09-25-2010 Council Work Session Packet

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� MEMORANDUM TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM: ORONO MANAGEMENT TEAM SUBJECT: INFORMATION UPDATE DATE: AUGUST 20, 2010 Information Update—8/20/10 • Attached for Council consideration is a letter and information from Guy Peterson of Met Council regarding Orono's continued participation in the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act Local Housing Incentive Account(LCA-LHIA). Orono has participated in this voluntary program since 1996. It is now time to re-negotiate affordable and lifecycle housing goals for 2011-2020 if Orono elects to continue its participation. While this does not have any impact on our current Comp Plan Update approval process (see below),it does relate to the Housing Plan element of the CMP.The question of whether to continue our participation, and the establishment of new housing goals, should be discussed by Council in the near future. More information about the LCA program can be found on the Met Council website at http://www.metrocouncil.org/services/livcomm htm. (MPG) • Comp Plan Update. On Monday,August 16`�',the Met Council Community Development Committee (CDC)voted 3-2 to recommend approval of Orono's 2008-2030 Comprehensive Plan. The less-than unanimous vote resulted when 2 of the 5 committee members present concluded that Long Lake's concerns about water capacity for the Fire Station area(expressed at the CDC meeting by Randy Gilbert)rose to the level of a justi�cation for Plan denial. The other three committee members correctly concluded that local water system capacity issues are outside Met Council's planning authority,are a local issue, and should not be reason for denial of the Plan. It was also pointed out that while a very small number of similar concerns have risen during review of the other 169 metro area comp plans approved to date, it would be inconsistent to deny Orono's because of Long Lake's concerns. The Comp plan has two more Met Council hurdles to cross. Tuesday,August 23`d, the Environmental Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. to review the Sewer element of the Plan. Kyle Colvin has indicated that he does not expect Long Lake to be in attendance and he does not expect any issues to be raised with our Plan. He did indicate a word of caution that one of the opposing voters on the CDC,Wendy Wulff, is also on the Environment Committee, although water capacity is not part of this review. The full Met Council final vote on Plan approval will then occur at their meeting on Wednesday,August 25"', at 4:00 p.m. Appropriate City staff/representatives will be in attendance at both meetings. (MPG) • The annual picnic and staff development activities are scheduled off-site for Wednesday afternoon, August 25"'. The City of Orono complies with the Minnesota Data Practices and Open Meeting Law. The recipients of this electronic file are asked not to "Forward"or "Reply to All"concerning information contained in this email.