03-27-1995 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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TO: FROM: DATE: Mayor and City Council Ron Moorse, City Administrator March 24, 1995 SUBJECT: Summary of Meeting at Long Lake Regarding Highway 12 New Alignment Alternative The meeting began with Valerie Reinaas pointing out a number of concerns and problem areas related to the east end of Highway 12. Those discussions lead into the introduction of a new alternative for Highway 12 on the east side of Long Lake that addresses all of the concerns raised earlier in the uieeting. This alternative involves Highway 12 coming from the east tunneling under the Luce Line and the rail road tracks at the same point as the recent plans had shown Watertown Road doing the same thing. This newest alternative has Highway 12 running under the Luce Line and the rail road tracks and running along the south side of the rail road tracks all the way to South Brown Road, taking out a number of homes and the Long Lake City Hall facilities. From South Brown Road there are two options for continuing to the west. One is to remain on the south side of the rail road tracks all the way to County Road 6. The othei is to cross the rail road tracks just west of South Brown Road and follow along the nonh side of the rail road tracks all the way out to County Road 6. It appears that the alternative of placing Highway 12 on the south side of the rail road tracks was initiated by Mayor Olson. Mayor Olson believes it is preferable to impact some residential development on the south side of the tracks rather than impacting commercial development on the north side of the tracks. Tax Base Replacement Mayor Olson has proposed that Orono should assist Long Lake in replacing the lost commercial tax base if the alignment is placed on the north side of the rail road tracks Councilmember Goetten responded to Mayor Olson by indicating that a substantial amount of information regarding the economic impact of the various alternatives will be needed before any decisions are made regarding tax base replacement. Relocation of Cemetery If the highway is located along the north side of the rail road tracks the St. Georges’ cemetery would have to be relocated. In Long Lake’s discussions with St. Georges they have indicated that if the cemetery is relocated, they would want it relocated to the Fleming Addition. This would mean that the covenants on the Fleming Addition property would have to be amended. The response by the Orono representatives at the meeting was that it is premature to discuss issues such as the cemetery relocation and the tax base assistance prior to the city of Orono determining whether any of these new alternatives is workable. Work Session . . Given the new alternatives now on the table it was determined that the mediation session scheduled for Tuesday, March 28 should be rescheduled and that the Orono Council should meet in a work session at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28 to review these new alternatives.