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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Tuesday,January 18,2022 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> worth of information that were only available one business day prior to today. I am here because the <br /> LLRC's application does not comply with City and State ordinances, and both for the CUP and the <br /> hardcover variances. I am here today because the public clearly has concerns. I am here today because <br /> you have been blatantly misled by the LLRC.As a community member I am outraged by the lack of <br /> transparency by the LLRC regarding this proposal as it has been sold to us as a public-private <br /> partnership. On the July 27, 2020 Planning Commission, they moved and voted to seek a broader set of <br /> community input and that the Park Commission should have a role in that. The fact is, the LLRC has not <br /> engaged in a single meeting in over two years with the community. The LLRC blatantly misleads us on <br /> their narrative report that they have hosted numerous community events getting feedback from the <br /> community.I personally met(via Zoom)with both Rob and Amy from the LLRC on Friday morning <br /> requesting that they push back tonight's meeting by 30 days so they could hold a public Q&A. The <br /> response from Rob was the strategy has been and will continue to be that the LLRC is an organization <br /> that will operate independently and we are following all the City protocols for moving this protect <br /> forward and will not be holding a public Q&A and will not be moving the meeting.It is shameful to say <br /> that this is a public-private partnership. Summit Beach Park was graciously donated by the Dayton <br /> family to the City or Orono 40 years ago. We know regarding the adjoining easement from the Daytons <br /> that their family's intentions with these public donations were to keep them in a natural state,fully <br /> accessible to the public. Their easement on this adjoining donation specifically mentions no buildings, <br /> hardcovers, no earth can be moved, no trees can be cut down. What we now know as Summit Beach Park <br /> was given to the City of Orono in two separate donations by the Daytons. Unfortunately, most likely due <br /> to a record not being properly recorded or a record being lost, we do not have an official easement <br /> section from Summit Beach Park that the LLRC wishes to build on their club house. We do know after <br /> speaking to the former mayor of Orono, Lou Oberhauser, who said today that the donor's desire was that <br /> the property and the beach was to be kept as a neighborhood asset and to not be improved. His belief that <br /> Bruce Dayton, who he personally spoke with, was that keeping the area undeveloped would be an asset to <br /> the residents in this immediate area and he was concerned that improving the area would be detrimental <br /> to the neighborhood. This information comes directly from a person who dealt with Bruce Dayton during <br /> these donations. Do not believe for one second that the Dayton's intentions would have wanted this land <br /> to be built upon, no less by an organization to build a private club house. It is truly unbelievable that the <br /> LLRC, a non-profit organization, one that relies on private donors would have the nerve to attempt to <br /> redirect a deceased donor's contribution from the people of Orono. Let's talk about this members-only <br /> private club house because that is what it is. It is not a public building. If it was public, the public would <br /> have daily or near-daily accessibility to its amenities.Sadly, the indoor space on this proposal would <br /> have less than 1%accessibility to the public on a daily basis, which is a single-stall bathroom. But don't <br /> worry, the LLRC members won't need to use this bathroom because they would have plenty of access to <br /> their men's and women's locker rooms with multiple showers, multiple toilets, changing room, and <br /> lockers. The LLRC promises potential for community access to the building, a whole one day a month on <br /> their website which equates to 3%per year. Yes, the community can join the sport but keep in mind it is <br /> an extremely expensive sport that is outside the means of most community members. The community is <br /> concerned about the project and many are against the LLRC proposal. I started a Change.org proposal <br /> active on Saturday morning with over 100 people signing on the first day, 200 on Sunday, 350 on <br /> Monday, and over 550 on Tuesday evening. Rob,Amy, and I spoke about the hundreds of likes, shares, <br /> and posts on Nextdoor and Facebook regarding the public's concerns and questions about the LLRC's <br /> proposal. The LLRC was aware of the community's questions and concerns over the past 8 days but <br /> decided not to respond to a single question or concern. Once again, this would be shameful to call a <br /> public-private partnership. Frankly, I think it is unfathomable that the LLRC would request a variance on <br /> an ordinance that exists to help protect the very waters on which they row upon. I would strongly <br /> encourage the Planning Commission to deny any request of this nature. The LLRC had us here this <br /> Page 4 of 11 <br />