Page Title

The Victoria Lions We Serve.

Lake Auburn Moravian Church

Victoria * 952-443-2051

Call for a clinic near you.

952-442-8094

Headlines

and bylines

Front Page

Feature Story

From the

Editor

Addie’s

Drawing

Letters

to the Editor

Victoria

Moments

Hook

Line & Sinker

Calendar

of Events

Click here to

Advertise

the Gazette

Return to

Home Page

Order

paper Gazette

Notes and

Quotes

The Scoop

at City Hall

He said it would roughly cost from $800,000 to $1.2 million to extend sanitary sewer to the Segal property and about $200,000 to extend municipal water. Said Mr. Uram, "I don't think the developer could pay the cost and still be viable."

Said Councilmember Kim Roden, "I always get nervous about contributing to a developer's cost."

Councilmember Tom Strigel looked for logic in such a scenario, suggesting that if the city bonded to help a developer pay for infrastructure, spreading the cost among all taxpayers, that new homes could then come into the city and pay taxes and return benefit to the city and residents.

Said Mr. Uram, "We've taken a leadership role. Do you want us to continue that? It would include partnerships with the people interested in developing."

Replied Councilmember Roden, "When a city makes a decision to bond for something like this, what does the city give up? There are trade-offs and we'd need heavy duty discussion."

Cara Geheren stated, "Cities do typically fund trunk systems when it goes through No-Man's Land." She pointed out that it like a No-Man's Land between the source point near the city's sewer and water at County Road 43 and a southerly extension to the Segal property. There are few property owners to contribute to the cost.

Councilmember Jim Crowley suggested waiting with the extension of utility infrastructure until properties along both sides of County Road 43 are ready to develop, including the feedlot on the west side of 43. The farmer in that location has no interest in developing, however.

***

Who should pay for the construction of Marsh Lake Road, which is currently a gravel road? "We have the need to not have it be gravel," stated City Engineer Cara Geheren. The road was recently wholly annexed to the City of Victoria along with adjacent property north of it.

Mr. Uram said that it could cost roughly $4 million to build and pave the 1.6 miles of Marsh Lake Road. He asked, "Are we [the city] willing to accept any financial burden on this?"

Asked Councilmember Tom O'Connor, "What's the compelling reason and the horizon over the next five years to do this? I don't see any significant development here in the next three to five years."

There were other comments about the timing of cleaning up Lake Wasserman, which is very high in phosphorous, and thereby improving property values.

About the poor condition of the lake, Cara said, "The feedlot has been the historical source of the problem."

***

Discussion about parkland dedication on the Segal property, if developed, touched on an active park, not necessarily on the shores of Lake Wasserman, maybe a winter use park because of the poor lake quality, where cross country skiing might be a better option than summer use.

At the conclusion of the joint workshop, Administrator Uram summarized, "Based on the outcome of this evening, development is not possible for the developer in 2012." Development could possibly occur in 2013, he said.

In the meantime, another joint meeting will be held in 2012, possibly March of 2012, to continue discussion of city involvement and leadership in private development.

Other properties on the southern edge of Lake Wasserman, in addition to the Segal Enterprise, are labeled as Meatcutters Union, Steffens/Americana, and Lennar.

SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM FAILS

VOTER TURNOUT IN VICTORIA WAS 23.7%

As reported in the City Scoop pages of the November issue of the Victoria Gazette, District 112 School Superintendent Dr. James Bauck spoke to city councilmembers in October about the Technology Referendum that was scheduled for and subsequently held on Tuesday, November 8th. The District asked for $1.98 million per year for the next ten years in order to create a technology funding source for its several schools.

The referendum was defeated by a vote of 3,158 (51.8%) to 2,942 (48.2%).

*Victoria: Yes 484, No 518.

*Chanhassen: Yes 971, No 917.

*Chaska: Yes 1,225; No 1,367.

*East Union: Yes 262, No 356.

***

Approximately 20% of registered voters participated in this referendum.

Click here to continue City Scoop.