06-12-1995 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON JUNE 12, 1995 (#4 - Adult Shelter - Continued) • g P excerpt Herzog resented an t from the City of Minnetonka staff to the Planning rP Commission and Council of Minnetonka, dated 5/16/95, saying they had reviewed the proposal regarding welfare, health and safety considerations and for noise, access, police and fire protection, real estate value, compatibility to single family neighborhood, and found the shelter would not adversely affect the neighborhood or the community. It also went on to say that the Hopkins Project and Sojourner were compatible to their neighborhoods. Planning Commissioner Candace Rowlette said the commission was initially concerned and apprehensive about a shelter coming into Orono. A lot of time was spent investigating the possibility. The Planning Commission did not look for a shelter to fill the location. The applicants came to the commission, and the City is now reacting to that application. Rowlette noted that this is the first application she has seen in the six years she has been on the Planning Commission for this building. Rowlette cited the vandalism that has occurred to the building. Rowlette answered why this was a good location for a shelter. The women come to the shelter without transportation. They need to have access to grocery stores and other needs. There are three school district buses, Mound, Orono, and Minnetonka, who serve this area. This would allow the children to attend their own schools. In response to sending victims to a farm, Rowlette said this would be like sending an Orono resident to • downtown Minneapolis. They would lose their support, which they need. Richard Meyers, 2195 Bayview Place, said he was concerned with the raw numbers. He feels after looking at the service calls, there are not enough people from the Orono area to serve. With three references last year, Meyers does not see the need to fill these beds. If the beds are filled on a first come, first serve basis, the people served will come from other areas. If the beds are then filled with people from other areas, there will be no space available for Orono residents, and they will be sent to other areas. Meyers said the facts show the numbers are not there to support this shelter. Meyers said the shelter would have to adhere to state standards, and there would be no license. If a conditional use permit is given, he asked what the liability would be to the City. He also sees a problem with the management of Westonka, who he feels has no credentials. Meyers said he is concerned with violence. He noted that Judge Davidson is on the board of Westonka Intervention and also used Hennepin County stationery in writing about the shelter. He asked a legal question about whether this use would violate the comprehensive plan of the City regarding multi - dwellings and harming the characteristics of a neighborhood. C 12