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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PARK COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,November 7,2016 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Bryce Johnson noted the money would come from the Park Dedication Fund and that a number of cities <br /> say that the money from a development has to be spent within a certain distance of the development. <br /> Loftus stated Orono does not do that. <br /> Ruegemer commented the Park Commission feels that is the spirit of the law. <br /> Levang stated there is not a geographic nexus currently for allocation of Park Dedication Fees. <br /> Meyers stated there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, and the spirit of the law is that there <br /> should be some connection with the development from where the funds are collected. <br /> Bryce Johnson stated the Park Commission has talked about this previously and that it is not a new <br /> concept since a number of other cities currently do it. Johnson stated the general philosophy of the Park <br /> Commission is that some of that money should be used in the area of the development. <br /> Meyers stated the fact that they are putting a new housing development in near the dog park helped the <br /> Park Commission make a decision on the dog park and that the Park Commission attempts to anticipate <br /> where there will be new housing. Meyers noted since the Council decides how to spend the money,they <br /> can be the letter of the law and the Park Commission can be the spirit of the law. Meyers stated the Park <br /> Commission felt it was worth spending$135,000 to develop the dog park since it will connect to those <br /> developments. Meyers stated the Park Commission looks 20 to 30 years down the road and not just at <br /> what exists currently. <br /> Levang stated the City Council cannot factor that into their decisions and that there is a difference <br /> between the spirit and legislative intent of the law. Levang stated the City Council has to be conscious of <br /> what the law says and then use the Park Dedication Fess in a particular way. <br /> Levang stated the Park Commission may think about how to creation recreation areas for people but that <br /> they have to be mindful of the City across the whole board. Levang commented it would be wonderful if <br /> the City could designate a certain amount of money to a particular area but that there has never been a <br /> geographic component to it previously. <br /> Bryce Johnson stated the City believes that all of Orono is the nexus and that he is saying there are a lot of <br /> municipalities that have looked at it and have said there is a relationship between where the money comes <br /> from and the area where it is used. Johnson stated he understands and accepts that Orono does not do <br /> that. <br /> Meyers stated in his view part of the Park Commission's purpose is to bring a nexus to it. <br /> Levang noted Long Lake is in the middle of this and that the trail will be going through their city if they <br /> decide to pay for it. <br /> Edwards stated Long Lake will pay the majority of the costs associated with Phase I and that Phase II <br /> consists of some Long Lake and some Orono. <br /> Meyers asked if the Park Commission is interested in the trail extension. <br /> Page 8 of 13 <br />