Project Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTHS OF THE REGULAR ORONO COUNCIL MEETING P ELD DECEMBER 8, 1986 410 309 ILLIA14 ULRICH a5 �BOHNS POINT ROAD CONDI';IONAL USE PERMIT/VARIANCE RESOLUTION 12098 City Administrator Bernhardson reviewed that at the last. Council m•-eting, the DNR representatives :addressed the concerns :nvolving the use of the aquifer for .esidentisl heating and cooling systems and the discharge of the water used in this system into Lake Minnetonka. He noted that DNR is witholding the discharge permit pending the action on the conditional use permit by Council. Staff received a letter from Dr. Hanson of FWBI indicating that while he does have an objection to thermal energy using aquifer water, but he is not concerned about the actual discharge of the water into the lagoon. Regarding the suggestion that this application, be used as a test case and initiate a moratorium to deter other such requests, he noted that the City has no authority over the discharge into the lake, however could legally impose a moratorium prohibiting excavations within the 0-75' lakeshore setback. Present for this matter were ?ohn Noble, Gregory V-1bert, and Din Brauer (President of Brauer Group C .nniny Con3ultant). Mr. Halbert noted that their hardship is the fact that they are installing a geothermal heating/cooling system whereby a discharge area is necess&ry for th+^ system, and discharge into the lagoon ib deemed to re the least environmentally intrusive. He noted that the geothermal heating system is backed -up by a conventional system. Mayor ' er stated that she understands the di lemma., however iships are in conjunction with the land, not due to individual or desired heating system, therefore, she believes there is no JFmo, iable hardship that with the land in this case. Mr. Brauer stated that he felt t.'A.s was an unusual situr.tion, because this is not really a variance that is required, it is a regulatory problem which Orono has chosen to treat through a variance process. He stated that the applicant has chosen a certain type of heating/cooling system, which is a very efficient system. The hardship involy-d is that the applicant is not able to uti line his land to accomodat.e his choice of heating and cooling his house. Counci lmember Frahm noted that in t1ve City c. f Orono, any grading or land alteration in the 0-75' setback requires .oth a variance and conditional use permit..