02-16-2021 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, February 16, 2021 6:00 o'clock p.m. hashed in to facilitate lakeshore access for this parcel. Barnhart noted the Applicant is not present at the meeting due to a conflict and if the Planning Commission would rather speak with him before making a decision it would be appropriate to table action until Mr. Huisman can make it to a meeting. Staff does recommend approval even with Mr. Huisman's absence. McCutcheon said is not clear if the alley really touches the land or if it is all underwater. In the Hennepin County picture, it does not look like it, although he is splitting hairs. Barnhart replied that is a question Staff had also. In looking at Hennepin County it looks like this alley is well into the lake and it really would not impact anything at all and why go through this process. The County aerial photo has a disclaimer that it is not 100% accurate and is not used for surveys. The survey is much more accurate City Staff does rely on the survey in this case and according to the survey, he pointed out the boundary of the water when the survey was done last year. There is a portion of the alley that is landward of the ordinary high-water line. McCutcheon asked about the land parcel the City owns to the south, as it seems like a weird piece of land. Barnhart stated it is a unique portion of the community in terms of platting of Forest Lake and there is a neighborhood platted in that area of lots and right-of-way and just old remnants from when the area was platted in 1880. Kirchner asked if the lot the City owns is between the alley and Applicant's property. Barnhart replied in the affirmative and said the Applicant is also requesting a boundary line adjustment for a portion of the property that is City owned, which is typically an administrative action on part of the City Staff. They would basically move the boundary line from here down to here, so they would have lake frontage the width and breadth of their lot. Ressler opened the public hearing at 6:26 p.m. Ressler closed the public hearing at 6:26 p.m. Ressler said this seems to be pretty similar to some of the other vacations they have seen that the City Council seems to be in support of. He does not see anything unique that would drive the Planning Commission in a different direction. Barnhart agrees and noted this is actually different than the others; the others actually provide lake access from a public way to the lake. This one is parallel, essentially, to the shoreline and does not provide any connection and is a pretty cut-and-dried case from a Staff perspective. Ressler agrees and asked if any of the Commissioners are opposed. McCutcheon said it seems that they are righting a wrong as the Applicant is paying the taxes, it is right in front of their property and he thinks it makes good sense. Kirchner moved, Gettman seconded, to approve LA20-000075, 1121 North Arm Drive, Vacation, as applied. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. Page 5 of 38