01-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 12, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 8 of 14 Bridgitte Hamblin, 4665 West Branch Road, is across the marsh from this property and is seriously worried about impact to wildlife and the rest of the property owners. She noted there is a cougar and coyotes on the property, as well as fox, turkeys, and incredible wildlife. She is worried about impact to her property value due to the serene nature of what it backs up to, the incredible marsh area which will be completely impacted if 3, 5, 7, or 8 houses go in. She has heard many numbers, there is not any official word, and what really concerns her is the fact that the City Council is considering this without any actual plan given. Ms. Hamblin thinks it is a huge ethics issue and they all need to think about that. The people of the town are very concerned about any ethics issue and she would like the Council to reconsider this. The property owners who have bought property and are raising children in this town have come here because of rural residential in Orono. It is considered a place where wildlife runs free, children can run free, and they have seen a ton of development in the last couple of years. This is one piece of property that does not need to be developed. Brian Turpeville, 997 Wildhurst Trail, does not think the Planning Commission listened or heard what the public had to say. He felt it was so disingenuous to come up and speak because that decision was made before the public even showed up. He hoped in coming to the City Council he would hear something different but heard the comments leading the Applicant to help him. Mr. Turpeville showed photos on screen of Wildhurst Trail and the channel noting it is private land and he hopes the City Council does not tell Mr. Turpeville one day what he can and cannot do with his property. He wants to stay within guidelines and rules and do exactly what he intends to do. He showed an overhead photo and said here is the jewel of Orono, a wooded area that connects to many plots with low density and population, and they are talking about giving part of it away. He spoke about wildlife and that it was said at the other meeting that this is worthless land, low, mushy, unwalkable and he showed a photo of the easement noting it is navigable, one could snowmobile, walk, and it is firm ground. He continued showing photos of the area on screen and spoke about the channel noting the lake touches the property and one can walk the easement on the outer edge of the property. Mr. Turpeville thinks it was said by Charter that if they were to give away an easement it would be split between two homeowners rather than given to one. Especially in the winter there are people who walk and noted it is probably accurate to say the easement was given to build his house and others in that development. He noted the only thing that puts burden on the current owner is the alleyway up the center. Ultimately 10-plus taxpayers got up and said they do not agree with this, and Mr. Turpeville does not want to put burden on the property owner. Proposals for the property have been floated and show either 4-5 homes or 2 homes being built. Mr. Turpeville stated if it smells like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it is probably a duck. If a boat comes down the channel this summer and asks if this is where the lots are for sale, if a realtor said to him ‘I think there are lots for sale up in there,’ if other neighbors have heard about dredging plans to widen the channel and expand it to its original state, if there is activity on the property that ends just before all of this happens, if there is a gathering on the property to celebrate Mr. Morgart’s life a week before the closing, Mr. Johnson could have come and met half the neighbors. However, the quiet, blind, let’s slide it through, let’s wait until Christmas, and put it through when the snowbirds are gone and less people are here to oppose it makes no sense. He asked if he is the stupid guy in the room. Ken Peterson, 1074 Wildhurst Trail, lends his voice to what they have just heard and asked what the public purpose is here. To give up an access point to the water does not seem to give a public purpose. He