City Scoop Jan. '04 continued

Stated, Mark Anderson, the president of Lundgren Brothers Construction, "I hope you can appreciate the dilemma we are in.  I wish we had more time.  It's hard on all of us ...  If by January 15th [2004] the school district can't know if the school is going to be at this site, they'll go to the other site ... The school for us has pluses and minuses ... We've been told the school can go to either site."
Stated Councilmember Dave Lind-gren, "I've been told that the school has its Michel property in Victoria for sale.  That tells me they don't plan on building it there at all."
Stated Mayor Bohn, "I've asked the question and was told it was
not for sale."
The president of Lundgren said a number around 275 homes per year would be acceptable for the developers.  [This would be in addition to the 150 new homes from existing Victoria.]
Ken Essig of the Laketown Township Board spoke at this time to Victoria coun-cilmembers.  "You're assuming there won't be other land for development in the township.  Once you're got the train started, it won't want to stop .. You're going to keep growing and keep develop-ing.  There's quite a bit of acreage in the planning area that's not owned by these four developers."

"Once you've got the train started,
it won't want to stop.'
Ken Essig, Chair
Laketown Township Board


Councilmember Richard Tieden spoke of ensuing city costs that would be dependent on the amount of work required of city staff for new building permits and inspections.  "We need to establish a num-ber so we can know the personnel and inspectors we'll need," said Richard.
Stated City Planner Kaltsas, "We don't have staff today for 2004!  We can handle 150 now and it's just acceptable."  Mark stated that 114 lots are platted right now in existing Victoria to start next year, and that he anticipated 150 new homes from existing Victoria for 2004 plus 85 for the annexation area."
Mark also mentioned the 45 new condominium units being built at Stieger Lake Shores and other developments ready to go.  He said it would be hard to limit those things that already exist in the city limits of Victoria.
Councilmember Mary Thun spoke her mind at this time.  "I'm sorry," she said, "but I can't go along with any of this.  You want the school because you know it'll sell homes.  We don't have a clue!  I think that sitting here and trying to do a staging process is not in the best interest of Victoria.  It would be a dis-service to the people who already live in Victoria."
Councilmember Thun also asked the developers why they hadn't asked for an annual staging process in building permits at the Planning Commission meeting held two nights ago.  "No one said a word that we needed a staging!" she stated.
"Why can't we go forward with a level of trust, knowing what you already know from us?" continued Mary.  "You know you're going to get 83 new home permits from us in 2004.  I don't under-stand the rush.  You know we're going to give you a lot of building permits.  We're asking for time to suggest this number.  You're asking for staging information for yourselves and we don't know it for our-selves.  We need a little time here, that's all I'm saying."
Commented Councilmember Tieden, "It looks to me like the school will prob-ably have to go to the inner city [Michel] parcel.  Maybe in a responsible way we have got to slow down."
Stated Mark Anderson, the president of Lundgren Brothers, "I told the school district I'd do everything I could to get this school.  I gave them my word, so ..."
  "Then how about if we commit to 83 homes for you in 2004 and 275/year subject to review of the transportation study, with a final decision by January 22nd," stated Mayor Bohn.  Everyone agreed.
Then Mark Anderson of Lundgren Brothers said he would sign with School District 112 to put the new public elemen-tary school in the new annexation area of Victoria.

***

One of the developers said that some of the new homes in the annexation area will sell for $220,00 to $250,00 which, he commented, is "affordable housing by Victoria standards."
The Victoria Southwest Master Plan was unanimously approved by Victoria councilmembers subject to the above-noted conditions and other things.

GARBAGE HAULERS GET 2004 PERMITS
BUT NOT UNTIL WE KNOW WHERE IT'S HAULED
Councilmembers approved a list of garbage and refuse hauler licenses for those haulers allowed to operate in the City of Victoria, contingent upon the city receiving information about where the stuff goes.
Stated Councilmember Mary Thun, who asked for the information, "We have a responsibility to know where our haulers are hauling our garbage."  Replied Plan-ner Mark Kaltsas, "I'd be happy to get that information for council."  Haulers must renew their licenses annually.  The City of Victoria charges each of them an application fee of $50 plus $10 per truck that provides service in Victoria, as well as proof of insurance.
Those haulers working in Victoria in-clude BFI, Dick's Sanitation, Franck's Sanitation, Tidy Disposal, and Waste Management.


GREENWAY ON THE PARK APPROVED
TO BRING 56 NEW HOMES TO VICTORIA
On December 4th councilmembers gave approval for a final plat for Green-way on the Park as proposed by Carlson, Inc.  This residential development on the former McMahon property is 35 acres in size and lies directly east of Diethelm park.  The PUD allows for 56 single fam-ily lots.

The City of Victoria is receiving cash in lieu of parkland dedication from this development.  These park fees will a-mount to $395,398.
There will be sidewalks on one side of the streets.  Councilmember Richard Tieden stated sidewalks on both sides of streets would be safer.  City Public Works Superintendent s

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Sue@VictoriaGazette.com