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1VIINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMIVIISSION <br /> Monday,May 21,2007 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> (#07-3289 PRC Development Company,Continued) <br /> for MLTSA expansions. Staff has felt that this property should be sewered and that a community drain <br /> field system is something that the City's sewer inspector would need to review. <br /> Kroeger stated the conservation area could possibly be excluded from that calculation. <br /> Gaffron stated the wetlands could also potentially be excluded. Gaffron stated there aze a number of <br /> issues that surround this development but that this development has been well thought out and that the <br /> community septic system does allow more open space. <br /> Aberg pointed out they currently they have a 35-foot wetland setback and a 20-foot wetland buffer,with <br /> another 30 feet of rear yard buffer.Aberg stated they could increase their buffers if need be. <br /> Seeland stated she has had conversations with Metropolitan Council over what constitutes open space and <br /> their reply has been that open space is anything that is permanently protected from future development, <br /> which means that certain areas could be removed from the calculation. Seeland indicated three units per <br /> acre would be difficult to achieve,however,on this site. <br /> Rice inquired whether there is a development planned for the land to the north. <br /> Aberg stated there is no plan currently for that site although there are discussions that are underway. <br /> Rice commented if that area to the north is developed,it is likely that sewer would be brought in to serve <br /> those homes. <br /> Gaffron stated when you are standing at the intersection of Old Crystal Bay and County Road 6,what is <br /> visible is an open slope. Gaffron pointed out that nearly all the slope is within the City of Medina and the <br /> City of Orono cannot control what happens on the Medina side of that line. The City's Rural Oasis Study <br /> was to preserve the long views with a backdrop and that currently that view has a backdrop of a sky and a <br /> grassy slope,and that if houses are eventually constructed there,the backdrop would be houses. Gaffron <br /> stated he is unsure how to preserve that vista on the Medina side except to ask Medina to require some <br /> type of buffer along that area. <br /> Kroeger noted that area is also approximately 800 or 900 feet away,which would help to negate the <br /> visual impact of the houses. <br /> Winer inquired whether the applicant owns the 170 acres to the north. <br /> Seeland stated they do and that they have been discussing with Medina the creation of a conservation <br /> easement for that area along the property line as well. Seeland stated they have submitted a conservation <br /> plan that included sewer on the 50 acres that abuts Orono and that they are proposing to take 50 percent of <br /> the land and put it in a conservation easement. The slope would be open space and the 120 acres to the <br /> north would be put into a conservation/subdivision layout resembling Hugo's and Corcoran's open space <br /> plan. The calculation comes out to 75 units on 50 acres,with 50 percent going into conservation and then <br /> 27 units on the balance of the 120 acres. Seeland stated Medina has indicated they are not ready to <br /> include that property in the MLTSA at the present time. Seeland indicated they would not be developing <br /> that land in the near future. <br /> PAGE 11 <br />