OTHER NEWS FROM MARCH
SEWER RATES INCREASE TO $51/QUARTER
*Council approved the increase of the sewer use charge from $48 to $51 per quarter, effective April 1st, 2004.  Rates were last increased in 1999.  Since then the Metropolitan Council has increased its rates to cities.

*Council approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance that allows zero lot lines in the Central Business District of Victoria -- as a normality, not as a special use or variance to setbacks.
*The Victoria Lions received a tem-porary, one-day, on-sale liquor license so they can sell liquor at the annual Spirit of Fire fundraiser at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria.
*Hartman Realty LLC received per-mission to construct a commercial busi-ness sign on the west side of the Clock-tower building located at 1750 Tower Boulevard in downtown Victoria.  The sign will be illuminated.
*Tim Clark received council approval for a variance to the city's front yard set-back requirements in order to place two roof support posts upon an existing walk-way/deck at Narcissus Court.  Stated Planner Mark Kaltsas, "Because of safety concerns and the nature of the existing deck, the Planning Commission recom-mended it be permitted.  There were no comments from the neighbors at the pub-lic hearing."
*Council approved an amendment to the city ordinance that establishes the minimum right of way width on minor streets and the minimum right of way width on cul de sac radius on minor streets shall be 60 feet.  Purpose is to en-sure adequate corridors for the installation and maintenance of sidewalks, boulevard trees, and utilities such as sewer, water, gas, cable, phone, and electric.
*Council approved operating trans-fers from the general fund to the Fire Truck and Equipment Fund, to the Field House Special Revenue Fund, and to the Street Capital Projects fund of Public Works.
*Council approved several inter-fund transfers and fund closures to eliminate fund deficits, settle obligations, and make repayments.
*Back in the year 2000, the City of Victoria purchased 93.24 acres in Lake-town Township for future city needs with-out any specific designation.  Quarterly payments on the $425,000 purchase price have come from the Park Dedication Fund although the land was not designated parkland.  Council approved a reclassifi-cation to come from the Community De-velopment Fund.  The land can be used for various purposes, including resale, not just parkland.
*Victoria Fire Chief Gary Sohns re-ported on March 11th that the fire depart-ment was successful in obtaining a $4,000 matching grant from the State of MN which can be used toward the $130,000 purchase of 22 Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses and cascade system approved last month.
*Chief Sohns also reported that total proceeds from the recent Fishing Contest was down by $4,500 due to not being able to go door-to-door in Victoria to sell raffle tickets.  According to City Planner Mark Kaltsas, "The state gambling rules do not allow the department to drop off tickets randomly without recollecting the tickets if they are not purchased.  In the past, the department was not able to account for all of the tickets in the end, and because of that they have no record of how many actually were sold and not returned to the department"
*Bob Zimmerman on behalf of Janice Wynn received a variance to the front yard setback for the place of access steps onto the existing home.
*Charles Latterner received a bow and arrow discharge permit to hunt deer and turkey on the Swain property near Highway 7.