The readiness center is under construction at 2100 Palmer Avenue. It is located next to the Minnesota National Guard vehicle maintenance shop that was constructed in 2022.

As the Readiness Center near completion, a permit application was submitted to the city requesting permission to place an 8-foot fence near the property. The top foot of the fence would be made of three strand barbed wire. The purpose of the fence is to keep individuals for entering the site as it will house large military vehicle and other National Guard operations.

The fence is approximately 200 feet from the road and staff believe it would have minimal visual impact on surrounding properties.

City Planner John Knisley said the previous National Guard vehicle maintenance facility at 1523 S. Washington has similar fencing. The new field maintenance shop next door to the readiness center was granted a CUP for a barbed wire fence in 2021. The new fencing would connect with the fence already surrounding the field maintenance shop.

The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the 8-foot barbed wire fence surrounding the National Guard field maintenance shop was approved in 2021. A request to extend the fence around the new National Guard Readiness Center was recently submitted the city. The Planning Commission recommended approval for the additional fencing.

No comments were received during the public hearing. Commissioner Linda Beck made the motion to recommend approval with a second from Michelle Sellner. The recommendation was approved by a majority of the commission. Final approval of the permit will come before the New Ulm City Council at their Tuesday, April 1 meeting.