08-23-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, August 9, 2021 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 9 of 13 14. LA21-000029 – ROBERT ERICKSON, 365 WESTLAKE ROAD., STREET VACATION – RESOLUTION NO. 7211 – Continued Crosby asked if a fire truck would have been able to get down that access point embankment on Forest Lake. Mr. Howells replied if it was maintained, the road was accessible where a dump truck could get down there, but as the two neighbors indicated, they just let it grow over. He can say unequivocally that there is no way to get into Forest Lake. Crosby said from his 10 years of fire experience, he will say that it is very difficult with a boat fire. He said it is like people on Big Island - if there is a fire – they need to be armed with fire extinguishers, first aid gear, and proper life jackets. He noted by the time the water patrol or fire department gets there it is probably half over. Most people will be rescued by another boater or jet-ski rather than one coming from land. He does think there have been some good points brought up tonight about diverting some of the dollars over to other access points that are viable and improve those. After a short break, Robert Erickson, Applicant, shared his plans and stated over a year ago he appeared before the Planning Commission and the City Council with a sketch plan that was well-received at the time. He would take the property he has at 365 Westlake Street, combine it with the vacated property, and make it into one new lot which would eliminate the subdivision done in 1910 known as Hillside Park. His expectation is that the older house would be removed and a newer house built with the goal of bringing that piece up to the standard of his house across the street, another house at 364 Westlake Street (whose owner sent an email in favor of the proposal), and the Thrasher’s house. He noted there were some older cabins/houses there that had sewers that went right into the lake and he has everything all connected to sewer the way it is supposed to. Mr. Erickson said the concept first came to him as he was looking for a site around Lake Minnetonka and noticed that in many lake areas in Orono and other cities, the houses on the lake tend to be at a higher level with newer houses and older houses that have been fixed up. Many times on the same street, there are other houses that do not have lakeshore and are not as well-maintained and have a completely different look. His hope for Westlake Street is if he buys some of the smaller cottages and puts it together in a way to have a more uniform development on both sides of the street, it kind of defies the rules of economics. Mr. Erickson knew that going in and that is why he does not expect to make any money on this deal; however, his goal is primarily to improve the neighborhood and ultimately have a new house on Lot 1 Block 1 of the subdivision. He also has a rental house at 341 Westlake Street which eventually he assumes would be offered for sale to a builder and would make a good new home site as well. He is doing his best to bring up the level of the neighborhood and that is his plan. Printup moved, Crosby seconded, to approve 365 Westlake Road., Street Vacation – Resolution No. 7211 subtracting No. 4. VOTE: Ayes 4 (Printup, Crosby, Walsh); Nays 1 (Johnson). 15. LA21-000047 – MATCOM: MARK MATASOVSKY O/B/O TEMPLE ISRAEL OF MINNEAPOLIS, 645 TONKAWA ROAD, VARIANCES Mark Matasovsky, Applicant, was present. Staff presented a summary packet of information. Curtis shared that Camp TEKO is requesting lake setback and 75-foot hardcover variances in order to reconstruct their existing boat building/shed shown on