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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,February 18,2014 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> 5. #14-3652 ROGER AND NAN HAWKINSON, 570 ORONO ORCHARD ROAD SOUTH, <br /> VACATION OF UTILITY EASEMENT, 7:07 P.M.—7: 15 P.M. <br /> Roger and Nan Hawkinson,Applicants, were present. <br /> Curtis stated in 2006, the City approved the vacation of the 12-foot wide alley which extended south from <br /> Dickenson Street to Fox Street. At the time of the vacation,the City retained utility easements over the <br /> alley. The applicant now wishes to combine the three parcels with the vacated alley into one buildable <br /> property. In order to create a larger, more central building location,the utility easements must be vacated. <br /> The City sewer lines run in Orono Orchard Road, Dickenson Street, and Barrett Avenue. There is an <br /> existing sewer easement running east to west on the south side of the applicants' property from Barrett <br /> Avenue which contains the sewer line serving their property. This existing easement is on the adjacent <br /> property and is not proposed to be vacated. <br /> The public utilities serving this area have been contacted regarding their use of the easement area. With <br /> the exception of Mediacom, each of the utilities have responded. The only utility noting they have <br /> facilities within the vacated alley/easement area was Xcel Energy. The others have noted they have no <br /> objections to its vacation. Xcel indicates that there is an existing power pole on the northern part of the <br /> vacated alley on the applicants' property for which an easement is needed. The applicants' survey does <br /> not identify this power pole and Xcel has indicated they may need to conduct a survey to define the area. <br /> Retention of a small easement in this area will not affect the intended building site. <br /> Planning Staff recommends approval of the easement vacation with the provision that a utility easement is <br /> retained in the location of the existing Xcel facilities. <br /> Hawkinson indicated he had nothing to add to Staff's report. <br /> Chair Leskinen opened the public hearing at 7:09 p.m. <br /> There were no public comments regarding this application. <br /> Chair Leskinen closed the public hearing at 7:09 p.m. <br /> Schoenzeit asked what is being vacated if a portion of the utility easement is to remain and what its <br /> purpose is. <br /> Gaffron indicated the other utilities would include electric, cable, gas, and phone. Gaffron stated the City <br /> might someday provide water to the property but not in the foreseeable future. <br /> Schoenzeit asked if the easement would allow for underground and overhead. <br /> Gaffron indicated it is both. <br /> Schoenzeit asked what could not be done if the easement remained. <br /> Page 8 of 11 <br />