DOG PARK AROUND THE CORNER
WITH SOME ISSUES FOR VICTORIA
Victoria City Staff was asked on April 27^th to schedule a meeting in the near future for residents who might have comments or concerns about the Leash Dog Park planned for construction in 2006 by Three Rivers Park District.  The dog park is to be located near the northern piece of Park Drive.
Councilmember Kim Roden stated, "It is upon us and I've heard some re-newed questions about three issues."  She identified those issues as parking lot size and location, the future paving and main-tenance costs related to Park Drive, and the increase in traffic without a sidewalk or trail along Park Drive.  People now walk on Park Drive like a neighborhood street.
Added Kim, "I don't know if we have much authority because it's not our land."  In fact, the first several hundred feet of Park Drive is city-owned.  The Parkside Estates neighborhood was assessed for the largest share of its construction and improvements.  The gravel section of Park Drive is owned by the Park (Three Rivers Park District).
Mayor Jerry Bohn pointed out, "We haven't had a formal presentation of what the Park is going to do.  We don't have any say on their property, but they could have the courtesy to come and talk to us and tell us what they're going to do."  He also questioned which governmental body has more authority - a municipality or a regional park district.
The mayor suggested that an informa-tional meeting with the Park be set up in conjunction with a regularly scheduled Victoria city council meeting.

COUNCIL ORDERS FEASIBILITY STUDY
FOR STREET IMPROVEMENT AT VICTORIA CIRCLE
Councilmembers accepted a petition from residents at Victoria Circle for street and utility improvements in their neigh-borhood down by Church Lake and or-dered a feasibility study on the project for construction in 2007 or 2008.
Cara Geheren, Victoria City Engin-eer, stated that both the Engineering and Public Works Departments have received frequent complaints on the gravel road.  "Residents have been calling over the years for solutions," she said.
Cara pointed out that Victoria Circle was slated for improvement in 2010 but "residents asked what they could do to move it up.  They went around and col-lected a petition."  Over 36% of affected property owners signed the petition, she said, requesting that the City of Victoria perform a feasibility study.
When asked about costs and assess-ments, Cara said that city-owned property and church-owned property would also be involved in the project.  She gave a "quick estimate" of $440,000 including construc-tion, legal, and engineering fees if built in 2007.  That number is only good for about two years, she said.  Anything beyond a two-year estimate is risky because of the unstable price of oil, an asphalt product.
Dave Kocka, a resident on Victoria Circle, introduced himself as a former mayor of Victoria, "back when it was a little smaller than what it is today."
"We moved here in 1962," said Dave.  "We've seen roots of a mature tree washed right out of the yard.  The [runoff] water contains salt and oil.  It hurts the trees."  He referred to the increased a-mount of hard surface area above Victoria Circle that has increased water runoff into the neighborhood.
Amy Schesso, another Victoria Circle resident in favor of street improvements, said, "We've been very honest with every single neighbor.  People know where we stand.  There are 21 properties.  Two of them have nothing built on them.  It's huge that the Schmiegs [Ray and Frannie] want to move forward on this."
Stated Councilmember Richard Tied-en, "I'd like to get going as fast as we could."  He made the motion to move for-ward with the feasibility study for im-provements to be made in 2007 or 2008.  The feasibility study will determine more accurate costs and assessments with the project, but it does not order the project.  Resident meetings and hearings would occur prior to that approval.
Victoria Circle residents at this coun-cil meeting were reminded of the large cost of feasibilities studies, and that once they are ordered, the city doesn't like to set it on the back burner until the informa-tion is no longer relevant. 

LOOKING AT A VICTORIA ALLEY
HOW DO YOU PAY TO FIX IT?
There is a short gravel alley in Vic-toria just west of Sunflower Street, near the entrance to Kirke-Lachen, that is in need of improvement.  It is called Trillium Trail.
The city received a petition of 37.5% of the property owners to perform a feasibility study for improvements.  Seven residents signed the petition, representing three property owners.  There are eight property owners adjacent to Trillium Trail, including the City of Victoria since the city owns an outlot on the corner of Trillium and 81^st Street (not Salter Park).
"It meets the definition of an alley," said City Engineer Cara Geheren," but some homes use it as their primary access."  In doing the capital improve-ment plan for the entire grid of streets in Victoria, she said, "We were only looking at streets.  Alleys are not included in our assessment policy.  It would cost approxi-mately $120,000 to pave and put in storm- sewer at Trillium Trail.  We don't know how we'd allocate that.  It's unplanned and unfunded in our street plan."
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "I'm hard pressed to support the feasibility study."  He said the cost to individual property owners under the current assessment policy would be prohibitive.  Council voted 5-0 to formally accept the petition but to defer preparation of a feasibility study.

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