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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, February 19, 2019 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 2 of 3 <br /> <br /> <br />Deering Island has a slightly higher elevation and is approximately 12 feet above sea level. The property <br />consists of 2.77 acres, but there is a pretty limited area to put a septic system since much of the property is <br />wooded. Overall extending the sewer line has a lot of benefits. <br /> <br />Gates stated while it is not a certainty at this point, in their preliminary review of it, it makes sense to look <br />at it further. Extending the water line will also be looked at in conjunction with this project. The property <br />owner intends this to be a family compound and the property cannot be subdivided. Currently there is a <br />small cabin on the property that has been there for a number of years. <br /> <br />Gates stated they would also have to enter into an agreement with the City of Mound and obtain some <br />additional permits, but that he does not believe that will be a problem since Mound staff suggested it. <br /> <br />Thiesse asked if this is strictly to discuss a proposed change to the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> <br />Barnhart indicated that is correct. <br /> <br />Landgraver asked if there is any intention to rent out the island. <br /> <br />Gates stated not to the best of his knowledge at this point and that the intent right now is to use it for <br />family and friends. <br /> <br />Libby asked how big the sewer line would be. <br /> <br />Gates indicated it looks like it would be a pressurized two to four-inch line but that it has not been fully <br />engineered at this point. Minimum coverage would be ten feet below the bottom of the shore. Gates <br />stated boring under the lake would be similar to boring a line in under the ground. <br /> <br />Landgraver asked if there are other private islands in the City that might be interested in doing this. <br /> <br />Barnhart stated the City does have some sewer lines that go beneath the lake currently, both city-owned <br />and private, and that there potentially are other islands. The RS zoning district is a 5-acre lot size. <br />Deering Island is smaller than that, which means it cannot be subdivided. <br /> <br />Thiesse asked if an RPUD is a possibility. <br /> <br />Barnhart stated it would be a pretty drastic deviation from current practice. <br />Thiesse stated to his understanding the chain of islands in Mound have sanitary sewer. The biggest <br />concern is, once sewer is there, what will happen with the property twenty years down the road. <br /> <br />Ressler asked who will pay to maintain it after it is installed. <br /> <br />Thiesse noted the Planning Commission is only looking at expanding the MUSA. <br /> <br />Gates stated his understanding is it would be treated as a residential service from the street in Mound. <br /> <br />Ressler stated it is a good idea in general to minimize risk for pollution to the lake. Since there does not <br />appear to be any future costs incurred by the City, there does not appear to be really any downside to it.