Overview

Special meetings are occasionally called.

For transaction of business at any meeting, four members constitute a quorum. It is desired that members make every attempt to be present at all meetings.

The City of Northfield Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) seeks to safeguard the heritage of Northfield by preserving sites and structure, which reflect elements of the city’s cultural, social, economic, political, visual, or architectural history. Additional goals of the commission include:

• Protect and enhance the City of Northfield's appeal to residents, visitors, and tourists
• Serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry
• Foster civic pride in the beauty and notable accomplishments of the past
• Promote the preservation and continued use of historic sites and structures for the education and general welfare of the people of the City of Northfield

Downtown Design Guidelines

The Downtown Design Guidelines have been prepared to guide the HPC in their review of exterior building improvements, including signage.

View Downtown Design Guidelines

HPC review

Unless otherwise exempted in Section 4.8.3, Exemptions, in the H-O district no zoning certificate or building permit for construction, exterior alteration or rehabilitation, moving, or demolition of a building or structure on a heritage preservation site shall be issued until the project has been submitted to, and received approval of a certificate of appropriateness from the heritage preservation commission.

Certificates of appropriateness shall be subject to the Type 3 review procedure. 

Type 3 review procedure (Chapter 36, Sec 8.4.6)

Applicants should consult staff prior to completing the application, as individual projects may have different submittal requirements. All signs in the Downtown Historic District need a certificate of appropriateness from the HPC.

Sign permit for Historic District application

Heritage Preservation in Northfield

One of downtown Northfield’s greatest resources is its unique concentration of historic and architecturally interesting buildings.

Heritage Preservation in Northfield

Projects

Bridge Square Master Planning Project

Northfield Commercial Historic District Survey Revision Project