MANAGING VICTORIA'S GROWTH
DEVELOPERS STILL KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR
There are two large properties south of the Victoria Elementary School ready to be annexed into the City of Victoria and developed into single family residen-tial lots - but not until 2010, according to city Growth Management Guidelines.
"The Planning Commission is recom-mending you open those 2010 areas so developers can go through the ranking process," said Holly Kreft, Victoria's Director of Planning. 
Asked Councilmember Kim Roden, "Are we signaling to other developers to come knocking on our door for an amend-ment for them too?"
"I don't think so," replied Planner Kreft.  "Sewer and water need to come that way [south].  Also, others are clearly not on our mapping - west of Krey Lakes, for example."
Stated Councilmember Jim Paulsen, "I must confess.  I don't like these Growth Management Guidelines at all.  I don't like the algebraic equation based on points.  We once had something that dealt with school capacity and road capacity and broader issues."  Victoria's current Growth Manage-ment Guidelines were adopted in 2005.
"We didn't have a mechanism to help us wrestle with the REC issue, to help us deal with the sewer capacity," explained Councilmember Roden who was on the council in 2005.
Tom Vogt, longtime member of the Victoria Planning Commission, added, "We had pent up demand at that time that would have taken us to over 400 new homes per year.  That's what was con-fronting us then.  We had to figure out how to jam 400 new houses into 150 available REC units.  We had to prioritize in some way."
REC stands for Residential Equiva-lent Connection.  It equals approximately one home and counts for the average flow of sewage from one home.
Continued Tom Vogt, "We expected heavy demand but then had a stark reality of 150 RECs per year.  Also, people [developers] were complaining that we couldn't react to them in an efficient man-ner."
Surmised Councilmember Jim Paul-sen about future annexation of township property to the City of Victoria, "We're going to have pressure to move south."
He added, "The cities that make de-velopment pay for itself and stay healthy as development occurs, they stay healthy.  One of the problems we have is when we say no."
Councilmember Richard Tieden said, "We don't have as many housing starts as before.  We have to stay flexible for the times."  He made a motion to accept the Planning Commission's recommendation and include the 2010 areas and proposed plats in the city's Growth Management Guidelines.  However, the motion came to be withdrawn.
Councilmember Kim Roden referred to increased densities and how that would change the character of the community.  "I might be comfortable with this in another six months," said Kim. 
Councilmember Tim Amundsen pointed out, however, "There's nobody coming here now with a whole lot of plats saying I want to play with you."
Agreed Councilmember Tieden, "De-velopers worked with us when times were good.  Maybe we should work with them when times are tough ... It's going to take confidence in the market to get the econo-my going again."
Said Mayor Mary Thun, "I'm perfect-ly okay with not doing this [approving areas for development prior to guideline dates] as long as we do what Councilmember Amundsen said and ask staff to take a look at developer requests."
City staff will continue to hold discussions with developers, take a cur-sory look at things, and bring information back to city councilmembers.  The two areas under discussion, which are located in the neighborhood of Marsh Lake Road, could bring 718 new housing units into the City of Victoria.
It is understood that each new hous-ing unit coming into Victoria increases the city's property tax revenue, which is how Victoria pays for a lot of things.

COUNCILMEMBERS RUMINATE
ABOUT THE VICTORIA FIELD HOUSE
"Do we need to do more?" asked Councilmember Kim Roden regarding membership at the Victoria Field House which went from 278 to 273.  "I raise that issue because people still don't seem to know a decision has been made."
Councilmember Tim Amundsen said, "People will form their decisions the way they want, regardless of what they read or hear.  The answer in my opinion still lies at Hwy 5 and 41."  Lifetime Fitness is located at that intersection.
"There are better options in other places," said Tim, "but this is a hell of a deal in Victoria.  People going elsewhere are looking for other amenities.  It's just like with business and services in down-town Victoria.  People can choose.  Per-sonally, I'm cheap."
Said Councilmember Richard Tieden, "I'd say the statement is quite accurate that the community doesn't know what direction we're going.  There's a long his-tory out there.  It's been up and down, up and down.  Frankly, we bounce back and forth.  I don't understand it half the time.  This has gone on for five years ... We're still talking about whether it's going to be a director or a supervisor."
Councilmember Roden stated four simple facts:  "We're not selling the Field House.  We're hiring an interim person.  We're searching for a permanent director.  We're in discussion with School District #112."  She added, "I feel we know more than we have for a long time."

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