LA21-000017 (480 Big Island) Ex E Draft PC Min

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, March 15, 2021 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Champlin would hate to see those woods come down. He understands the intent is not to do anything bad there but intent is very hard to put into a permit. Once people start walking up there, who knows what will happen? As another alternative, Mr. Thull is welcome to use Mr. Champlin’s dock up to 10 days a year, just shoot him a text and let him know, don’t bump the boat into it too hard, but he welcomes that and is pretty sure he would find a lot of other people that would support Mr. Thull as well. They like people on the island and like them doing good things on the island. He appreciates all they have done for Big Island. Aleya Champlin agrees with her husband’s comments and asked to go to Exhibit I to show the pictures that were taken on Big Island on March 6. This is what the shoreline currently looks like and they think there is a property marker with a stake in the ground for 260 Big Island. The rectangle is where the Champlin’s think the proposed dock is going to go and there are a lot of trees and native growth there that would have to go and she just does not want to see all those trees gone. Dave Saari, 21035 Oak Lane, Greenwood, along with his brother, owns the property at 260 Big Island. The family has been cutting the grass on the City’s public property for probably the last 50 years and their grandparents built the cabin that Fred Brunjten now owns. He noted they have been on that property for a while and appreciate the fact that it has not been developed and it is a fine piece of property. The Commissioners heard from the neighbors their enthusiasm for that. He suspects there will be a larger conversation about the use of those access points regarding the interior lots. In his notes to the City (he apologizes for them arriving late) there are east and there are west bay alternatives and he thinks it is a bigger story than simply accessing the lake via one particular location. To that end, there are a couple of access points on the west bay, four on the east bay and asked how is this all going to look? They certainly do not want to have a marina next to their property and if that becomes the access point for all inland properties on the island, that would be a significant concern. He thinks what would be fair is west going to the west and east going to the east. From a larger standpoint they then discuss the strategy of all the inland owners as opposed to simply one. Suzy and Peter Thiss, 270 Big Island, have thoughts of one land owner, one boat, one slip. She does not understand the wording that Fred and Nancy’s dock permit can be revoked; does that mean Fred and Nancy can revoke it from the Thull family next year? Ressler noted that is one of his questions, as well. Again, they have to speculate because it was several years ago that it was issued, but he ventures a guess that the reason it is worded that way is because they want the opportunity to revisit that permit at the same time of issuing another one; and that is the trigger for the event. If there is another application for a dock, they want to be able to change the approval or the use of that – that is the only speculation he might have. It will probably come up in the discussion among the Commissioners. Ressler does not think it is a black and white situation where now there has been an application, one loses their rights to a dock. He thinks it becomes more of a situation where it is revisited because of the trigger. Ms. Thiss noted it is a very passive, quiet place with deer, foxes, and all kinds of things in that meadow. She noted everyone enjoys it, and so does nature. The whole idea of making it a multiple dock or dock sharing, Ms. Thiss does not think it is a marina and thinks that the Power Squadron is a super viable option for someone who needs to get to their place, use a bathroom, take a shower, as all those facilities are there. She stated the whole idea that someone can put up a cabin and not cut down trees and make more paths…this past year there were ATVs going around the island with chain saws at night and there were people cutting paths and running the camouflaged 4-wheelers like crazy. She noted that is the kind of stuff she would hate