Victoria Gazette - The Scoop at City Hall

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DATA STUDY ON DOWNTOWN PARKING

POSTPONED TILL VICTORIA FLATS FILLS UP

Council held a workshop on April 9th at which time Lance Bernard, a planner and project manager with HKGI (Hoisington Koegler Group Inc.), spoke about parking conversations in order to understand the parking issues in downtown Victoria. At the end of his presentation and recommendation for Victoria to fund a parking study, Council consensus was to wait until Victoria Flats in downtown Victoria is closer to full occupancy. That 80-unit apartment building will necessarily have an impact on availability of downtown parking.”

NO YARD WASTE SITE IN VICTORIA!

CARVER COUNTY TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS

Councilmember Tom Strigel reported on April 9th that the Carver County Board of Commissioners took a vote April 3rd on their proposed yard waste site in the City of Victoria, on MN Landscape Arboretum property at the intersection of Bavaria Road and 82nd Street. It had been controversial since the proposal was first made public and reported on extensively in the Victoria Gazette.

RECONSTRUCTING STIEGER LAKE LANE

WITH STREETSCAPING AND 25 PARKING STALLS

Council addressed street, utility, and parking improvements on Stieger Lake Lane on April 9th, voting 3-2 to direct Finance Director Kelly Grinnell to direct the full amount of Tax Increment Finance dollars from the Victoria Flats Project, as well as assessments to benefitting properties, to pay for this next stage of improvements, noting that any leftover funds be earmarked for downtown core Victoria.

VICTORIA’S QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT

MEETING BUDGETED PROJECTIONS

Finance Director Kelly Grinnell presented the first quarter 2018 financial report April 23rd. "We are close to what we expected for the first quarter," she said. "We have 30 new homes through March, which is quite a bit below last year, but we're meeting budgeted projections."

VICTORIA RECREATION CENTER IS SUCCESSFUL

HISTORY AND WORK ARE ULTIMATELY PAYING OFF

Ann Mahnke, Victoria Director of Public Works and Parks, presented the 2017 Parks and Rec Annual Report on April 23rd. "You have a pretty comprehensive document in the council packet," she said. "I'll also give a synopsis of highlights. "That synopsis reported over 100 programs and special events offered through the Victoria Recreation Center with 2,129 participants in 2017, which is a 13% increase in three years. She said there is "much participation" especially in summer programs, T-ball, and basketball.”

PROTECTING THE HILLTOP FARM AND TREES

FROM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE ROAD

After City Engineer Cara Geheren presented information on April 9th about utility extension possibilities to the south side of Marsh Lake Road, Council agreed that gathering data was a priority. Stated Cara, "It is helpful to have council feedback." She commented on the proposed street connection of the Laketown development to Marsh Lake Road at the top of a hill, directly across from the Dick and Mary Schmieg farm.

LAKETOWN 11TH ADDITION APPROVED

WITHOUT IDENTIFIED EGRESS TO MARSH LAKE ROAD

Council approved an ordinance amendment and two resolutions on April 23rd related to the 11th Addition of the Laketown development on the north side of Marsh Lake Road -- despite or in spite of the fact that layout and location of Marsh Lake Road is still uncertain.

Said Laura Chamberlain with HKGi, sitting in as an interim planner, "This is the final parcel that has been being developed for the last 15 years or so. There are 66 single family lots being rezoned to R-2. The minimum lot size is 7,500 square feet but many of the lots are larger.

ALTERNATE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS

TO INCREASE VICTORIA CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Interim City Manager Doug Reeder introduced an item on April 23rd related to the Planning Commission. "Not every member of the Planning Commission is attending all meetings," he said. "Should we bring in alternate members? We've had very good applicants for the Commission whom we were not able to appoint."

SHORTER VICTORIA SCOIOP FROM APRIL

DOUG REEDER PAYS OPEN MEETING LAW LEGAL FEES

*Stated Interim City Manager Doug Reeder on April 9th, "I intend to pay two legal bills tomorrow regarding the Open Meeting Law. One is for $578 for preparing reports for a required brief. The other is for $4,316 for legal services for the Supreme Court action. This is just for council information."

COMPLETE SCOOP IN PAPER EDITION OF THE GAZETTE.

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