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 The current financial situation is difficult for a large project. The senior housing complex has not been filled to capacity. Very little multiple-unit rental housing is available in Orono. • Murphy stated the Council will need to further discuss what the city is willing to do regarding financing for the project. • White indicated he would work with Common Bond on their application which includes financing. 2. Comp Plan Discussion • Steve Grittman recapped the following goals for the Comp Plan update: o Maintain low density pattern o Avoid offset as much as possible to minimize number of units to account for on other sites . o Maintain rural development pattern -avoid 1 unit per 10 acre requirement o Maintain predominant pattern of development in MUSA areas • Met Council housing count projection for 2030 is 4100 units for the overall community and 3020 sewered units. Current sewered units are at 2256 which leaves a difference of 764 units to meet the Met Council projection. Met Council allows a 5%variance, resulting in 726 new sewered units to be connected between 2010 and 2030. The minimum density is 3 units per acre on average. • The number of sewer units that could be accomplished in areas that are currently planned for development were discussed. The net density results in .8 units per acre. 113 units can be subtracted from 726. 0 2 acre sewered lots-45 units on 117 acres o Fire station site—14 units on 6.6 acres; current Common Bond proposal would increase unit count o Senior housing site (Comforts of Home site)—50 units on 4.9 acres o New MUSA sites—4 units on 7.3 acres • A Comp Plan Amendment would be easier to do than to try to include all potential areas in the update. • Met Council will look at the existing zoning in the MUSA as of 1998 which includes the capacity for 69 sewered units with no offset required. An additional 69 units can be subtracted from 726. Murphy questioned if there was any leverage the city might have to getting the 1998 date moved closer to the current year. Grittman commented that there is not a huge impact on the number of units that would be affected. Since Met Council accepted the Comp Plan from 2000, it is difficult for the city to accept the date from 1998. Grittman considers a bigger and more important issue to be a request to waive the 1 unit per 10 acre requirement in rural areas and to be able to finish out 2 and 5 acre development. • 726 units minus 113 units in planned development areas minus 69 units in existing MUSA area leaves a gap of 544 units to accomplish in other high density areas of the city. • The Dumas/lames/Eisinger sites were discussed. Two of the properties are in the MUSA with a total net developable area of 63 acres. If all of remaining 544 units were put on this site,the density would be at 8.6 units per acre. Met Council wants to use whole numbers for land use classification. If these sites were classified at 9 units per acre, the unit count would meet and exceed the Met Council requirements. • Murphy questioned if the total of 63 acres is accurate considering the former dump on the Eisinger site. Gaffron commented that Welsh Companies has listed the Eisinger site and is considering selling the house separately with a lot line rearrangement. To make this site useful to the city, the house and remaining property should be kept together. • Council discussed options for density on the Dumas/James/Eisinger property. Council preferred 7 units per acre which results in the need to locate 103 units at a minimum of 6 units per acre in other mixed use areas, such as the Navarre area. Page 3 of 4