LIMITING ACCESSORY BUILDINGS
TO HEIGHTS NOT GREATER THAN 24 FEET
Councilmembers approved an ordi-nance that affects fencing, swimming pools, and accessory structures on proper-ties in the city.  The section that limits the height of accessory buildings to 24 feet and overhead doors to 9 feet received the most discussion.
Peter Bren, a local contractor, spoke about the ordinance limitations.  "They don't deal with anything I'm dealing with at this time, but they could in the future.  A nine-foot door won't be adequate to store a camper, for example."
"There are a couple of things in here that just aren't quite right," he continued.  "I think council should make this ordi-nance easy to amend.  I think it [the height of accessory buildings] should at least be 26 feet, if not 28 feet.  It'd be more appro-priate for such an item as a camper to be inside the building rather than outside the building."
City Planner Mark Kaltsas said that intent of the ordinance is to be able to store domestic items but not larger items such as tractor trailers in a residential area.
Mayor Mary Meuwissen said that there is a process people can go through for special circumstances, in order to get a variance from the ordinance as written.  The restrictive ordinance passed unani-mously.

APPROVING FEES FOR CABLE TV
AND LOOKING FOR BETTER SERVICE
Council approved the latest budget of the Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission on October 10th.  Total ex-penditures for 2003 are proposed to be $219,002.  This budget is not funded with tax dollars but a cable company franchise fee paid annually to the LMCC.
There are 16 member cities of the LMCC, including Victoria.  Through the pooling of fees, the member cities provide cable programming and public access to their residents. 
Said Councilmember Richard Tieden, "We should have access to our own cable station."
Replied Sally Koenecke, administra-tor of the LMCC, "We have five channels, all shared by 16 cities.  My recollection is that the Commission asked Victoria to submit a proposal as to how you might program that channel.  I'll back research that.  My recollection is that the issue was kind of left up in the air.  It was brought up about the time of 9/11, I believe, and Steve [Administrator Sarvi] was in the National Guard."
Steve explained that Victoria would like to have its own equipment and that the city's franchise fee should help pay for that.
Sally Konecke was asked to inform councilmembers of percent increase each year in the city's franchise fee, as well as the fees of all 16 member cities.

CONSIDERING MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
AND PAYING FOR THEM
Council received additional informa-tion on October 10th from Jack Griffin, city engineer with TKDA, about the possibility of a water treatment facility in Victoria.  He said he got the cost down to $4.3 million from a previous estimate of $6 million.  As for the infrastructure, he said there is a higher cost for some types of users, such as those with higher demands.

In responding to questions from councilmembers, he estimated 300 homes in Victoria did not have city water avail-able to them.  Those neighborhoods in-clude Zumbra Ridge, Bayview, Foxglove, Parkwood, and some residents along Roll-ing Acres Road.  They could acquire municipal water through petition and sub-sequent assessment.
"What are the benefits of a treatment facility?" asked Councilmember Gordon Simanton.  Verne Jacobson, another en-gineer with TKDA, said it would get rid of rusty water since it takes out the iron manganese.  Long term, he said, it will ultimately decrease the amount of maintenance.  It does not soften water.
As for cost, he said, "Providing water is not a money-making proposition."  Acknowledged Councilmember Jerry Bohn, "People in old town Victoria end up paying more for their water and roads than they did for their house."
Councilmember Richard Tieden pointed out that those homeowners also paid less for their home because they didn't have the utilities.  "When they do get it," said Richard, "it adds value to their homes."
Jerry questioned if municipal water would add $13,000 to property values in the Parkwood neighborhood..  But he rec-ognized that with "higher upgraded streets, the city would spend less time on maintenance."  He also suggested a policy whereby homeowner and city might split costs of stormwater management.
Councilmembers also discussed the financing of sidewalks and trails.  Said Councilmember Dave Lindgren, "When it comes to trails, how can you assess for something the whole city uses?"  Jerry Bohn suggested that property assessments might occur when neighborhoods ask for additional trails that are not part of the city's Comprehensive Plan.
TKDA was asked to present council-members with resolutions for determining fair and adequate utility rates in the city.

OTHER NEWS FROM OCTOBER --
HARTWOOD WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 6TH
SCHUTZ LAKE WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 20TH
*Councilmembers have scheduled a special workshop for interested residents on Wednesday, November 6th, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, prior to calling a public hearing on Hartwood Street and drainage improvement.  At this time, the city is proposing a 70%/30% split between city and residents on the proposed improve-ments because of the unusually high numbers and the relatively small project.

*A feasibility study for the Parkside Estates Street and Drainage Improvements has also been completed.  Council will hold a workshop on Wednesday, Novem-ber 20th, 2002, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Victoria Hall on Rose Street.  Details of the feasibility report will be presented at that time to interested residents.  The report was completed in response to a petition of the residents received by staff in 2001.  Parkside Estates is located on the west side of Schutz Lake.
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