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 9 of 14 walks his dog in some of those areas and would like to see some debris cleaned out from the corner and have it better marked. Eric Truskoski, 4665 W Branch Road, thinks it is an incomplete plan and he cannot see the public good. He would never deny a property owner the right to use their property as he supports that entirely. His background is residential development and he is not here to say they should not develop but thinks they must develop responsibly. He said the fact that a sitting Council member is bringing this forward raises concerns for him, and noted his neighbor at 4505 W Branch Road has been approached about as easement for access from 151 that aligns with Hattie Place. He thinks it is unwise and bordering on foolish to go ahead and approve something without a full plan in place. Kim Carswell, 261 Cygnet Place, asked if there is no public benefit, what is driving the City Council to allow this to happen. Printup noted the start of the process is an application and the City Council cannot say they will not listen to something. He noted that is why they take public comment and then discuss. Laura Sanden, 4505 W Branch Road, has concerns about Hattie Place and does not understand the impact on wildlife and what the plan is. James Hermanson, 1001 Wildhurst Trail, has concerns relating to the public interest, he understands the new purchaser has said he is building two houses and if so Mr. Hermanson would like to see the plan. If that indeed is his plan it seems reasonable for Mr. Johnson to bring in that plan. It would be nice to have specifics about what will happen to that lot and if the new owner wants to build one house and remodel the old house that should be part of the plan. Mike Mooney, 101 Douglas Drive, Buffalo, stated Mr. Morgart was his cousin and he is very familiar with the property and has been going out there since the mid-1950s. He noted it is a piece of private property and what he is hearing tonight is that there is a feeling that this is a park. There are imaginary roads and the way the existing house is built there is a wall of windows on the north side. In hearing about people going fishing or crossing that land, Mr. Mooney has not seen that and if people are doing that they are trespassing. With Mr. Morgart’s death, obviously something will happen to that property, it has been sold, and people that wanted the property had a chance to buy it for about two years. Resident from 1035 Wildhurst Trail, knows Mr. Johnson and knew Mr. Morgart well, and stated his concern with Hattie Place is that is the only way for large delivery trucks to turn around and if they give that away would that access disappear? Regarding the path going up to Saga Hill, nothing is preventing Mr. Johnson from remodeling the house the way it is right now. His concern in giving away Hattie Place, does that eventually lead to the 10 acres being connected to the 5 acres and being able to slip in more lots than is doable today. He noted Mr. Morgart’s wish was to maintain the integrity of the land and they are not doing anything to maintain the integrity by giving the strips of land away. To him, the only one that is in the way of building a house is the one right down the middle and everything else is not preventing that on this property. He does not have a problem in building on the lot or with Mr. Johnson being his neighbor. He asked why they would do something without seeing what the plan is.