BUILDING THE OLD INTO THE NEW
MORE MAKEOVERS FOR VICTORIA STREETS
In the past 18 months or so Victoria city councilmembers approved the recon-sruction of old streets in several Victoria neighborhoods including Windtree, Vic-toria Heights, Parkside Estates, Lake Virginia Shores, and Smithtown.
Each neighborhood is paying 50% of its own street reconstruction costs, with the city budget picking up the other 50%.  All streets in Victoria are on a scheduled plan for reconstruction that approximates $2 million from the city budget each year.
Street projects continue.

For Kirke Lachen
With a unanimous 5-0 vote on November 30^th, Victoria city councilmem-bers approved street and drainage im-provements for the Kirke Lachen neigh-borhood of Victoria.  According to City Engineer Jack Griffin, total project cost is estimated to be $827,000 and includes some replacement of storm sewer lines.
He reported that 53 units will each be assessed $7,800, with seven of those units owned by the City of Victoria.  The City of Victoria will pay 50% of the total pro-ject cost as well as the seven unit assess-ments.
At the hearing on November 30^th at least four residents spoke against the pro-ject.  Dave Lindgren said the project seems to be a done deal before the vote is taken.  He said the timing is wrong for the project.
John Kroening said no cars have been lost in a pothole these last 25 years, and that the street has held up well with minor patches and maintenance.
Morris Poythress said the streets have suffered under 25 years of benign neglect and the city should allow 15 more years of benign neglect.
Dan King said the council should turn the project down because the residents don't want it.
Victoria councilmembers spoke again of their policy to redo all the roads in Vic-toria to new standards when they've outlived their current life.  They believe that local government has a responsibility to provide safe streets, that it is council's duty to make tough decisions, that the city has a generous 50/50 pay policy.  They pointed out only 10 residents from 46 households in Kirke Lachen attended the hearing.
Street reconstruction in Kirke Lachen will begin in 2006 with benefiting properties making payment beginning in 2008 with the ability to finance over 15 years.

For Baview
With a unanimous 5-0 vote on December 8^th, Victoria city councilmem-bers approved street and drainage im-provements for the Bayview neighbor-hood.  According to City Engineer Jack Griffin, total project cost is estimated to be $423,000. 
This figure includes full reconstruc-tion of the road plus storm sewer, but not the installation of municipal water.  Municipal water will not be part of the project, but it had been a serious part of the discussion between city and residents.
The city will advertise for bids in March, 2006, and street construction will occur during the summer of 2006.  Each of the 17 benefiting units (homes) at Bayview will be assessed $12,400.  The other 50% of project cost will be paid by the City of Victoria, according to city policy on all street reconstruction projects.
The engineer said that it would cost an additional $105,000 to bring munici-pal water to Bayview, a cost that would be 100% carried by the benefiting residents.  A per unit assessment of $6,200 (plus $2,000 water core charge if connected to the system) would be in addition to the street assessment.
Stated Jack, "The water component wasn't driven by the residents.  It was initiated by staff.  All restoration for in-stallation of water would be part of the street reconstruction.  Now is by far the cheapest time to put water in.  If you do water in the future, it will be double the cost."  He spoke of the potential for water problems with private wells, including po-tential nitrates.
Stated resident Arthur Wick, "We didn't want an elegant solution.  We want-ed streets.  I'd rather not have water.  We're very pleased with our water."
Asked resident David Thun, "Have you ever found nitrates in Victoria or anywhere in the county?  The water is awful hard in the neighborhood, which is a little bit of a concern, but I don't want to irritate the neighbors.  I want new streets.  But if you do water, that's fine with me."
Although Councilmembers Kim Ro-den and Richard Tieden wanted another opportunity to seriously consider munici-pal water for Bayview, Councilmember Mary Thun stated,  "I am not in favor of resurveying the neighborhood.  They have been the most noticed neighborhood in Victoria.  We think we ought to leave the issue lie."
And so the issue of municipal water was dropped.  There are approximately 350 homes in Victoria without municipal water, out of approximately 2,000 homes.
Street reconstruction at Bayview be-gins in 2006.

For Hyacinth.
With a unanimous 5-0 vote on De-cember 22^nd, Victoria city councilmem-bers approved street and drainage im-provements for Hyacinth Street.  Accord-ing to City Engineer Jack Griffin, total project cost is $227,000.  It includes re-constructing the street and putting in a cul de sac.
Each of the 12 homes will be assessed $9,400; the City of Victoria is picking up the other 50%.  Jack reminded councilmembers this street is a gravel road that has undergone significant wash-outs, and that the street improvement was initiated by a petition signed by 100% of the benefiting property owners.  The petition was received on October 13^th, 2005.

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