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Hubbard County discusses phased housing and industrial options for tax-forfeit parcels in Farden Township
Summary
County officials reviewed potential industrial and housing uses for tax-forfeit parcels in Farden Township, prioritizing road alignments to avoid Ferris Park, visual buffers between industrial and residential areas, a small test of housing lots, utility coordination and grant-dependent infrastructure funding.
Hubbard County officials reviewed options for developing tax-forfeit parcels in Farden Township, discussing road routing to reduce traffic by Ferris Park, a phased affordable-housing test, potential industrial parcels with rail access and timber-thinning options for a future residential phase.
County representatives said township residents strongly objected to routing heavy industrial traffic along 500th near Ferris Park and asked for visual buffers where industrial land would abut residences. Officials proposed keeping 500th in its current alignment until reaching 317th, then turning to access industrial acreage, and using a nearby tax-forfeit parcel as a site for a road and rail crossing to reduce impacts near the park.
The county described a housing approach that would “dip a toe in the water”: subdividing about 5 test lots from a roughly 80-acre lower parcel that includes significant wetland, with well and septic on high ground. County staff said a concise plan tying the subdivision to the county housing study will be needed to support a request to receive the parcels at no cost under an affordable-housing claim.
On industrial options, county staff outlined a potential 120-acre block that a prospective business has expressed interest in, plus possible rail siding and additional spurs for vehicle storage. Officials said the county would likely purchase tax-forfeit parcels and sell or redevelop them at assessed market value; any price concessions would be considered case by case.
Officials said they will meet with utilities, including a scheduled meeting with Beltrami Electric and the railroad, to review capacity and crossing requirements. They noted a number of infrastructure funding sources that could help pay to upgrade access roads if a business is committed: federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) programs, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) grants such as the Greater Minnesota Public Infrastructure Grant, and other DEED infrastructure programs. Staff emphasized that most grant programs require a business commitment (for example, a letter of intent) showing projected tax base, jobs and wages to justify investment.
Binfrastructure and permitting issues remain. Staff said there is a six-month window from the county's withdrawal of the parcels from auction to decide on purchase; they expected to act in March or April absent other direction. Officials also raised considerations about a county ATV trail, existing pipeline locations, and the width of a narrow tax-forfeit strip that could be used to build a road.
Separately, the board discussed timber on the west side of 307th proposed for selective thinning before development. A county representative and a former forester present recommended a 30% thinning and suggested offering the timber at the April auction with a six-month harvest window to preserve value and avoid complete clearing during later development.
County staff described this as an engineering- and grant-dependent phase: more design, utility coordination and a secured business commitment are required before significant public funds or purchases are pursued.
Ending: County officials said they will continue engineering work, meet with utilities and the railroad, and refine a housing summary to support the county's request for the parcels under an affordable-housing rationale. No formal acquisition or subsidy decisions were made at the meeting.
