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Frances H. Graham <br />Robert J.Gumnit <br />1100 Old Crystal Bay Road <br />Wayiata, Minnesota <br />Tdcplioiic 9S2-47S-4909 <br />Facsimile 152-47»-M42 <br />May 13.2003 <br />Orono City Council and <br />Planning Commission Members <br />City of Orono <br />2750 Kelley Parkway <br />Crystal Bay, MN 5S328 <br />RE: #03-2869 Robert J. Gumnit and Frances H. Graham <br />1100 Old Crystal Itay Road <br />CUP Variance Application <br />Dear Council & Commission Members: <br />This is to ask that you approve our request for a CUP and Variance to allow us to <br />continue the historic use of our property as a horse pasture. Our request is for permission to <br />improve, maintain, and repair in Riture years as necessary the existing path that gives us <br />access across a wetland to a high ground, approximately 2-acre grassy knoll located in the <br />middle of our approximately 25-acre property. When we moved here in drier years we had no <br />trouble getting to the knoll. However, with the passage of time and wetter springs, we have <br />had increasing difficulty going onto the knoll. Currently, a deteriorating mud path is our only <br />access to this portion of the property. This muddy trail has slowly deteriorated such that it <br />has become iiKrcasingly difficult to gel maintenance vehicles onto the knoll to serx ice the <br />land, and dangerous to ride horses through this mud. If w e cannot access this high ground on <br />our property, the value of the land will be substantially diminished for its historic use. <br />V^lien we moved to Orono 15 years ago, there were w ide open spaces up and down <br />Old Crystal Bay Road and bams and fields occupied by horses. As houses have been built, <br />new landowners have taken over areas previously occupied by wildlife and horses. We <br />particularly noticed this phenomenon next to an'’ .ross from Noeremberg Park because we <br />oflen saw deer herds on the Carpenter estate. T >. • arc now gone and there is a putting green <br />instead The proposed CUP and variance would i; - . s to preser\*e and protect the valuable <br />historic use of our property, rather than abat.:ionii. that use in favor of more suburban <br />development.