The applicant said of the amenities (which often means a tot lot), "They would not be just for little kids.  We have an opportunity to build something for us folks.  It would be a complex neighbor-hood.  We know we have a lot on our plate."
Stated Victoria Planner Eric Zweber, "It's kind of one package.  Either both cities approve it or it doesn't happen."
Said Rachel Igel, the applicant, "We're excited about this project.  We actually have family members who live on the parcel.  We want to be part of this with our family members."
About the possible vacation of 86^th Street she said, "I've heard that West 86^th Street is sort of a speedway.  Maybe this would slow down traffic.  We're trying to help the city in any way we can.  We can certainly leave 86^th Street as it is."
Stated Councilmember Richard Tied-en, "I have real questions about the aban-donment of 86^th.  I don't see any value in eliminating one of our streets when we al-ready have transportation issues.  I think putting all that additional development on County Road #18 is asking for trouble.  I think we'd make a mistake eliminating 86^th."
Stated Councilmember Terry Bishop, "I agree wholeheartedly.  There will be a lot of opposition to closing that road."
Richard added, as a nearby resident of Wintergreen, "I leave at 20 minutes to 6 every morning and there is already a lot of waiting.  What are we going to do to get out of here [if we abandon a street]?  How would we exit out of here in case of an emergency?  This is getting to be kind of critical in my mind.  I'm backed up a mile on Highway 7 now at 5 p.m. to get to Rolling Acres Road."
Mayor Jerry Bohn reminded the ap-plicants that Victoria only allows the building of 150 homes per year.  He also addressed the traffic issue.  "I strongly en-courage you to get an access onto County Road #11.  Traffic is going to go south be-cause of the new freeway [#212] in a couple of years."
No decisions were required at this time.  It was mainly for introductions, information, and some advance notice of what's in the works.

NEW STREETS FOR BAYVIEW IN 2006
MUNICIPAL WATER STILL UNDECIDED
Council voted 5-0 on October 13^th to order a Level 2 feasibility engineering report regarding street, drainage, and utility improvements in the Bayview neighborhood north of Hwy 7 in Victoria.
Before the vote, Councilmember Mary Thun stated, "I just want the residents to understand, that if we vote yes tonight, there will be an assessment and it will be between $11,000 and $15,000 and we'll do the project next summer."
A resident of Bayview herself, Coun-cilmember Thun read letters she received from neighbors regarding the project.  Most of them were in favor of proceeding. 
There was no decision on October 13^th to install municipal water at Bayview.  Stated Councilmember Richard Tieden, "Without water it's like going out to buy a stereo without the speakers."  The con-struction of municipal water would add approximately $6,000 to each assessment.
City Engineer Jack Griffin pointed out, since individual wells in the area are still functioning, "There is no compelling reason to put water in.  But maybe in five years, nitrates will show up in your water and you'll need to go on city water.  Then we have to dig up your new roads that were built to last 25 years … but we'll go with whatever the neighborhood wants to do."
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "The city's not going to be too enthused about bring-ing in water in five years … unless you want to give us an easement to install it alongside your road, but it's a very wood-ed area and you'd lose some trees."
Some Bayview residents were upset about the city's past maintenance of their street over the past years and said that poor maintenance led to its demise. 
Replied Mayor Bohn, "Every neigh-borhood that comes in says the same thing.  Council has reviewed this numer-ous times.  The design has to be a design for a 25-year road, which means you have to put in a stormwater system too.  There is no 5 to 10-year solution.  We can't keep filling potholes.  We have to do a design that will last."
He stated, in conclusion, "We've identified this as a road that needs atten-tion urgently."  The road will be recon-structed in 2006 as a 25-year road with the City of Victoria picking up half the tab, as is the policy for street reconstruction projects throughout the city .

25 YEARS A LONG TIME IN MINNESOTA
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIFE OF STREETS
Councilmembers voted 5-0 to accept the feasibility report and give further review and consideration to the issue before ordering 77th Street and Lilac Circle improvements just south of Hwy 5.
On October 13^th City Engineer Jack Griffin reported that the approximate street assessment per household would be $4,000 if the project were ordered.  Total cost of $176,000 would be split evenly between the city and the 22 benefiting residents.
The engineer, who met with residents in September, said, "The consensus was that street reconstruction was needed but they didn't feel they should have to pay for it."
Several 77^th Street residents also attended the October 13^th city council meeting.  Said Kevin Hubbard, "We need the road fixed.  But we've had only about 10 years of a decent road and 10 years of potholes.  If it would have been properly maintained, all we'd need is an overlay today.  I'd like to see a maintenance plan if you go ahead with this."
Resident Mike Neumann said, "I was there every day when you were putting in city water alongside the street.  Our driveways look like crap due to the water crap.  There were poor people on the job at that time.  There was an overlay in 1990 and it was never sealcoated.  It was a terrible job by the City of Victoria at the time.  You can't be reaching into people's pockets all the time.  It's way out of line to come to us after the city's been negligent."
He said that the residents of 77^th Street should not have to pay the full 50% of reconstruction cost, as the city policy dictates.
Resident Judy Janish said she wrote a letter about the street condition in 1994, when municipal water was installed, and nothing was ever done.  She presented a copy of that letter to current councilmem-bers.  Councilmember Mary Thun sug-gested that the city could have kept better records.
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