding bill referendum in November that would ask taxpayers for money to either renovate the Northfield High School, or build a new school altogether, there is also an acknowledgement of the high price tag associated with a project like this.
According to Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann, the options shown to the school board last week range in cost from $59 million to $176 million.
It is important to keep in mind the estimates being made are in 2027 dollar amounts. Hillmann said, should a referendum pass, the process for planning and design would take about a year, after which contracts would have to be rewarded and materials ordered. Construction of any kind would most likely not begin until the 2027 construction season.
With that said, in 2024, the price tag is a large one.
Hillmann said it is vital that the public approach the ideas not as a quick fix, but as an investment for the next three to five generations of Northfield students.
“Frankly, when some people hear some of these initial estimates, it can be really hard to get your head around them. Because it’s unlike your house. But when we put it in context, these are facilities that literally tens of thousands of students will use over the course of their life.”
Through a historical context, he said, it is important to keep in mind that in its 175-year history, the Northfield Public School District has only had three high schools. The original high school was very much of its time, and lasted for several decades, even surviving a fire. The second high school building is now a part of the Weitz Center on the Carleton College campus. That building was used for more than half a century before the current high school was constructed, and even then, it served as the Northfield Middle School for some 20 years. The main section of the current building is more than 60 years old. Its equipment and spaces are outdated and in the case of the HVAC system, are bordering on unfixable. The time has come to make major upgrades to the facility so that it may properly serve Northfield’s current and future students.
Superintendent Hillmann said people have asked him if such upgrades are really necessary. He said anyone who owns a 100-year-old home, of which there are many in Northfield, could answer that question for themselves.
“We get a lot out of our buildings. It’s also very reasonable to say, ‘Wait a minute. I live in a house that’s 100 years old.’ And that’s fair. I’m guessing there’s been quite a few renovations done over time on that house. Maybe you have additions that have been put on. You may have updated the HVAC systems in your home. This is just a different kind of project.”
An open house and informational meeting has been planned for next week. He said the public will get a chance to see all of the proposed options for the building and provide feedback and opinions on what they believe the district should do.
Lions Riverside/Memorial Park planning involved several groups
The City of Northfield will host an informational meeting on Thursday night at the training room in the Northfield Police Station, to review the plans for Riverside Lions Park and the Northfield Veterans Memorial Park.
A work group, which includes people from the Lions Club, the Northfield Area Veterans Memorial, Village on the Cannon, the Defeat of Jesse James Days, the Northfield Garden Club, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and city staff, has been putting a plan together for the past several months for potential park enhancements.
Consultants Bob Close and Bruce Jacobson will give a brief presentation followed by a discussion about the plan. This is an opportunity for community members to review the draft plan, learn about the ongoing process and voice your ideas. Stations will be set up around the room with display boards to illustrate the potential enhancements. Spanish interpreters will be available.
The meeting will run from 4:30-6:30 on Thursday afternoon. For more information, visit the city’s website at northfieldmn.gov.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
