LOOKING AT GREEN CREST DRIVE
IS THE VICTORIA STREET PUBLIC OR PRIVATE?
Earl Hubbard, a Victoria resident at Green Crest, requested that the City of Victoria take over the snowplowing of the private street in the Green Crest neighbor-hood.  For the past 15+ years, the home-owners association has been hiring private snowplowing services.
After some discussion on August 10^th, it was determined that City Engineer Cara Geheren will analyze the situation, review other private roads in the city, and report back to city councilmembers.
Stated Administrator Dave Urbia, "These requests come in front of the city with some frequency."  As for streets being private rather than public he said, "Different factors drove the decisions when the developments occurred."
Administrator Urbia pointed out that Green Crest made the same request for city snowplowing back in 2002, that the request was reviewed by City Administra-tor Steve Sarvi who determined the street was private, that the agreement with the developer stipulated the street would remain private.
According to correspondence dated July 19^th, 2002, Steve Sarvi wrote:  "Due to the density and frontyard setback dis-tances, the council made a condition of approval that the association would be responsible for snowplowing the private street."
Dave Urbia also stated that the snow-plowing of Green Crest Drive would need to be conducted differently than other streets in Victoria.  It is narrow with two island cul de sacs, one at each end, that are oddly shaped and not circular.
Bruce Osborn, Victoria Public Works Director, spoke to the issue.  "These are very unique cul de sacs.  We can barely get a truck around that radius, much less maneuver a snowplow.  All the snow would end up in their [short] driveways.  Most of the snow in the neighborhood would have to be hauled out."
"If there's a medical," said Bruce, "we'd always help out.
Asked if there's a solution, he stated the cul de sacs would have to be reshaped, but there's a fire hydrant in the center of one of the islands which would have to be removed.  Also, damage that might be caused by a city snowplow would occur on private property and not public right of way.
Councilmember Richard Tieden asked what it would cost to relocate the fire hydrant and redo the cul de sacs.  Stated the city engineer, "It may be worth considering, with the number of homes in there.  You'd still have the snow storage issue."  There are 30 townhomes in the Green Crest neighborhood. 
Stated Earl Hubbard, president of the Green Crest Homeowners Association, "We've always been under the impression the street was public.  The city has done patching and sealcoating, everything ex-cept snowplowing.  We pay taxes like every other resident, yet this service is withheld."
He also pointed out that Pointe Vista Drive, a private street in Deer Run, re-ceives city snowplowing service.
Mr. Hubbard referred to a medical occasion this past winter where Bruce came in with a pickup plow and did an excellent job.  "That's why we're looking at this now," he said.  "In 15 years we've never hauled one truckload of snow out of here ... Our neighborhood has dealt with some very large equipment."
Cara said that original city files indi-cate the road is private, but on the Carver County GIS it's recorded as public.  She will assess the entire situation.

TOWNSHIP GETS WRINKLED
VICTORIA TRIES TO IRON IT OUT
Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Vic-toria and the City of Waconia in regard to shared municipal boundaries in the order-ly annexation area of Laketown Town-ship. 
Crown College, for example, would like to be entirely located within either the City of Waconia or the City of Victoria and not have their campus split between the two cities because of a boundary drawn in 1976.
Ken Essig, Chair of the Laketown Township Board, spoke at the podium at the August 10^th city council meeting.  "This land is still in Laketown Town-ship," he said.  "I'm a little disappointed because we've had a good relationship with you.  We want to have the opportun-ity to discuss this with our residents.  We've had several surprises lately.  We'd have to sign off on this, I'm sure.  We'd like to participate in some of the discus-sion ... We'd like to inform our residents ... Crown College has certainly been a good resident.  We'd appreciate an invita-tion to your discussions."
Stated Mayor Jerry Bohn, "The reso-lution does say Laketown would have to be there.  We'd certainly want you in-volved ... This was initiated by residents around the boundary line.  We have no agenda here."
City Administrator Dave Urbia point-ed out that City Planner Eric Zweber, who recently resigned and whose position was only just filled, would certainly have already contacted the township.  "I'm just trying to get along," he said.

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