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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday, September 10,2012 <br /> 7:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> stated if the City starts seeing a pattern of some extreme building that the Council was not envisioning, <br /> that she hopes the Council will have the ability and power to rectify that number. Bremer stated she does <br /> not know what the magic number is and that the number may vary depending on the lot. Since there is no <br /> perfect system,the Council needs to find the best solution they can to simplify and protect Lake <br /> Minnetonka. <br /> Bremer indicated she would be supportive of a number less than 25, but that the Council has to rely on <br /> City Staff and the Planning Commission to be watching for new patterns that they are not envisioning <br /> today. Bremer stated in her view part of what they are gaining here is stopping a pushing of the <br /> boundaries and to set a rule that people can live with and get what they want while at the same time still <br /> meeting the City's standards for protecting the lake. Bremer stated she will support the ordinance and that <br /> she likes the idea of potentially removing the 100 square feet of deck and pervious material and reviewing <br /> it at some point in the future. <br /> Bremer stated she has the same understanding as Council Member Rahn with respect to the retaining <br /> walls and that the City Engineer would prefer they all be treated one way or the other. Bremer stated her <br /> understanding was that they would be included as hardcover,and that if all retaining walls are excluded <br /> from the hardcover calculations,the City Council needs to understand that exclusion. <br /> Franchot stated the thought that Council Member Bremer brought up is a good one and that there will be <br /> new patterns that occur because of the ordinance. Franchot stated the City could be passive and wait and <br /> see or the Council could ask that Staff come back to the Council by the end of next summer ar some other <br /> reasonable time with their thoughts on how the new ordinance is working. <br /> McMillan stated she also has become receptive to the tiers and that the map would be very helpful to the <br /> citizens and other government entities. The map, for example, would show the Metropolitan Council that <br /> Orono citizens have a number of restrictions to comply with, and if the wetland buffers are added to the <br /> map,that would definitely help show that Orono is protective of its natural resources and that <br /> development should be limited to a certain degree. The map also simplifies the hardcover regulations for <br /> the residents and eliminates the requirement for a survey. McMillan stated in that way it benefits <br /> potential buyers and existing property owners. <br /> McMillan stated there will still be some imperfect situations but that she hopes this Council and future <br /> councils can work through those issues. McMillan stated her hope is that there will be fewer variance <br /> requests under the new ordinance. <br /> McMillan stated as it relates to Step 5, her question was whether those properties needed to be included, <br /> and that she does not have a strong feeling one way or another on whether they should be included. <br /> McMillan indicated her thought was that they may be getting too much regulation in the code but that she <br /> understands the environmental value. <br /> McMillan stated her second concern was the retaining walls and whether they should be counted as <br /> hardcover. McMillan noted boulder retaining walls do not retain much of anything and that it is difficult <br /> to consider a rock as hardcover since it seems to be a more natural feature. <br /> Rahn asked if Mayor McMillan would like the walls to be excluded or included. Rahn stated excluding <br /> retaining walls from hardcover may prompt more residents to have them. <br /> Page 3 of 26 <br />