Kraewood Proposed Development

Overview

Rebound Real Estate has received approval of their preliminary plat, rezoning of two parcels, Tax Increment Financing, and final plat. The approved development (Kraewood ) is located on property known as the Paulson Christmas Tree Farm. The development will create 30 residential lots comprised of single family, two-family, a tri-plex and an apartment complex.

Location

The property is located west of Linden Street North and situated between Greenvale Avenue and Lincoln Parkway.

Timeline

April 19, 2022

City Council approves the final plat and development agreement

Watch the April 19, 2022 City Council meeting

April 19, 2022 City Council Agenda Packet

April 19, 2022 Supplemental Memo No. 1

February 15, 2022

City Council approves the Tax Increment Financing request for the Kraewood apartments

Watch the February 15, 2022 City Council meeting

February 15, 2022 City Council Agenda Packet

November 2, 2021

City Council establishes Tax Increment Financing District for the area encompassing the Kraewood apartments

Watch the November 2, 2021 City Council meeting

November 2, 2021 City Council Agenda Packet

October 26, 2021

Housing and Redevelopment Authority reviews the Tax Increment Financing request for the Kraewood apartments

Watch the October 26, 2021 HRA meeting

October 26, 2021 HRA Agenda Packet

October 5, 2021

City Council motions to not conduct an environmental assessment worksheet for the Kraewood development

Watch the October 5, 2021 City Council meeting

October 5, 2021 City Council Agenda Packet

September 21, 2021

City Council reviews and discusses Kraewood development petition for environmental assessment worksheet

Watch the September 21, 2021 City Council meeting

September 16, 2021

Planning Commission reviews the Tax Increment Financing District for Kraewood

Watch the September 16, 2021 Planning Commission meeting

September 16, 2021 Planning Commission Agenda Packet

September 16, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 1 REVISED

September 16, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 2

September 16, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 3

August 19, 2021

Planning Commission meets, reviews preliminary plat, makes recommendation to Council to approve rezoning two parcels associated with the project

Watch the August 19, 2021 Planning Commission meeting

August 19, 2021 Planning Commission Agenda Packet

August 19, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 1

August 19, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 2

August 19, 2021 Public Comments

August 6, 2021

Notices for proposed rezoning were mailed to the surrounding properties within 350 feet.

August 4, 2021

Notice of the rezoning public hearing for the planning commission meeting was published in the Northfield News

July 15, 2021

Planning Commission meets, holds public hearing, reviews preliminary plat, made recommendations to Council, and tabled the main motion to continue at the next meeting

Watch the July 15, 2021 Planning Commission meeting

July 15, 2021 Planning Commission Agenda Packet

July 15, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 1

July 15, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 2

July 15, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 3

July 15, 2021 Supplemental Memo No. 4

July 1, 2021

Notice for the proposed preliminary plat were mailed sent to the adjacent property owners within 350 feet

June 30, 2021

Notice of the preliminary plat public hearing for the planning commission meeting was published in the Northfield News

June 28, 2021

Development Review Committee reviewed the project (and several times since)

Residential Development

The approved final plat includes:

22 single family homes
2 twin homes
1 tri-plex
1 apartment building

Originally submitted preliminary plat documents

Kraewood Addition proposed preliminary plat

Kraewood Addition Proposed Preliminary Plat - Full Submittal

Tree Inventory Excel Spreadsheet

Rezoning

Rebound Real Estate was approved for two parcels to be rezoned:

600 Greenvale Avenue
Parcel ID 2236125002

600 Greenvale Avenue

0.23 acre parcel
Located on the southern half of the 12.5 acre parcel of the Kraewood Addition plat
Parcel was zoned N1-B: Neighborhood General 1
Parcel was rezoned to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2

Parcel ID 2236125002

0.70 acre parcel
Located on the north edge of the 12.5 acre parcel of the Kraewood Addition plat
Parcel was zoned N1-B: Neighborhood General 1
Parcel was rezoned to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2

Summary of rezoning

Rezoning both parcels from N1-B: Neighborhood General 1 to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2 helps facilitate the Kraewood Addition, but is not necessary.
Rezoning these two small parcels “cleans up” the zoning, so there is one zoning district across the entire site.
The 12.5-acre site, where the Kraewood Addition is proposed, is zoned N2-B: Neighborhood General 2.
A similar rezoning scenario was recently approved for the Hillcrest Village Addition. Two parcels were to be redeveloped and go through a preliminary and final plat process. The parcels had different zoning districts -Industrial and N1-B: Neighborhood General 1. Both parcels were rezoned to N2-B: Neighborhood General 2.
Both zoning districts, N1-B: Neighborhood General 1 and N2-B: Neighborhood General 2, allow (per the Land Development Code, Table 2.7-1: Permitted Principal Uses) for these dwelling types (along with others):
- Multi-family (apartment building with nine or more units)
- Multi-family (apartment house with four to eight units)
- Multi-family (rowhouse)
- Single-family
- Two-family
- Three-family

How are environmentally sensitive items being handled?

Development or redevelopment of land can affect environmentally sensitive areas. In the instance of the Paulson land, city staff is aware the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee (RPBB) is in the Northfield area. The project is not federally authorized or funded, so it does not fall into requirements for consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

The developer is preserving much of the outer edge of the property line trees and planting pollinator friendly plants in the stormwater basins and will not spray or use chemicals that would disturb the bees.

The Paulson Tree Farm area, is identified, in the City’s Natural Resources Inventory: Wildlife Habitat Value, as an area of medium value and is labeled as a Planted Coniferous Tree stand. The outer edge is considered forest and the interior is considered agricultural/crop land. The developer is required to replace trees, per city ordinance, at a certain rate depending on the diameter of the tree being removed.

Stormwater is being addressed by creating three basins to capture runoff. City ordinance requires stormwater be mitigated and contained on-site, which is analyzed by city staff for compliance.

What is an Environmental Assessment Worksheet and is it required?

An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) is a document of 20 questions to layout facts on whether a project will have significant environmental impacts. The EAW is used to determine if an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary.

An EAW provides permit information, informs the public about the project, and helps identify ways to protect the environment. The EAW is completed by the Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU), which is the City of Northfield City Council.

An EAW is required under certain circumstances. The Kraewood development did not require an EAW because it did not meet the thresholds of Minnesota state statutes.

A petition has been filed with the State of Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB), by Northfield for Sustainable Housing, Environments and Development (SHED) to have a discretionary environmental assessment worksheet (EAW) completed on the project.

What is Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and how does it work?

TIF is a way to redevelop areas with substandard buildings, build housing for low-income and moderate-income families, clean up pollution, and/or finance public infrastructure.

As part of the proposed preliminary plat, the applicant has submitted a TIF application to assist with development costs for the proposed apartment complex parcel. If the TIF application is approved by City Council, the apartment would provide 40% of the units at rates for persons earning 60% of the adjusted median income in Rice County.

A TIF district is created to “capture” additional tax above the original tax rate before the property is developed. The additional “captured” tax is returned to the developer to pay for part of the development cost.

In addition, the City is in the process of implementing a Sustainable Building Policy. The applicant will incorporate aspects of the draft Sustainability Building Policy as part of the TIF request.