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 14 of 14 woman and gone too soon. He noted he and Seals resumed negotiations with Long Lake regarding the fire discussion and are currently in a holding pattern with an offer from Orono while awaiting Long Lake’s answer. The goal is to keep the department together but they will respect whatever decision Long Lake makes. Printup thanked the prior City Councils he sat with as well as the current City Council. He has learned a great deal and thanked City Staff for their help along the way. Printup wished Ms. Benson good luck as the newly appointed City Council Member. Mayor Walsh noted the Tree Lighting was really good, they had fire pits, carolers, Santa, and it was special. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Mayor Walsh noted he is a commercial real estate broker and has been doing continuing education. He noted in Maple Grove has had large developments that are strictly rental developments and now have a moratorium against the rentals as it has impacted their neighborhoods and areas. Mayor Walsh noted the City has been a firewall and a long time ago people said he is a developer and will develop many marinas and homes. He clarified he is not a developer but a real estate investor and people in Orono wanted to keep Orono the way it was with one acre zoning, two acre zoning, and did not want apartment complexes coming in. Mayor Walsh stated they have told developers throughout the years if they follow the rules in place for the land they are developing they are good. However time after time they would come in and ask for something different. He thinks developers now know there is no point in coming to Orono and asking for changes. He spoke about density, developments coming closer to Orono, and density on Highway 12 that the Met Council has forced the City into and rezoned some of those areas while keeping height standards without going into neighborhoods with density. It scares him when the Met Council will come with another round and he asked where Orono will put that density. It is not a battle the City can win but need to be as magical as they can to work with them and keep the Orono way of life the way they like it. Mayor Walsh closed by reading the Resolution of Appreciation for Member Printup and presented him with a plaque. ADJOURNMENT Seals moved, Johnson seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. ATTEST: _____________________________________ _______________________________________ Anna Carlson, City Clerk Dennis Walsh, Mayor