06-10-2002 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES May 20.2002 Page 23 of 22 The CMP specifically limits retail development between Willow and Old Crystal Bay Road to small scale. He mainuined that Orono’s plan was to avoid pulling energy and development potential away from the Long Lake downtown area, and to avoid retail uses that would draw high levels of traffic to the area west of Willow Drive. Furthermore, Gaffron noted that the grocery store that has been proposed as a retail element to provide the western ‘anchor’ to what would be a linear retail strip with its eastern end being downtown Long Lake is viewed by staff as being in complete conflict with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff believes that if a grocery store is located west of Willow E)rive, it will draw retail development/redevelopment, to the detriment of the existing downtown Long Lake retail area, and to the detriment of both Orono and Long Lake to redevelop the downtown Long Lake area. Gaffron reiterated that staff strongly recommends against amending the Comprehensive Plan to allow the grocery store element of the development proposal, and suggests that the Planning Commission place significant focus on this element in its consideration of the concept plan. Gaffron pointed out that the final CMP issue to consider is whether conversion from office to residential is appropriate for areas south of Kelley Parkway. Two concept plans, “Study A” and “Study D”, have been used as standard guides for developers in recent years when inquiries have been made about the property. The applicants’ total combined residential/rctail footprint is 190,000+ s.f. south of Kelley Parkway, or three times the amount of building mass than the City had been contemplating. Once again, Gafflon noted staff recommends that the Planning Commission give careful consideration to • • the conversion from commercial office use to multifamily residential south of Kelley Parkw’ay. Steve Johnston, of Landform Designs, indicated that three types of units will exist within Orono Village: