Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,October 8,2018 <br /> 7:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> The Planning Commission reviewed the sketch plan at their September meeting and expressed a desire to <br /> retain access to Saga Hill, city-owned land to the west. The existing right-of-way, 30 feet wide, is not <br /> proposed to be vacated. Some Commissioners also commented on the desire to retain access to the lake. <br /> The Commission seemed open to flexibility of lot width on the east side to support access to the lake. <br /> The Commissioners did not seem to support flexibility for the lot width for the west side lots but some <br /> mentioned the benefit of providing sanitary sewer to these lots. One benefit would be the retention of <br /> more trees since septic sites would not need to be developed if served by sanitary sewer. <br /> Walsh asked for more information on the MUSA. <br /> Barnhart stated right down the middle of the right-of-way is the MUSA boundary,resulting in the lots to <br /> the east being within the MUSA boundary. The reason the City does not just expand the MUSA <br /> boundary is that the Metropolitan Council looks to those lots as being three units per acre. The east side <br /> is already within the City's density calculation,but the western lots are not within the MUSA unless the <br /> City makes an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. In that case,the Metropolitan Council will look to <br /> see whether there are three lots per acre,and if there is not,the Metropolitan Council will ask for those <br /> units to be added somewhere. It is expected that these properties will be served by private septic. Overall <br /> the property is vastly wooded,with some steep slopes. <br /> Walsh stated one of the benefits of extending the MUSA boundary is that there are four potential lots that <br /> are close to the lake on land that runs towards the lake,and if anything happened, it would essentially go <br /> into the lake. The negative is that it impacts the City's overall number for density. <br /> Barnhart displayed an aerial of the area,pointing out the subject parcels and the right-of-way. <br /> Walsh stated the City will want to keep the access to Saga Hill. <br /> Barnhart stated the Planning Commission also felt that access should remain public and that there is no <br /> proposal to vacate that. <br /> Printup asked about the right-of-way to the lake. <br /> Barnhart stated the idea the Planning Commission had is if the City Council decides they do not need the <br /> right-of-way depicted in green, perhaps a better access would be through a different area,which is an item <br /> for discussion tonight. <br /> Printup asked what the topography is going down to the lake. <br /> Barnhart indicated there are some steep slopes in that area and marshy areas. <br /> Rief noted the Big Woods encroaches on that property, and if there is septic rather than MUSA,that <br /> would require a lot more land disturbance on the west side. One of the things that has been talked about <br /> before is if there was ever an expansion of Saga Park,that property would be ideal. Rief stated in his <br /> view the City Council should consider it even though it is not the density the Metropolitan Council may <br /> want. <br /> Walsh stated the City should perform that calculation to determine how adding this parcel will impact the <br /> City's density. <br /> Page 8 of 18 <br />