Victoria MN Newspaper

PRELIMINARY PLAT OK’D FOR 63 HOMES

IN WASSERMAN LAKE WOODS

Council approved the preliminary plat, rezoning, and conditional use permit for the PUD, Lake Wasserman Woods on February 10th. Total size is about 40 acres.

"It is similar to the sketch plat," said Community Development Director Holly Kreft. "The Planning Commission recommended approval. The developer is asking for an 18-month extension to submit the final plat, until sewer and water is available from the west."

The subdivision to the immediate west of Lake Wasserman Woods is Lakeside Estates (about 50 acres). The subdivision to the immediate west of Lakeside Estates is Lake Wasserman Ridge (about 35 acres). The City of Victoria constructed a trunk sewer and watermain to the edge of this area south of Lake Wasserman in order to make these subdivisions, and others, possible. The Hesse agricultural property is located south of Wasserman Lake Woods.

The preliminary plat for Lake Wasserman Woods consists of 63 single family lots located at 5980 Marsh Lake Road, owned by Haala Properties out of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Development is by Golden Valley Land Company.

Park Dedication Fee is proposed to be $93,259. Park Facilities Fee is $157,50. Net acreage -- excluding wetlands and steep slopes - is 31.80 acres.

FINAL PLAT OK’D FOR 23 HOMES

IN LAKE WASSERMAN RIDGE 2ND PHASE

Council approved the final plat for the second phase of Lake Wasserman Ridge development on February 10th as submitted by Ryland Homes, located between Marsh Lake Road and Lake Wasserman. Final plat for the first phase was approved in April 2013. The first phase consisted of 36 homes. The second phase consists of 23 homes. Total single family homes for Lake Wasserman Ridge: 59.

Park Dedication fees were met through the dedication of land with the first phase. The Park Facilities Fee for the second phase is $57,500.

Said Community Development Director Holly Kreft, "The majority of the plat was graded last year. The Planning Commission reviewed it and recommended approval. Future access to Marsh Lake Road is through Lakeside Estates."

Lake Wasserman Ridge is the furthest west development that lies south of Lake Wasserman, with the immediately adjacent easterly subdivisions known as Lakeside Estates, then Wasserman Lake Woods, then a future Laketown development.

More than 250 homes have so far been approved south of Lake Wasserman.

VICTORIA ADOPTS NEW POLICY RULES

On February 10th city councilmembers received and adopted a set of rules "to govern the conduct of its meetings" and allow more participation from the audience.

Said Manager Don Uram, "A couple months ago, Council asked for some rules and guidelines. Historically, the Council has allowed the public to speak. These are pretty basic guidelines. The mayor has the ability to limit discussion on any item."

One section of the new documents reads: "The Victoria City Council welcomes resident participation and input. Individuals wishing to address the Council are asked to fill out a Request To Speak Form and submit it to the Mayor or the City Manager prior to the meeting. When the item is announced, the individual wishing to speak should go to the podium, wait to be acknowledged by the Mayor, and then state their name. Individuals shall limit their comments to five minutes and address only the subject item being discussed."

Stated Councilmember Tom Strigel, "This is a very good start."

Said Councilmember Joe Pavelko, who initiated the new policy, "I thought residents should be able to talk about things that are on the agenda and I hope this helps."

Said Mr. Uram, "I think this is a work in progress. The intent is to give people an opportunity to speak. We'll try to accommodate everybody and see how it works. We'll do a little marketing program so people are aware of it."

He said the new set of rules will begin at the next meeting. At that February 24th meeting, Mayor Tom O'Connor informed the audience of the new rules. "They allow broader participation," he said. "We're feeling our way a little bit but we think it's a step forward."

No audience member filled out a request to speak to an item that was on the agenda that evening.

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