02-20-1991 Planning Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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« M < PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 20, 1991 Comprehensiva Plan? Kelley asked Ms. Harris whether she was referring freeway such as 494, or a highway with stop lights. Ms. Harris replied, "Highway 55 has four lanes." It was the Planning Commission’.'? consensus that a four-lane freeway/highway could be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Bob Gasch, stated that he now lives in Cokato, but has been an Orono resident for most of his life. He stated that MNDOT has on file a four-lane corridor for Highway 12 through the City of Orono which was surveyed in 1965. He said, "Some of you are probably aware of that corridor. MNDOT could pull that survey out of the file and use that as the corridor. The road would not only run through Orono, but the City of Independence as well. The City of Independence over the last 20 years chose to keep that highway corridor designated through their city. The City of Orono chose to no longer follow that corridor when it amended its Comprehensive Plan in 1980. If there is no agreement among the various cities for a highway corridor, MNDOT may decide to use the 1965 corridor." Bob Wyatt confirmed Gasch's comments. He added, "That corridor was selected because there was a largo Nike base in St. Bonifacious. That was going to be the main corridor for traffic going from Minneapolis to St. Bonifacious. That corridor does still exist and has been surveyed. Another point I would like to make refers to comments made earlier by Mr. Kelley. He stated that he did not know how he would vote on this recommendation to Council. I find that frightening because this is not a new issue. There has been ongoing input from the citizens for several months. 1 would like to get a sense of what you are going to discuss because the public is not invited to that meeting." Kelley informed Mr. Wyatt that the public is invited to attend the February 27, 1991 meeting. Hartmut Ginnow stated that he did not hear much discussion about County Road 6 or County Road 11. He asked, "Does that mean that there is a consensus for either Highway 12 or Highway 55?" Hanson replied, "I think that it what Chairman Kelley is referring to when he stated that we are not yet ready to make a recommendation. I hear numerous personal opinions that differ." Bellows said, "If the Planning Commission had come to this meeting tonight with our decision firmly in mind, this would not have been an open forum. Tne purpose of the meeting was to - 18 - mM. i ‘f msnA