The Lyle City Council took another step to bring more housing to the city Tuesday at its meeting.

The meeting date changed after the council members realized they all had relatives performing in the school band concert Wednesday night. Council meetings are usually held at 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.

The city voted to deed two lots in the 500 block of Fifth Street back to the state, City Clerk Diana DeBoer said. The Minnesota Department of Revenue, property tax division, deeded the city the property to expand its Park and Recreation services about 10 years ago, but the land was rarely used, DeBoer said. Last summer, the city decided it would like to build housing on the lots, but it cannot be used for that under the current agreement with the state.

Instead, Lyle needed to deed the property back to the state and Mower County is planning to request the land. Lyle's Economic Development Authority will then need to request the property from the county for housing development. Representatives from the EDA are planning to do so at the May 27 county commissioners meeting.

Once that is finalized, the EDA

can promote the 200 x 180 foot and 95 x 180 foot lots for housing.

"There's a potential for three lots," DeBoer said because the larger lot is likely to be split.

The city installed a sewer system on Fifth Street last fall, making residential development of the area more feasible, DeBoer said.

The next city council meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. June 11.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at :mailto:cari.quam@austindailyherald.com