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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, October 12, 2020 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 13 of 24 <br /> <br />that without introducing density elsewhere. He pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan really <br />looked at density throughout the community and tried to maintain it in certain areas and this is <br />one of those areas. <br />Johnson said they could take the backside of the land, donate it to the City for the pond, reduce <br />the acres they have and increase their units per acre. <br />After a short discussion on density, Seals and Crosby noted they do not want to add more density <br />anywhere else. <br />Mayor Walsh noted there are some proposals in front of the Council talking about re-zoning the <br />office space land to small apartments or whatever, and right now it is zero, but it would be more <br />than 3 units/acre most likely, so if they add that in, it might make up for bringing this project <br />down to 6 units/acres. However, he stated that is not in front of the Council right now. <br />Barnhart said he doesn’t put a lot of stock in that until they come forward with an application, <br />noting they get “ideas” all the time. <br />Mayor Walsh noted they are currently at 9.5 units/acre and they need to get to 10 units/acre. <br />Johnson asked if the Applicant would like to come up and speak. <br />Aziz Saddiqui, 12900 White Water Drive, Minnetonka, noted he is responsible for the <br />acquisition development for David Weekley for the Midwest and the Western part of the County <br />and thanked the Council for their time. He said when the company came here, they were told it <br />was zoned for 20+ units. He said they adjusted the numbers to meet some of the setback <br />requirements and when they presented the package in front of the Planning Commission, they <br />liked the product, idea and concept; however it created the issue of the setbacks. David Weekley <br />said that is fine, they can address the setbacks but it would significantly affect the units, so from <br />43 units, they are down to the 35 units they are discussing today. Mr. Saddiqui noted they are <br />meeting most of the setbacks that as a guideline they were told to meet. He stated there is room <br />to add 2 units, to the Council’s point, and it may require very small variances to the North along <br />Kelley Road, but he believes they could achieve those 2 units they are discussing today. This <br />project is doable only if they have bare minimum of 35 units; if the company has to go any <br />lower, they would probably walk away from the project, as this is their bottom line number for <br />the economics to work. He said 37 units definitely helps, but if the City decides to go 6 <br />units/acre it is something that the company cannot do. <br />Mayor Walsh stated they are not concerned about needing to develop property; the concern is <br />trying to meet the numbers that make sense from a density standpoint and if it works to the <br />company’s benefit, that is great, but if it stays empty land, that is okay too. <br />Johnson asked the price range for the units. <br />Mr. Saddiqui answered it will be $360,000 to low $400,000’s.