12-12-2005 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, December 12, 2005 7:00 o'clock p.m. (8. #05 -3152 BORLAND DEVELOPMENT ONBEHALF OF JAMES D. MACKINNON, ET AL, "3500" FFATERTOWNROAD, Continued) Murphy stated in his view the Watershed District could look at some of these wetlands in a different way and that the City could approach the Watershed District and ask them to look at the whole thing in context. McMillan stated she appreciates all the work the developer has done on this development, but the one concern she has is that without having any conservation design ordinances on the books, she is not in favor of allowing less than two -acre lots with their own septic systems. McMillan stated the two -acre zoning requirement for septic systems has been on the books of Orono for a considerable number of years and that she personally cannot break that precedence without having some well - defined ordinances on the books dealing with conservation design. Bohl inquired what the time frame is for the adoption of the conservation design ordinances. Gaffron stated Staff and the Planning Commission are not ready at the present time to recommend adoption of any specific ordinances. Gaffron stated he is hopeful he will get some response from DSU in the near future on the draft ordinance. Gaffron stated that perhaps the two -acre septic requirement should be a separate topic from the layout of this development. Gaffron pointed out the developer is not changing the density in this area. Murphy inquired how the documentation from Shardlow relates to this application. Murphy inquired • whether this application would be excluded from the new ordinances. Barrett stated the application would fall under the current ordinance. Gaffron stated he is unsure whether the new ordinances would help this application. Gaffron noted the new ordinances would require the same process that the applicant has already gone through. White concurred there may be a precedence issue by deviating from the two -acre minimum requirement for a septic site. Gaffron stated he is attempting to write language into the new ordinances that will meet the Council's concerns relating to a small site and septic. Gaffron noted the review period for this application goes to the middle of March. White pointed out the applicant still would have to appear before the Watershed District. Bohl stated he needs preliminary plat approval prior to going before the Watershed District. Bohl stated he would like some kind of approval that would allow the Watershed District to review this application. McMillan stated the Watershed District does not want to review applications too early in the process due " to possible changes made to the plans. Murphy stated he did discuss this review process with the Watershed District and was told by a • representative that they would like to do concurrent engineering with the City. PAGE 14 of 20