The next Comprehensive Plan for the City of Northfield is slowly beginning to come into focus. Community Development Director Jake Reilly and Betsey Buckheit, the Chair of the Northfield Planning Commission, said the current stage is developing the plan’s Vision Statement.
It has been sixteen years since the city adopted a new Comprehensive Plan, but, they said, that does not mean the overarching goals of the plan will change very much.
As an example, Buckheit read the Vision Statement from 2008.
“Northfield values its unique heritage as a mill and college town and will reflect its community identity by preserving its historic and environmental character and enhancing its quality of place through a progressive and sustainable development pattern.”
She then read the draft of the 2024 Vision Statement.
“Northfield continues to tell its story as a city with a strong identity rooted in history, while growing as a diverse, inclusive, and sustainable place. We maintain our integrity as an independent and distinct city shaped by our historic downtown, the Cannon River, rural neighbors, and our colleges. Everyone has equitable access to all that makes the city a great place to be.”
While the language and some of the specifics have changed, the tone of the Vision Statement is largely the same.
Reilly said that is largely by design. Comprehensive Plans, he pointed out, require an update to both change with the times and reinforce the basic values of a community. Making a drastic change from one plan to the next can work against a community’s sense of place, which could be disruptive. Rather, he said, the overall fundamentals should remain basically the same. The changes to the plan should reflect more the times than the city’s goals.
“It’s sort of like architecture. Every home has a place to cook food and a place to go to the bathroom – whether that’s inside or outside has to do with the time. So, architecture changes based on the time and the values of the people, and the way people feel about place. Comprehensive plans change in the same way, in that the language changes, but the desired outcome very rarely changes.”
This is not to say that changes to the plan should simply be cosmetic. Buckheit said the planning committee is now working to identify the community’s guiding values which will be used when it comes to city decision making. Things like the Historic Downtown and the Cannon River work strongly into values, as does the sense that the city has what she described as a “rural edge.”
“Northfield Cares a lot about being a city with kind of an edge. You know, a rural edge. We Look north to Lakeville and Apple Valley and think, ‘We don’t want to be like that.’ We don’t want to just drift off into the countryside with endless subdivisions. That could be anywhere.”
Buckheit said some of the newer ideas that are making their way into the plan are a more urgent need for environmental sustainability, and a stronger sense of the need for equity across all segments of the community.
Reilly said the differences better define the values that the city has always held and create a clearer path forward for the city.
Clean River Partners looking to ‘inspire hope’ for climate
Clean River Partners has a renewed energy and sense of purpose after completing a new strategic plan that the organization feels will help them reach more people in their work for the Cannon River Watershed.
Jennifer Tonko became the Executive Director last year after Kristi Pursell stepped away to run for state office. Tonko said her first year overlapped with the final year of the previous strategic plan, and it was a perfect time to go through the process of defining the organization’s goals and values.
She said they have identified four strategic focus areas. The first is Water, Land and Climate Health. CRP’s mission since it was organized as the Cannon River Watershed Partnership more than thirty years ago has been to improve the environmental health of the Cannon River Watershed and its supporting areas. But they have now further defined that mission by identifying the best ways to do that. Another focus will be on “Community Relationships.” Tonko said they need to better identify not just the people working alongside them, but other potential partners that have been overlooked or might not seem like an obvious choice at first look. She said they will also strive to help people better connect with the outdoors in order to help them see the value of being more conscientious about climate issues. A deepened relationship with nature will naturally lead to a better understanding of what is at stake. She also said they will focus more on their own organizational infrastructure to be an even better steward of the area they want to protect.
Tonko said Clean River Partners’ mission and vision have remained the same, but along with equitable actions, intentional engagement, and the building of resilience, they have identified one more core value.
“We added ‘Inspire hope.’ As people are talking about environmental issues and particularly when they’re thinking about climate and climate change, inspiring hope and helping them realize that there is something that we can do and that it’s our job to do it is a key value for us to add this time.”
Tonko said, due to popular demand, CRP will also offer more hands-on opportunities to volunteer to help the Watershed in 2024. For more information, and to stay informed, visit their website at cleanriverpartners.org.
Council will hear from Save the Depot, discuss transit hub
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight in the Council Chambers in City Hall.
Among the items on the agenda tonight will be a presentation and project update from Save the Northfield Depot. Coincidentally, the first item on the agenda will be the approval of the plans for the Transit Hub to be built adjacent to the Depot, and an approval to send the project out for bid. The Council will also consider a resolution for recommendations for the Lincoln Parkway pedestrian study, and they will consider a motion authorizing the submittal of Flood Improvement Grants for Downtown Northfield.
As always, the city and the council are asking to hear opinions and comments from the public. Anyone who wishes to do so is invited to come to the meeting and address the council on any topic they see fit. Those wishing to voice their opinions without addressing the council should email their councilors directly or post a comment through the eComment button on the “Agendas” section of the City Council website.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
