SPRING VALLEY, Minnesota (STPNS) -- Spring Valley's city council convened for a special meeting Friday, Aug. 1, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to handle housekeeping matters on the annexation of the Kasten Farm on the north end of town and finalizing the sale of three industrial park expansion lots.

Property owner Larry Kappers' land stands where the extension of SATA Drive is located, but a little more than one acre remains for an industrially-zoned lot, and through an annexation agreement, the city traded that land for lots four and six of the Kasten farm, and Kappers will buy the third parcel.



Local business owner Aaron Kolling expressed interest in an option to purchase an additional lot in the Kasten farm for $1.85 per square foot, available to him at that price until Aug. 31.

"We still have a fair amount we'll be able to sell," said City Administrator Deb Zimmer, regarding the remaining land.

"Kollings want an option on that. The original motion was for $5,200 an acre plus actual assessments. We will put it on a 15-year assessment to keep our options open for tax increment funding."

Kolling inquired about a building permit since he apparently had received one for a different location than the one he chose most recently to build on.

"Right now, it's all township," replied Zimmer. The council voted to accept the rate of $1.85 per square foot until Aug. 31, then passed a motion trading Kappers' lot three for lots four and six. The question arose as to whether someone should contact Virgil Moeller to obtain permission to plow his soybean crop under earlier than proposed, and a motion passed approving that suggestion.

Kolling asked, "Can I start building next Tuesday?" The council answered that he would need an agreement because he would be building on Kappers' property. "We'll get everything in line with the attorneys and do the paperwork," stated Zimmer.