NEW ULM — A formal recommendation for Hermann Heights’ hillside will come before the city council Tuesday.

The council will receive a report and recommendation for the Hermann hillside retaining wall. Last September, the Hermann Heights Hillside Stabilization Committee was created to consider repair and replacement options for Hermann Heights’ hillside facing Center Street.

The walls on the hillside are nearly 50 years old and have surface and sub-surface water-related problems requiring maintenance regularly.

The committee considered five designs for the hillside and selected two retaining wall options, with cost estimates for further consideration by the council. 

The top choice of the committee is a three-wall design. In this option, the lowest wall would abutt the sidewalk and extend 460 feet parallel to Center Street and only run partway to Summit Avenue. The maximum height of this wall is 6 feet. It would feature a curved turn-in to match the Martin Luther College side.

The mid-wall would be 10 feet back from the lower wall and extend 216 feet at a maximum height of 4 feet.

The top wall would be 10 feet away from the mid-wall and extend 185 feet with a maximum height of 4 feet.

The stones used for the project would be beveled with a color matching the current Kasota stone color. Ground cover plants would hide the top of each wall. Low evergreen shrubs at the end of each wall would keep pedestrians out and native wildflower seeding would be planted between the walls.

This design is estimated to cost $461,637.50. 

An alternative option was considered, in which the lowest wall extends an additional 190 feet further down toward Summit Avenue. This option is estimated to cost $573,080. The additional cost in this option is due to the new wall material.

In addition to the wall report, the council will consider an amendment to the existing Bolton & Menk, Inc., project contract for Hermann Heights and RENU parking lot improvements, to include design, bidding and construction observation services associated with the retaining wall project. 

The council has considered combining the RENU project and the retaining wall projects to save time and money. 

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Alliance Bank is requesting a variance to maintain their current address of 322 N. Minnesota St. for its new building. The Planning Commission previously recommended approval on the condition the address change would take effect upon the occupancy of the new bank building and the existing building’s address would be changed.

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A public hearing will be held for noise variance requested by Lamplighter Sports Bar & Grill. Lamplighter requested a permit for amplified music within the restaurant’s back parking lot from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17.