07-26-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 12, 2021 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 4 of 6 15. LA21-000042 – Mohegan Hansen Arch o/b/o CBS MN Properties, LLC, 2060 Wayzata Blvd West, Master Development Plan Approval, Zone Change, and Preliminary Plat – Continued Dale Richardson, CBS Minnesota Properties, 4741 South Lake Sarah Drive, stated they invited all the neighbors to a meeting and had 12 come to the meeting. They discussed all of the items and agreed to relocate the patio more towards the center of the building, and agreed to do fencing on the north and east side. Mr. Richardson noted the concerns regarding landscaping is that the neighbors did not want larger trees on the back to shadow the pine trees that are planted there; neighbors wanted more shrubbery which the Applicant is more than willing to accommodate. He said none of the neighbors objected on the height of the building and basically said if it makes it a nicer project they have no issue with height at all. Mayor Walsh knows height may not be an issue for neighbors, but it may be an issue for the City Council. He asked to talk more about height. Mr. Richardson replied they are just trying to make it as nice as they possibly can and in doing post- tension construction on the building it gives some room but they still have to fit all the mechanicals and are trying to maintain an 8 foot (plus) ceiling height and do not want soffits coming down to 7 feet 6 inches. He noted it is a hardship to maintain a high-end building with a low ceiling, as the two just do not go together. They would like as much height as they can get but are trying to compromise at the 9 inches and hopes the City Council is receptive to it. Mayor Walsh brought discussion back to the Council. Johnson said that 30 feet in height is a hard number and the consideration they gave the Applicant was to go to the flat roof rather than pitched. He is in favor of the Staff recommendations as well as those added on from the Planning Commission: moving the patio, fencing, and the 30 foot maximum height. Crosby agrees with Johnson. Printup agrees and appreciated the comments. He thinks they can take some insight from Orono Woods and the backside in the fall and winter looking like a battleship. He thinks they can get plenty of screening back there. He agreed with the Staff report and Planning Commission comments. Seals agreed and said she was at the Planning Commission and is glad they are doing the fencing and moving the patio. She noted 30 feet is a very slippery slope with the City and she knows the Applicant is very smart and will design something within that box. Walsh said once the Council makes the height higher than 30 feet, that becomes the new 30 feet. The apartment complex that was approved is at 30 feet, the assisted living center is at 30 feet. Barnhart clarified the Council agreed to go up to 31 feet because of water table issues, but the project came in at 30 feet. Walsh agrees with the rest of the Council on the 30 feet.