03-28-2022 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, March 14, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 6 of 8 BIG ISLAND DOCK LICENSE REQUEST – JOE THULL – Continued the property. Ms. Reinmann was also made aware of numerous meetings in 2021 in which neighbors voiced opposition to this request. At that time the Council directed the interested parties to develop an agreeable solution and at no time were the Reinmanns involved in the process. In response the City Council developed a licensing program for the island property owners to use space on City docks to access their lot. Ms. Reinmann stated she audited and listened to the LMCD meeting on February 9 and many issues were brought up at that meeting prior to the approval. Members brought up many questions including the lack of sanitary services at the location, and Ms. Reinmann stated the restrooms at Veterans Park are a 20 minute walk and not feasible or reasonable place for personal use. The LMCD rules state that a City dock must have toilet facilities. Regarding fire safety, the LMCD brought up that the property has no direct water on site and should the property owner have a bonfire that gets out of control there is no way of stopping that forest fire from taking the entire island down. She and her husband personally helped extinguish two fires on the island the previous, noting there would have been a tragic outcome with multiple cabins being lost if they were not on hand. Ms. Reinmann also questions the motives of the property owner, noting he bought the property for $9,000 and pays just over $100 in annual taxes. As of February 18, 2022, Mr. Barnhart had not received or seen any building permit request for the owner of 480 Big Island. She noted the 90 foot wide right-of-way access point with easier access and flat terrain already developed for others who were issued permits in the year 2000 has not been applied for or surveyed. Ms. Reinmann asked why this access point is not being surveyed and considered for the Thulls and others. Upon inspection on March 9, 2022 the 90 foot access point had not been surveyed and she found out this evening that only three of the seven access points were surveyed. Ms. Reinmann is not interested in pitting neighbors against neighbors and she asked if all access points have been thoroughly vetted? The access to the dock location under consideration tonight is not easy and the City will have to remove several beautiful cedar trees directly on the rocky shoreline. Ms. Reinmann noted this decision is precedent-setting and asked if the City has a plan to give access to the fourteen other unimproved properties in the middle of the island. She summarized the points she brought up this evening and asked that more work be done to deny or defer the decision until there is a plan as there will be other Applicants. Ms. Reinmann apologized for missing the public comment period earlier in the evening. She stated another property owner on the island took down trees and there is now a 100 yard long by 15 foot high pile of debris from the tree removal. It is a fire hazard and she will be reporting that to the Fire Chief in Orono. Rick Parsons, 280 Big Island, asked why they did not use the 50 foot access at Bay Place which would take very little improvement as it is flat and would be a shorter route to the Thull property. Mayor Walsh replied he has walked every site and they have had many discussions about them all. Mr. Parsons does not understand why they would spend so much money on improvement. Barnhart noted the challenge with BI4 (which was not applied for) is the property lines converge in the lake so would require a variance to put a dock there. Johnson clarified that spot did not meet the LMCD rules for putting in a dock. Aleya Champlin, 210 Big Island, would like to put on the record regarding BI4 that there is a judicial decree indicating that Bay Place Road is no longer there as half of the road was given to her property and half to the adjacent property.