12-14-1998 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 14,1998 • MAYOR AND COUNCIL REPORT - continued Jabbour stated it will be a public information meeting and Tom O'Keefe will make a presentation, followed by an opportunity for questions and answers, followed by a period for comments. Kelley asked how long the presentation will be. Jabbour stated he did not know. He said this is a three step process: 1) voting the corridor, 2) preliminary design, and 3) final design. Orono has voted on the corridor and the opposition time has elapsed. The preliminary design is now being discussed. Some of the items being discussed are really part of the final design. Moorse said that Patti Loken, Tom O'Keefe, and Keith Slater, representatives from Mn/DOT will be at the meeting. Many questions are property specific, so several maps will be posted on the walls and people will be given an opportunity to look at the maps and ask questions. Jabbour asked if staff has visited each property to determine the availability of primary and secondary septic drainfields. Moorse stated authorization of expenditures for septic testing for properties affected by Highway 12 right -of -way acquisition is on the agenda tonight. Letters have been sent to the neighbors requesting • them to sign a waiver that would allow staff on their property. Jabbour stated that meetings have been held with homeowners that have to move because they are concerned that they are not being treated fairly. At one time, the City would have had the right to obtain those homes with a loan from the Metropolitan Council and have Mn/DOT repay them for the homes. But from the time they identified the corridor to the time of construction, it had to be over a certain period of time and that requirement could not be met. Mn/DOT will start buying the right - of -way when the preliminary design is approved. Some people were critical of Orono, saying that the two -acre zoning was being compromised because homeowners with less than two acres will be allowe, to stay. 0 Flint said he wants to be sure people have an opportunity to ask questions. Jabbour said a previous meeting was very negative. He told Tom O'Keefe that the Mn/DOT right -of- way staff should be more forthcoming, bring a lot of information and not be evasive. Kelley questioned whether the City will have line -item approval /disapproval when the preliminary design is reviewed and if the City will have input on the unique characteristics of the road. Goetten commented that Long Lake meets with Patti Loken and Tom O'Keefe twice a month and perhaps the Orono Council should meet with them to discuss their concerns. Page 11