11-19-2018 Planning Commission Packet

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,October 15,2018 6:30 o'clock p.m. in it and it is a lakeshore city. Classen Lake has pelicans and is the home to swans that have lived there for a number of years. Bill Lurton donated the parcel of land where the dog park is right now. When he was told about this proposed building, he was crushed that this is what could be done with the land next to the park. There are six other neighbors at the meeting tonight and they want to make sure that their feelings about this particular development are understood. Royal thanked Jeremy Barnhart for sharing the numbers for density and the Metropolitan Council's numbers for projected growth. Orono does not need this development to meet those numbers since Orono is over 3.0,and if those numbers are driving this development,the rules and regulations would need to be changed, including height,rezoning, and density. The site is also not in the MUSA,which is what goes toward those Metropolitan Council numbers. Royal stated her thoughts were very similar to Commissioner Lemke's in that, holy crap,this is a lot of buildings to be added. Thomas Sawyer, 3405 County Road 6, stated some interesting points have been raised and that they have talked a little bit about density and comparing density in other areas. Sawyer stated he has lived on Lake Classen for 22 years and that this lot is unique. None of the other sites are on a natural lake or on a wetland or on a peninsula. The applicant is attempting to squeeze this intense development between a dog park, which was donated to the City for the community;between Orono schools,which is for the community; and Baker Park,which is also for the community. This is a proposal that does not do the community good but is for profit. The only justification for the project is to expand housing,which can be done elsewhere and does not need to be done on a natural lake in Orono. Sawyer stated the development is incompatible with the other existing housing in the area and that there are only six single homes on the lake. Sawyer stated he is concerned about the hard surface coverage and drainage. The water levels of Lake Classen currently are high and that he deals with flooding in the spring. Sawyer stated in his opinion the density is too extensive, and that if they want to develop housing or apartments,this is not the place to do it and that there are other places where it would be more compatible. Sawyer stated he really believes that as residents the local government is here to represent them. Everyone has the duty to protect natural lakes and wetlands, and that putting this development in this location is not doing that. It is important that the residents and government are accountable to that. Sawyer commented this is not the best use for the land and in his view the community would not support this. There is no justification for changing the zoning or the Comprehensive Plan for this development. The area should be developed as it was laid out in the Comprehensive Plan under the current zoning and that he would encourage the Planning Commission to stop this foolishness. Jennifer Decabelus,3155 Jamestown Road, stated she shares the same concerns as have already been expressed and that she has lived at her property for ten years and moved here because of the serenity and privacy of the area. The Planning Commission's comments were appreciated about the size and height of the building. Decabelus commented this area is meant to be a natural area, and if this development is approved, when the children go down to the nature center by the school,they will see this building and they will not see the environment that they have grown to appreciate. Within a one-mile radius of the school,there are five other significant developments going on,which will add to the congestion,the traffic,and create a lack of safety for the children walking to and from school. Decabelus stated she cannot imagine adding 500 more