Mark your Calendars!!!

What is happening this year in your neighborhood?
Are you on facebook?  Like "Victor Gardens News" for the most up to date information about events.


Saturday, April 12th - 4:00 at Arbre Park
Easter egg hunt and petting zoo.  The egg hunt will start promptly at 4:00 for all age groups.  Please bring a bag or basket for your goodies.  Following the egg hunt plan to stay to enjoy the petting zoo.  Bring quarters for animal feed.  We ask you to be patient.  Not every child will be able enjoy the animals immediately following the egg hunt but everyone will get a turn.  The petting zoo will run from 4:15-5:15. 

Friday, May 2nd - Movie in Val Jean Park
Friday, Sept 12th- Movie in Val Jean Park
Movie (TBD) will begin at dark.  Bring your blanket and lawnchairs and enjoy some treats and an outdoor movie.

Tuesday, June 10th - 6:30-7:30 at Activity Center
Wednesday, July 16th - 6:30-7:30 at Activity Center
Thursday, August 21st - 6:30-7:30 at Activity Center
Root Beer Floats & Sundaes.  Enjoy a cool treat on your way to the pool or after sports practice.  Please remember that all food must be enjoyed outside of the pool enclosure.

Monday, July 21st - 6:30 at Arbre Park
Family fun for all ages.  30 minute show by Captain Curly followed by balloon sculptures.

Tuesday, August 5th - 6:00 - 8:00 at Arbre Park
Night to Unite.  Dinner, games, bounce houses, fire and police visits, face painting and more!  Fun for all ages!

Other events... dates TBD
- Guys golf outing at Tanner's Brook (September)
- October Adult night - Olive Branch or Wine Tasting
- Adult Holiday party at Blue Heron (December)
- Flips Gymnastics (December)

Mark your calendars so you don't miss any of the fun.  Also consider giving an hour of your time to help!  All events are run by volunteers... we need your help!  When the same people run all the events they get burned out... and remember the other volunteers have families too and would like to spend some of the events with their own kids.  If you would like to volunteer or have an idea for an event please contact Kelly: Kelly_farrell@comcast.net or 651-238-6660 or Lisa: john3995@umn.edu or 651-353-2619.

Master Association Annual Meeting set for April 9

The members of Victor Gardens Community Association (also known as the Master Association) have been notified of VGCA's Annual Meeting.  It's also been on our Victor Gardens News Calendar for awhile.

April 9, 2013
6:00-7:30 PM
Victor Gardens Activity Center
14575 Victor Hugo Boulevard
Hugo, MN 55038

The member's packet is available here.  One minor error should be noted: Mark V. was not the Master Association's President last year or anytime before.  Josh B. is the Master Association's current President.

As with all these meetings, residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.  The homeowner forum is a good time to ask questions of your representatives on the Master Board, discuss concerns, etc.

SFV Garbage/Recycling Rules Change

In the interest of keeping the neighborhood looking its best, Victor Gardens Single Family Village's Board of Directors has adopted new garbage/recycling rules:

• Rules and Regulations effective May 1, 2014
• Garbage and recycling may not be placed outside before 4:00 p.m. on the evening prior to the morning pick-up, and cans should be put back in the garage by 10:00 p.m. of the pick-up day. 
• All garbage and recycling must be either bagged, canned or boxed to prevent it from blowing about and to prevent animals from gaining access to it
• A violation of this rule may result in imposition of a monetary fine if the violation is not cured within ten (10) business days of the notice of violation; if the violation remains uncured a second notice will be sent and if after an additional three (3) business days The Victor Gardens Single Family Village Homeowners Association Board may impose fines of $100/mo. or portion thereof.

This is a rules change that only applies to residents in VG's Single Family Village.  Other sub-associations rules may differ.

Victor Gardens Master ARC Simplifying Application Process + Street Views

Over the last few months, the Master Association's Architectural Review Committee (ARC) has been working to shorten the time required to approve home plans in the Single Family Village.  The ARC met twice with an expert in the field, Teresa St. Amant, of St. Amant Design and received valuable feedback.  As a result, the ARC is simplifying its documents while retaining the qualities we expect from a Victor Gardens home.  New documentation is being developed to eliminate redundancies, clarify areas of confusion, etc.  Also, moving forward Ms. St. Amant will provide services to the builder/landowner (at their expense) as a liaison to the ARC.  She'll check proposed new home designs, ensuring appropriateness before they are submitted to the ARC.  This will eliminate most of the back-and-forth that challenges some builders unfamiliar with Victor Gardens.  Everyone's goal is to maintain our high standards while dramatically reducing the application review timeline. 

A part of the ARC's new documentation will be a visual reference made up of numerous photographs.  The images, mostly taken from streets west of Clearwater Creek, show the four sided architecture, building forms, preferred styles, rooflines, details and color variety Victor Gardens Single Family Village is known for.   For builders, these homes have the most relevance because of their proximity to available homesites and various City of Hugo and ARC requirements.

If you're interested in seeing the photo reference, please follow this link:  Victor Gardens Street Views

A printable version is also available: Victor Gardens Street Views PDF

Master Association Annual Meeting set for April 9

Victor Gardens Community Association's Annual Meeting is scheduled April 9, 2014.  The meeting will be held at VG's Neighborhood Activity Center at 6:00pm.

Single Family Village Annual Meeting set for Tuesday, April 29

Victor Gardens Single Family Village Annual Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at Hugo's Rice Lake Centre, 6900 137th St N, Hugo, MN 55038.

City of Hugo Tree Pruning

Unexpectedly today, on my way driving back into the neighborhood, I noticed a busy City of Hugo crew limbing up lots of boulevard trees.  

In a few previous blog posts, Facebook messages, and emails I've described the City of Hugo's desire to convince VG's Single Family Village homeowners that they should prune their boulevard trees.   Some residents responded to that message, but most did not.  The City has decided to move forward on their own to prune the trees.

If your boulevard tree(s) hasn't been pruned by the City yet, they likely will in the near future.

Here are a few previous posts if you'd like more info on why this is happening:

• 3/2/13 Time's Running Out For Tree Pruning
• 1/29/13 $35 Tree Pruning Offer
• 1/19/13 SFV Boulevard Trees May Be at Risk
• 11/29/12 Tree Pruning- Hugo's Public Works Director Explains
• 11/16/12 Boulevard Tree Pruning - Are you interested in hiring a pro?
• 11/1/12 City Requests Boulevard Tree Pruning

Snow Removal in Victor Gardens Parks Sidewalks

At the last Master Board meeting, the members discussed the possibility of not plowing the perimeter sidewalks in Val Jean and Arbre Parks.  The idea is that this might be unnecessary since the parks are so rarely used in winter, and that money could go towards plowing the Victor Gardens' walking trails (owned by the City) instead.  Presumably, the walking trails would receive more winter use as a result. This idea probably would not apply to Victor Square Park, because of it's greater winter foot traffic, car traffic and the school bus stops contained therein.

Jennifer contacted the City of Hugo about this possibility, and she reported to the Board,

"The City has a priority list of sidewalks they will clear in the winter time.  It has to do with the amount of traffic, snow push volume and proximity to schools.  If a sidewalk is considered a low priority (in front of residential homes or parks that do not have winter attractions) it is expected that everyone follow the “good neighbor” system and clear the sidewalk near them.  This idea is especially expected when sidewalks are within Associations.  The City expects the Association to be a “good neighbor” and clear those sidewalks and parking areas.  I asked if there was any sort of ordinance requiring this and the answer was no and that the City Counsel is against creating one.   This means the Association can stop clearing those sidewalks if you [the Board] desire without consequence from the City (homeowners may feel differently)."

Free Gardening Class in Victor Gardens - Feb. 19

Want a garden you can't stop looking at? Michelle will provide you with many plant ideas to create gardens with colorful foliage to provide nonstop interest in your garden even after the flowers have bloomed.

Please join Michelle Reidel, 15 year Master Gardener for "Anything But Green Foliage". Michelle is a 15 year Master Gardener, professional photographer, and writer and photographer for Northern Gardener magazine.

Wednesday, February 19
7:00 -8:00 pm
Victor Gardens Neighborhood Activity Center (Pool House)

Please RSVP to: Lisa at john3995@umn.edu or (651) 353-2619

Bridge Improvements

Last year the Landscape Committee worked with Dan Steuernagel to develop plans completing the landscaping around Victor Gardens' Everton Ave. Bridge.  The design was approved and work was completed at the end of the summer.  We're looking forward to seeing the plants coming back to life next spring.

This winter, the Landscape Committee started the process again, speaking with Dan about similar plans to complete landscaping on the Val Jean Blvd. Bridge.

New Electrical Service to Common Areas

The Master Board approved bringing new electrical service to four currently unserved Common Areas within the Victor Gardens Community Association: 

1. The main entrance median at Victor Hugo Blvd. and Frenchman Road. This electrical service will be used to power future holiday lighting within that median area, trees and wooden arbor structure. It would also enable a future Victor Gardens monument sign to be illuminated at night.
2. The entrance at Everton Ave. and Frenchman Road. This electrical service will be used to power future holiday lighting within that median area and trees.
3. Grantaire Green. Allowing holiday lighting in this area.
4. Dahlia Green. Allowing holiday lighting in this area.

When the spring thaw arrives, work will begin.

Sledding in Hugo

If the weather warms up a little over the weekend, check out Hugo's Oak Shore Park. There's a great sledding hill there and it's close to home!

Oak Shore Park
12790 Exhall Avenue North
Hugo, MN 55038