NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved an application from the Springfield Housing Development Initiative program to abate taxes for new home construction for up to five years Tuesday.

Action came on a motion by Dave Borchert, seconded by Jeff Veerkamp.

The abatement was not finalized at the meeting. A public hearing to consider the abatement was set for 9:05 a.m., Tuesday, June 7.

The Springfield City Council and Springfield Public School Board have not considered the abatement yet.

The city of Springfield recently had a three-year window of 50% (tax) abatement with no applications. The city’s intention is to increase an incentive to promote residential development in the area.

Springfield City Manager Joe Stremcha said the city of Springfield will abate — not collect — about $16,000 in property taxes over five years from the developers or homeowners of the new homes. The County Board approved abating $4,700 in Brown County property taxes.

Stremcha said there is an applicant for the abatement that could include remodeling for housing expansion.

“I certainly support this. It’s a great idea. I think we have to think differently to recruit people to the area,” Borchert said.

In other business, the board unanimously approved:

• A variance request to reduce the 14-foot requirement to 2 feet between a 20-foot diagonal parking stall and the driving lane on CSAH 3 (Central St.) from O’Connell to Cass Avenue in Springfield. Action came on a motion by Borchert, seconded by Veerkamp.

The two blocks are planned for 2027 reconstruction including streetscape features.

Brown County Highway Engineer Wayne Stevens said the request must be approved by the state of Minnesota.

Stremcha said Springfield businesses want diagonal instead of parallel parking to create more parking spaces.

• A Canadian Pacific Railroad agreement to update the CSAH 13 (Boundary Street) crossing in New Ulm to concrete, on a motion by Borchert, seconded by Tony Berg.

Brown County has been working for two years with the railroad to complete the agreement. The railroad agreed only if Brown County pays for the project, estimated to cost $130,873.09.

Wayne Stevens said Brown County normally only pays for project materials in such a project but that the railroad would not agree to it unless it didn’t have to pay for it. Stevens said the City of New Ulm has not approved the agreement yet but verbally told him it would pay half the cost.

• Planning Commission approval at its May 10 meeting of an application by Corey Huiras, Section 8, Leavenworth Township, to continue to allow up to 600 animal units in a hog finishing operation, all in the A-1 Agricultural Protection zone, on a motion by Veerkamp, seconded by Dean Simonsen.

• A 4% general salary increase for non-union employees plus steps, on a motion by Commissioner Scott Windschitl, seconded by Simonsen.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)