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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 13, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. __________________________________________________________________________________ Page 20 of 40 (7. #14-3686 JOHN BESSESEN AND TOM WASMOEN ON BEHALF OF DAVID DELANEY, 2500 KELLEY AVENUE continued) McMillan asked if he has thought about doing the projects together. Bessesen stated the property was split off years ago and the development was never pursued. The Delaney’s did receive permission from the Planning Commission to construct duplexes and a single- family home but they never went before the City Council to finalize it. Bessesen stated the townhomes cannot be built behind the bowling alley. McMillan asked if he is aware of what the square footage is of the homes in Wake Cliff. Bessesen indicated he does not. Bessesen indicated he would like to provide a service for the people in the community who would like to stay in this area. Bessesen indicated he needs to build as many units as possible on the site in order to recoup his costs. Bessesen stated if the Council is not agreeable to the twinhome concept, he would like to sell the land to the contractor that will construct four residential homes on the site. McMillan indicated she would not mind clustering the homes as long as the houses do not get too big, which would help to preserve some of the trees. McMillan stated if they are not comfortable building smaller homes that could be a problem, but that they need to work something out on paper. McMillan indicated she will now open the meeting up to public comment. McMillan noted the City Council has read the neighbors’ e-mails that were submitted to the City as well as the comments that were made at the Planning Commission meeting. Judy Fredrickson, 2507 Kelley Avenue, stated she is here tonight to speak on behalf of a number of neighbors that were unable to be here tonight. Fredrickson noted the Planning Commission did vote to deny this project and that the neighbors are here tonight asking that the City Council respect that decision. Fredrickson stated she appreciates the tone of the Council’s questions to the applicant and that this issue is very important to the neighbors. Fredrickson stated she did not expect there to be a recommendation by Staff in favor of the twinhome development. Fredrickson stated in a nutshell it comes down to the fact that the neighbors want the City Council to know that they respect the right of Mr. Delaney to develop this property but that they would like it to stay within the current zoning on the property. The neighbors do not feel that one property owner should have the ability to negatively impact everyone around him. In all of this process through all of these months there has not been one neighbor who has stood up and said please do this project. Fredrickson noted Mr. Delaney has not appeared at any of the meetings or offered to meet with any of the neighbors about his proposal. Fredrickson stated the neighbors would like the City Council to deny the request for the following reasons: The City Council should protect the integrity and character of the neighborhood. Kelly Avenue and Carmen Road is a special neighborhood that has a uniqueness that is not found in other parts of Navarre/Minnetonka. City Council Meeting April 27, 2015 Page 22 of 257