07-27-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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From:Norm Hamman To:Anna Carlson; Dustin Rief Subject:Feedback Regarding Proposed Boat House at Summit Beach Park Date:Sunday, July 26, 2020 1:19:03 PM July 26, 2020 Mayor Dennis Walsh Council Member Aaron Printup Council Member Victoria Seals Council Member Richard Crosby Council Member Matt Johnson Re: Proposed Boat House at Summit Beach Park This letter is intended to provide feedback regarding the construction of a privately owned boathouse in the publicly owned Summit Park Beach. My family has owned a home at 450 East Long Lake Rd in Orono for more than fifty years. Our home is directly across the street from the entrance to the park. We have watched over the years as the park has provided enjoyment to many families, youth, & fisherman from the area. The park provides a natural setting in a peaceful and near pristine environment along the shores of beautiful Long Lake. Many years ago, the park was a gift to the citizens of Orono from Mr. Bruce Dayton who purchased and later donated the land to the city in order to protect it from development and to maintain the natural beauty of the land in perpetuity for the residents of Orono. I hope that we can find a way to respect the wishes of this great visionary & philanthropist. Our family, and others in the immediate neighborhood see no value to the city in terms of allowing the private development of a 7,000 sf structure to occur in a public space on the shores of Long Lake, especially a natural setting that is a treasure to be shared with all residents of Orono. We strongly believe that our city leaders should work towards preserving the natural beauty of this treasure in conjunction with Orono’s Vision Statement and Philosophy as documented on the Orono website and mentioned below. VISION STATEMENT To be the residential community of choice and remain widely recognized for its preservation of natural rural beauty, quality of life, and recreational assets. PHILOSOPHY Per the City of Orono website, the philosophy of the City of Orono is to: Preserve our distinct urban and rural land use patterns and lifestyles Preserve our local character and identity Protect and preserve Lake Minnetonka, its water quality, and its recreational assets Protect and preserve our many natural resources and open spaces Public statements made by Orono’s current elected officials confirms their “support to protect and preserve it’s natural amenities, historic properties, and our open space way of life”. Construction of a