08-12-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, July 15, 2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. 2. LA19-000047 SCOTT GATES, 4400 DEERING ISLAND, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, 6:37 P.M. — 6:52 P.M. Scott Gates, Applicant, was present. Barnhart stated the applicant is requesting modification to the 2040 Community Management Plan to expand the Metropolitan Urban Service Area boundary to incorporate 4400 Deering Island. This expansion would allow them to be served by municipal sanitary sewer service. The nearest city is Mound, who has indicated they would be willing to provide service. The applicant is working on behalf of the owner, who also owns the adjacent land in the City of Mound, so it would be an easy connection from there to Deering Island. The line would be burrowed under the lakebed and would need to be approved by the DNR. The question that arises whenever the City adds a property to the MUSA is the impact on the City's overall density. The property is currently zoned seasonal residential, which requires a 5 -acre minimum lot size. The lot consists of 2.7 acres. This proposal will not increase the density and any subdivision to create additional lots would require a variance, which the City Council has historically not supported. The Comprehensive Plan does anticipate expansion of the MUSA boundary and identifies six priorities. The first priority is that the properties abut the shoreline of Lake Minnetonka and all other Orono lakes, which this property does. Expansion of the MUSA on the established priorities outlined in Staff's report will occur only when one of the following conditions is found: 1. When an area of existing homes has failing or non -conforming septic systems and replacement drain field sites are not available for a significant share of the existing homes. 2. When an individual home has a failing or non -conforming septic system, does not have an alternate drain field site, is adjacent to existing sewer lines, and is not part of a neighborhood that could be better served by a neighborhood sewer lateral project. 3. When a new or existing residential development meeting all required development standards is adjacent to existing sewer lines and the developer or homeowners agree to bear all costs of extending municipal sewer to the development, but only when inclusion of such development in the MUSA will not result in a decrease in the City's sewered density as calculated by the Metropolitan Council. The site was determined to be non-compliant in 2001 due to vertical separation with the water table. Replacement septic sites would require significant tree removal. From Staff's perspective it meets the first priority and the condition imposed in the Comprehensive Plan. Staff recommends approval of the request. Ressler asked whether Orono has to govern installation of the line. Barnhart indicated it would be regulated by the DNR. Ressler stated it appears that all the Planning Commission is discussing tonight is modification of the Comprehensive Plan to expand the MUSA boundary. Page 1 of 3