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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,December 9,2019 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Walsh also suggested limiting the number of special events. He asked if there is a number that would be <br /> reasonable so that somebody can't have special events every Friday and Saturday night. He asked what is <br /> defined as a special event. <br /> Barnhart stated they spent time defining what a special event is and asked the City Council to look at it <br /> carefully. <br /> Johnson said the information defines what a private event is and what a special event is. A private event is <br /> a special event but a private event has its own definition. In large part, it distinguishes that ifs 20 or more <br /> on-street parking spaces at the same time. <br /> Walsh stated the City found out it is impossible to police that because no one knows whose cars they are. <br /> There was a concert event,and the police had no way to verify whose car was whose and whose car was <br /> going where. <br /> Johnson stated that was his thought exactly. He said the language states"open houses held as part of a <br /> home tour."He thinks they were addressing the Parade of Homes and things like that, but there's a <br /> lakeshore tour that goes on four times a year and all the brokerages do it in the same four-hour window on <br /> a certain date. They are not getting a permit from the City. <br /> Barnhart noted the City is issuing a number of special event permits for home tours throughout the year. <br /> Johnson said in that specific example it seems the City is overreaching and asked how to get it defined to <br /> protect abutting property owners from issues. <br /> Walsh said it is a difficult issue and the City Council spent a lot of time and has never come up with a <br /> silver bullet. For instance,the police said the 20 cars idea does not work. <br /> Johnson said if they park 20 cars on their lawn,they can sneak by the definition. <br /> Walsh agreed they can if they have a big enough yard, and there are a lot of big yards in Orono. <br /> Barnhart stated that was an excellent point and asked, if you park a vehicle on your property,what is the <br /> concern from a street traffic standpoint or blocking of visibility. Other issues may trigger the special event <br /> such as the amplified noise or the hours, but not the number of cars parked on your own property. <br /> Crosby asked what other Cities were doing. <br /> Barnhart said it is all over the board. <br /> Walsh noted the City spent a lot of time with the concert event trying to figure things out. <br /> Printup said as soon as you think you have it figured out, it bumps up against something else that causes <br /> problems. <br /> Walsh stated you do not want to tell somebody who wants ten girlfriends or buddies over for beers that <br /> they have a special event. <br /> Page 26 of 34 <br />