FULL LIQUOR LICENSE FOR DEER RUN
FOR DUSK TO DAWN GOLF CLUB CUSTOMERS
Deer Run Golf Club received ap-proval for an on-sale intoxicating liquor license and Sunday liquor license.  Stated City Planner/Acting Adminis-trator Mark Kaltsas, "It's an upgrade from what they have now, which is wine and strong beer.  They're looking for a full liquor license."
Mark explained that in Victoria there is currently a statutory limit of five liquor licenses that are permitted, but those issued to restaurants don't count against the total.  The Victoria House and the Deer Golf Club are considered restaurants because they serve meals regularly on the premises at tables to the general public and provide seating for at least 25 guests at one time.
Angela Williams, Beverage Coordin-ator, and Troy Malo, Business Manager, attended the March 11th city council meeting on behalf of the Deer Run Golf Club.  Said Angela, "We want to add liquor to our menu.  We'll be pretty limited in what we serve.  Our customers are asking for things like Blood Mary's and Screwdrivers.  There's not room for a full service bar.  Our hours are dusk to dawn and we don't plan on changing them."  The new license became effective April 1st, 2004. 

PARKING REMAINS ISSUE AT DEER RUN
BUT SPACE IS SIMILAR TO OTHER GOLF COURSES
The Deer Run Golf Course received permission to add heating and air condi-tioning to an existing screen porch with-out having to provide additional parking space at the club.  It was deemed not to be an expansion to the facility.
City Planner Mark Kaltsas said that he and Councilmember Mary Thun have had conversations with Tom Abts, club manager, who surveyed other golf facili-ties for comparing parking spaces.  He said the average number of parking spaces available at a golf course is 105.  Current-ly Deer Run has 103 off-street and 15 to 20 on-street parking spaces.
Stated Mark, "Previously we've said that any improvement to the club would result in the addition of parking.  But there's probably some reasonableness to letting them add heating and air condition-ing without requiring additional parking.  They're really not increasing the amount of people they can fit in that building.  People are using this space already.  Heat-ing and air conditioning make it nicer, better.  We still have parking issues there, but mainly related to their peak events."
Mark explained that their original proposal was to expand kitchen and dining spaces.  "That's not what they're shooting for now," he said, "but it could have filled a niche with the Lakeside Ballroom about to get the wrecking ball ... and Island View is always booked."
"The one thing that makes the Deer Run Golf Course different is that it inter-faces with people who live around the course, who have to deal with beer cans and people and traffic."
The motion to approve Deer Run's request included conditions that they rework the existing lot, designate on-street parking with paint, and reprogram golf events that overlap.
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "They're  now encouraging Deer Run membership and discouraging open membership.  This will have people using golf carts to get to the club rather than cars."

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPOSED
WITH 141 NEW TOWNHOMES FOR VICTORIA
Councilmembers received a revised sketch plan for 28.8 acres located in Vic-toria on the southwest corner of State Highway 5 and Bavaria Road, bounded on the south by 78th Street.

This parcel had been previously brought before the council by a different developer and was called Madelyn Creek. 
According to City Planner Mark Kaltsas, K&K (Klingelhutz) owns the property and Pulte Homes is the developer seeking ap-proval.  Tom Heiland is a principle with K&K.  Todd Baumgartner is the manager for Pulte.
Pulte is proposing an increased densi-ty and affordable housing for the property.  The sketch plan now shows 141 townhomes in six-unit buildings with single-stall garages.  Each unit would sell for between $150,000 and $200,000.
Stated Planner Mark Kaltsas, "This is a fairly insignificant piece in our Compre-hensive Plan.  Our Comp Plan doesn't guide for it.  It needs to be rezoned from agricultural.  Existing vegetation along the creek would, for the most part, be main-tained."
"In the metro area $180,000 is deemed to be affordable," said Mark.  "The developers are trying to take a range we haven't seen in Victoria for a while.  They're targeting single people more than families.  One-car garages over time do have a tendency to turn the units into rental properties ... There's no opportunity out here for walking to places.  People move here and get some toys and then have no place to put them inside ... so the property values start to change."
Said Mayor Jerry Bohn, "I'd strongly encourage two-car garages.  Otherwise you're eliminating couples.  I'd strongly discourage one-car garages ... A tandem garage shouldn't add that much to the cost.  If it's a working couple, they'd need two cars."
Councilmember Mary Thun said that one-car garages would lend to vehicles parked on the street.  "I'd like to see these be owner-occupied units," she said.  "It's not a good entry into Victoria if they all become rental units ... It's a gateway to Victoria.  I'd like a mixture that is condu-cive to much of the community."
Councilmember Richard Tieden stated, "I'm questioning where we're going with this.  Is this [requiring two-car garages] contrary to senior housing we're looking for?  We don't have affordable housing.  Here's an opportunity."
Mayor Bohn said he's also thinking of opportunity for the workforce sector.  Said Councilmember Dave Lindgren, "Without two-car garages, you're just asking for trouble."
"Statistics show that townhomes typically have one child per townhome," added the mayor.  "That's 100 kids in this development so I'm very interested in a dedicated park area for the northwest corner."
In regard to the six-unit townhomes, which is higher than the five-units that are allowed under city code, "I'd support it to get them affordable," added the mayor.  "I think this is exciting.  I'm willing to give up some things to get some things for our seniors and workforce."
Comments from councilmembers will be submitted to the developer.  Council will then review a "preliminary plan" be-fore it approves the "final plan.'
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