04/19/2010 Planning Commission Minutes

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� MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,Apri119,2010 6:30 o'clock p.m. (#10-3460 COMMONBOND COMMITNITIES,SKETCH PLAN, CONTINUED) Brian Droen,285 Harrington Circle,Long Lake, stated 72 feet of his property borders this property in question. Droen indicated he has been here 34 years. A few years ago the land to the south wanted to add another house because it was a big lot but it was not allowed by Orono. All of a sudden Orono is looking at high density for this area. Droen stated when the park was originally built,there was a substantial amount of vandalism during construction. The park still experiences vandalism. There are woods bordering the property by the wetlands. The wetlands drain through his back yard. Droen expressed a concern about the drainage,the noise, and the vandalism. Droen stated the first station would not a quiet spot for these apartments and that he cannot imagine this being a friendly situation for either the fire station or the aparhnent renters. Droen stated he is opposed to the project. Kris Beam, 275 Harrington Circle, Long Lake, stated there is an entire residential neighborhood behind this property and that he enjoys the neighborhood but that he is opposed to constructing a 42-unit project. Beam indicated he received a letter from CommonBond on Friday saying that it would not decrease their land values but that he has not had time to look into that. Beam stated he has spoken with people from Maple Plain that live behind MPFC, and since that building was constructed,the crime rate has gone up and domestic violence has increased. Beam noted he does not have any statistics yet. If this development follows suit,this is what Long Lake and Orono would be looking at. Jan Solheim,234 Hamngton Drive,Long Lake, stated she has a couple of concerns. The first relates to the entrance and exit that would be on Fire House Drive,which is where the trucks come in and out. Solheim asked how the residents can utilize the same roads when the fire trucks are going out. Solheim stated the access to this development should be a different type of entrance and exit. Solheim stated in her view one parking space for each townhouse is not appropriate and that she does not see any additional parking for guests and other residents. Solheim stated in her opinion this is too much density for the area. Ann Mohaupt,269 Inglewood Street,Long Lake,noted Orono's web site stated they would have 10 minutes each. The citizens of Long Lake only found out about this plan approximately three days ago and they have not been given the opportunity to prepare fully. Mohaupt commented that a number of the residents feel it was intended to be slipped past them. Mohaupt stated she is here tonight to register her opposition to rezone the properiy to accommodate low income housing. Mohaupt stated she understands the Metropolitan Council requires all cities to have low income housing, and Long Lake has been in compliance with that for a number of years. Long Lake already has a large number of low income housing units within Long Lake's borders and that she understands Orono does not and that they are under pressure to make these developments. At this location Orono still will not have these units within their city because the site is basically in the City of Long Lake even though technically the acres are located in Orono. . The Minnesota State Legislature has determined that the state purpose in establishing the Metropolitan Council's livable criteria policies that are set forth in Minnesota Statutes include the policy to intensify land use that leads to more compact development,which this project does for Long Lake but not Orono. The other policy obj ective of the statute is to develop housing that mixes incomes of residents in a particular housing area,which this project does not do that with respect to Orono since no one from Orono lives in that area. Mohaupt stated she feels that Orono's proposed high density for this area is not within the spirit of Minnesota Page 13