12-09-2019 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,December 9,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. Ms. Quinn stated there is an area where people can get to the trail that isn't going to be on his property which is on the far end. The previous homeowner had no issue. She stated no one is having parties there; they are just trying to get to a trail. Seals asked Staff what trail the residents should be using. Barnhart stated there is not one. There is a pathway through property to get to the trail. Within the Right- of-Way,there is no path. Staff walked it and it is steep and overgrown. Seals asked if there could be an appropriate trail on City land if the City cleaned it up. Barnhart replied one would have to be created. Seals asked if Ms. Quinn would be fine with that. Ms. Quinn confirmed she would be. She said the City did not create that trail. If you walk it,you can see it's not a City trail. It's a very organic, earthy opportunity to get to the Luce Line. Ms. Quinn referenced the budget discussion and said the City has the money to do what she suggested, that it would not save the City a lot of money by shortening the street and not paving to the end of the street. She cannot imagine that everyone is here to save the City money because the City wouldn't pave to the end of the street. She referenced Three Rivers'presentation regarding the value of parks and trails. Her household finds value in being able to get down the street and get to the trail that they've groomed. It wasn't a City-groomed trail and the City probably wasn't even aware of the trail. The previous owner used to groom the trail and put wood shavings on the trail and wood pieces on the side of the trail. That is what Orono is to her. She is not looking at 20 feet of tar road to get to the Luce Line; she is looking at a nice, quaint, small neighborhood that does not need to be fixed. In her opinion,there is nothing broken there. If the homeowner does not want people going on that far end to the north side of his house to enjoy a trail, move the trail. She is against the project and does not see the need for the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. In her opinion this benefits one person, not the whole neighborhood. Mr. Sean Benson, 1220 Lyman, said he and his wife reviewed the latest plan and oppose it for several reasons. They are concerned about the equity concept, and the idea that a private citizen would get .6 acres of land essentially for free is disconcerting. They don't think any citizen should receive land for free. It sets a dangerous precedent, and in the future people would refer to that and say, "Hey,this is my opportunity to ask for free land because you've done this with somebody else." They do not see how shortening Smith is a benefit to anybody but the Bonnetts. They don't think it's going to be a huge financial savings not to pave that. They don't think the Bonnetts should have to agree to an easement. The Bonnetts have been allowing people to walk on their private land, but the Bensons don't think it's a good idea to get in the business of granting these easements and essentially forcing them to have to widen their trail or provide 20 feet of extra space. The Bensons question the number of vehicles that go down Smith and do not believe the number has been established. The proposal on the table is a cul-de-sac, but another option might be a hammerhead turnaround. He said in his work they do not rush to a solution. They take a step back and say, "What are the problems we are trying to solve?" He thinks the problems the City is trying to solve is access to the Luce Line Trail and maybe some way for vehicles to turn around that's better than what exists today. From the Bensons' perspective,there is DNR-owned land that abuts Smith Avenue and goes right to the Luce Line Trail. He asked if that could be used as the direct access,could the City put in a smaller turnaround. The City then avoids the issue of having to negotiate with the Page 14 of 34