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� MINUTES OF TAE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COIVIMISSION . <br /> ' . Tuesday,Ja�ivary 16,2007 � <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. . <br /> (#06-3249 City of Oroiio, Outlot A Stonebay, Contint�ed) <br /> Chair Ralui o�ened fihe puUlic liearing at 6:08 p.m. <br /> Steve Johnston,Landforn�,stated he is appearing tonight on behalF of the owners of the property,Jol�n . <br /> Terrance Homes,LLC. Pcesently there is a purchase agreement with another developer that is being <br /> pursued. Johnston indicated they do not Uelieve this site is ideally suited for of�ce use but would be <br /> Ueiter�tted for commercial. Jolinston stated they would request that the rezoning of the outlot be tabled <br /> for six months to allow the submittal of an application and site plan for a banlc and food co-op..Joluiston <br /> stated in their opinion those uses are appropriate for this site and they would ask that the Planning <br /> Conunission consider their application prior to the rezoning. <br /> Bill Henney,2482 Sandstone Lane, Orono,indicated he is familiar with Reliance's proposal for this site <br /> � and he is in support of the�roject. <br /> � David Strandman,Reliance Development, stated as of last week,they have the property under contract <br /> � again and discussions have been undertaken with representatives frorii the bank and the food co-op. <br /> Strandman requested they be given additional time to explore these two uses for this site. <br /> Michelle I�okzyk,65 Cygnet Place, Orono, stated she is a niember of the steering conuluttee for Harvest <br /> Moon Food Co-op and that they have spent a considerable amount of time hying to locate a food co-op in <br /> Orono�and that they would like the City to give some consideration to this use on this site. Harvest Moon <br /> is a gathering place for all�eople of all ages and would act as a conununity llub for the city. Krolczyk � <br /> stated Harvest Moon would be sinular to Lakewinds and the Wedge,with tl�e nlembers owning the co-op. . <br /> � Krokyzk noted they have received a$10,000 matching grant from Cooperative Development Services and <br /> have raised almost that much moizey through the conununity. Krokyzk stated they have utilized the <br /> monies to develo�a feasibility�lan and business plan. Krokyzk stated they will coiitinue to fine-tune <br /> their business plan Uut they feel confident about the success of this�roposal. Krokyzk stated a�numUer of <br /> their members are Orono residents and that they would like an opportunity to present their proposal ui <br /> more detail. , � � � <br /> Chair Ralu1 closed the public llearing at 6:17 p.m. <br /> Kempf cominented the previous Plaiining Commission was generally in favor of retail for tllis site and ' <br /> that he personally likes the proposed tenants for this site. Kempf inquired whether Harvest Moon has , <br /> , other operating locations. � <br /> . Krokyzk stated this would Ue their first location. <br /> Keinpf stated one of the coilcerns expressed in the past is that whoever the tenants are,that they will Ue <br /> successful,and that in his experience grocers tend to need a certain density of population iil order to � <br /> sutvive and ihat Orono is on the edge of that density. Kempf commeirted he would love to see a natural <br /> food store in the area,noting that it would not compete with other Uusinesses already iii the inunediate <br /> area. Kempf sYated he would like io give this proposal an o�portunity to Ue heard inore fiilly. <br /> PAGE 4 _ <br />