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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,November 19,2018 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> 3. LA18-000087 ROBERT BROOK, 1165 FERNDALE ROAD WEST,VARIANCE <br /> This item was removed at the request of the Applicant. <br /> 4. LA18-000044 CITY OF ORONO,2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT,7:30 <br /> P.M.—8:03 P.M. <br /> Barnhart stated tonight is the scheduled public hearing for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update. The <br /> City has been working on this update since March of 2017. Every city within the 7-county metropolitan <br /> area has to update their Comprehensive Plan every ten years and this one is due December 31,2018. <br /> Each amendment must include specific topics that are mandated by state statute, and those include <br /> housing, land use,transportation, sanitary sewer and water. The City's Comprehensive Plan Update does <br /> include those topics. In addition,the Metropolitan Council provides projected numbers relating to <br /> Orono's anticipated population, household and employment growth over the next 10 to 20 years so the <br /> City can plan for that type of growth. Even though the City has to plan for that type of growth,that does <br /> not mean it will occur, nor does the City have to approve every project that comes before them. Barnhart <br /> stated this is the first hurdle that needs to be crossed in terms of a development proposal and some <br /> proposals have triggered an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> A committee was established by the City Council in March of 2017 and included 13 members. The <br /> committee met monthly and guided and advised Staff on changes to the plan. The Committee operated <br /> under three primary goals: <br /> 1. Retain rural character and natural resource protection policies established in previous plans. <br /> 2. Satisfy Metropolitan Council requirements. <br /> 3. Improve the readability of the document. <br /> The Plan retains the general development and land and water protection philosophies established by <br /> earlier plans. Preservation of rural character and preservation of water quality was very important to the <br /> committee. <br /> The Comprehensive Plan was published on the City's website and also sent to surrounding cities for their <br /> review and comment. A number of the changes were based on formatting changes and updated data from <br /> sources, including the state and the Metropolitan Council. The comments received during the public <br /> comment period have been incorporated into an exhibit to the document. In addition,two open houses <br /> were held for the residents this past year. <br /> Barnhart noted the City's housing goals have remained basically the same, and the table included in <br /> Staff's report reflects Orono's population,household and employment forecasts from 1970 through 2040. <br /> The City is required to provide opportunity for 154 units of affordable housing making the average or <br /> below the average median income. Currently there is around 639 units of that type in Orono. The City <br /> provides for those opportunities by guiding different sections of the City for higher density. <br /> Libby asked whether the Metropolitan Council provides the City with any metrics for growth besides the <br /> HUD. <br /> Page 9 of 13 <br />