09-28-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 14, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 26 40 homes. He said when people are howling at the moon over something, he hopes they remember that the passage of time needs to be worried about as well when dealing with the “hated” Met Council. Barnhart said in terms of the Planning Commission review of the plat and MUSA expansion, they recommended approval of the plat at a vote of 7-0. The Planning Commission recommended approval of the Comp Plan amendment at a vote of 6-1 (Commissioner Gettman did not support the expansion of the MUSA into this property). The public comments received to date dealt with expansion of MUSA now versus in the past and some questions were raised about visual impact into the property. The lots are two- acre rural lots, there is not any screening proposed on the boundary of the lots. From a Planning Staff perspective, they believe that the development is in character with that area. Staff recommends approval of both the MUSA expansion (Comp Plan Amendment) and also the Preliminary Plat subject to the conditions outlined in the resolution. John Quinlivan of Gordon James Inc, 5159 Main Street, Maple Plain, said they are not looking to increase density but to do what is right in a challenging area where there are many steep slopes and sensitive wetlands and they feel this would be a good layout. There were no public comments regarding the item, so Mayor Walsh asked the Council for their feedback. Seals looked back at the notes from 2017 when they talked about MUSA and noted the issue back then was an increase of density which the Council was absolutely not for. She remembered there was discussion around changing the MUSA so they could do the density. If she recalls correctly, they were pleasantly surprised that a developer came back with something that fit within the zoning. She understands that neighbors have been looking at beautiful trees and land without development, but from the proposal of the plan, she doesn’t think there is anything to deny because it fits the mold. She acknowledged that it is tough as people don’t want the view to change, but it must change because that is how it is zoned. She stated the MUSA is tough because if she was in that area and had to get a septic system back in the day, she probably would’ve loved the MUSA as it’s a better deal. She thinks people are probably thinking that same thing, but to Mayor Walsh’s point, they should use the MUSA where it makes sense, such as around the lake, wetlands, etcetera. She said it’s not about building houses left and right after the MUSA expansion; that is not the intent. If she recalls in the past it was a no on MUSA because of the density. Walsh said Seals had a good point that the Council was pleasantly surprised that someone came in with the standards that are there and over time people have started to figure out that this Council is not going to approve higher density. If they want to come in with what is on the table and with the density they are supposed to have, they will have a reasonable chance of getting things done. He said it’s nice to see it come in the way it should and then the Council doesn’t have to fight with them and tell them no and have them come back. He pointed out Mr. Quinlivan brought it to the Council in the right way. Printup moved, Johnson seconded, to approve LA20-000030 and LA20-000050. Johnson said regarding the concerns of the neighbors, he gathered that the neighbors thought when they wanted the MUSA, they were unable to and now someone else comes in and gets it and it’s not fair. He thinks that was perhaps a big part of it, although that wasn’t the case, as before it was a singular lot and