12-12-2002 Council Minutes Joint Council, PC and Park Comm.

Home Browse Search

Y • MINUTES OF THE ORONO JOINT CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING COMMISSION, AND PARK COMMISSION WORK SESSION _ Thursday, September 12, 2002 5:30 o'clock p.m. ROLL The City Council, Planning Commission, and Park Commission met on the above mentioned date with the following members present: City Council - Mayor Barbara Peterson, Council Members Jim Murphy, Jim White, and Bob Sansevere for the first portion of the meeting: Planning Commission - Commissioners David Rahn, Cynthia Bremer, J. Mark Fritzler, Liz Hawn, Jeanne Mabusth, and alternate Jule Hannaford: Park Commission - Chair Andrew McDermott, Commissioners Pauline Bouchard, Sherokee Ilse, Irene Silber, J. Patrick Wolfe, and Rick Meyers. Representing staff were Planning Director Mike Gaffron, Zoning Administrators Paul Weinberger and Wendy Bottenberg, City Administrator Ron Moorse, City Clerk Lin Vee, Public Works Director Greg Gappa, and Recorder Kristi Anderson. Others in attendance were Former Mayors Gabriel Jabbour and Ed Callahan. Absent were Council Member Jay Nygard, Planning Commission Chair Sandra Smith, Commissioner Janice Berg, and Park Commissioner Debora Halvorson. • Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 5:38 P.M. Mayor Peterson explained that the purpose of the joint meeting was to promote a dialogue between the various Commissions, Council, and staff in order to ensure that everyone understands the main goals set forth in the Comprehensive Plan and are on the right track to accomplishing them. Murphy shared that over the past few months there has been much talk about the Comprehensive Plan with regard to proposed development. It was his desire to make certain that he understood the City's focus and felt others would benefit from this dialogue as well. After meeting with Mike Gaffron, who provided Murphy with an extensive history of Orono and its philosophies, Murphy believed recreating this process for the core keepers of Orono's history and philosophy would be invaluable, especially in light of the changes coming within the next 10 -15 years. HISTORY OF THE ORONO PHILOSOPHY Former Mayor Jabbour explained that his first contact with City Hall began in 1971 when faced with sewer questions. Since that time he had become a strong believer in the Orono cause, and continued to attend City meetings. He subsequently joined the Planning Commission and worked with former Mayor Van Nest who had a vision for our community, and the foresight to preserve 100% of our natural resources, with the lake as the #1 priority. Jabbour continued that, is at the time, the Met Council thought they were extreme in their beliefs, on the right track for the Community, but not as part of the grand Met Council long range plan. This preservation effort