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`aPS`op Faonn rHg�Ro <br /> Q UA'O <br /> ��y GA <br /> r - <br /> OTTEN BROS� <br /> Nursery,Home and Landscaping <br /> City of Orono Planning Commision&City Council • <br /> 2750 Kelley Parkway <br /> Orono,MN 55356 <br /> August 13, 2009 <br /> Planning Commission&Councilmembers: <br /> As a member of the community and business owner of multiple properties in both Long Lake and Orono,I am writing to <br /> ask for your support of the Harvest Moon Natural Foods Cooperative PUD application. <br /> As you know,my primary business is Otten Bros-a garden center and landscape company located at 2350 W. Wayzata <br /> Blvd. I have owned the current property since 1990(approximately 12 acre site)and lease approximately 1/3 of the <br /> building to retail tenants. <br /> I am personally a member and investor in the Harvest Moon Cooperative,as are more than 500 households within our <br /> community. � <br /> When a third party consultant hired by Harvest Moon evaluated all the potential sites within the Long Lake/Orono area <br /> and identified a space in our building(@ 2380 W. Wayzata Blvd.)as the preferred site—potentially returning nearly <br /> $500,000 more annually in sales to the Coop than other sites in consideration—I felt a personal obligation to the <br /> community to`make it happen'. I have taken the initiative to proactively negotiate the relocation(at my cost)of three <br /> tenants(also local businesses)to other space on the Wayzata Blvd. corridor in order to help pave the way for Harvest <br /> Moon to be as successful as possible within our community. <br /> I don't believe that anyone disputes that Orono/Long Lake is in need of a grocery store with a significant anchor of <br /> `community spirit.' As a business owner in this town,I am eager to see the continued revitalization that this business can <br /> spark; a grocery store by its nature creates more `visits per month'than other retail locations and the other businesses in <br /> the traffic pattern will naturally benefit from this increased visibility and proximity to these additional customers. <br /> Certainly I understand that there are some basic facility use and management issues that you must consider as you approve <br /> this permit. I remain committed to being a responsible business owner in this town(as I have been for nearly 30 yeazs) <br /> and I assure you that I will do my part to ensure that this transition to welcome Harvest Moon is a smooth one. <br /> Thank you in advance for your consideration of Harvest Moon's application,which witl bring a new community—owned <br /> business to our town,ultimately a good thing for a11 business owners and residents of Orono/Long La1ce. <br /> Best regards, <br /> ✓� <br /> c <br /> ����'V�� <br /> Clifford L. Otten ��� � � 20�9 <br /> Owner <br /> CiTY OF C�RONO ' <br /> 7Z5(1 W Wav�ata Rivrl � P!l Rnv 7dQ e f nn(r i a4P l�iT1�i 5S25F. <br />