Locally Grown (LoGro) Northfield Posts

I spoke with Economic Development Authority president Rick Estenson yesterday and he sent me the “land committee” update from that morning’s EDA meeting, which will probably be presented to the City Council as a work plan update next Monday.

The EDA work plan for the past couple of years has included exploring a number of strategies for increasing availability of commercial land. Out of that have come several ideas which are in the process of being shaped, including this very preliminary, early, rough draft, tack-on-every-possible-disclaimer concept sketch for a possible business park.

The EDA has long been aware of Northfield’s need to increase its commercial tax base if the City is to continue to offer the kind of infrastructure and services that its residents require. Northfield just built a new swimming pool, and plans for a skate park, ice arena, expanded library, and other amenities are well underway. These things can’t be supported by residential property taxes (unless we’re all willing to vote in favor of a referendum to increase them by, oh, several hundred percent. No? I thought not.) In addition to increasing its tax base, Northfield would benefit greatly if more people who lived here were also able to work here, as some of the discussion on Ross’s recent transportation post has also indicated. Increasing jobs and commercial tax base is the focus of the EDA, per the enabling resolution done when the EDA was formed in the early 90s.

In his email with the documents, Rick said,

I hope the readers in the blog know that this is still very early on in the process and therefore have time to help shape and determine the next best steps for Northfield. We will all agree, I am sure, that there are many infill and redevelopment opportunities as well as keeping our downtown vibrant and active that are of equal importance to the community so we need to find a balance together on those goals. We are certainly not suggesting we put all our eggs in one basket with this project but to be ready to respond to other opportunities as well with our all too limited resources. Furthermore, I hope to have some informational sessions during the next few weeks with the students and faculty on the St. Olaf campus, and the neighbors to this area.

Here’s a bit of background.