02-10-1997 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 10, 1997 ( #7 - Spring Hill Golf Club EAW - Continued) Kelle y indicated his lack of expertise in this matter and suggested Staff contact other • cities, who have gone through similar reviews, to determine pitfalls of the process. He recommended Staff and other experts deterrnine and inform the Council whether the document is complete. Jabbour stated he had full confidence in 11-'iike Gaffron's ability to determine a course of action for the Council to take. He asked what Staff had reviewed. Moorse said the EAW includes a set of specific questions. Gaflron performed the background work and reviewed the document with the applicant. Moorse said Staffs recommendation for the purposes at hand is that the document is complete. Moorse said the City would like to ensure the document distributed to other agencies is accurate as it will be the document to which they will respond. Mr. Crosby commented that the approval allows the document to go to publication form. Once that has been accomplished, the legal process allows a time period until March 26 to receive comments regarding the document. Goetten informed the Council that she had reviewed the document and had a couple of concerns. She would like to see more information accompanying what is presently available regarding the "Big Woods" before it is sent out noting the lack of percentages or numbers. Jabbour said this information could be included as part of the City's • requirement. Goetten said she would like the agencies to know the relationship the "Big Woods" played in the elimination of CoRd 6 as a corridor for the upgrade of Highway 12. Goetten said she also questioned the proposed tunneling and resulting impacts. Braman said the tunnel is a design and safety related issue and would not normally be dealt with in an environmental worksheet. He said such information would be reviewed at the City and County levels. He did inform Goetten that the existing size of the "Big Woods" is 42.16 acres. After constriction of the golf club, 18.56 acres would remain for a loss of 23.6 acres. This loss is a 56% decrease. The "Big Woods" is located two - thirds in Medina and one -third in Orono and the loss amount is split proportionately between the two cities. Braman said the applicant tried to be sensitive to these issues in the design process. He noted alternative uses for the property, i.e., residential development, would have, in his opinion, a higher impact in deforestation and to water quality. Goetten cited an example of an Orono subdivision, Sugarwoods, where the tree mass was kept largely in tact. Braman said 700 -1000 trees are proposed for replanting. C]