Incorporation News and Info

Northern Township has grown into a thriving community of over 3,800 residents, offering many of the services and amenities commonly associated with cities across Minnesota. As we continue to grow and take on more municipal responsibilities, the Northern Town Board believes it is time to take the next step in our development: incorporation.

Incorporation is the legal process by which a township becomes a city. This step would allow Northern Township to establish formal city boundaries, maintain greater control over local land use and growth, and access new sources of state funding. It would also ensure the Township is positioned to continue delivering high-quality services efficiently and effectively—now and into the future.

The decision to explore incorporation has not been made lightly. Northern has held meetings dating back to 1977 discussing incorporation. More recently, in November 2022, the Town Board held two public meetings to share information about the process and gather feedback from residents. Community input was overwhelmingly supportive of moving forward with the effort.

Northern Township remains committed to transparency and public involvement as this process unfolds. This page will serve as a central hub for updates, background information, and notices related to incorporation. We invite all residents to stay engaged as we move through this important chapter in our Township’s history.

Incorporation Trial was held Sept. 29 – Oct. 6, 2025

Locations: Town Hall and Bemidji City Hall

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Incorporation Public Hearing was held Sept. 30, 2025

Location: County Fairgrounds 4H building

 

Upcoming Incorporation Timeline Key Events

  • Attorney’s legal briefs due to Judge Palmer-Denig: December 8th, 2025
  • Judge Palmer-Denig issues decision: targeting January/February 2026
  • Potential new Northern City Council election: spring – summer 2026 (if incorporation is granted, this will be set by the judge)

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Decades of Annexation Already

Nearly 23% of Northern Township’s original land area has already been annexed into the City of Bemidji. Each annexation shrinks our community, shifts tax base away from our residents, and reduces our ability to plan for our own future.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bemidji steadily annexed portions of the Township through a series of smaller boundary changes.

In the early 2000s, the Township entered into a 15-year orderly annexation agreement with Bemidji. That agreement was honored in full and concluded in 2020. At the time, many believed annexation disputes were finally behind us.

But in 2021—barely a year later—Bemidji returned with new annexation plans, once again seeking to expand their city boundaries at Northern’s expense.

That history is why our incorporation effort matters. Incorporation is the only way to secure stable boundaries, protect our tax base, and keep local decisions in the hands of Northern residents so we can effectively plan for the future.

Incorporation vs. Annexation

When it comes to our future, the choice is clear: annexation takes more from our residents and gives less back, while incorporation strengthens our pocketbooks and keeps Northern’s future in Northern’s hands.

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Northern vs. Bemidji Wastewater Plans

Northern has been developing a carefully planned wastewater project for years to serve our community and protect Lake Bemidji. In contrast, Bemidji has only recently put forward a last-minute idea to extend their system outside of their own city boundaries—an attempt to capture additional tax base while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on an area that isn’t even under their jurisdiction.

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Important Documents

Historical Documents

Trial Documents

News/Updates

Incorporation Community Information Meeting

Incorporation Community Information Meeting

by | May 1, 2025 | ,

April 29, 2025 RE: Important Community Meeting – Northern Township’s Path to Incorporation Dear Northern Township Property Owner, Northern Township is planning on filing a Notice of Intent to Incorporate as a city with the State of Minnesota. Incorporation...

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