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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMNIISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,Apri119,2010 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> (COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,CONTINUED) <br /> Susan Seeland,2940 Sixth Avenue North,stated there has not been a lot of discussion about sewer as it relates <br /> to Metropolitan Council's vision for this area. Seeland indicated at the Apri17`"meeting she had stated that it <br /> was her understanding that for the last 20 years her property has been within the Metropolitan Council's future <br /> urban service area. Seeland stated she is aware that there is sewer pipe,which might not be a pipe sized to <br /> serve the entire Blue Lake service area,but there is a pipe that could service that site at Old Crystal Bay Road <br /> and County Road 6. Seeland stated her property and all the land to the Tamarack swamp,which consists of <br /> approximately 200 acres,is located in the future service district for the Blue Lake waste management area. <br /> Gaffron stated the Metropolitan Council has designated every area in Orono that is not within the MUSA as <br /> urban reserve,which means the properties that are held to a one unit per ten acre density for future <br /> development should be developed at three units per acre high density. That is totally opposite of what Orono's <br /> philosophy has been for three decades. For that reason,the City of Orono has never defined or established any <br /> areas of the City as urban reserve and has no intention to do so in the near future,which means that the City is <br /> not in compliance with that Metropolitan Council standard. Orono feels they cannot meet that standard since <br /> there are very few large parcels left for development within the City. Any remaining large parcels are <br /> scattered throughout the City. The City anticipates that the Metropolitan Council will accept the City's bases <br /> for not designating any urban reserve areas and will allow the City to develop those parcels as the City has <br /> been for the last three decades. The reason for the higher density in specific defined areas is to provide sewer <br /> where needed and to continue to develop the remaining parcels at that low density pattern that has been <br /> established. <br /> Seeland stated it is her understanding that Medina was forced by the Metropolitan Council to include her <br /> property in that future service area. <br /> Gaffron stated they are not expecting that to be the case for Orono. <br /> Seeland stated if they are unable to get sewer with low density,her alternative is to wait 10 to 20 years until <br /> they can hook up to sewer with whatever density at that point. <br /> Gaffron indicated that will probably be the case. Gaffron stated Mrs. Seeland could also develop her property <br /> at the current densities that the City has had in place for a long period of time. <br /> Seeland indicated she is not going to do that since she cannot make the community wastewater work with a <br /> sand filter. Seeland stated she attempted to do that and had the system designed,but the problem was that it <br /> required a huge,gigantic area. Her original intent was to put the system where they were removing a home. <br /> Seeland noted that a sand filtered system is the only wastewater treatment system the City of Orono will allow <br /> at the present time for community treatment. <br /> Gaffron stated the City of Orono approves all types of different septic systems for various projects. The City <br /> approved a system at the time of preliminary plat that the septic inspector felt would be viable for this property <br /> but rejected any system that would involve high maintenance of inechanical equipment. Gaffron noted the <br /> City has a past history of problems with a sand-filtered system,which is why the system Mrs. Seeland <br /> proposed was not approved. <br /> Seeland stated she did accept that at the time of the preliminary plat,but once she got into the design and met <br /> with different engineers and installers,they convinced her that it was not a long-term solution since it would <br /> clog within 10 to 15 years,no landscaping could be planted on top of it,and that it would smell. Seeland <br /> commented that was not the vision she had for her conservation subdivision. Mrs. Seeland indicated she has <br /> Page 22 <br />