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Strategic planning in Northfield
The late Dixon Bond once observed to me: “Northfield has a tendency to over-plan.” So when the EDA, Planning Commission and City Council meet in a worksession tonight (04/11/2017) to do some (carefully orchestrated, consultant-driven) strategic planning, I will try to be optimistic that this planning effort will lead to action, rather than simply more […]
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Development pattern productivity, continued
“No additional financial impacts are anticipated,” claims the staff report accompanying proposed revisions to Northfield’s nightmare land development regulations. Yet the proposed changes will change zoning around Northfield’s downtown to make lower density, less compact development the default pattern and this does have financial impacts for the City of Northfield. The motivation for the changes […]
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Cycling roundup
What would help you get on a bicycle and ride to the store – yes, you there, the one who hasn’t ridden a bicycle since childhood but might be willing to try it if conditions were right? People for Bikes has a nice series trying to sell cycling to the uncertain “swing voter.” I’m even […]
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More about development economics and history
I’ve been cleaning out my office at the end of my Council term. In addition to recycling mountains of paper and gaining a great deal more storage space, I’ve been pleased to discover that my personal policy development has been quite systematic from my days on the Planning Commission to the present. I even found […]
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Not all development patterns have the same price tag
And for my last Council meeting, the business park is on the agenda for discussion…so here’s one more attempt to ask questions about the cost and scope of this project. The background as we know it: 530 acres annexed west of the hospital to be master-planned and developed as a business and residential development. Required improvements […]
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Different debate questions
Presidential debates usually make me think about moving to Canada since the likelihood of either candidate actually answering a question is abysmally low and the only excitement comes from the random zinger of a comment, factual screw up, or public speaking trainwreck (I depend on the Brits for the most entertaining and pointed commentary and American […]
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Community Conversations report is out
Back in 2011, Northfield was one of 12 cities around the state selected to participate in 4 meetings convened by the League of MN Cities called Community Conversations. The final report is now out. The conversations started from the sobering projection that if cities remain on their current financial path and no policy changes are […]
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End of the road
I really don’t know how I missed this one, but in 2009 Virginia enacted a law which doesn’t quite ban cul-de-sacs, but makes state funding for street maintenance and services contingent on not building any more of them. I really don’t know how I missed it because this development was selected by the New York […]
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Bicycling and the NRA
Bike Advocacy from the NRA Playbook got my attention since I am pro-bike and but not pro-gun. The idea is not to whip your handgun out of your saddlebag or jersey pocket to shoot the motorist who ran you off the road. No, apparently the NRA’s success at growing the organization and its almost legendary […]