01-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 12, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 14 Printup noted they will take a five minute break before resuming the meeting. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT 15. LA22 – 000050 – MATT JOHNSON, 1003 WILDHURST TRAIL (INCLUDING PIDS 07- 117-23-21-0006; 07-117-23-21-0007; 07-117-23-21-0002), VACATION OF UNIMPROVED RIGHT-OF-WAY – RESOLUTION NO. 7327 Johnson recused himself from the vote and stepped down to participate in the Applicant role. Matt Johnson, Applicant, was present. City Planner Curtis gave a presentation on the item noting the Applicant is requesting to vacate the unimproved portions of right-of-way. This request includes the right-of-way of Lafayette Avenue, Grandview Place, Hattie Place, and the alley within Blocks 3 and 4 as dedicated on the plat of Mount Home Park (highlighted in blue on the inset map). An existing City sewer line and Wright Hennepin Electric overhead power line within the Hattie Place right-of-way. The Applicant has proposed maintaining a utility easement in this area. In 2018 (#LA18-000065), the City reviewed a sketch plan for the properties associated with 1003 Wildhurst Trail (including the 10 acre property to the west). The project included vacation of the subject rights-of-way and development of the properties into 7 total lots. At that time, the Planning Commission and Council were open to the proposal for vacating the rights-of- way as part of the development as long as access to Saga Hill Park was maintained; they were not in favor of the overall project resulting in the creation of substandard lots. On November 21st, the Planning Commission held a public hearing. Following the public hearing the Planning Commission voted 4 to 0 on a motion to approve the requested vacation of the entire right-of-way area shown in blue (as applied), subject to the City maintaining the utility easement to address the existing utilities in the right-of-way. Staff’s recommendation was to vacate all except for Hattie Place. Neighbors provided public comment during the public hearing, comments are detailed in the meeting minutes, and written comments were also received and included in the packet for the record. Additional comment was received at the November 20 Council meeting and those are also summarized in the minutes. Staff recommends approval of the vacation of Lafayette Avenue, Grandview Place, and the alley within Blocks 3 and 4 dedicated within the plat of Mount Home Park. Further, Staff continues to recommend denial of the request to vacate Hattie Place at this time. Matt Johnson, Applicant, was not on the City Council in 2018 when this item first came before the City. He showed a slide on screen noting what is in red has already been vacated, the white portions are homes such as 997 Wildhurst where the vacated lane was down the middle of the home. The City’s cooperation was necessary and something this particular homeowner did not request, and it would clean up the site to make it usable. Mr. Johnson stated it is currently a one-acre zoning district and he is not making requests to further intensify the property but is simply making it more usable property by removing those unintended roads. Staff has prepared two resolutions and he requests the City Council approve the second resolution to vacate the lanes outlined in green.