2024 Victoria City Council Candidate
“For more than 15 years, I have volunteered my time and talents in Victoria including Parks & Recreation Committee and Planning Commission. I support our community by attending events, participating in programs, volunteering and frequently visiting our many businesses. I have lived in two other communities and have witnessed how those cities operated and grew, and my experience in leadership roles in multinational organizations and running my own start-up have given me valuable insights into growth, operations and business challenges.”
— Christian Pederson
Name: Christian Pederson
Website: facebook.com/cp4victoria
Email address: cp@thebulldogcompanies.com
Home community and how long have you lived in your community:
Victoria, Minnesota, 21+ years
Previous leadership experience:
Founder and CEO of The Bulldog Companies for the past 15+ years; Planning Commissioner; Park Board Administrator; vice president, treasurer, board member of the Savanna Valley Homeowners Association; executive management of countless business accounts in the IT solutions and services industry.
In what community, state, or national organizations have you been involved?
Victoria Planning Commission; Victoria Park and Recreation Committee; Savanna Valley Homeowners Association; NextDoor Community Lead and Administrator; Twin Cities Quality Assurance Association; Twin Cities Rational User Group; Minnetonka School District; Tonka United Soccer; Adam Arthur Cooke Memorial Scholarship Fund.
How have you prepared to serve well in this office:
I’ve lived in Victoria for over 21 years, where my wife and I raised our three daughters and three dogs. I began volunteering almost immediately after moving to our community, serving on our neighborhood HOA board, the City’s Parks & Recreation Committee, and the Planning Commission. I graduated from the first Victoria Citizens Academy, which deepened my understanding of city operations. As vice-chair and commissioner-at-large on the Parks & Recreation Committee, and in my roles on the Planning Commission, I’ve engaged with various community topics, from parks programs to infrastructure; from stormwater pond maintenance, to trails and everything in between. I’ve advised the City Council on zoning, ordinances and regulations, contributed to the design and development of Wasserman Lake Preserve, and collaborated with partners including Carver County and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. I was actively involved in the development of the city’s 2040 comprehensive plan, and the city’s three-year strategic plans. All these experiences have helped build a foundation of knowledge and insight and have prepared me to help shape our Victoria’s future.
What do you view as the three top priorities for the City and how would you address these?
1. Highway 5 Improvements. With Highway 5 and related projects, effective communication and minimizing disruption are critical. As a councilmember, I’ll collaborate with partners to find alternative funding to reduce costs, and provide regular updates so you know what’s happening, when and where. I will encourage events that continue to attract visitors to downtown.
2. New Victoria Fire Station. Our fire station is over 40 years old. I support building a new one to improve readiness and emergency response for our growing community. I’ll ensure smart design decisions for long-term value and functionality, ensuring the building can function for the next 40+ years.
3. Smart Growth. With my experience on the Victoria Parks & Recreation Committee and Planning Commission, I’ll employ thoughtful expansion of residential and commercial opportunities based on community feedback. I’ll strive to preserve what makes Victoria appealing and support projects the community wants. I’ll also ensure that we continue to make progress connecting trail gaps, adding parking downtown.
What differentiates you from the other candidate(s)?
My experience and connections. For more than 15 years, I have volunteered my time and talents in Victoria including Parks & Recreation Committee and Planning Commission. I support our community by attending events, participating in programs, volunteering and frequently visiting our many businesses. I have lived in two other communities and have witnessed how those cities operated and grew, and my experience in leadership roles in multinational organizations and running my own start-up have given me valuable insights into growth, operations and business challenges.
How would you plan to balance growth and development while maintaining the character of the city?
This is the big challenge. I will carefully engage in all stages of development — sketch, preliminary and final plats — while adhering to our comprehensive plan and ordinances such as zoning, building, lighting, signage, shoreland and tree preservation. The comprehensive plan and ordinances were all created with extensive input from residents and businesses and serve as our roadmap for growth.
What is your approach to managing the city’s budget and fiscal priorities?
As we continue to grow, we need to find ways to capture the new tax base and make wise investments. I would like to explore how we can best invest fees we receive for park dedication. I favor using different tools to attract the types of development that the community wants and would also allow for taxbase expansion and shift the property tax burden from our existing taxpayers. I support a practical budgeting approach: keeping costs low, minimizing risk, maintaining assets, funding sensible programs, and extending the life of capital investments.
What measures, if any, should the city pursue to create more affordable housing for the workforce (including young teachers, police officers, health-care workers) and for seniors on limited incomes?
Strong communities have an array of housing options at different price points. I have participated in several joint meetings with Carver County affordable housing representatives and surrounding communities. Unfortunately, Victoria does not fit many of the criteria to receive funding support to build more affordable housing. However, that does not mean that we cannot try to create more lower entry-point subdivisions that fit within our community. Our southern growth district is a great opportunity for this, and we’re already exploring with developers how to build more affordable housing options in this area.
What, if anything, should the city do to provide additional or improved activities, shopping, dining, recreation, and parks?
As the City of Lakes & Parks, Victoria should offer diverse recreational amenities. From my time on the Parks & Recreation Committee, I’ve heard that the community wants more pickleball courts, a community pool and splash pad, an off-leash dog park, and destination-style parks. I also want to ensure we’re actively addressing city trail gaps to make better connections with state, regional and local trails.
If a competitive business climate is important to you, what should the city do to remove barriers so that businesses can move into the city and current businesses can grow?
Victoria is a business-friendly community. As a business owner myself, I recognize that the costs of entry are low and our process for initiating growth is streamlined, especially compared to other communities. Victoria’s zoning codes and ordinances are fair and prioritize safety and protection of our natural landscapes. The use of tools and financial incentives should be preserved for attracting the types of development the community desires. Developing long-term plans helps us grow and will pay for growth. Community events such as the classic car shows, Light Up Victoria, Volksfest, and farmers markets bring visitors to Victoria, promote our local businesses and encourage spending in our community. There are always opportunities for further expansion of events — perhaps become “Cheeseburger Town USA.”
What, if anything, should the city do to increase transparency?
Transparency builds trust. While the city has done a great job sharing information, there is always room for improvement. Social media and the city website are a great way to share information but doesn’t always promote two-way engagement. We need to seek more opportunities to engage community members before decisions are made and make it easier for people to know what’s happening and provide feedback and input.
Where do you envision the city in the next five to 10 years?
Growing! Victoria is great place to live and raise a family. We want to also make it a great place to work and retire. As Victoria continues to grow and evolve, I want to help shape our community’s future based on your input and feedback and create a Victoria that other communities aspire to become.
