By Mari Radtke
At Primghar’s regular City Council meeting held November 10 the council opened 2 different public hearings for the sale of real estate to 2 different private persons.
The first parcel is a lot at the north of Primghar zoned for residential use. Austin Sweeney approached the city in September about purchasing 5 lots in Brocks and Sterns Addition. Rezoning of the property is required for Sweeney to build any commercial use development. A public hearing to rezone the real estate from residential to light industrial. Council approved the sale with a Special Warranty Deed. No comments to either public hearing were submitted.
The second approved sale of property was to Hunter and Kelsey Fiddelke for an empty building on the square. The building occupies 2 lots and formerly housed S.O.S. a charitable organization that assisted with food and clothing. In September the offer to purchase the property for $5000 came to the council. The intended use for the structure, which the city invested in gutting, mitigating a mold issue and replacing the roof, is for a studio. No public input came to the council about the sale of property.
Two more items about city zoning were held on November 10. The first was to solicit public comment for the approval and adoption of the updated zoning ordinances and map. No comments came. The first reading of the ordinance 2021-05 to adopt the new zoning ordinance and subdivision regulation and zoning map received council approval. A second reading will be held in December.
A resolution to voluntarily annex 3 parcels owned by the City of Primghar and located east of the Industrial Park was adopted. Council also entered into an engineering agreement with DGR for engineering services for a wastewater treatment project. The 10-year tax abatement Urban Revitalization discussion was tabled. Council also approved getting a bid from NIPCO next spring to replace 3 electric transmission poles. NIPCO will be in the area doing that work at that time. The service should save the city electric service some money on the project.
Townships in the Primghar Fire District agreed to an increase for the service. The rate in the coming tax year went from $295.50 to $303.00, a 2.53% increase.