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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,February 16,2016 <br /> 6:30 dclock p.m. <br /> Plan Amendment would be required and the answer was yes. The second question was whether they <br /> would allow lower density at this site without the City identifying other land for higher desnity. <br /> Ultimately the city would have to reguide additional land. <br /> Barnhart stated the Navarre mixed use area is guided for four units an acre and that could be increased to <br /> four to six units an acre, which is what Staff's recommendation will be to the City Council. <br /> Thiesse noted the City is not even at half the lowest number and if the City were to try to meet that <br /> density, they would be looking at 90 houses on this site. <br /> Barnhart stated they can get there if the density in the Navarre mixed use area is increased to six or seven <br /> units per acre. Barnhart stated the Metropolitan Council wants to see opportunity for higher density <br /> guided in the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> Landgraver asked if that Navarre solution includes the property adjacent to this property and the Dumas <br /> property. <br /> Barnhart stated it assumes the same density. Barnhart noted the Dumas property is around 56 acres and <br /> the Eisenger property is around 15 acres. <br /> McGrann stated in his view the City could not get to the density requirements simply by using Navarre. <br /> Leskinen stated she likes this plan much better than the plan they looked at last summer, but that there are <br /> not that many areas in Orono that are conducive to higher density. Leskinen noted this site was <br /> earmarked for higher density because it was located across from the school and the industrial zone. <br /> Leskinen indicated she has real concerns about the City running out of room to accommodate higher <br /> density and that they might then be forced to use a less desirable place for higher density. Leskinen stated <br /> she is not sure what the answer is. <br /> Thiesse commented the City could keep kicking the can down the road until there is no land available. <br /> Gaffron stated the Metropolitan Council could require the City to have higher density at some point. <br /> Leskinen stated if that happens,the higher density could occur on a more prime piece of land. <br /> Lemke stated he looks at the proposed density for this site and it feels right. Lemke stated in his view he <br /> does not feel the higher density is justified. <br /> Leskinen concurred that what is proposed looks nice but that she does not know where the density can be <br /> made up. <br /> Landgraver stated the Planning Commission can make a recommendation on the Comprehensive Plan <br /> amendment but that they do not need to specify where the higher density should be located. <br /> Barnhart stated it is not necessary for the Planning Commission to identify that and that the Planning <br /> Commission's concerns about kicking the can down the road or finding other higher density areas will be <br /> relayed to the City Council. <br /> Page 15 of 30 <br />