04-26-1999 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR APRIL 12,1999 (#12) Authorization to Hold Public Hearing for Woodhiil Country Ciub - Continued Jabbour said he would like to choose two days because Council Member Peterson must be present for the public hearing. Delaney said there are residents on Orono Orchard Road that were very interested in what the outcome of this matter was going to be last year. She said the residents have not heard anything about this matter and it has not been talked about in a public forum. She feels this isn’t just an issue for people that live on Woodhiil. Jabbour said nothing has happened. Delaney said she feels they need more time so more people can be notified. Jabbour said the Council has to follow the ordinance. He said there has been no action on this matter except for the lawsuit. The public hearing will have to be scheduled as soon as possible if the Woodhiil Country Club applies for the Conditional Use Permit. Charles Maile, 1260 Woodhiil Avenue, said that the Woodhiil Country Club has been preparing to go to trial with this issue over the past few months and they have had many months to maximize their preparedness for the public hearing while the neighbors will have much less time and money to prepare. He said the later the public hearing is held, the more time the neighbors will have to prepare for the hearing. He said it will take time to notify and organize the neighbors. Jabbour said the State Statute requires the City to act on the application within 60 days from the day the application is made. The longer the time between the application and the day of the public hearing, the less time the City has to contemplate the outcome of the public hearing. Storch said the Woodhiil Country Club has changed the issues markedly since last year and the neighbors need time to prepare. She believes that 30 days is sufficient time to notify the neighbors. She is concerned because she understands that the lawsuit has not been dismissed and if the Woodhiil Country Club gets what they want from the City, they will dismiss the lawsuit. If they don’t get what they want, they will proceed to trial. She fears that the Council’s incentive at the public hearing will be to get the lawsuit dropped. Jabbour said it is the Council’s fiduciary responsibility to try to work with every resident of the community. He said the Woodhiil Country Club is a corporate citizen of the community and they have full rights to do whatever they wish to do through the judicial system. He said the City begged them to submit an application. Jabbour suggested scheduling the public hearing for May 1 1th if Ms. Peterson is available and May 4th will be the alternate date. Page 28