01-08-2018 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, December 11, 2017 6:30 o'clock p.m. 14. APPROVAL OF TEMPORARY SITE PLAN FOR RIVER VALLEY SPORTS USE OF TENT FOR SALES DISPLAY — Continued Curt Sweetso, River Valley, stated the tent will be set back further than the entrance to the building and to the west. Sweetso indicated they could erect a sign pointing out the parking and that their intent is not to create a distraction but to have people be able to get in and out. Currently River Valley has ten boats inside and that they would like to bring up some boats from Rochester to display during the boat shows and during the Super Bowl. Sweetso stated he does not believe the impact in winter will be that great and that they had one person come in today. Sweetso stated they want people to have access to the boats both during the show and in the days following the shows. Sweetso indicated the event will not go late into the evening. Crosby asked what the closing time will be. Sweetso indicated they close at 6 p.m. during the week and on Saturdays they close at 3 p.m. Crosby asked when the boat shows will be. Sweetso indicated the Minneapolis Boat Show starts around January 19 and that he does not know offhand when the other two boat shows are. Dankey asked if the intention is to have the tent just for this year. Sweetso stated if it is a success, they would like to be able to do it perhaps in future years. Walsh stated that is another issue and that the question is whether a special event should last for a couple of months, which could set a precedent. Walsh stated in the past the City has turned down requests to change the zoning, especially if someone wants to take their site and intensify what happens on the site. Sweetso stated they can have the boats there regardless if there is a tent there or not. Walsh stated the City cannot stop them from putting the boats outside. Crosby stated perhaps the City could meet them halfway and have it end March 1. Crosby stated the City also has to be cognizant of businesses' needs and that Orono is not anti -business. Walsh stated to his knowledge the City has never done a two-month special event. Barnhart noted this originally came in as a special event request and that it really is a temporary site plan review because there is an ending date. Mattick stated the City Council has control over the time frame, noting the City does not receive a lot of temporary site plans for review. Mattick stated the City's Code does not distinguish between permanent and temporary. Mayor Walsh asked whether anyone from the public would like to comment on this item. Page 10 of 15