01-26-2010 Council Work Session Minutes

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` � Orono City Council � Committee of the Whole January 26, 2010,6:30 p.m. Orono City Council Chambers o Option B - 42 townhomes with green space north of the fire station, no secondary access, and a separate building for the commons/community space. o Option C - 42 apartments in a 2-story building, more of a traditional parking lot, green space north of the fire station, and community space inside the building. More trees would be saved with this design. o Price points are the same regardless of configuration of the buildings. o Samples of projects in Blaine and Delano were presented. o Handicap accessibility could be accomplished by designing some units with a bedroom on the first level. o This project is not subsidized housing. Workforce housing requires a certain level of income usually at 50-60%of the median income—approximately$33,000-$40,000. o The project will maintain a connection to the park which is actually in Long Lake. o McMillan asked if there is an advantage to having the commons area separate from the main buildings. Higgins commented that while designs have been done both ways, it is preferable to have the commons area (Advantage Service Center)closer to the units to maximize its use. o Bremer preferred Option B, noting the view along the road is an important consideration. Murphy agreed,stating that the apartment building design would be least preferable. White also preferred Option B commenting that this design preserves viewsheds,tucks against the park and includes natural barriers. o McMillan questioned the parking needs of the fire department, noting that the fire department should be comfortable with the parameters of the design. The fire department conducts activities such as the pancake breakfast or emergency operations that may rely on overflow parking. o Bremer suggested a combination of Options A& B could result in a commons building closer to the main buildings. Murphy added that he would prefer to avoid an additional access. o White recommended that the Met Council be encouraged to look at public transportation nearer to the site. o Murphy asked what the incentive would be for Met Council to contribute $350,000. Higgins responded that this project could be a model for similar developments. • Gaffron added the following comments: o The developer will need to work on stormwater management. There may be room for a stormwater pond in the southeast corner. The east end of the property already has a drainage easement which may impact development. The open space to the north of the fire station is the highest spot on the site and it would be difficult to direct drainage to that area if needed. o Ron Miller is concerned about the impact to his property if the city lowered the purchase price of its property. Miller would like some sort of assessment of his property interests at full value as he doesn't want his value affected by the city's selling price. Miller is a�so concerned with higher density in the area. o Local SAC and WAC charges will need to be paid upfront. The city spent extra money on sewer capacity when the fire station was built to serve additional properties. The city may want to try to recover some of these costs. o This project is quite intense for what is normally seen in Orono with many details to address. o The city benefits by meeting some housing goals with 3.5 acres developed with 42 units. o Proximity of parking directly east of fire station parking may impact homes closest to the fire station. Page 2 of 4