NEW ULM – A preliminary plat for the properties at 16 and 20 S. Broadway, commonly known as the Castle House, was approved by the Planning Commission Thursday.

The owner of the property, Robert Van Zile, applied for the plat in order to sell the property. At this time two residential units exist on the property.

The approval of this plat realigns the property line between the units allowing them to be sold separately. Van Zile is planning to sell both units to an unnamed couple.

Van Zile explained the couple requested the property be divided into two lots to allow the wife to sell one of the units if her husband dies in order to decrease their debt liability.

Van Zile had been planning to split the property already, saying “It’s much easier to sell a property like that as two individual lots as opposed to buying the whole thing because you have to get commercial loans.”

Van Zile was also confident the couple purchasing the property would maintain it.

This property had previously come before the Board of Zoning for a variance to allow a side yard setback of 9 feet, which was recommended for approval by the Board and then was subsequently approved by the City Council.

With the Planning Commissions recommendation the plat issue will now move to the City Council’s April 5 meeting agenda for approval.