According to City Planner Mark Kaltsas, "The city has successfully negoti-ated terms of the redevelopment.  The city has received an executed copy of the Developer's Agreement and Earnest Money Contract.  The Developer's Agree-ment has been made with Wensmann Homes, the largest privately owned residential builder in the State of Minnesota.  Their team has been working with the city during the past four months.  They are excited to proceed with the re-development of the property as soon as possible."
Wensmann Homes, Inc., is based in Eagan, Minnesota.  Signature on the agreement is Herbert H. Wensmann.  Developer's cost of improvement is not less than $5 million.
Mark reported to Council on Decem-ber 12th, "I've brought the contract for you to sign.  They're proposing a 45-unit condominium building.  They will bring a proposal back to you next month.  They have put down a $100,000 nonrefundable deposit."
Stated Mayor-Elect Jerry Bohn, "This is really exciting.  This is one more area where Mayor Mary has provided strong leadership.  The new council will reap the benefits."
Councilmember Dave Lindgren said, "In the thirty-some years I've lived here, it's been a cry for downtown develop-ment, downtown development, downtown development ... It's starting now!"
The classy condominiums, expected to be more on the expensive than affordable housing market, will increase people density in the downtown area.  Such ready customers will be prime for the addition of retail goods and services on Main Street Victoria.  Interested resi-dents, and others, can see early drawings for the project on the Internet at www.VictoriaGazette.com.  Click on Sue's Album and scroll to Downtown Redevelopment.

CITY OF VICTORIA WILL BE PREPARED
IF REQUESTS FOR ANNEXATION FORMALIZE
Councilmembers adopted a resolution approving the South Sub-Area Study, which was initiated in September of 2000 to provide an important guide for the de-velopment of several hundred acres south of Deer Run. 
The acreage is located in Laketown Township, but some township property owners are expected to ask for annexation into the City of Victoria.  As they prepare for development, they will need services that a city provides such as municipal water and sewer and roads.
The Study will guide the future growth of the acreage.  Victoria staff has continued to meet with township property owners and make revisions to the Study.  City Planner Mark Kaltsas revised the language and graphics in the study to address the comments and concerns brought forward by property owners, the Victoria Planning Commission, Laketown Township, and the Victoria City Council.
David Gestach, township resident on Guernsey Avenue, attended the December 12th city council meeting to reiterate that he and his young family are not interested in developing their property at this time, and that he is pleased that future roads are not set in stone lines on the study's map; rather, only nodes of suggested begin-nings and endings are noted on the map, leaving path of new roads undefined even in a preliminary way at this time.
Mr. Gestach's  property is zoned agri-cultural.  Emphasized Mayor Mary, "It will stay that way until you decide to rezone and develop or sell."
The mayor wants residents of both city and township to realize and under-stand that it is not the City of Victoria that is pursuing annexation or development; the city is simply trying to be prepared for the possibility, because there are strong factors and indications that it is more than a possibility.

CITY TAX RATE REMAINS STATIONARY
BUT MARKET VALUES CONTINUE UPWARD
On September 5th, 2002, city coun-cilmembers approved the preliminary draft of the 2003 General Fund Operating budget for $2,537,108.  Since that time, councilmembers have requested minor changes that do not affect the budget's total. 
On December 2nd, 2002, Council re-quested a reduction in the General Fund Levy to an equivalent so as not to raise the city's urban tax rate from the 2002 rate of 45.59%.  The budgeted amount of the General Fund Levy was therefore reduced by $7,265, from $1,871,265 to $1,864,000.
Even though the tax rate from 2002 to 2003 will remain the same, property taxes increase when market values on homes and businesses increase.
Final draft of the 2003 General Fund Operating budget totals $2,537,108.  On December 12th, 2002, Council approved a resolution adopting the final 2003 General Fund Operating Budget as such.
Also on December 12th, Council ap-proved a resolution certifying the Tax Levy for the City of Victoria for Collec-tion in 2003.  That total levy amount is $2,266,058 and includes $402,058 in revenue bonds, general obligation refund-ing bonds, and equipment certificates.
Mayor Mary Meuwissen reminded staff and other councilmembers that the $250,000 line item for the new Victoria Field House "could very well be offset by developers' contributions [for Parkland fees], advertising dollars, and skate fee dollars.  It may very well be transferred from our Park & Rec Fund."

VICTORIA AUTOHAUS IS APPROVED
TO BE DESIGNED "BAVARIAN" STYLE
With a unanimous vote on December 12th, councilmembers adopted a resolu-tion approving a conditional use permit for an automobile sales lot at 1900-80th Street for a business to be called "Victoria AutoHaus." 
The existing property, .4 acre, has been under ownership of Stan and Barb Gunning of G&G Auto Sales.  With the purchase of a small adjacent parcel, the property is now closer to .7 acre.  The existing building is expected to be razed to accommodate new construction of a Bavarian style building.  The property is zoned Central Business District and must meet the city's design standards that provide guidance for all development within the district.

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