Ken Essig, chair of the Township Board, spoke to councilmembers that evening.  "The $400 is the financial end and it's an important issue for us.  The lack of tax revenue from land annexed to Victoria has caused taxes for township residents to go up.  We have to look fur-ther at that ... This fee is extremely im-portant to us.  We're good keepers of the keys.  We're not out having Christmas parties."
Replied Mayor Jerry Bohn, "We did a lot of things over the years to protect you and accommodate your needs."  The mayor gave a laundry list of city assis-tance to the township, concluding, "This $400 is beyond the scope of our agree-ment."

VICTORIA'S PARK MASTER PLAN
WOULD COST DEVELOPERS AN ARM AND A LEG
Planning Consultant Mark Kaltsas presented numbers to Victoria Council-members that would be needed in order for the city to follow through with all of the plans being made for park develop-ment in the city, according to the Park Master Plan.  These numbers are, in fact, fees that would be required of developers.

Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "These rates take my breath away.  Maybe we just can't afford some of these [park] things on this timeframe."
Today a developer pays a fee of $3,750 per acre to the city if he's platting up to six units per acre, excluding wetland.  Mark reports that $12,000 per acre is necessary.
Today a developer pays a fee of $4,250 per acre to the city a fee if he's platting more than six units per acre, excluding wetland.  Mark reports that $17,500 per acre is necessary.
"You can't just look at the numbers," he explained.  "Multi-family developers were getting a significant break in the past.  The city needs $2,500 per unit across the board on top of land dedication to meet requirements of our park system.  It's to maintain or sustain what is already provided in the community."
Said Matt Goldstein, project manager with Lennar Homes, "I respectfully dis-agree with your planning consultant.  They [the increased fees] might affect our abilities to help provide lower cost hous-ing."
Stated councilmember Kim Roden, "What I need to know is are we going to be 50% higher than other communities rather than only 5 to 10% higher?  I'd like more background information."
Mark reported that the Parks and Recreation Committee had prepared a cost estimate for improvements necessary for all park development associated with new growth in Victoria through 2020, accord-ing to the Park Master Plan completed and adopted by the City of Victoria in Decem-ber 2005.
The city ordinance that includes these increased numbers will have a second reading before councilmembers vote on whether or not to adopt it.

GOODBYE, JERRY AND TERRY
FINAL VICTORIA COUNCIL MEETING OF 2006
"This is my last meeting that I'll chair here," said Outgoing Mayor Jerry Bohn at the conclusion of the December 28^th meeting of the Victoria City Council.  "I hope the citizens think the city was well managed."  Jerry has served the past ten years on the Victoria Council, the last four as mayor.  He did not run for re-election this past fall.
Said Outgoing Councilmember Terry Bishop, who also did not seek re-election after serving one four-year term.  "It's been an honor and a privilege to serve on the Council.  Four years is a long commit-ment.  It's not that I minded, but it may enter into some people's decision to not run for this position ...
"I'd suggest terms of two years for councilmembers and four years for mayor to help see out some of those policy decisions.  In the future it might make some sense to shorten the councilmem-er's term.  There are plenty of wonderful talented people in the community who could serve."
Three candidates ran unopposed for three council seats this past fall.  Each of the three had previously served on the Victoria City Council - Mary Thun, Jim Paulsen, and Tim Amundsen.
City Attorney Mike Norton thanked both the mayor and Councilmember Bishop for their service.  "The lawyer is only as good as their clients," he said.  "I think the city has been well served."

SHARED PARKING WAVE OF THE FUTURE
IN REDEVELOPING DOWNTOWN VICTORIA
Councilmembers held a special work-shop on December 28th to discuss what might be a workable policy for parking as downtown Victoria redevelops in a rather confined space.

The consensus was that a shared parking policy is the only solution at this time, whereby businesses share available parking spaces with the understanding that some businesses are busier during the day (like a dentist office) and some are busier in the evening hours (like a bar).
Summarized Planning Consultant Mark Kaltsas, "Essentially the goal is to reduce the parking standard.  We put to-gether a recommendation that the ordin-ance be revised.  The underlying principle is that the current parking ordinance needs to be updated."
He said two major areas need work.  In determining how much parking space is required, square footage of a building is a major consideration.  Mark said, however, that hallways and stairs shouldn't be used in the square footage that determines parking needs.
Secondly, he said the city should take into account "a modern urban land usage that understands shared parking between uses."

Click to continue Shared Parking ...