10-12-2015 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 28, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 27 PUBLIC COMMENTS (continued) Erickson stated he is not sure what difference it makes at this point, but given his experience with the City, there are other more important issues that could be addressed than the piece of concrete. Erickson stated he now has the wind turbine at his site at the 2120 location and that it is sitting next to a building. Erickson stated the reason he brought this up is that in his view the City has to ask themselves where their priorities are. Erickson noted there is a house on Main Street that was a converted chicken coop that people were living in until August of 2013 and the building should have been condemned 30 years ago. Erickson stated instead of the City spending all this time over a wind turbine and now some cement under the ground, they should be looking at other things. Erickson stated they have this building sitting there, and if they really want to do what is in the public’s interest, it should be condemned. Erickson stated in his view the wind turbine issue is over, the City won, and they should leave the Nygards alone and let them live their lives. Erickson stated the walls in the store that he bought were mold from floor to ceiling and from front to back under the tile. Erickson stated instead the City is worried about a piece of concrete in someone’s back yard. The City Council now has an opportunity to move the ball forward and put it behind them but that it seems like they are stuck on stupid, which does not make any sense. Erickson stated if the Council really wants to make an impact on the community, they should talk about getting rid of that house, developing the property with Dale Richardson, and working with the residents of the community. Erickson stated he has tried to make it clear that the people on the City Council work for the citizens and that he is not sure why the residents have to butt heads on every issue. Erickson stated no one has ever come down and met with him and that he has not met with the community development director once. Erickson stated instead he gets criticized and threatened. Erickson stated he is asking the Council to let the wind turbine issue go and to forget about the cement issue and get on with some more important issues. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT 6. APPEAL FENCE VIEWER DECISION, CONTINUED HEARING McMillan noted this is a continuation of the hearing from the August 10 Council meeting. This is an administrative appeal of a fence and the original hearing was tabled to allow the City Council to look at some additional information submitted by Mr. Nygard. At the August 10 meeting, the City Council heard that the fence viewers’ decision was that the fence on Peter Lanpher’s property was not a partition fence and thus not subject to Minnesota Statute 344. Community Development Director Barnhart noted on August 17, Staff received additional information from the adjacent property owner, Peter Lanpher, who asked Staff to provide the information to the Council. Barnhart noted the Council received the information via e-mail and also in tonight’s packet. McMillan stated she has reviewed all the additional information and that she is in agreement with the letter sent out by Mr. Barnhart recapping the fence review decision.