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c) The need for the excess tower height has not been demonstrated, and there <br />may be otiier options, such as building it 5' further into the ground. <br />d) The potential impacts of the tower in this residential neighborhood cannot be <br />satisfactorily mitigated. <br />6. The City Council hereby makes these additional findings of fact: <br />The City has consistently denied building height variances for homes and <br />institutional buildings in single family zones. Two most recent examples are <br />the Minnetonk.T Art Center, and the Burton residence on Rainey Road. <br />The Fire Station is being located in a neighborhood setting rather than a ‘town <br />center’ setting. Reducing the visual impacts of the building is important to <br />ensure its successful integration into residential character of the neighborhood. <br />Although the 20' x 22' area of the tower covers just under 3% of the total roof <br />area of the station, and although it is in the southeast or rear comer of the <br />station, the tower if constructed will still have a visual prominence that is out <br />of character with the surrounding residential neighborhood. <br />Because a primary purpose for the excess hose tower height is for firefighter <br />training, the tower if constructed would contain stairways, windows, a door <br />to the roof, etc. which w ould allow for a variety of realistic firefighting and <br />rescue scenarios to be staged. The impact of such activity occurring at such <br />a visually prominent location and height as that proposed would potentially <br />have a negative impact on the neighborhood. <br />The negative impacts on the neighborhood associated with the excess tower <br />height cannot be successfully mitigated by the mere imposition by the City <br />of requirements or limitations in regards to screening, building material <br />selection, lighting, color scheme, etc. The City Council finds that no methods <br />or measures for mitigating the negative impacts have been brought forward, <br />and approval of the tower height conditional use permit would not be in the <br />best interests of the City of Orono or the residential neighborhood surrounding <br />the Fire Station. <br />Page 3 of 5