CITY HALL NEEDS MORE SPACE
MOST OPTIONS ARE DOWN THE ROAD
City Administrator Dave Urbia pre-sented councilmembers with a list of op-tions that could help the City of Victoria meet its need for more City Hall space.  The most recent proposal to lease office space in a future downtown plaza by Matt Crowe and CEI Ventures seems off the table, at least for now.
As Administrator Urbia informed councilmembers in a written report, "With the Victoria Plaza deal falling through, there should be discussion on how to ad-dress the inadequate space needs at City Hall.  We have limited storage, with num-erous files in the basement of the Acorn House.  The Town Deputy is in a confer-ence room in the Water Treatment Plant.
"We have a very nice community room and kitchen [at the current City Hall on Rose Street]; however, we spend con-siderable time setting up and tearing down for council and other public meetings.  We also have staff utilizing offices that are the size of a good storage closet."
Of the 14 options for Council's con-sideration, he placed at the top:  "Ask Meuwissen development for short term lease proposal."  At the bottom he placed:  "Add another office or two in the current Council area to still allow current use to continue in this area."
The dozen options in between range from seeking another development propo-sal to tearing down the Acorn House and building a new City Hall with community space and future potential library.

CONSIDERING LEAPFROG IN VICTORIA
IF GUIDELINES ARE NOT SHORTSIGHTED
In responding to Council request for an update every six months, City Planner Holly Kreft presented an update on Vic-toria's Growth Management Guidelines.
"There are currently 331 vacant lots in the city," she reported, "and 674 REC's available until the end of 2010."  One REC is comparable to a Residential Equi-valent Connection. 
Holly reported the City of Victoria budgeted for 90 new homes to be built in 2007 and, as of June 14^th, 56 new home permits have been issued.
"The market has changed significant-ly since these guidelines were adopted," she said.  "I think it would be beneficial for these guidelines to be reviewed by the Planning Commission."
The motion to present the guidelines to the Planning Commission for their re-view passed unanimously.  Stated Mayor Mary Thun, "I do not want to be short-sighted.  If we've got somebody who wants to pay for things, we need to grow in some fashion."
The mayor's comment was in refer-ence to a developer who might be pre-pared to pay for the construction of large infrastructure past undeveloped properties in order to get utilities to a particular acreage he wishes to develop.  It has also been referred to in the past as leapfrog-ging.

VICTORIA:  "WE NEED TO TALK"
TO CHASKA BOUT SEVERAL BULLETS
Victoria councilmembers voted 5-0 to not sign a letter of understanding or agree-ment with the City of Chaska regarding that portion of the Chevalle property that lies within the City of Victoria at 86^th Street and County Road 11. 
The Chevalle developer continues to ask for an access road to County Road 11 that is not in alignment with Deer Run Drive.  Current and past Victoria city councils have determined that an offset road here is not in Victoria's best interest.
Initially the developer also asked for a vacation of 86^th Street.  Now they are, instead, asking for an access onto 86^th Street, a sub-standard road that lies within the jurisdiction of the City of Victoria.
"Neither one of these options is good," said Councilmember Tim Amund-sen.  "There's an awful lot of dirt moving there for only having one entrance.  We've got a vision in place.  We wouldn't be responsible to existing neighbors by signing anything.  These options are bad and worse."
Councilmember Richard Tieden re-ferred to the nearby failed intersections due to already poor traffic flow and con-gestion.  "From the standpoint of traffic and safety," said Richard, "I don't see how we can increase traffic on 86^th Street.  It's simply a blacktopped gravel road."
In the past the City of Victoria has been willing to consider 86^th Street access to the developer if the developer pays to bring the road up to city standards.
Communication to Victoria regarding the Chevalle development, formerly known as Hamlets of Lakeshire, is through the City of Chaska.  Stated Coun-cilmember Jim Paulsen, "We've got a lot of things to talk to Chaska about.  We need to have a conversation with them about many things."
Jim mentioned in particular the infra-structure required at County Roads 10 and 11 where Victoria anticipates the develop-ment of a commercial campus, a hospice to be located in Chaska but requesting ser-vice by Victoria infrastructure, and now Chevalle.  Directed Councilmember Paul-sen, "Staff, you've got to do what you can for Victoria!"
The 5-0 vote included direction for Victoria to meet with Chaska staff to dis-cuss several access issues and concerns.

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