Victoria council reviews Downtown West Phase 2 sketch plat, offers design feedback

City of Victoria staff and the developer of the Downtown West project presented a sketch plat at a council workshop, seeking feedback on the layout, programming and next steps for a proposed three-phase, 12.5-acre mixed-use development north of Highway 5.

Brian McCann, the city planner, opened the presentation by saying, "Tonight we are looking at a sketch plat request for Victoria Downtown West Master Development," and stressed that "there are no approvals or actions taken tonight"—the session was intended to gather council direction before a preliminary plat application. McCann described the site as two city-owned parcels adjacent to Carver Park Reserve and Lake Auburn and said the plan shows retail, restaurants, office space, public gathering areas and higher-density housing across three phases.

Jen Brewington, the city's community and economic development director, highlighted the proposed community building and active plaza, saying the space could host "pop-up shops" and events for "groups up to 150 people" and could also serve as an additional polling location as residents move into the new neighborhood. Staff materials show an active plaza of roughly one-third acre and a proposed community center footprint of about 2,000–2,500 square feet.

Developer Carl Rock of Monarch Development Partners described the housing approach for phase one as owner-occupied condos and townhomes. "We're selling, not leasing these homes," Rock said, explaining the developer's expectation that first-phase sales and ground-floor commercial activity will help establish the district. Rock told the council the team aims to submit a preliminary plat in November, begin mass grading this winter if an early-start agreement is reached, and pursue a construction timeline that could put initial occupancy or substantial progress in 2027, depending on market conditions.

Staff outlined technical constraints and review areas the council should consider. The site lies within 1,000 feet of Stiger Lake and Lake Auburn, triggering shoreland rules that require a 150-foot ordinary-high-water setback; staff noted a prior shoreland ordinance process that may allow an exemption under certain DNR-reviewed criteria. The Metropolitan Council may also be part of future buildout conversations, staff said.

On design and infrastructure, the sketch plat shows multiple Stiger Lake Lane access points, two options for Highway 5 access (an entrance-only ramp and a right-in/right-out), sidewalks throughout the site, and a proposed regional trail connection that would link the development to the Highway 5 trail and the Lake Minnetonka regional trail via County Road 11. The city and developer discussed wayfinding signage in coordination with Three Rivers Park System staff.

Parking in the concept plan includes 196 surface stalls illustrated on the plat; staff estimated retail and commercial demand would need roughly 188 stalls and said residential parking is expected to be provided in underground parking beneath residential buildings (the developer described two stalls per residential unit as the target). The developer noted a future multifamily phase could include additional covered parking if demand warrants.

Key regulatory and design points noted for future submittals include: consistency with the downtown mixed-use guidance in the comprehensive plan (the CBD allows the proposed uses), compliance with the 50-foot height maximum for much of the plan (with conditional-use permitting available for height extensions), mitigation requirements if more than 20% of on-site trees are removed, and stormwater and wetland review under MCWD jurisdiction.

Council discussion focused on site programming and circulation. Several council members asked whether the community center, public plaza and adjacent retail could be better integrated to create stronger connections between indoor and outdoor space; the developer explained past iterations and reasons for the current siting (including parking and pedestrian crossing considerations). Council members also asked about winter programming for the plaza, infrastructure needs for events (power, AV, tent anchor points), comparisons to other community rooms, and implications of owner-occupied units versus rental product for long-term density.

No formal action was taken. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded, council voiced approval, and the workshop concluded. Staff and the developer will return with a formal preliminary plat and additional details for regulatory review and public hearings.

Next steps: the developer intends to submit a preliminary plat in November and pursue further coordination on parking, shoreland requirements, stormwater design with MCWD, and the potential early start mass-grading agreement with the city.