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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Moaday, January 27,2003 <br />7:00 o'clock p.m. <br />(#02-2789/02-2840 DAHLSTROM DEVELOPMENT LLC, Continued) <br />Murphy felt it was too late to make units a requirement. <br />Mayor Peterson asked whether the Council had previously believed they would accept <br />payment in lieu of units. <br />Murphy stated that the affordability question was far bigger than this one development. <br />Sansevere stated that he would prefer to table this discussion and go through the workshop <br />first, before making a final recommendation. <br />Dahlstrom stated that, a density of 6 units today doesn’t automatically translate to <br />affordability, as costs continue to go up the density needed for affordability will also <br />increase. He believed that the services he and his people could provide to help design a <br />program that could work would be far more valuable. <br />Murphy asked what would be wrong with accepting this offer. <br />Dahlstrom indicated that the discussion surrounding the affordable housing question would <br />likely be a year long effort at least. <br />Sansevere stated that he needed more information. <br />Nygard stated that, if the City were serious about having affordable units available, the <br />City could allow him to add units to accomplish this. By allowing him to alter the density <br />to specifically add affordable units, the issue could be addressed. <br />WTiite indicated that there were other issues to discuss and he would be unwilling to <br />support the motion until they talked more. <br />With regard to tabling the discussion, Kendra Lindal of Landforms, indicated that if the <br />developer does not have approval this evening, the project would likely be going away <br />altogether since they would miss the deadline of February 7. Since the discussions have <br />been ongoing for a year, she asked the City to grant some sort of approval this evening in <br />order to reassure their bankers, and promised to continue to work w ith the City toward an <br />atfordable housing resolution. She added that this new housing development would cost <br />less than any other housing in Orono. <br />Nygard asked if they could approve this as a preliminary plat. <br />Barrett reiterated that the developer had given up vested rights and that the City, on a legal <br />basis, had the statutory authority to make decisions about the development and negotiate <br />for more units later. <br />PAGE 15 of 28 <br />nrmtriri-atMii iiMun,-i