MARSHALL — When Lyon County commissioners approved a new tax abatement policy this summer, they hoped it would encourage housing construction in the area.

On Tuesday, commissioners saw their first group of applicants for single-family homes and apartments. After a public hearing on the applications, they approved four different abatements for new residential properties in Marshall, Minneota, Balaton and Rock Lake Township.

Tuesday’s hearing was part of the legal process needed before commissioners could approve or reject the applications. Minnesota law allows political subdivisions like counties to abate property taxes, but a public hearing is required first. There were some property owners present at the hearings, but there weren’t any objections to the housing construction.

Under Lyon County’s tax abatement policy, people who build new single family homes, duplexes, or multi-family housing with 12 or fewer units can apply for a four-year abatement on the county’s share of increased property taxes created by the building. If approved by the county, the abatement on the property is 80 percent the first year, 60 percent the second year, 40 percent the third year, and 20 percent the fourth year.

Lyon County Auditor/Treasurer E.J. Moberg presented four applicants to commissioners. One application was for a house on Andrew Street in Marshall.

“The house is built,” Moberg said, and the new owners are in the process of moving in. The estimated abatement for the property was a total of $1,456 over four years, he said.

Another application was for a four-plex of apartments on West Third Street in Minneota. Moberg said the estimated abatement for that property was a total of $3,055 over four years.

The remaining two applications were for homes on properties with Balaton addresses. One, Moberg said, was on Eastbay Avenue in Balaton, and the other was on 180th Avenue in Rock Lake Township.

The estimated total abatement for the Eastbay Avenue home was $1,265 over four years, and the estimated total abatement for the Rock Lake Township home was $2,225 over four years, Moberg said.

There wasn’t any negative feedback offered up at the public hearing, and county commissioners approved each of the applications, in separate motions.

The county property tax abatement, as approved by county commissioners in June, is open to applicants from 2018 through Dec. 31, 2022.