Solar Connection of Rochester has been contracted to install a solar array at the new city hall. The firm previously built the 192 panel solar array outside the St. Peter Wastewater Treatment Plant show above. (File photo)
The TIF on the Washington Terrace subdivision is being decertified not that the conditions of the TIF have been met. The TIF’s expiration is expected to add significant value to the city’s tax base. (File photo/southernminn.com)
Solar Connection of Rochester has been contracted to install a solar array at the new city hall. The firm previously built the 192 panel solar array outside the St. Peter Wastewater Treatment Plant show above. (File photo)
St. Peter’s new city hall is going green. On Feb. 9, the St. Peter City Council approved the purchase and installation of a 39.9 kilowatt solar array for the new city hall at 1 Scholarship Way with the aid of a state grant.
The ground-mounted solar array will be installed adjacent to the old Scholarship America building as part of the city’s goals to invest in sustainable energy where new opportunities arise. That project is now feasible thanks to a Solar on Public Buildings grant from the state of Minnesota providing $100,000 to the project and covering 70% of its total cost.
The city plans to utilize a Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit to cover the remaining 30% of the project, approximately $43,000 in total. With those combined funds, the city is authorizing Solar Connection of Rochester to install the solar panels. The company previously worked with the city on installing the solar array near the Wastewater Treatment plant in 2024.
Installation on the system, expected to generate over 70,000 kilowatt hours of energy in its first year, is expected to begin later this spring. Construction is then expected to conclude in the fall.
TIF districts decertified
In other action, the St. Peter City Council approved the decertification of two Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts and the partial modification of a third, ultimately serving to grow the city’s tax base.
On the recommendation of city staff, the City Council voted to decertify a 2003 TIF created to promote housing development at the Washington Terrace subdivision and a 2017 TIF created to redevelop Mary’s Flowers into a multi-tenant commercial building which now houses businesses like Dunkin Donuts, Healing Harvest and Jimmy Johns.
With the terms of the TIF agreement now satisfied, the city is decertifying the two TIFs and will be receiving some of the excess tax increments back from Nicollet County. Of the over $860,000 being returned to Nicollet County for redistribution, the city of St. Peter is expecting to receive a combined $300,000 back in funds.
The TIF on the Washington Terrace subdivision is being decertified not that the conditions of the TIF have been met. The TIF’s expiration is expected to add significant value to the city’s tax base. (File photo/southernminn.com)
Additionally, the council approved the removal of several parcels from the Nicollet Meadows TIF District. While the TIF has not yet expired, staff recommended removing parcels that are no longer contributing to existing obligations. From this decertification, an estimated $2 million in tax increment will be returned to the county auditor. Of that, the city is projected to receive approximately $486,000.
With the TIFs decertified, the aforementioned properties will now be taxed at their full market rate, adding what could be a significant amount of dollars to the tax base. City Administrator Todd Prafke estimated that just one of the TIF decertifications on its own would lower the tax rate by half a percent.
Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, e-edition, prep sports, obituaries, entertainment and more.
Reach Reporter Carson Hughes at 507-931-8575. © Copyright 2025 Adams MultiMedia of Southern Minnesota. All Rights Reserved.
Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reporting—but good journalism isn’t free. Please support us by making a contribution.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Account processing issue – the email address may already exist
Delivered Tuesday through Saturday mornings.
Delivered Wednesday and Saturday.
Delivered Wednesday and Saturday.
Delivered Tuesday morning.
Delivered Tuesday through Saturday mornings.
Delivered Tuesday through Saturday mornings.
Delivered Tuesday through Saturday mornings.
Delivered Wednesday and Saturday.
Delivered Wednesday and Saturday.
Sign up with
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Sign in with
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.
