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IT’S FINAL: A GROCERY STORE FOR VICTORIA FRESH SEASONS MARKET COMES TO TOWN On Thursday evening, September 25th, 2008, under a harvest moon, Victoria City Councilmembers voted unanimously to approve the final plat for the Fresh Seasons Market and Drug Store. It will be located in the heart of downtown Victoria. The existing lumber store will be demolished to make way for the 75-stall parking lot. The grocery store itself will fill space once occupied by four old houses, three of them demolished earlier this year. The Planning Commission recommended final approval. Said longtime Councilmember Richard Tieden, “When those houses came up for sale, we [the city] purchased them. If we hadn’t, we probably wouldn’t have Fresh Seasons now. I’m proud we did that.” As for the eternal parking issue, he said, “Many communities wrestle with this. It’s more of an art than a science. I’ve had people say it’d be wonderful to have a parking problem, to have that many people. Yeah, they’d be happy ... for about a week.” Councilmember Jim Paulsen has pointed out that the 75-stall parking lot is in line with Victoria city ordinance but below what is required by industry standards. Staff and council determined that the city is contributing $1.2 million to the project in some manner or other, including a $400,000 tax increment financing note -- reduced to $235,000 through a successful grant application -- and the three city-owned single family lots valued at $616,000. Said Mayor Mary Thun, “I’m very comfortable with the $1.2 million. I don’t believe we’re giving it to a developer. We’re giving it to our future. The only reason I’m going along with this is that we need a downtown stimulus. Our people want it.” Regarding the suggestion of setting precedent for future businesses or developers seeking city assistance, Councilmember Kim Roden argued that the grocery store is a special situation. “This is a public mission,” she said. “This is a service being asked for by the community. We’ll have to answer for the next development.” In the presentation that evening, Holly Kreft, the city’s Director of Planning, referred to a park dedication fee that accompanies unplatted developments in Victoria. It took several lots and replatting to combine parcels for the Fresh Seasons development. She pointed out that the Victoria Creamery property, for example, was already platted and wouldn’t be required to pay a park fee. The proposed park fee for Fresh Seasons is $56,000. Stated Holly, “We will have the Park and Recreation Committee review that.” Tom Wartman, developer of Fresh Seasons, spoke that evening regarding the park fee. “This fee totally came out of the blue. We are not bringing residents to town. We are bringing a service to town. I respectfully ask the fee be waived.” No decision was made at this time about the fee. *** According to Dale Riley, President of Fresh Seasons Market, developer Tom Wartrman wants to get at the demolition of the C.H. Carpenter building and the corner house as quickly as he can, as soon as he closes on the purchase of those two properties. “Tom has been making plans along,” said Dale, “but nothing was final until it was final. Now there are lots of moving pieces. He wants to get the grading for the parking lot done and the first layer of asphalt for the parking lot before the snow flies so, through the winter, workers can drive on it to get to the building. Tom is hoping for an early spring opening for the store.”
A FOURTH TIF DISTRICT FOR VICTORIA WITH PARCELS FOR POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT Councilmembers approved two resolutions on September 25th that established a new Tax Increment Financing District in Victoria and moved several parcels into it from other TIF districts in the city. Shannon Sweeney, Victoria’s TIF consultant, reported there will be 52 parcels in the new district. “This redevelopment district allows the city to capture new property taxes for up to 26 years,” he said. “TIF is a tool for redevelopment. It allows you to redirect taxes. The tax increment must go to improve and cure blighted conditions. I’m not uncomfortable with this. It’s a tool. It does not require you to subsidize any particular business.”
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