10-12-2020 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 12, 2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. where the density range is 10-20 units/acre, for density or growth calculations, the Met Council looks at the lowest number of 10 units/acre. Barnhart noted in this situation, it is guided for 20 units and they are looking to reduce the density and must find a range that would fit. If they chose the 10-20 units/acre, Met Council would use the 10 units/acre and need to do some adjustments on the growth projections, and they are 2 units away from getting to that 10 units/acre. If the Council would allow 37 units on this property, they would not need to make any adjustments to add more areas for high density, nor would they have to increase higher density elsewhere. He said that is most likely the easiest way to avoid extending density in areas where they do not want to have density. Mayor Walsh noted Stone Bay is 6 units/acres and asked if that is correct. Barnhart said looking at Stone Bay in the twin-homes and townhomes area, yes it is about 6 units/acre. Mayor Walsh said the answer to the question, then, is no the Council cannot drop it down to what they want without having to go expand other areas. Barnhart noted if the Council wanted it down to 6 units/acre, the range is 3-10 units/acre so they will calculate 3 units/acre, and will have to find some more acres to increase density or add Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) to other areas. Johnson said the guidance is between 3 and 10, and they use the lowest end of the guidance, so if the development works out to be a 10 units/acre and it is completed, he asked how that affects the whole matrix. Barnhart said the Met Council doesn't go back and calculate how it actually developed, for example, 690 Brown Road project in the MUSA, guided for the lowest density (lower than prescribed), the prescribed was 13 but the actual development was 7 units. He again noted the Met Council does not go back and look to see what was actually developed, they look at what it was guided for. Johnson said there is a ratio of what is developed and when it is completed it helps the ratio. Barnhart noted once it is developed, it is no longer opportunity for growth so it is out of the City's equations. Regarding the areas in Orono's Comprehensive Plan that show potential for growth and all the acres, he noted those properties have not been developed. Mayor Walsh asked if the Council guides it from 3-10 units/acre and it ends up being 6 units/acre when it is built,the City still only gets credit for 3 units/acre. Barnhart answered yes, and they do not count it the next time the City does an update, it is just off the books in the sense of opportunities for growth. Seals said that is goofy. Page 11 of 24