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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br />Monday, August 17, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 5 of 7 <br /> <br />Chair Ressler closed the public hearing at 8:40 p.m. <br /> <br />Gettman said he has no additional issues; the Applicant has been working with the City for a while now <br />and this seems to be the only way to develop this particular area. <br /> <br />Bollis stated he agrees with Staff and they’ve been pretty thorough in working with this developer and <br />making sure it’s the right fit for this piece of property. <br /> <br />Kirchner said in full disclosure, he lives at 1090 Heritage Lane, but his property does not abut to this <br />property. He agrees with the comments and the Staff’s recommendation on this, they are all conforming <br />lots. He thinks it’s been mentioned in previous meetings when Applicants are trying to develop <br />properties within the existing ordinances, which they are doing in this case, the Commission needs to <br />allow that to happen and he is supportive of that. <br /> <br />Ressler asked to clarify regarding Kirchner’s disclosure, does Kirchner feel that he is skewed by his <br />opinion based on the proximity or if he feels he can comfortably and independently rule on his decision. <br /> <br />Kirchner answered he doesn’t feel that he is skewed, he does not show abutting properties and he has no <br />financial interest or anything related to the development or any other association with it. <br /> <br />Erickson stated he is in favor of the Staff recommendation and would like to make an additional comment <br />regarding the access at the intersection from County Road 15, and said he is pleased to see that Hennepin <br />County is maintaining their endorsement for the right-turn lane and that is very important. He said at this <br />point, he is not seeing any mention of a blend lane or a right-out space for people leaving the project and <br />headed West and he thinks that would be an important aspect in terms of transportation safety and he <br />hopes that gets some discussion in the future process. <br /> <br />Libby had a couple of questions for Mr. Gronberg, noting it is a nice plan and he has looked at it before <br />because he is a direct neighbor. He said in 17 years of living on Heritage Lane in Fox Hill, they’ve dealt <br />with these accesses and right-of-way accesses in and out of the neighborhood for a long time. He noted <br />he’s had countless, probably thousands of trips in and out and said he doesn’t see a dimension for the <br />private street driveway width. <br /> <br />Mr. Gronberg answered there was a typical section on the road plan and he thinks it is 28 feet. <br /> <br />Libby asked if the right-turn lane coming from the East would have a right-of-way shoulder. <br /> <br />Mr. Gronberg said they just got the comments that the County is looking at it so they will go by the <br />County’s recommendation, noting the turn lane hasn’t been designed yet. <br /> <br />Libby said the question is adjunct to Ms. Burwell’s question because it doesn’t take very long for a couple <br />of cars to slow down to turn into a secondary street without backing up the traffic, which is constant in <br />both directions. At the juncture where the driveway terminates and comes out where there wouldn’t be a <br />turn lane, he asked if there was any thought or provision to have any parking, even for the three lots that <br />have the dock access. He said again, knowing that he has to take his provisions and guests from his home <br />down to the lakeshore to cross County Road 15 to get to the docks, he is very familiar with the protocol <br />and process to do that. However, he said they have a public street to park on as residents of the Fox Hill <br />Homeowners’ Association and they are courteous about not overusing a public street. On a private drive