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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 27, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. __________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 29 5. #15-15-3739 GEORGE STICKNEY FOR BPS PROPERTIES, LLC, 300 SIXTH AVENUE NORTH – PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL – RESOLUTION NO. 6526 (continued) McMillan stated the City has a standard notification for throughout the City and that they do not tend to deviate from that. City Attorney Mattick stated according to MN Statutes, the City has to notify someone within 350 feet of the site. Ann Haley, Mooney Lake, stated she is grateful she gets to live on the lake but that she was not told about this proposal. Haley stated one of the Council Members seems to be very friendly with this builder, which she is scared about, and that all the residents on the lake have a right to know what is going on unless they want a bunch of lawsuits from angry homeowners. Haley stated every time there has been a development on Mooney Lake, the lake has taken a hard hit because it is not spring fed and does not have an inlet. Haley stated the lake is shallow, currently smells, is really gross and has a lot of blue algae. Haley stated Mooney Lake is not the greatest quality of lake and that there are already quite a number of homes on it. Haley stated there are also lots of videos with Mr. Dayton saying that this land will not get developed and that this is proposal is not the greatest solution. Haley requested the City Council table the application so the residents can speak with Wendy Dayton about other solutions. Haley stated the only people that will benefit from this are George Stickney and Wendy Dayton and that the only reason she learned about it was that the Star Tribune called her for a quote about the proposal. Haley stated the City Council needs to hear from the residents on the lake. Haley stated it feels like this proposal is under the table and that the City does not want to notify people because they do not want them to complain about it. Haley indicated the residents have been paying for the cleanup of the lake for the last five years and that this development will set them back again. Haley stated in her view the majority of the residents on the lake will fight this development. McMillan noted she did speak with Ms. Haley about this proposal when it first came up. Haley stated at that one meeting it was just a plan but now it is all approved. Haley noted Peter Rechelbacher offered to purchase the property and preserve it as is it now but was turned down because he was not able to pay for it in two years. Haley stated in her view all options have not been considered and that developers have too much control over where people live. Haley stated approving the preliminary plat would be a disservice to everybody on the lake and that in her view it is not too late to change things.