|
Chaska Community Center Victoria Memberships. 952-448-3176 |
|
Dine in Downtown Victoria * 952-443-2858 |
|
St. Bonifacius * 952-446-1338 |
|
Take the worry out of winter.. Call 1-888-41-SEPTIC. |
|
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 |
|
Birthright. Pregnant and need help? 952-442-4026 |
|
Home Page |
|
The Victoria GAZETTE |
|
Continuing information from the Planning Commission report indicates that, as of January 1st, 2012, there were 138 vacant lots/units available within Victoria. Of the vacant lots, 98 of them (or 71% of total lots available) are within three subdivisions. Two of these subdivisions are owned by national builders so there is a limited selection in homes and lot types. Madelyn Creek, which is a multi-family subdivision by local builders, Kerber Family Homes, has 35% of the vacant lots. Number of lots available for building in the City of Victoria are currently as follows: Madelyn Creek (48 out of 112), Krey Lakes III (22 out of 24), Rhapsody II (17 out of 64)), The Gallery (13 out of 34), Rhapsody I (9 out of 33), Watermark East (8 out of 27), Parkview Estates (5 out of 26), Watermark South (4 out of 37), Shores of Stieger Lake (4 out of 42), Fox Hollow (3 out of 3), Watermark South Second (2 out of 12), Krey Lakes I and II (2 out of 75), and Applewood (1 out of 35). *** In addition to new home permits issued in 2011, the City of Victoria also issued permits for zoning (24), decks (38), signs (6), and trees/noxious weed removal (5). The Planning Commission held 15 meetings in 2011 and cancelled eight meetings due to lack of agenda items or other conflicts. For comparison, the Victoria City Council held at least two dozen meetings.
THE COMPLEXITY OF ASSISTING DEVELOPMENT IS TIMING RIGHT TO INVEST IN EXTENDING SEWER LINES? Council held a workshop on Monday, January 9th, as part of a series of discussions regarding that undeveloped portion of the City of Victoria that lies south of Lake Wasserman. The first workshop was held on Monday, November 28th Purpose of these workshops, as reported in the December 2011 issue of the Gazette, is to give city staff direction as to the extent the City of Victoria may or may not be willing to financially assist developers or landowners who want to develop, perhaps partnering in providing infrastructure or deferment of development fees or code flexibility. City Engineer Cara Geheren said on January 9th that this area of Victoria is most challenging to develop and extend utilities because of the large lake and wetland areas. "We always try to approach things in the most cost effective method," she said. Administrator Don Uram acknowledged that, in addition to increased revenue for the City of Victoria (through building fees and property taxes), development would also bring increased service costs. "We will have to take into consideration police, snowplowing, fire protection," he said. "It's a growth versus no-growth scenario," continued Mr. Uram. "It means a lot to our residents and our commercial businesses." He added, "We're really not expecting anything to happen until July 2013." As reported in December, the 71-acre David Segal property is probably the next site to develop in Victoria. In responding to Gazette questions, Community Development Director Holly Kreft informed, "The Segal property would be the first large developable property. There are four single family home parcels north of the Segal property." What is the acreage of the subsequent adjacent parcels on Lake Wasserman? Holly identified the major investment landowners and informed the Gazette that Meatcutters Union has approximately 50 acres; American Bank (previously owned by Steffens) has approximately 40 acres; Lennar has approximately 117 acres. That's about 275 acres that could be served by the sewer extension. Holly explained, "The trunk sewer line would be first extended to the Segal property (in the northwest corner, adjacent to County Road 43), and then extended through the Segal property as development occurs. This would be similar to how the trunk sewer was extended through the Watermark subdivision and then south to serve the future subdivisions." City Engineer Cara Geheren presented a map from Victoria's Comprehensive Plan that showed the ultimate city boundary (including property not yet annexed to the city) and the existing and projected sanitary sewer system. She identified the large sewer interceptors owned and installed by the Metropolitan Council; these consist of the massive six-foot pipes and tunnels like those recently constructed at Smithtown and Rolling Acres Road in Victoria. Cara also identified the city trunk sewer mains that can be from 10 to 30 inches in diameter; these mains in the city trunk system are built in accordance with the city's Comprehensive Plan and tie into the Metropolitan Council system.
|
|
Sue’s Album A symphony of photos and fewer than a thousand words at www.VictoriaGazette.com |
|
February 2012 |
|
WATERBROOKE Fellowship A place where all may experience God in a meaningful and personal way, in Victoria. 952-443-0062 |
