11-12-2008 Council Work Session Minutes

Home Browse Search

�� ; °�� October 27, 2008 ��E�EI�/E� City Council of Orono �-'C T 3 0 2008 City of Orono �;;i '�:! ��.- CJ��Vl� 2750 Kelley Parkway Orono, MN 55356 RE: 3415 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD/DOCK RIGHTS Dear Members of the Council: We reside at 3415 Crystal Bay Road in Orona and have lived in this home for nine years. We are selling our home due to the unexpected loss of one income and the need to buy at a lower price point. We have been very open in the documentation€or the hause relevant to the lakeshore issue and the fact that it is owned by the city but the dock is allowed. We have had aur home on the market since mid-June with full reaIization of the slower market and we have priced our house to sell - $81,000 below assessed value. However, we have had four different and very interested buyers who have stated that we would heaz back from them within days with an offer. These potential buyers have all called the city for clarification on the lakeshore issue and they are told: "Yes, you could lose your dock privileges, we just can't say if or when." And then we never hear from them again. The history of this situation was told to us by neighbors whose family had owned 3407 Crystal Bay Road dating back to the time of the events that lead us to where we are today. As explained to us: One of the larger houses behind us(an the other side of the Dakota Trail) owned this land(and more) and around the year of 1910 he built these four cat�ins for his four daughters. He did not want the creation of these cabins to inhibit the neighbors, at the time, to feel they could not still come down to enjoy the lakeshore. We think that was a beautiful thought then and still is today. People are welcome to use it but they don't. Our abstract states that this lot is"assigned perpetual swimming and boating rights" and that"si►nilar rights are extended to the houses in the neighborhood defined as Wiley's Park, Navarre, and in Block 10 in Langdon Park." At the turn of the century, that defined neighborhood likely consisted of a small number of houses. I understand that, today, that neighborhood consists of approximately 150 houses. I have discussed with the offices of the City of Orono what could possibly happen and what possible uses exist that would be viable for this defined neighborhood. It seems that it is quite a conundrum. There is no parking or room to create parking. There are no public restrooms and no room to create such. No one from the defined neighborhood comes down to use the lakeshore-it is not conducive to picnics or swimming far reasons stated above. It is not the docks that deter any such activity—there is plenty of room to swim or launch a canoe or kayak—but with no room for parking or public facilities, it is simply not functional.