03-22-2004 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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c Reliance Development Company VIA COURIER March 3,2004 Orono City Council Orono Planning Commission Ron Moorse Mike Gaffron City of Orono 2750 Kelley Parkway Orono. MN 55323 Re: Stonebay Marketplace Ladies and Gentlemen: I am in receipt of the letter from Mike Gaffron dated March 1,2004 regarding the site plan for Stonebay Marketplace. Although this letter is not an exhaustive response to the letter, I felt it was important to get a partial response io you today before this evenings work session. Needless to say, we (the entire development team) are perplexed. After 5 months of discussions, 2 public hearings with the Planning Commission and many meetings and work sessions, we thought we were getting close to an acceptable site plan. The staff report for the February 17,2004 Planning Commission meeting recommended otir site plan but for "two specific areas of the current plan". The staff report made a suggestion about how to fix those specific areas, which we did. This current letter and associated plan dismisses most of our plan and basically requires us to begin all over again. Some of our immediate and specific thoughts are listed below: 1. The most recent site plan submitted by our development team to the City of Orono accomplishes the site plan goals we have heard consistently from die Planning Commission and city staff It has considerable landscaping (over 25% of the site plan area) and amenities (front comer feature and orientation to the pond). It has minimal traffic conflicts and it provides for significant pedestrian walkways. It has architecture that is well above the standards you will find in all communities in the metropolitan area. Reliance Development Company, LLP. 1000 Rand Tower S27 Marquette Avenue South Minneapolis. MN 5S402-1327 Telephone (612) 338-1000 Facsimile (612) 338-8971