03-15-2021 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday,March 15,2021 • 6:00 o'clock p.m. Jud and Aleya Champlin, 210 Big Island (next door), live at 2643 Thoroughbred Lane. He thanked the Staff and Commissioners for doing all this and noted he is kind of surprised that his neighbors Freddy and Nancy are not here, but Freddy has had some health problems the past couple of years and Mr. Champlin guesses the snow storm kept them away. As Curtis will attest,there are very deep feelings going back from them and their belief as to how that dock should be allocated. Mr. Champlin said this is a tough thing because by filing this it automatically takes away Freddy's dock access. He noted it is a very kind thing of Mr. Thull to offer some alternatives and at the same time it gives this quite valuable piece of property to Mr. Thull—Mr. Champlin can certainly understand the predicament. In his reading of the City code, one of the requirements for granting this access is that there are no reasonable alternatives. Mr.Champlin thinks there are reasonable alternatives and they have not really explored them all. Other than being asked for an easement,this is the first he has heard about it and he thinks if they went around the island,usually people team up and help each other and it is generally a pretty good community. It is when this sort of thing starts happening is when some heads get butting. One thing Mr. Thull said is that the primary access point is down next to 460 Big Island and in an email to Mr.Champlin,Mr.Thull also said that is the most convenient access way. One does not have to put a dock there to get access;the requirement of the City's code is not that one access a dock, it is that one has reasonable alternative access. It is very easy to nose a pontoon boat in there, even at the end of the Power Squadron property that is very close. There are other dock locations that could be looked at as well. Having trouble putting in a septic system, a shower,and running water might be good reason to renew the membership to the Minnetonka Power Squadron and as a past commander he can say that would be very good. Mr.Champlin thinks if the Commission went around and asked neighbors,they would find a lot of people helping out. There is a reason that Freddy does not have a dock there: he does not want that in front of his house. This pretty much shows there are reasonable alternative ways to access property on the island. Freddy does not have a dock. He asks his neighbors to dock there,and can use Mr.Champlin's dock any time,he pulls his pontoon boat right up in front and walks right through. Mr.Champlin's other concern is the pathway through the woods—right now it is all wooded —there has not been a survey done recently so he is not quite sure where the boundaries are but he thinks it will either be going over Mr. Champlin's property or Freddy's property or through the woods. If they are familiar with the island it is a big effort to increase ground cover and leave things as natural as possible and Mr. Champlin would hate to see those woods come down. He understands the intent is not to do anything bad there but intent is very hard to put into a permit. Once people start walking up there,who knows what will happen? As another alternative, Mr. Thull is welcome to use Mr. Champlin's dock up to 10 days a year,just shoot him a text and let him know,don't bump the boat into it too hard,but he welcomes that and is pretty sure he would find a lot of other people that would support Mr.Thull as well. They like people on the island and like them doing good things on the island. He appreciates all they have done for Big Island. Aleya Champlin agrees with her husband's comments and asked to go to Exhibit Ito show the pictures that were taken on Big Island on March 6. This is what the shoreline currently looks like and they think there is a property marker with a stake in the ground for 260 Big Island. The rectangle is where the Champlin's think the proposed dock is going to go and there are a lot of trees and native growth there that would have to go and she just does not want to see all those trees gone. Dave Saari,21035 Oak Lane,Greenwood,along with his brother,owns the property at 260 Big Island. The family has been cutting the grass on the City's public property for probably the last 50 years and their grandparents built the cabin that Fred Brunjten now owns. He noted they have been on that property for a while and appreciate the fact that it has not been developed and it is a fine piece of property. The Commissioners heard from the neighbors their enthusiasm for that. He suspects there will be a larger conversation about the use of those access points regarding the interior lots. In his notes to the City (he apologizes for them arriving late) there are east and there are west bay alternatives and he thinks it is a Page 7 of 34