NESNA

Current Issues for NESNA

Ed Lufkin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:30:03 +0000

To: East Side Neighbors

From: Northfield East Side Neighborhood Association (NESNA)

Re: Current East Side Issues

Date: August 28, 2010

As summer draws to a close, we wanted to advise you of recent NESNA activities.

First, we bring you the very good news that the City recently approved improvements for Memorial Park – including the creation of a system of paths similar to the one outlined in the 2004 master plan. For those of you who attended the session on Memorial Park at the NESNA annual meeting, you know that paths and accessibility were the top choices for park amenities. NESNA representatives have worked to represent this view with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) and the City Council, and we will continue to lobby for improvements in this important park space. In the meantime, don’t be shy about expressing your gratitude to members of PRAB and the Council!

Next, we want to bring your attention to work being done by the City Planning Commission, which has been charged with drafting a new Land Development Code (LDC) for the City of Northfield. The LDC is a kind of guiding document for building, planning, zoning, and use of property within the city. While the LDC is an extremely complicated document (nearly 300 pages in the current draft, available on the City website), NESNA has tried to follow issues that may be of special interest to its membership.

One such issue has to do with proposed changes to the CD-S zoning category – the category used for Carleton College. The changes have to do with what the College may and may not do when it constructs new buildings – especially when these buildings are close to the perimeter of the College’s zoning area (what is called the “Perimeter Transition Area” in the LDC). Why should NESNA members care about this? While the new code is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on what happens inside the current campus, it becomes more important if the College were to request expansion of the CD-S zone to the south. While the College does not have immediate plans to do so, such expansions have occurred over the past years, and it is reasonable to think that further requests for zoning changes will occur.

We think the definition of the “Perimeter Transition Area” may be an essential tool for maintaining the historic and neighborly qualities of the north side neighborhood. To this end, we are organizing an information and discussion session for concerned neighbors, which will be held on Sunday, September 26 (time and place to be announced). If you would like to learn more about the LDC, the PTA, the CD-S and other abbreviations that may affect you, please join us!

We thank Scott Carpenter and Lisa Ash for this information. Ed

NESNA Welcomes the Poskanzer Family to Northfield

Ed Lufkin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:11:22 +0000

NESNA welcomed incoming Carleton president Steve Poskanzer and his family with a walking tour of the neighborhood along with a small reception at the home of the Edwins, with the NESNA board. Both the new president and his family are impressed with Northfield and our beautiful neighborhood. We are very happy to welcome the Poskanzer family to our community, and offer these photos of the event. Thanks to Lisa for this text; photos by Ed Lufkin.

The Bands are Back!

Ed Lufkin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:23:56 +0000

We thank Suzie Nakasian for sending this information to us.
Concerts in Central Park
Friday, August 6, 1:30 PM Independent Silver Band
Saturday, August 7, 1:30 PM Dodworth Saxhorn Band
Other VBF Events Include
Thursday, August 5, 2:00 The WindWorks Quintet Concert, Northfield Public Library

Friday, August 6, 12:30 Kentucky Baroque Trumpet Concert, First UCC

Saturday, August 7
1:30 Kentucky Baroque Trumpet Concert, Northfield Public Library
1:30 Gargoyle Brass and Organ Concert- UCC Church
8:00 p.m. The Vintage Band Festival Dance - Northfield Ballroom (air conditioned)
Led by dance caller Robin Nelson and featuring the Dodworth Saxhorn Band. No dance partner or dance experience needed! Dance instruction at 8; Dancing will begin with a “Grand March” led by costumed dancers. (Ticket purchase required)

Sunday, August 8
Church Services featuring guest bands (see Festival schedule for details)
8:00 p.m. An Evening of Vaudeville featuring the North Star Cinema Orchestra
at The Grand Event Center (Ticket purchase required)

Admission to concerts is free (donations requested). Festival Donors ($25 and more) receive admission to ticketed events! To see the full Festival Schedule, purchase tickets or become a Festival Donor contact HYPERLINK “http://www.vintagebandfestival.org” www.vintagebandfestival.org or 507-581-1689.
Support the Vintage Band Festival 2010!

Meet The Candidates

Ed Lufkin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:32:21 +0000

The League of Women Voters Invites you to Meet the Primary Candidates for Northfield’s City Council

From a Northfield,org post submitted by Jane B McWilliams on Thu, 07/15/2010 – 5:54pm

Government

This year’s primary election will be held on Tuesday, August 10th — which is a month earlier than Minnesota’s traditional September primary date, AND fast approaching.

Do you know who your local candidates are? Come meet the Primary candidates and hear their views!

The League of Women Voters will sponsor a Primary Candidates Forum on Thursday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Northfield City Hall, 801 Washington Street. The Forum will provide an opportunity for you to hear the candidates and to ask them questions on the important issues facing our community!

Two City Council seats are on the Primary ballot. Running for the At-Large Council seat are Norman Butler, Steve Engler and Rhonda Pownell. Candidates for the Fourth Ward Council seat are Jon Denison, Patrick Ganey and Dale B. Gehring. (To find your Ward, consult the Council Ward map at http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/government/elections)

If you are not able to attend the Forum, you may send questions for the candidates to League of Women Voters member Barbara Crouter at bcrouter@charter.net, and your question(s) will be asked on your behalf. The Forum will be streamed online on KYMN radio, and videotaped to be shown on NTV several times before the primary election on August 10th.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to meet the candidates and to share your thoughts and feelings on the local issues that are important to you.

Mark your calendar: Thursday July 29, 7 p.m. City Hall, Council Chambers. and the Primary Election: Tuesday, August 10.

Information on the full state of State Primary Candidates is available at http://northfield.org/

Note Re: Absentee Ballots: Voters who will be out of town on summer vacation or otherwise unable to vote in person on August 10 will need to vote by Absentee Ballot. This is easy to do, but ballots must be received by the end of the day, Monday, August 9. Absentee Voter Instructions are attached to this email, and also available at http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/government/elections. For more information about Voting by Absentee Ballot, or Voter Registration go to http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/government/elections or contact the Office of Northfield City Clerk, Deb Little at: 507-645-3001.

Thank you! Susie Nakasian

Map of Carleton Properties

Ed Lufkin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:50:34 +0000

Pertinent to the topic mentioned below (City Zoning Map) we now offer the current map of Carleton properties, as we understand them to be; click on this link to open. http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/locations/ Ed

City Zoning Map

Ed Lufkin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:45:11 +0000

As City Staff, the Planning Commission, and the City Council continue to discuss imporant issues around the Land Developement Code, NESNA hopes to continue educating our membership concerning these important discussions. Therefore, we are attaching links to the current zoning map and current Land Development Code draft for your information.

Below is the path to the LDC.
http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/z/Zoning-map—March-2009.pdf http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/v/version-28—-LDC-7-01-10.pdf We appreciate your interest. Ed

Save the Depot!

Ed Lufkin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:15:32 +0000

We thank Alice Thomas for this current info on how we might save the depot. Ed

Arts Union Update

Ed Lufkin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:50:48 +0000

This just in from Steve Spehn: Everything remains on schedule at the Arts Union project. The demolition
> is on track. Once the adjoining gym wall that will
> become a temporary exterior wall is shored up the rest of
> the cafeteria and north entry space will come down.
> The old boiler room and its stack have been demolished
> (The 1910 smoke stack will stay) Site work and utilities
> work will follow and we will begin footings and
> foundations. Abatement work is occurring in the 1910
> and 1934 building and will be completed mid-July. We
> will see more activity starting the end of July with
> interior renovation. Ed

Memorial Park Plans

Ed Lufkin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:30:47 +0000

Memorial Park Watch: Update

Local residents near Memorial Park have been watching the Park Board’s efforts to expedite a master trail and landscaping plan for Memorial Park. The Board has been working hard to bring a Plan forward: sought and won funding for the project, and has been pressing diligently to get the project completed.

Led by Scott Carpenter, Anne Maple and me, the Friends of Memorial Park gathered resident input at the Annual meeting, and brought those ideas forward to the City. We then attended three successive months of Park Board meetings to continue to urge that that input be considered as the plans for the park trails were developed in sessions held by City Staff.

The last sketch of the trail and landscaping plan, presented at the June Parks Board meeting, included 1. the completion of a paved pedestrian path around the 7th Street parking lot (to address the safety concern about bike riding through the parking lot); 2. the completion (at last) of the path that enters at the end of Elm and 5th Streets, which will now wrap round the back of the pool to connect with the pool entrance, and finally, 3. the addition of a new connecting pedestrian path from the dead end of 6th Street East.

These are all most welcome additions to the Park – and funds well spent! They will provide the structure needed for future landscaping and development of the park, as called for in the Park Board Master Plan.

After the trail plan is finalized and approved by the Park Board, bids will be received and its hoped that there will be funds left for the introduction of some trees and landscaping including shrubs needed to hide the solar panels that now lie exposed, just north of the pool. Its now hoped that trail construction could begin in July – I will keep you posted.

Hats off to Commission Chair Rick Vanasek, Board Member Grace Clark, Nathan Knutson and others for their leadership in pressing to get this project funded AND completed! And hats off to Council Member Betsey Buckheit for her close watch of this process and receptivity to neighborhood concerns.

Suzie Nakasian

Village Band Festival

Ed Lufkin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:21:33 +0000

POST:Coming soon to the East Side Neighborhood: THE BRASS! The 2nd Annual Northfield Vintage Band Festival, upcoming on August 5-8, 2010will bring dozens of the world’s best brass ensembles to Northfield from around the world,and will feature 50 (!) concerts throughout Northfield including the following events in our East Side neighborhood – so mark your calendars:

Thursday August 5 2:00-WindWorks Quintet- Northfield Public Library

Friday, August 6

12:30- Kentucky Baroque Trumpets – First United Church of Christ

1:30- Independent Silver Band – Central Park

Saturday, August 7

1:30- Dodworth Saxhorn Band- Central Park

1:30- Kentucky Baroque Trumpets- Northfield Public Library

1:30- Gargoyle Brass and organ concert- First United Church of Christ

Sunday, August 8

Music featured during local Church services:

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church – Kentucky Baroque trumpets

Methodist Church – Independent Silver Band

First United Church of Christ Northfield – Dodworth Saxhorn Band

and

8:00- Evening of Vaudeville featuring the North Star Cinema Orchestra- Grand Event Center

The full Festival schedule and information about featured artists and sponsorship opportuntities are all available on the Vintage Band Festival website www.vintagebandfestival.org
Please join in supporting this memorable musical festival in Northfield!

Residents interested in volunteering for the VBF Festival are encouraged to contactJohn Hiscox <jhiscox@walbon.com or the VBF email. vbf2010@gmail.com.
Thank you!Sujzie Nakasian