05-22-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, May 8,2017 7:00 o'clock p.m. 16. #17-3922 CITY OF ORONO, TEXT AMENDMENT: WETLANDS REGULATIONS — ORDINANCE NO. 196, Third Series. — continued Al Winston, Long Lake, stated he and his wife support the current regulations. Kelly Lowe, 105 Orono Orchard Road, stated she supports the 3 5 and I 0 -foot setbacks. Lowe stated she also supports keeping the density as is and not increasing it. Jane Davidson, 1020 Old Long Lake Road, Long Lake, stated she has resided in this area for four years and that she is very impressed with Orono's strong environmental push with regulations. Davidson stated this is a bad time to be considering changing environmental protections since there is growing pressure for land use in the western suburbs and that those residents who live on Long Lake are witnessing the water quality decrease. Davidson noted it takes decades to remediate the damage at a very high cost and that everyone needs to be very cautious in changing the rules. Davidson stated reducing the setbacks would have huge impacts on the water quality and that it would relax the City's commitment to the environment. Davidson encouraged the City Council to stick with Option 1. Davidson stated variances work pretty well and gives the neighborhood an opportunity to speak. Davidson stated she applauds Orono for their leadership. Davidson commented there are also different types of fire pits and that she was allowed to have a fire pit by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District since it only consists of six stones in a circle. Crosby noted there is a standard size fire pit. Jay Kinve noted variances are not easy to get and are not always based on common sense. Kinve noted this regulation is four years old and that the residents have not lived under this regulation their entire lives. Gaffron stated the regulations have changed many times over the years but four years ago it was changed again to what it is currently. Up until four years ago, the City had a buffer requirement but the Council decided to let the MCWD regulate the buffers and the City would only establish a setback. Going back to 1975, the City had a 26 -foot setback that was in place for two or three decades. Kinve stated approximately 2006 was the next major revision to the wetland ordinances. Kinve stated changing ordinances is not new and that there are no studies that show what was done four years ago was good or bad. Kinve noted the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District is the environmental authority in this area and they are the experts. Kinve stated the MCWD's concern regionally is the same as Orono's and that Orono needs to think regionally as well since water flows elsewhere. Kinve stated the MCWD provides protections for Orono as well as other nearby cities and that they are the experts. Kinve stated if the City wants to impose additional setbacks, that is okay, but that variances are not that easy to obtain. Kinve stated he would implore the City Council to adopt something that is protective and incentivizes property owners to make things better than what exists today. Page 29 of 34