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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Monday,July 19,2021 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> forward with the Master Plan.A portion of Phase One, including a lake access boardwalk change and <br /> reconstruction of the"boat building,"requires hardcover and lake setback variances.The rebuilt boat <br /> building is located 17 feet from the lake and due to its proximity is used to house lifejackets,paddles,and <br /> other lake accessories. The project will result in a hardcover increase of 226.5 square feet.The boardwalk <br /> increases the hardcover by 140 square feet and the boat building by 86.5 square feet. The Applicant's <br /> practical difficulty analysis and project narrative were included in the packet for Commissioner review. <br /> This current request is one of two structures along the shoreline; during the Master Plan review the City <br /> Council did not support modification of the eastern building and for that reason Staff cannot support the <br /> expansion of this boathouse structure within the 75 foot setback. Staff can support findings that support <br /> placement of dock sections providing ease-of-access to the dock in the water given the practical <br /> difficulties which include topography and existing site conditions. Staff has not received any comments <br /> from the public on this proposal and recommends approval of the hardcover and lake setback variances to <br /> accommodate the changes to the boardwalk which will improve safety and comply with accessibility <br /> regulations. However, Staff cannot support the expansion of the boat building as noted because practical <br /> difficulties are lacking. The boat building can be rebuilt in-kind and if additional storage opportunities are <br /> needed the Applicant should consider constructing a new building or expand an existing building located <br /> behind the 75 foot setback. If the Planning Commission identifies practical difficulties which support the <br /> proposed increase to the footprint and height,a recommendation for approval may be appropriate. <br /> Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman noted the camp has been in Orono since 1965 and is one of three <br /> congregations in the country within the Jewish tradition that have a camp. She hopes to give her overall <br /> perspective on why this is so important.In Judaism they have a sacred text called the Talmud which was <br /> written at the same time as the New Testament and says that they are required in their community to teach <br /> their children to swim because where the modern State of Israel is there is a lot of water there. Rabbi <br /> Zimmerman noted there is also a lot of water around Camp TEKO and no one guessed that Minnesota <br /> would have a Jewish population with so much water. Teaching children to swim is survival, <br /> independence,and is so crucial. Rabbi Zimmerman stated it is also allowing children with any kind of <br /> disability to have access to the outdoors and to learn how to swim,as well. In looking at this project,the <br /> first thing they did was look at the lakefront which is very important because they want to have <br /> accessibility down to the waterfront,they want kids to be safe,and 60%of their campers are 2nd grade and <br /> younger. The idea is that the boathouse and additional hardscape or seasonal docking would make sure <br /> that counselors are focusing on the safety of kids rather than carrying down lifejackets and oars,with K- <br /> 2nd graders. This boathouse will allow the camp to house all of that safety equipment for very young <br /> campers. <br /> Mark Matasovsky stated the grade there is incredibly steep and they have a set of stairs that goes up to the <br /> four existing cabins. In going back to the 2019 approval,there is a changing building drawn in there.He <br /> noted they are leaving the shoreline pretty much as it is with the four existing cabins and the changing <br /> building does not exist anymore and they do not even want to build in the bluff setback. They do need a <br /> larger life-safety storage area because with Staff carrying life jackets,oars,and items up the hill,the <br /> children aren't being watched. That building would have a tambour door the width of the building that <br /> would open up. Mr. Matasovsky showed illustrations on screen of what the new building would look like <br /> compared to the old building and noted there would be very little change due to the L-shape of the <br /> building. This would allow the Staff to be within the building hanging up life jackets without going up <br /> that set of stairs up the hill to the cabins.He noted they received funding for ADA accessibility and a <br /> number of paths are changing to have access for disabled children and wheelchairs. The seasonal dockage <br /> allows them to get a wheelchair across the sand to the dock and out onto the pontoon boat. The boathouse <br /> Page 11 of 18 <br />