07-13-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 13, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. Stickney indicated Diagram 7 shows the driveway and cul-de-sac locations. The setbacks are 50 feet. Stickney pointed out the location of the cul-de-sac. Stickney noted every lot has a circle driveway around the trees, which will help further preserve the trees, and allows for better access for emergency vehicles. Diagram 8 depicts the building pads. Stickney indicated the locations of the building pads stay away from the mature trees. Stickney stated out of the 199 mature trees on the site, there are 40 in this area that are over 30 inches and a number of mature trees on the north lot as well. Stickney stated there will be strict enforcement of the covenants and that anyone who cuts a tree down, they must replace it at a 2:1 ratio. Stickney stated overall there is a net gain of 200 -plus trees on either plan. Stickney commented he loves both plans and that he is here tonight to ask the City Council to approve one. Stickney indicated he prefers the first plan but that he is to move on. Walsh stated he is glad this application came after Gabriel Jabbour's comments about Orono's brand. Walsh stated in his view Mr. Stickney has done a great job preserving the prairies and trees, which is part of Orono's brand. Walsh noted he talked about inappropriate behavior at the last City Council meeting and that he is not going to belabor that point again. Walsh stated in his view he made it clear how they got from Plan A to Plan B. Walsh stated he did want to make sure that the applicant knows the Council can vote on both plans tonight, and that whatever plan is voted on, it would come back to the City Council in two weeks in the form of a resolution, which would need to be approved. Walsh stated the City Council does have the authority to approve either plan tonight and that it does not have to go back to the Planning Commission. Walsh stated he knows at the May Planning Commission meeting the neighbors expressed their wishes about the trees and the prairie area. Walsh stated it was very clear that the Dayton family wanted to preserve the prairie. Walsh stated once that third house is put in there, it will crowd the visual, which is a shame. Walsh stated he would also like to confirm with Mr. Stickney that he prefers Option No. 1. Walsh stated he knows there was an owner of one of these lots at the last meeting who indicated he was going to purchase the property in the woods. Walsh stated under either plan they are not losing a substantial number of trees but that under Plan A they would be achieving a more open vista with the prairie. Walsh stated he appreciates Mr. Stickney bringing Plan A back. Stickney stated he has been developing properties for 30 years and that he is financially committed to this development. Stickney noted this is the first time one of his applications has been tabled and where someone has talked in opposition to what he is proposing. Stickney stated he needs to make something happen with this property and that he thought he would at least give it another shot. Stickney stated he feels better for doing it and that they will go forward from here. Levang stated she is very confused about the conversation between the developer and Council Member Walsh in that there was a lot of innuendo in what was being said. Levang stated she does not appreciate the innuendo that there was something going on, a difference between Plan A and Plan B. Levang noted Page 9 of 29