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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Monday,April 15,2019 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> development on this same property of 56 units,and then the development across from the co-op at 80 <br /> units. Darren stated the way he looks at it, every house or apartment equals two cars because there is no <br /> public transportation in this area and that he questions whether this area can handle another 800 cars. <br /> Thiesse noted this is a county road that was designed for that number of vehicles. Thiesse stated the <br /> traffic counts have not changed over the years. <br /> Darren noted the Orono Preserve is another 40 cars along with some other smaller subdivisions. <br /> Thiesse commented he wished he had been here for the discussions on the Comprehensive Plan since this <br /> area has been guided high density. <br /> Darren asked what the rest of the site is guided for. <br /> Barnhart noted that area is called Eisinger Meadows and that it will be a single detached residential <br /> development consisting of 27 units that was approved in 2016. <br /> Darren noted that is another 54 cars. <br /> Barnhart noted the project adjacent to the co-op was not supported by the City Council and will not be <br /> going forward. <br /> Libby stated the Department of Transportation plans for a long way into the future as it concerns the <br /> roadways and rights-of-way. In his view Orono, compared to other communities, has the most logical <br /> and probably the most restrictive regulations for development. The metrics and traffic counts that the <br /> County uses are pretty scientific and the people who perform the studies are experts in that area. One <br /> factor to consider is that not all these cars go out at the same time and that the older generation does not <br /> drive as much as other people. Libby stated in his view it is not quite as scary as someone might think it <br /> is. <br /> Libby noted someone had mentioned that the Orono School District performed some traffic counts and <br /> that he personally would like to see those. Libby stated he also wishes that they would have had more <br /> people come to the open houses for the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> Darren stated he wanted to understand the process and that it seems like there are a lot of people being <br /> added to the area. <br /> Libby noted the road is being widened and that the plan is available on Hennepin County's website. <br /> Samantha Muldoon, 1801 West Farm Road, stated in seeing this plan and seeing this parking lot, she is <br /> struck by the inconsistency of enforcing a cul-de-sac on a small residential development and this site. <br /> Muldoon stated she does not feel the applicant should be given a pass on the number of parking spaces <br /> because they have the belief it is one car per bedroom since that is not realistic and that the City needs to <br /> hold everyone to the same standard. The applicant's economics are not the City's problem, and if they <br /> lose some money because they have to get rid of 10 units,that's okay. Muldoon noted the City asked <br /> them to decrease the number of units and they instead increased it. <br /> Chair Thiesse closed the public hearing at 9:11 p.m. <br /> Page 24 of 29 <br />