Good evening. It's now 6:30 and I call to order the regular meeting of the Victoria City Council. Please join us in the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic
for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The first item on our agenda this evening is announcements. There are several announcements this evening. We'll be kicking off our 2026 budget
discussion on Monday, June 23rd at 5:00 PM during our city council workshop. Councils will council will be reviewing and discussing preliminary 2026 budget projections. All meetings of the city council, including workshops, are open to the public and held in the council
chambers at city hall unless otherwise noted. Anyone wishing to attend our council meetings or workshops in person, please contact our city clerk in advance. In other announcements, we've been installing new park signage throughout the park system. We encourage everyone to explore the four tiers of
the signage that have been integrated into the park system, which are designed to enhance your experience and connection to our parks. We kicked off our summer hours this past week here at city hall. Office hours are 8 to 4:30 Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to
noon on Fridays through Labor Day. We'll be recognizing our volunteers on Monday, June 9th at 5:30 p.m. at the Bayfront Park as part of our annual volunteer recognition event. During this event, we will also formally formally recognize
the Victoria Business Association who is named our 2025 community builder. Everyone is welcome. We encourage anyone planning to attend to register in advance with the city clerk. Um, last note is our city offices will be closed on Thursday, June 19th in recognition of
June Junth. Uh, the next item on our agenda this evening is to adopt the final agenda. Council, can I get a motion to adopt the final agenda? Motion to adopt the final agenda. We have a motion. Can I get a second? Second. We have a motion
and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next item on our agenda is open forum. This is the opportunity for anyone in the audience to address the council on an item that is not on the agenda and not in application form that will be coming to the council at a
future date. No one has registered to uh speak in advance, but is there anyone in the audience this evening who wishes to address the council on an item that is not on the agenda? Seeing no one, we'll move on to our next item, which is the consent
agenda. Items on the consent agenda are routine, administrative, and do not require deliberation or are housekeeping items that are required by law. They're approved with one vote unless someone requests an item to be considered separately. Miss Hardy, does staff wish to pull any consent agenda items for
separate discussion and vote this evening? None from staff. Madame Mayor, is there anyone on the council wishing to pull any items from the consent agenda? Seeing none, I will ask the audience, is there any member of the audience who wishes to pull an item from the consent agenda for a separate
discussion and vote this evening? Seeing none, I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. Motion to approve the consent agenda. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any
opposed? Motion carries. The first item on our regular agenda is item 6.1, which is to consider the establishment of a tax increment financing district 1 to 10 for an affordable housing project located within Victoria Ridge. We previously opened the public hearing on
this item and took public comment during our April 28th meeting, but have kept the public hearing open for comment until this evening. Before we open the floor for public comment again, I would like to first welcome community and economic development director Jen Brewington to provide a brief overview
of the project. Miss Brewington, the floor is yours. Thank you, mayor, members of the council. So, the city has received an application requesting a tax increment financing assistance to support the development of 162 unit apartment building. The proposed project
will have 129 market rate units and 33 affordable units designed for households earning up to 50% of the area median income AMI. To establish a tiff district for affordable housing, the city council must first hold a public hearing to review the request. This hearing will
allow the city council to evaluate whether the proposed tiff district provides community benefits such as the affordable housing um and to address any public concerns. Tammy Omdale is here tonight and she will shortly go over the housing tiff district information. The project site covers
approximately 4.1 acres. For location reference, uh the Marsh Hollow development is situated the northwest of the property and County Road 11 Victoria Drive runs along the eastern boundary offering key access to Marsh Hollow and nearby areas. I will now turn over to Tammy
Amdall for a more in-depth presentation regarding the subsidy request. Thank you, Miss Almall. Welcome. Thank you, Mayor. Good um evening. Tammy Yamal with Northland Public Finance serving as advisor. I'm going to go through a few slides just some background on tax increment financing and then I have a
few slides that are specific to the application and the terms for assistance. But first on slide four, tax increment financing. The city has established TIFF districts before. TIFF is short for tax increment financing. And tiff as far as a definition really
means in its simplicity the capturing of the increase in value. There is no forgiving of property taxes. The property will pay its taxes. Tax increment allows the city council upon approval of a tax increment financing
district to consider the use of certain taxes increase in taxes to assist a development that otherwise would not occur but for the tiff assistance and there's a bunch of bullet points up there speaking to that specifically with
respect to tiff the purpose of tax increment financing and in statute often called the but for test that but for the assistance that a project as proposed would not be feasible in the reasonably
foreseeable future. But TIFF is about stimulating growth that otherwise would not occur. Creating jobs, retaining existing tax base, encourage encouraging development of uses that otherwise would not occur, enhancing tax base,
facilitating infrastructure improvements when appropriate and then coordinate new development with existing plans. The request before you this evening and the purpose of the public hearing is the consideration of establishment of a tax
increment financing housing district and proposed to be tiff district 1-10. The duration of the tiff district is proposed to be 15 years. I would note that that is less than the statutory maximum that would have been allowable
of 26 years. The reason for a shorter duration upon review of the application and that need for assistance for the project to be financially feasible it was determined that 15 years was the appropriate number of years and the
agreement with the developer reflects that 15year term as well. So very important point this will not be for the statutory maximum 26 years. It will be limited to a duration no greater than 15 years. the revenue derived from housing
dis districts different than redevelopment districts which is the type of um the last two districts established by the city. For a housing district, TIFF can only be used to directly assist the construction and the development of those affordable housing
units. There are income limitations um and either um 40% of the units need to be leased to persons at 60% of the areawide median income or 20% of the units to persons at 50% of the AMI. The agreement
with the developer will provide for 20% of the units affordable at 50% AMI. As Jen indicated in her opening comments, that is for the duration of the district. So that term not to exceed 15 years that at least once a year that the
developer will certify to the city that in fact those units have been income qualified. There is not a restriction on rent with tiff districts. That sometime is confusing because you think um income limitation and rents. It is solely based
upon income of those tenants. Sometimes when a developer seeks other funding sources such as tax credit or other sources there can be rent restrictions. Um here the tiff is solely related to income qualifying those
tenants. With respect to the terms and the projected project um the estimated average annual tax increment revenue from the project is estimated at approximately 380 thou80,000 per year. That's an estimate because that's based
upon an assumption for taxable market value. It's based upon an assumption for what future tax rates will be. All of those factors among others will impact that annual increment. But at this point in time, that 380,000 is a reasonable
estimate and is also the basis for upon which the TIFF plan was developed. Pursuant to a development agreement that is also before the city council tonight, the developer would receive 90% of the tax increment generated from the
district payable on a semianual basis pursuant to when taxes are paid semianual. So 90% of the actual increment generated to reimburse up to approximately $3.5 million of project
costs over that 15year term. the developer will have to prove up those project costs. In a moment I'll have a slide that details those costs. Um but after those are approved up then the city pursuant to the agreement will um act um to make those
payments. With respect and I know there's small font here I just want to focus on the developer reimbursement which is the far right column. So of the total increment it's estimated that 3.3 3 million458 that was my rounded
approximate 3.5 million reimbursement of eligible project costs which will include the land acquisition at an estimated 2 million250 and site improvements at approximately 1.2 million. The reimbursement to the
developer of the approximate 3.5 million is payable with interest. The reason for that is the city is providing payo assistance. The city is not providing the developer any funds upfront. As the developer pays their property taxes
pursuant to that agreement and the 90% of the increment that is pledged, the city will make payments to the developer to reimburse principal up to that approximate 3.5 million payable with interest until the 3.5 is reimbursed or
the 15 years has come to pass, whichever occurs first. The city will retain the remaining 10% of the increment to reimburse any actual admin costs. Any funds in excess of actual costs incurred are returned to the county for
redistribution to the city, the city's general fund, the c the county and the school. With respect to the timeline, um you've heard this from me before with other districts. There's certain requirements of notices including to the county commissioner, to the school district, to
county auditor. All those notices did occur. Um the county was notified as of the school district of the public hearing which was continued to this evening. So tonight on the agenda, go one more there. There is
actually three action items. There's the motion to adopt the resolution approving the modification of the development program for development district number one and a tax increment financing plan for tax increment financing district
1-10. TIF districts are established within boundaries of development districts. In Victoria, development district number one boundaries are actually co-terminus with your municipal boundaries. But there is a um modification to that to allow for this
tiff district within. There is a proposed motion to adopt a resolution authorizing an interfund loan for the advance of certain costs in connection with the tiff district that relates solely to any administration costs that
the city may occur incur in advance of collecting your increment to reimburse yourself. So that was in the council's packet. And the last one is not a resolution. It is a motion to approve the contract for private development buyin between the city of Victoria and
Victoria South Apartments LLC. That contract was also in the council's packet for this evening. With that, Madame Mayor, council members, I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have for me. Very good. Thanks, Miss Almall. Um, council, any questions
for Miss Amdall before we continue our public hearing? I have two. Council member Peterson, this is TIFF transferable. Um, we've seen buildings that have TIFF agreements that then get sold to another devel of the location. Is there anything
you can put on it to stop the transferability of TIFF or is that something that has to stay? Great question. So the development agreement and agreements in prior um tip districts require that the developer um seek an assignment of that agreement or note and
for the city council to consider approvement. Development agreements stay with the entity that entered into it. So if property is sold, it doesn't go with the property. It stays with the developer. So that's part of the private transaction when land or property is sold on whether or not that developer
who owns it seeks to place or um assign excuse me that agreement and the a tiff note to a new party. Okay. And there is language in the current agreement that's before you related to that. Cities tend
to um without exception in my experience not withhold assignments but most cities seek to have that language in their contracts so that you have to you get to review it and then consent to it. Um and really you on a practical standpoint you
need to know too because you need to know who to make that payment. Sure. And your second question, second question is, we're establishing this tiff district for 20% of the 162 units to be
rented out to those with a 50% AMI, but that doesn't dictate the monthly rent costs. Is that correct? Or is that I don't know how that works. Can they still charge $1,000 per unit for the people with an AMI below 50% just
like they would with somebody who has a AMI above the 50%. Or are they required to have a rent that's half the price? There is no requirement on rent. So there's no um rent limitations or restrictions. There is a limitation on
the income. So they must income qualify a minimum of 20% of those units or approximately 33 of the units to persons that are income qualified at that 50% of AMI. Okay. So it's not really helping
somebody to live there. It's just giving them the opportunity to live there and then pay the same as everybody else. Is that correct? In in most cases and including in the application that the developer provided, they had rents proposed that were at the affordable
level. They're not restricted, but their plan is to rent those. Now, I'm emphasizing there is no requirement on the rents. There is an a limitation on the incomes only. Okay. Thank you.
Other questions, council? Thank you. Stay close, Tammy, just in case. Okay, this is a public hearing and we will now continue the public hearing from April 28th. If there is anyone in the audience that wishes to speak to this item, please step forward and state
your name and address for the record, please. If anyone would like to speak to this item, they can step forward now. And last call. All right. Seeing no one, I will now close the public hearing and open the floor for
council discussion. Um, council, any further discussion on this item. All right, seeing none, then we have uh three actions in front of us and I will entertain the first action. Motion to adopt resolution approving the modification of the development program for development
district number one and a tax increment financing plan for tax increment financing district 1-10. Nicely said. We have a motion. Can I get a second? Second. We have a motion in the second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion
carries. A second motion, please. Motion to adopt resolution authorizing an intrafund loan for advance for certain costs in connection with tax increment financing and housing district number 1-10.
We have second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. And the final motion, please. Motion to approve contract for private development buy and between the city of Victoria and Victoria South Apartments LLC. We have a
motion. Can I get a second? Second. A motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on to our next item. 6.2 is a public hearing to approve a temporary noise permit for 8237
Trillium Lane. Presenting on this item this evening is our city clerk, Claudia Edisfold. Miss Edisfold, please. Thank you, madame mayor and council members. Um, the applicant has submitted. Can you get my presentation?
The applicant has submitted a temporary noise permit um for 8237 Trillium Way. This is for a birthday celebration to be held on May 31st from 900 p.m. to 100 p.m. 1 a.m. 1:00
a.m. Sorry, 1:00 a.m. Um, so council is able to authorize a temporary noise permit as long as certain uh conditions have been met. Um, and those specific conditions are the noise will be
temporary. Um the cost to reduce the noise is too high. Uh there are no no other alternative um actions for the applicant. Um and it
provides entertainment uh for the neighborhood. It outweighs any negative effects on the public health or safety. Um, all residents within 300 ft were notified of the public
hearing that was to be held tonight. Okay. Did we receive any comments prior to that? We have not received any comments. Thank you. Anything further, Miss Satisfold? Um, I would request that you open the public hearing as
uh mandated peri municipal code um 12.26. 26. Thank you. This is a public hearing. I will now open the public hearing. If there's anyone present who wishes to speak to this item, please come forward and state your name and address for the
record. Anyone wishing to speak about the temporary noise permit, please step forward. And last chance. All right. Seeing none, I will now close the public hearing. And council, is there any questions or
discussion among council on this item? All right, we are looking for one motion. Council, can I get a motion, please? I'll make a motion. Uh, we um you click it over. We have a motion to approve a temporary noise permit for
8237 Trillium Lane for the excess noise between the hours of 900 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. Can I get a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion
carries. Next item on our agenda this evening is item 6.3, which is a public hearing regarding annual liquor license renewals in the city of Victoria, which covers the time period July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. Presenting again this evening is
uh city clerk Claudia Edisfold. Miss Edisfold to this item, please. Madame Mayor and council members, it's that time again, that time of year again to renew our annual liquor licenses. Um, this year we have received 13 renewals.
Um, there are no changes made to any of the licenses. Um the notice was published in the uh the Sun Patriot on May 15th and it was posted on the website and on the electronic
monitor. Uh the chart before you shows all the license listed for the calendar year um and their total fees collected. Okay. staff recommends that you open the c public hearing as
required um by Victorian Municipal Code Chapter 4. Very good. Thank you, Miss Satisf. This is a public hearing. I will now open the public hearing. If there's anyone who wishes to speak to this item, please step forward and state your name and address for the record. Anyone wishing to speak to this
item, please step forward. And last call. Seeing no one, I will now close the public hearing and ask the council if there is any discussion among the council members on this item. Seeing none, I will entertain a
motion. Motion to adopt resolution approving the renewal of liquor licenses from July 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. City of Victoria, Minnesota. Oops. Thank you, sir. I stepped on you. We have a
motion. Can I get a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Thanks. Motion carries. The next item on our agenda this evening evening is item 6.4 which is to review a revised concept plan for
the downtown west phase 2. Presenting on this item this evening, we welcome back uh community and economic de development director Jen Brewington. Miss Brewington, please. Thank you, mayor, members of the council. So, I just want to provide some background information for those folks watching um on how we
got here today. So, the city has owned land known as Downtown West uh since 2006 located by the Dairy Queen. The vision for Downtown West has been to be an extension of our current downtown, welcoming new businesses, housing, gathering spaces, and other amenities that we currently love with our current
downtown. Phase 1 is currently under development, and next March, we look forward to welcoming the residents at the Olivine apartment building opening in March. So phase two for downtown west did originate through a formal request and RFP proposal and the reason why we did
that was to ensure transparent competitive selection. This allowed the city to evaluate a range of developer qualifications and the visions for the site. On January 27th, 2025, Victoria City Council approved an exclusive development agreement with Victoria DW
LLC to lead downtown west phase 2. The Victoria DW team presented a concept for phase 2 development during a city workshop on March 10th, 2025, and council is now being asked to review and provide feedback on a revised concept which incorporates feedback from the
March 10th workshop. Key areas of discussion for phase 2 will include residential density and design, commercial and retail components, and the integration of open space to support a connected and walkable downtown environment. I'm now going to turn over to the development team for further discuss
their updated concept. However, when their discussion is over, I am going to ask Cara, our city engineer, to come up and get some discussion on the public improvement piece. Very good. Thank you. Mr. Runk, are you leading us off this evening? I am. Yes, I and members of the council. Um, so as um, excuse me, can
you just state your name and address for the Sure. Thanks. Uh, Carl Brunk and um, address 3921 Campell Curve Chaza. Thank you. Um we were last with you as you know uh in this room on March 10th and at that
time we had uh eight iterations of the concept plan. We uh updated now uh at that point to iteration nine. We presented that day and then this is iteration 10 and we've incorporated your feedback into it. if you saw the, you know, the letter we included um and and
took everything um to heart that you mentioned to us about as important to you um and in pulling this off on what is an expansion of downtown Victoria. Uh so to aid the visuals, we have a fly through or a couple of quick flyroughs we wanted to put on the screen for you
to look at and then hear your feedback and hopefully move to the next step on this project. So this is this is going I thought this is going through uh what is the new main street um on the overall plan you saw with two restaurants we're proposing that are 5,000 square feet
above that anchoring that active plaza in the middle and something that's significant that we've updated on this is that right building there it's a mixeduse building with city of Victoria space and HOA club space the prior iteration had the club space in a
building up on top of the hill by the condo buildings and walk up town homes and part of the feedback at the workshop in March was bringing that down um and making it mixed use. And so we're proposing this mixeduse building anchoring um that part of the
development and we have a interested tenant potentially to be there that would be a coffee user that could potentially go there. You know, obviously we're not marketing the space officially at any of these spaces, but we've had preliminary conversations. this steps down, you know, using the hill, the terrace to that city of
Victoria, uh, community space that could have, uh, for parties and events rented by the community, uh, public bathrooms and storage. And then there's the active plaza again that we're starting to develop, you know, working with the city what that is. Um, and zooming out here
again, but this is on our minds a central piece of the entire master plan. And it now also connects with the central green with the central green being part of our plan that you're moving ahead with next to alline apartments. And this is another another fly through of that uh central area. So,
this area has expanded from our last iteration to about 12,000 square feet. There's patio seating that activates, you know, from the restaurants activating that plaza space for programming. And then having this community space be facing it will create a new center of energy, we think, for uh
downtown west. Um, and this goes up up the hill again towards where some of the first residential buildings would be. And we could Jen go to the overall image if you can go to that one that's static that we can look
at. Um and then perhaps the 3D version if you go down a slide or two. Um so we're proposing as you might have saw in our diagrams phase one that we would assuming that we're on the same page with an overall plan here that we would further develop the architecture
and the streets and landscape architecture and that and the and the public spaces um for a phase one application and we're looking at that with our timeline being in July. So, if we're on the same page about this overall master plan, we'd like to move ahead with the four retail buildings and
the new main street, which as you noticed is designed a lot like the current downtown Victoria with angled parking about the same dimensions, uh the same street lights, the same feel and character, and then having uh two anchoring restaurants that we believe would be the great uses right there. And
then a mix of different retail uses that would u be good co-attendance with the restaurants on the south side of the main street. And then visual looking down that main street is towards uh Carver Park Reserve in the central green area. Um the residential buildings shown
are uh three to four stories. They're all in this scenario shown at four stories. That was based on feedback from me last time to not do the one-story villa product. We know that that villa product is in demand, but your comments were probably not here. this is uh you get one shot of developing this piece of
land for an expansion of downtown that was too low density and so we're we're up to uh condo buildings on the right side there on the east side that will look over uh Carver Park Reserve and Stiger Lake and then um also condos in Walkup Town Homes that are in the middle
there upper middle part of the the diagram and we're proposing that we start phasing this with what's next to Stiger Lake Lane the new expansion going north and then as time goes on phase two and three we're proposing are the the building to the west there that would be looking at Lake Auburn over Highway 11
and then the future multif family building and retail that's at the south side there. Um so I I just kind of shared quickly high level what has updated uh since we last met with you and we're excited about the plan. We think that um um there's a lot of
potential to move to the next step with you. Uh but it starts in our mind with talking about the financial considerations as a next step if we approve this if you approve this concept we're at now and moving into a sketch plot application this summer would be our goal.
How many condos in each of those condo buildings on that first? So there uh currently 14 designed in each of those buildings. Okay. So they're all again these are two-bedroom units and bigger. These are these are not apartments. These are, you know, like homes in that
way. So, their average unit size is going to span between 1,200 feet to 3,000 square feet. And whereas most apartment buildings are in town here around 850 square feet to 1,000 square feet average, these are starting at a much larger size because we think that's where the market is based on our research that there's a demand for
two-bedroom or bigger units, not necessarily u smaller units that way. And owner occupied, right? Owner occupied. Yes. for the condo buildings and the the whiter buildings that are shown on the north side would be uh walk up units that are twotory town homes with flats or condos above those as well
to get to three to four story heights. Uh because we think it makes sense to have units that people could walk up to that would have two levels in that case instead of just single level only. Um so it rides variety of product type in our minds you know for what's up there. Um,
and so we before we'd come to you with a sketch application, we've really refined those buildings as far as what the exact unit floor plans are. Uh, but we have a pretty good idea now that of what the unit count looks like with those footprints and what those views are looking north, east, west. You know,
there's good views in all directions using the topography of the site up higher. What was the uh was it three or four stories that those condo buildings were? Those are shown as three stories with a four there are four stories with the the four stories stepped back more.
If you look at the Okay, got it. And then we did we did lose a condo building from the last iteration. Four buildings, but the the central green is staying as my understanding is going to be built and so we were able to modify and take advantage of the depth of land a little more. So the buildings are a little bit longer you see in the lower two ones to
make up for the unit counts that we lost to mostly make up for it. And that third condo building, that's the last one there. Is that 14 units roughly too? Or is that a little smaller? They're all 14 units. They're all 14. So that one is is rotated. It's
just rotated. It's size-wise it's the same. So it fits within kind of that sliver pieshaped parcel that's left over from the stagger lake. And then what we're proposing is a trail behind that. Uh so there'll be a private sidewalks and trails or not it's open to the public but we met with Three
Rivers Parks planning staff and the superintendent and um they are not recommending today at least to put a trail going north directly there on the Carver Park Reserve. That's a future trail. They're recommending that we just add wayfinding signage inside of downtown west and use the bike trail
that's connecting along Highway 5 and 11 that'll go up to Carver Park Reserve from there. Um, so they're they're working with us on what what that is, but right now there are trails as part of the approved plan for the highway improvements in the roundabout uh that goes to to the south side of the site
and then north. And we think a lot of people will probably choose to go through our site through Cer Lake Lane and the because of the destination it is that we're creating and have bike parking and there's bathrooms and there's places to drink and eat there as well. And then on those on that public
the restrooms and and that active plaza is that going to be um those restrooms will be under the city of Victoria's responsibility. Is that correct? We're proposing that it's it feels like a city of Victoria space and it could be condoed off so the city owns it or it
could be leased. We're openminded to what that is um and how it's designed in size. It's still up for you know design with with the city. You know what that is. Right now, those are 5,000 square foot uh floor plates and they could flex a little bit in terms of what's exactly inside of those floor plates. Okay. And
then that mixeduse building we're talking about like retail on the main level and an HOA uh clubhouse as well in there. So, the fitness room and club space for all the residents that that own homes there would enter into that building. So, that building would have
HOA clubhouse space, city space, and potentially a tenant um uh coffee tenant. we're talking to specifically uh that wants to be there potentially on that one level. All on that one level. Yeah. And then there's other uses we're we're considering up above to be defined
exactly yet. They're commercial uses. Okay. Basic office space. Yeah. It could be flex space that we're trying to um determine the market exactly for that yet. So when we come to you with the so if we come do the phase one application which we hope to this summer we'll define that further after doing our deep
dive in the market for that building and we know for sure the program today has those first two floors but floors three and four we need to really dive into that further and remind me Carl is this four stories on all of the buildings is the max height that's the max that we are
showing right now. Yeah. So four stories max around two if this is all built out as shown it's around 200 units between all the condos in the town homes and the future multif family which is in that range that we were talking about the workshop in terms of a med council
minimum that you were seeking here. So multif family is an apartment complex. Yes. Yes. Is there a reason why you would put the apartment complex there and the future condos to the west as opposed to future condos instead of the
apartment complex? It was only because um views really matter and condos even more than apartments. They matter in both, but Lake Auburn views when you I'm sure you've stood on that site are really good to the west and we wanted to capture Lake Auburn views and we're thinking that condos could use those.
Um, and then the all the traffic and as the future keeps building out in this area, we think it keeps getting more traffic in Highway 5 that we're thinking that the apartments maybe look that direction is why we're thinking. But, um, yeah, you're the expert. I'm just it's better explanation than what I was
thinking. So, thank you. Yeah. And the what really helps the residential units up there is that it's, you know, naturally, you know, 20 30 feet higher than Highway 5. So, we're up pretty high up there. And using that topography is is unique. I mean to be able to be that high up in air and look at these views all around that way for the residences.
For the restaurants, it looks like there's plenty of patio space outside. I'm just curious if there's thoughts of, you know, using the rooftops on those for potential patio spaces, too, or do you typically not build like typically not? We're listening closely to the
restaurant operators out there and they like to operate at one level. It's it's more challenging, my understanding, operating in two levels of space. If there is a second level, one of the operators we're talking to will like to do a speak easy as part of it. And the speak easy might want to be in the basement for a a cool vibe, but it also
might not make sense to dig a basement. It might sense to put it next to it in the same space somehow. Um, but right now, I think there's so much horizontal space that it's it flows easy for patio seating. Um, and one of the operators we're talking to likes idea even of
having the patio seating wrapping around to the north slightly towards all that green space. And so it's, you know, shielded from noise on Highway 5, it's with a lot of trees and vegetation. It'll feel private back there. I would just say, too, um, you know, I know when we've done other looked at
other commercial developments that have come before us, right, we we always talk a lot about how we want the buildings closer to the road, right? So that for visibility and stuff, but I think this is perfect how it is. Like I I get why typically we like to do that for certain
things, but for this project, right, we're trying to go for connectivity. We're trying to go for, you know, bringing all these different buildings together, right? And if you swapped the uh parking lot and
put the future multif family, right, like spots, now you got a big parking lot in a potential green space, right? So, I I know that's something that typically we don't like to do is to have the buildings off of the highway and the parking lot there, but I think for this
development, like it it just it brings that connectivity together. All those buildings are close together. You've got those green spaces in the middle where people can come together. So, I like how it looks. Yeah, that's our that's our goal throughout this working together is and it's not without risk. I mean the
most retail tenants and restaurants like highway visibility, lots of parking, nothing in between and this comes with a little risk in that way. So we it takes visionary tenants too to say we believe in this concept in downtown expanding like this and it probably helps a little bit that right from our workshop that we
had right the middle tends to be higher right than the end. So it's not like you it's lower in the middle so people can't see those buildings. Those buildings should sit up kind of up on that. Right. Right. Topography is our friend here in that way, right? That we can hopefully use that for people on Highway 5 seeing
into there. Yep. I I agree with what Councilman Roberts brings up about the flow. I think it's very solid. The one question I have on the active plaza. I love that. Remind me, is that 12,000 square feet roughly is what you're thinking for that now. I'm trying to
envision what what could be done in that area, but gathering space and family and just trying to I'm trying to visualize that space because I think it's important here. It's it's huge. So, it's great. There was a precedent we we found in uh Eastern Ohio, this town center
which had similar dimensions to this with two restaurants, actually had four restaurants surrounding it, but it had, you know, a lot of spaces for all generations. you know, it had swings, it had, you know, board games, it had all types of things that could be done. And then if concerts happen, they could happen there as well. And if it's not
just happening here at the band stand, it could happen uh in that space. So there's we'd like to work with the city and work with Max Music, our consultant that knows this stuff, who works for 50 of France, who works for Wisetta, to help program that together, what that is. Yeah. And then you think about
winter. What can you do differently in this different seasons, right? I know we talked about some of this stuff in the workshop, but no, this looks great. Talk through the phasing, what what you how many phases you think this will take and kind of timeline. I mean, I know the
market drives a lot of it, but let's talk through that a little bit. Yeah, in this diagram, we think that it'll help set the tone for the entire project having that retail and town center in as the first phase. So, we're showing that in a perfect world, we come to you in
this summer with a sketch plat application that's approved by this fall and we have public private agreements approved by this fall as well that we would start uh this fall. We close in financing, close on the land or that part of the land ideally and start this fall and open by next year already. What
would be the the retail buildings, the active plaza, the mixeduse building and the first two um residential buildings at the top of the hill. And our our goal is just start and set a tone that way and build this in in phases likely with the blue area, those condos next because
those really have the best that's the best site part of the whole project we think in terms of the views um and where that is up there and then see how the market absorbs those before going to the cond building that we looking over Lake Auburn and then the multif family
building. The multif family building of course we're showing last because you there's m se several apartment projects that are into v various phases of development and leasing right now and there's the air project that's approved. We don't know if that's happening across highway 5 nearby as well and that impacts exactly what we look at for that
building as well. Um so that's our our objective right now. And then the retail uh below we think it just great to it be great great to have a center of gravity established before expanding further west in that case you know with the additional retail. Uh but we would like flexibility and our ultimate agreements
with you on phasing this per the market because the market might react a little bit differently than we're thinking on this too. Sure. Sure. But I mean some of these things in the later phases, you've got the flexibility to be able to pivot on the type of
product or what you're looking for based on what the market's doing. That's what we'd like to do. Yes. I think the city would too that we we all want this to be successful and be absorbed. We don't want uh this to be lingering, you know, many many many years away that because nothing was it wasn't done right. So we
want to react to the market in phases and we think the first phase is a good one to start with and that really creating an attraction here. um to add to olivine and add to the central green in that case. Council, other questions, comments on
this? Do you have some other slides you want to show us on this? You want to roll through those other slides quickly or you are we good? Well, these are um yeah, more static images as you saw there. And so these aren't these are just kind
of these don't really have the architectural No, the the devel architecture we fully develop, we'll have it more clearly rendered because we like to bring it to you for sketch fly, but also the market. We want to really take this out to the whole market to make sure everyone clearly understands what this is. It's
still kind of a sketchy phase yet. Yeah. Good. All right. Council, other comments, questions for the development team here? I think we're headed in the right direction. I'm seeing nods all around here. I
agree. Okay. Good. All right. Uh we do have uh some action to take here. So we are looking uh council. Can I get a motion? Motion to approve the revised concept plan for downtown west phase 2 and authorize staff to enter into
negotiations for land sale. Very good. We have a motion. Can I get a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Um, we have Did Did we want to do that be? Did
we want to hear from you before we did that? It doesn't matter. Okay. Very good. So, so now we have uh city engineer Cara Garin with some comments on this project. Correct. Yeah. Yes. Yes. I'm just going to give the council a quick
update on the public infrastructure that surrounds this. All right. Very good. Thank you. Seems important, Miss Karen. It does. The floor is yours. Thank you, mayor, members of the city council. So, um just a couple of things that we wanted to touch base with the council
that are um moving fast and furious in support of this development and the Olivine project. So, first and foremost, I am not going to talk about the highway 5 and 11 project because you've heard me talk about that endlessly. Um, that is
shown in orange underlying this graphic. That project, we are opening bids on that project on Thursday. So, that will be back in front of you on June 9th. Um but the other thing that is in process, so the Olivine project as Jen noted is
moving along quickly and they are scheduled for um opening in March. So as part of that project, we have the Stiger Lake Lane portion of the project. There's too many projects.
construction of Stiger Lake Lane up past the front of their building is being constructed as part of the five and 11 project. So, we've talked about that. So, we are using um some federal
funds and state funds to construct the connection of just Stiger Lake Lane. We're putting sewer and water through the site as part of the 5 and11 project. Um, we were able to tap into some of our
outside funding for a portion of the Stiger Lake Lane project costs and then we're paying for the sewer and water. Beyond that though, we have to build pretty things and the central green as part of our development
agreement with the Olivine project. So Kimley Horn, the city council authorized many months ago now to work on the preliminary design package for the pretty things and the central green. So
pretty things would be sidewalk adjacent to the Olivine project and our streetscape package. So pavers, lighting, landscaping that matches what we built along um Stiger Lake Lane. just this completed whenever it was last
year. And then the design and construction of the central green as well as construction of the storm water management facility that's needed to um treat storm water runoff from the pretty things the central green and the rest of
the Olivine building. So my team from Kimley Horn is working on that project as this whole process has been moving forward. So, we are blending all of these different visions together. And so, with the action the council has taken here tonight, um we obviously are
not going to build a giant storm water pond in the area that we all just talked about putting retail buildings. And so with the action here tonight, we will be moving forward with looking to incorporate storm water management
underneath the central green um so underground so that we aren't using surface area where we want to have retail and other functions. So, um we'll be taking the direction that the council took tonight, further refining, um the
preliminary design package and then bringing back to the council probably on the 9th authorization for final design because we have to put a bid package yet out this year to um if we can stay on
track, get the central green constructed yet this fall after Stagger Lake Lane is built so that we can at the very minimum have um half a parking lot constructed when Olivine opens their doors in March
of next year. So, lots of moving parts. Yes. And lots of stuff to keep track of. Yes. Can you remind me what how big the green space is and then how many parking spots were like it feels like we talked about this forever ago because it probably was, but we just counted them
up when we met, but we are refining. Yeah. the central green and the parking spots in conjunction with what you all just saw tonight. And so those two designs are coming together basically to make sure that there's enough additional
parking for Olivine Olivine and what we're discussed today. Correct. Yeah, we're working very closely with um the team here in the room tonight and the Kimley Horn team and what we had already planned for from the Olivine project to
get all the pieces to come together. So, wanted to just let the council know how all the pieces are fitting together and you will be seeing an authorization for final design here soon. Okay. The big question is, are you juggling enough
projects? You have enough? We can get more. Well, I'm I'm happy to, I guess, report that I have a new team member um who will be joining my team starting on Friday. Her name is Amanda Meyer. Um what's super exciting about that is she
did work for me um back 2019 2019 I think was when she left but she had worked for me for a number of years as part of the team here in the city of Victoria. So we are very excited
to have her back. So, um, it couldn't come at a better time because she's familiar with the city and, um, she most recently was the city engineer for the city of Cottage Grove. So, she's going to be a big help for me and my team. So,
that's fantastic. I mean, we do have a lot going on and everything is kind of feels like it's happening all at one time. And so, um, to our residents who are wondering what we're thinking here, there is a method to our madness. We do know what we're doing. we think and there's a lot of stuff going on, but we
beg your patience while we work our way through all of these details. So, um, yeah. So, I'm thrilled that you're getting some help. That's a I mean, there's a lot of big earth movers hanging around town here and it's exciting to have somebody who's very
familiar with the city and very familiar with a lot of the staff here. So, great. Well, we will look forward to welcoming Amanda and putting her straight to work. Yes. So, any questions about any of that? Council, this all looks
like stuff we talked about. Can I ask since you're here, another question? Sure. Just in general, are things seeming to be on track with all of our construction projects this like or are we seeing any delays with weather or are
things looking I know we're still early but but I it's my job to endlessly worry about them. So I I do a lot of worrying about them. Um we with the five and 11 project we saw some delays in our
approvals. So, I would have rather been awarding that contract tonight instead of two weeks from now. Um, in terms of the projects that are under construction, nothing has been reported that has been of concern other than the
usual endless coordination with utility companies. That's always a challenge on these projects. The one on Bavaria, right, there was supposed to be something that got and it got pushed to schools. That didn't like delay anything, right? They just switched the timing of correct. Yeah, just to make
sure school buses could get where they needed to go. So, yeah. So far so good. But now I should find some wood to knock on because I said that out loud. Sure. For sure. All right. Thanks. Uh, other questions? I always worry about storm
water. You know, I'm the water guy. What if this new engineered plan doesn't work out for the storm water retention cauldron to be underneath the um central green area? I mean, what then
do we do? So, there will be additional um underground storm water management facilities throughout um the other parts of the project that I don't currently have over open. So, we're working closely with uh Mr. Matt
Pavik from the development team on all of those things. Please work with the development team. So we had meeting with Cara and her team to talk about uh strategies to combine our efforts for storm water. And the
first piece is the the underground tank that would go under the central green area. That's going to take care of Stiger the central green portions of our project likely. There'll be some sharing of coingling of some storm water there. We also have earmarked another location for underground uh which would go
underneath the parking lot of the retail at the south end. I don't want to pull up that old. I got it. Alternative plan. Right here. Right there. Yeah. And the blue doesn't work on my home printer. So So that's Hopefully that didn't show up on the TV. That's location number two.
And then a third would be in our green space uh between the condo and the apartment buildings there. So we're kind of putting putting them a surrounding, you know, around the site to to manage that storm water. And I should note that too
on the the basin adjacent to Highway 5 that's there right now that you can see after the trees were all cleared, that's getting expanded as part of the 5 and 11 project. And then an additional basin is being built um north of where the Jersey barriers are right now that are adjacent
to Styer Lake Lane. Um so there's lots of storm water management facilities being built between essentially all three projects and all of them are being coordinated together to make sure we're satisfying the regulatory requirements and we're in regular communication with
Minia Creek Wershed District on how to make the pieces all come together. Good. I'm sure you guys will do it. I just don't want all of a sudden Carl to have a 4 acre storm pond in the middle of the development because there's no other solutions.
[Laughter] Thank you. Anything else? Other questions for Miss Scaren as long as we got her on the microphone or the development team? All right, seeing none, there are no more items on our regular agenda this
evening. So, on to reports and emerging issues. Miss Hardy, anything from staff this evening? None from staff. Madame Mayor from the council. Seeing none, um I will ask for a motion to move to adjurnn. We have a motion. Can I
get a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. We stand adjourned.