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SHOULD BARS BE OPEN TILL 2 A.M.?
VICTORIA COUNCIL WANTS PUBLIC OPINION
On April 28th councilmembers voted to hold a public hearing, probably in May, in order to hear opinions of citizens in regard to allowing Victoria bars to stay open until 2 a.m. A motion to deny a request from Rick and Lois Plocher, owners of Floyd's Bar, resulted in a tie vote, 2-2. Councilmember Mary Thun was absent.
Said Lois Plocher, "Council declined our request last year and we weren't ter-ribly upset, so we've watched our busi-ness and our customers over that time. We have two different types of nights - the 45-year-old crowd leaves around mid-night. The others are around 35 years old, and they come in later, around 10:30 p.m., and they leave when the music is over. They're going to another establishment where there's music. If they stayed in one place, there'd be less traveling. These people are on the road because I am not able to stay open. People go to establish-ments that are open until 2 a.m. We're a little island here in Victoria. Other estab-lishments are able to be open till 2 a.m."
She said her husband Rick has had a conversation with the Carver County Sheriff who stated he had no objection to the 2 a.m. closing.
In response to comments she said, "We belong to Sober Ride. We call cabs. We've driven people home."
Asked Councilmember Kim Roden, "If we were going to approve this, wouldn't we want to have a public hear-ing? I'm not sure I've got enough infor-mation to make a decision at this time. In my work we call it anecdotal evidence; I haven't heard from customers nor have I seen letters."
Stated Councilmember Terry Bishop, "My viewpoint is no different than it was a year ago. There has been no hue and cry from the residents of Victoria. Enter-taining these hours would serve only a very few people, who may not even be residents of Victoria."
He continued, "I am not in favor of people drinking until 2 a.m. Those people are a danger to everyone and they are a danger on the road. I think alcohol and driving are one of the most dangerous things people can do. I will not vote for it. That will not change this year or ever."
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "I wasn't in favor of it last year either, but if coun-cilmembers want to hear from the public on this, I'd support a public hearing."
Agreed, Councilmember Roden, "We have public hearings on things all the time. It would help me to hear from the public."
Replied Lois Plocher, "I'd be totally satisfied if our community residents de-cided against it at a public hearing."
Said Councilmember Bishop, "I'm guessing a few customers from Floyd's would come to a public hearing, but we, the Council, are here to lead and I don't believe the community would show up. I didn't receive one phone call from anyone saying, 'Gee, Terry, what were you think-ing?' We don't need a public hearing on everything. I make a motion to deny the request."
Councilmember Richard Tieden had other thoughts. "It disturbs me," he said, "that people assume that people who will stay there one more hour will become more intoxicated. I don't know of any other community that doesn't allow their establishments to be open until 2 a.m. There are changing demographics."
He continued, "Because people are up late doesn't mean we should make judgments about their drinking habits. I feel the way I did last time. I'd like Floyd's to have the same opportunities as others have. There are many people who go there to have chicken wings and pizza and listen to the music. It impresses me that Bud Olson, our Carver County Sher-iff, told Rick he had no objection."
When Terry Bishop's motion to deny the request resulted in a tie 2-2 vote, Councilmember Roden made a motion to hold a public hearing on the issue. "I don't want you to think I'm in favor of this," she stated. "I just want to hear from the public."
Kim's motion passed 3-1, with Coun-cilmember Bishop remaining against it.
Councilmember Tieden asked staff to obtain data from the Sheriff's office relat-ed to extended hours of liquor establish-ments.
The public hearing could be held in May.
PREPARING FOR NEW PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE
CURRENT SITE SITS ON A VALUABLE DUMP
According to a report from Planning Consultant Mark Kaltsas, the City of Vic-toria has been working with the developer of the Vogel property (Lyman Properties) to acquire a new Public Works garage site on County Road #43 near the intersection of Tellers Road.
The current Public Works site on Stieger Lake Lane has been marked as a potential redevelopment opportunity for downtown Victoria. Mark received auth-orization on April 28th to hire a consultant to do an Environment Assessment on the current site since it was formerly a gar-bage dump.
"If we're going to think about devel-oping another site, it's good to get a jump on things," he said.
American Engineering Testing was hired to perform the assessment study at a cost of $1,700.
COUNTY ROAD #10 GETS UPGRADED
VICTORIA SELLS A COUPLE OF EASEMENTS
Back in 1999 the City of Victoria purchased 94 acres south of County Road #10 in Laketown Township for future community needs. This past month Council agreed to sell a couple acres of that property to Carver County for a permanent easement for right of way for an improved County Road #10.
Reported Planning Consultant Mark Kaltsas, "The county is doing an upgrade and they're widening the road and should-ers. The offer they presented to the city last year was too low. They didn't neces-sarily disagree. They came back now with double what they offered last year. They're asking to acquire two acres of land at $8,500 per acre. It would be a permanent two-acre easement."
He added, "A property just down the road went for $20,000 an acre, but it's lakeshore. This is beyond the 2020 time-frame. It's an unincorporated area and part of it is wetland." Mark said the coun-ty also wants to purchase a temporary easement for $1,300.
The City of Victoria currently rents out the acreage for agricultural use.
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