10-28-2002 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 28, 2002 7:00 o'clock p.m. • ( #02 -2843, PROFESSIONAL PROPERTIES OF ORONO, Continued) Mayor Peterson asked Gaffron who the Council needed to speak with, or push, and how should they do so. Gaffron indicated that the 60 day window would expire at the end of the month, however, if the MCWD denies the application of exemption on the 59th day based merely on their staff person's recommendation, that would not give the City an opportunity to make their case to make the wetland exempt. Therefore, the City Consultant suggested the City file for an extension in order to meet with the MCWD TEP panel on November 7 to make our case prior to the monthly meeting that evening. Gaffron felt it was doubtful they would go from the TEP panel that day to the district meeting that night with a recommendation to call it exempt, and it would probably be continued until November 21, 2002. Mutphy inquired whether the TEP meeting could be set for the 7th and whether the City could be put on the watershed district's agenda, so that a final decision could be made November 7, 2002. Gaffron stated that they could attempt to be put on the agenda. Sansevere suggested they make their case at the district meeting on the 7th, similar to how applicants oftentimes skip a step, or recommendations by the Planning Commission, in order to be heard by the City Council here. • White stated that the MCWD could either accept the offer by the City to make the wetland exempt or they could accept the City's offer for some kind of solution, like the developers are proposing. Gaffron indicated that if the developers are required to do some sort of mitigation, they would likely be required by the watershed to file a plan that the watershed would then have to approve for mitigation. While he was unsure how long that process would take, it could potentially take an additional 60 days. Mayor Peterson asked if staff believed the City's hands were tied. Gaffron stated that from a staff perspective, working within the MCWD's system, the City's hands were tied, and it could take some political effort to make things happen. White suggested that staff contact the director of the MCWD and share with them that the Mayor and City Administrator would like to talk with him about a project we have here, could you tell us how the City could work within their system to make their system work for us. White indicated that the City doesn't know their rules, and he believed there were only so many projects that could have as huge an impact for a City as this development. He wanted to explain to the MCWD that the City could not let this multi - million dollar project escape because it was not deemed a priority to the watershed district. • PAGE 14 of 20