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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br />April 17, 2023 <br />6:00 o'clock p.m. <br />ROLL CALL <br />The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: <br />Chair Chris Bollis, Commissioners Mark McCutcheon, Dennis Libby, Bob Erickson, Gary Kraemer and <br />Scott Kirchner. Commissioner Jon Ressler was absent. Representing Staff were Community Development <br />Director Laura Oakden, City Planner Melanie Curtis, and City Planner Natalie Nye. <br />Chair Bollis called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br />OATH OF OFFICE <br />Community Development Director Oakden led returning and new Planning Commission Members Scott <br />Kirchner and Gary Kraemer in the Oath of Office. <br />APPROVAL OF AGENDA <br />Kirchner moved, Erickson seconded, to approve the Agenda. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. <br />APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF MARCH 20, 2023 <br />Kirchner moved, Kraemer seconded, to approve the minutes of the Orono Planning Commission <br />meeting of March 20, 2023: Ayes 6, Nays 0. <br />PUBLIC HEARINGS <br />1. LA23-000002 CITY OF ORONO, 1449 SHORELINE DRIVE AND 1475 SHORELINE <br />DRIVE, VACATION <br />Oakden said this application is to vacate unused right-of-way along County Rd. 15. The City of Orono is <br />requesting to vacate portions of right-of-way. Hennepin County conducted a project and obtained rights- <br />of-way to reconstruct Tanager Bridge. Portions of that right-of-way are no longer needed to support the <br />road improvement. The County has transferred the property to the City for the purpose of vacating which <br />is standard vacation process. The land does not serve a public purpose and has no use for City services. <br />Staff is recommending approval. <br />Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 6:06 p.m. <br />Richie Anderson, 1449 Shoreline Dr., stated his agreement with the County was, any property the County <br />took on one side, he would get back on the other side, which is the space we are talking about now. I've <br />been waiting since 2020 to get this resolved. I didn't hold them up on price and gave them more property <br />than needed and I've been paying an attorney to get this done. You are not giving us something we did <br />not have an agreement to get. <br />Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 6:08 p.m. <br />Libby commented that he had worked closely with the County and a different property owner regarding <br />right-of-way acquisition for this road project. I was very aware of two precedents at that time. When <br />there is a vacation like this, if the County decides it no longer has a use for a property it must pass through <br />ownership of the City before goes to an adjoining property owner for first right of refusal, which is <br />Page 1 of 12 <br />