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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday March 13,2017 <br />7:00 o'clock p.m. <br />15. #17-3897 CITY OF ORONO TEXT AMENDMENT: SPECIAL EVENTS — Ordinance — <br />Tabled — Continued - <br />Brian Gerard, 680 North Arm Drive, stated he did read through the ordinance and that he has some major <br />issues with it. Gerard stated it comes down to definitions and what is the definition of an occasional party <br />or a crowd. Gerard stated he frequently will have a dinner party where people will spend the night and <br />the next day they might go boating or have a fire. Within a couple of weekends he would need a permit. <br />Gerard indicated he is also a real estate agent and that some weekends they might do two open houses and <br />two more the following weekend. Gerard stated he would have to pull a permit for the fourth one. <br />Gerard indicated he has talked to other residents and they feel the City should not be dictating how often <br />someone has a dinner party. Gerard stated the way the ordinance is written, it would be hard for residents <br />to stomach. <br />Walsh stated in his view the Council agrees with him. <br />Cindy Hilger, 585 South Brown Road, stated the Council has spoken to a lot of issues that she has with <br />the ordinance and that in her view the City will not be able to enforce it. Hilger indicated she lives on a <br />property that is highly visible and if the Council was to take her property and put it at the center of a half <br />mile circle, there would be, at a minimum, 21 properties that are either hidden by trees, gates, or long <br />driveways. Hilger stated those 21 properties are basically invisible but someone would be able to count <br />the number of cars in her driveway. Hilger stated the City is basically asking her to police her neighbors, <br />which is not her job, and that she resents being asked to do that. Hilger stated it is big brother at its finest <br />and that she is not sure this is how people want to live. <br />Gail Blackstone, 4465 Forest Lake Landing, stated she lives in the neighborhood where the incidents <br />occurred last summer and she did not feel disrupted at all during that period. Blackstone indicated she <br />was not aware of the previous public hearing that had been held but that she is concerned about the broad <br />expansion of the definition for private events. Blackstone stated anyone with extended family that lives <br />in the area, particularly those with children and siblings of those children, this could impact their holiday <br />parties and family get-togethers. Blackstone stated the ordinance has the potential to be unevenly applied <br />and in her view it is overreaching. <br />Walsh stated in his view the ordinance is too broad and difficult to enforce. Walsh stated the City does <br />not need more regulations. Walsh noted the City does have an ordinance on the books today but that the <br />City has had problems enforcing that. Walsh stated the City Attorney has said if you cannot enforce <br />certain regulations, you should get rid of them. Walsh noted no public comments were received at the <br />Planning Commission but that the Council has received some input on it tonight and it appears the City <br />Council is in agreement with those comments. <br />Seals moved, Crosby seconded, to table Application No. 17-3897, City of Orono, Text Amendment: <br />Special Events. <br />Printup commented the City has to be careful to not get into situations where there are a lot of loopholes. <br />Walsh stated he feels bad for the neighbors but the Council has to consider what is enforceable and what <br />is not. Walsh stated he wants to avoid unintended consequences. <br />Page 27 of 32 <br />