Victoria Gazette - The Scoop at City Hall

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VICTORIA FLATS COMING TO TOWN

WITH RENTAL APARTMENTS & PUBLIC PARKING

The Council Chamber was heavy with activity for five hours on Monday evening, October 24th. The workshop began at 5 p.m., followed by the 6:30 p.m. regularly scheduled city council meeting. Nearly all of it was related to the Victoria Flats project, an 81-unit luxury apartment building that was being proposed for the southeast corner of Stieger Lake Lane and Quamoclit St. in downtown Victoria.

MINNESOTA COUNTIES AND CITIES

SUPPORT VICTORIA MAYOR AND COUNCIL

Tom Funk, et. al, continued the assault on Victoria City Council members and appealed in October 2016 to get the District Court to rehear allegations and remove them from office. On October 28th, 2016, Minnesota counties (all 87 of them) and Minnesota cities (832 members) advocated as a third party for elected Victoria officials, asserting that councilmembers need to be able to rely on the advice of city staff and attorneys. The MN League advocates for the "proper interpretation of the Open Meeting Law" in this relatively new digital age of emails. The MN Counties wrote, "Elected officials should be able to rely on advice of legal counsel or staff for answers about the requirements of the MN Open Meeting Law." Mayor O'Connor and councilmembers testified they relied on the advice of then City Attorney Mike Norton and then City Manager Don Uram. Both the attorney and manager left their positions in Victoria in the spring of 2014, shortly after the lawsuit was announced..

VICTORIA PROJECTS USING TIF DOLLARS

AN OVERBIEW OF FIVE DISTRICTS SINCE 1990

Community Development Director Ben Landhauser reviewed on October 10th the City of Victoria's history with Tax Increment Financing. His presentation informed that Victoria has had five TIF districts. The first two have been decertified.

TEMPORARY PARKING PLAN IN VICTORIA

PART OF STIEGER LAKE LN BECOMES ONE WAY

On October 10th Council unanimously authorized a temporary parking plan that will turn the middle length of Stieger Lake Lane into a one-way street with diagonal parking along the north side. The one-way will extend from Main Street (Victoria Drive) east to Quamoclit Street. The temporary parking plan is necessary to accommodate construction of the Main Street building in downtown Victoria, Xcel Energy's upgrades to the system through downtown Victoria, and the upcoming construction of the Rose Street Parking Lot.

ROSE STREET PARKING LOT PROJECT

CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN IN 2016

Council voted unanimously on October 10th to accept the bid of $203,303 from Veit & Company of Rogers, MN, to construct the first phase of improvements to the Rose Street Parking Lot, in the location of the former City Hall. This phase includes the construction of storm sewer. Next year there will be improvements to the north part of the parking lot, modifications to Floyd's parking lot, lighting, landscaping, and stormwater improvements.

AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT

PROPOSED FOR PART OF VICTORIA’S 13.5 ACRES

Council held a workshop October 10th to talk about partnering with the Carver County Community Development Agency to acquire a senior housing project on the city's 13.5 acres. A 65-unit project is being proposed for a 1.25-acre parcel just north of the Alphabet Junction facility, which is just north of the Dairy Queen. The CDA asked to hear from Victoria councilmembers if it would be worth their time and effort to proceed with planning & purchasing of the property.

IS WALKING 660 FEET A GOOD THING?

FROM YOUR CAR IN DOWNTOWN VICTORIA

Lance Bernard of SRF Consulting gave a presentation on parking at the October 10th council meeting at the invitation of Victoria Community Development Director Ben Landhauser. Stated Mayor Tom O'Connor with tongue in cheek, "I can't wait to tell people that to walk 1/8th mile to their destination is a good thing."

BURYING XCEL ENERGY POWERLINES

27,000 MORE FEET UNDERGROUND IN VICTORIA

The cost for burying new power lines underground in Victoria has now been estimated at $1.29 million, which easily falls within the original estimate range of $1.25 to $1.75 million. The new underground facilities are along Victoria Drive (County Road 11), 86th Street, Bavaria Road, and Carver County Road 13.

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NEW VICTORIA UTILITY FRANCHISE FEE

MAYOR O’CONNOR: HATS OFF TO RESIDENTS

Beginning in January 2017, a $3/month franchise fee will be added to each of the above residential utility bills to help pay for the undergrounding of power lines in the City of Victoria. The franchise fee for commercial customers is $10 per utility.

COMPLETE CITY SCOOP APPEARS IN THE PAPER EDITION.

The Victoria Fire Department

City of Victoria 952-443-2771

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