11-12-2013 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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' MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday,November 12,2013 7:00 o'clock p.m. (8. #13-3638 and 13-3639 SOURCE LAND CAPITAL,LLC(PAT HILLER) OB/O GRANT WENKSTERN(LAKEVIEW GOLF), 405 NORTHARMDRIVE, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AND SKETCH PLAN REVIEW, Continued) Johnson noted another goal of the City is to protect and preserve natural resources, including creeks, lakes,marshes,wetlands,woodlands, ground water and steep slopes. Lakeview has virtually all of these. In addition,the property embodies the dark skies and provides to at least those residents in the western half of Orono the dark sky concept. Johnson stated Orono's planning policies reinforce the se goals and that she would urge the City Council to look at the Community Management Plan. The plan further says that no development would be permitted that would have a detrimental effect on the lake and that historically significant buildings, places and settings will be identified and preserved. Johnson stated the environmental protection plan contained within the Community Management Plan consists of exactly the same language for dark skies and preservation of historical places. Johnson noted Lakeview has been a golf course for over 50 years. Johnson stated as it relates to the City's park and open space trail plan,which is kind of the heart of where the plan is significantly abrogated, it states that private open space and recreational facilities should be available to complement public facilities. The language goes on to say that there are several of these areas in Orono and they should be preserved. Johnson noted Lakeview is the only public course that is privately owned and that when this property is taken out of the calculation that is included in the plan,it leaves precious little land that is not designated truly private and barred from public use. Johnson stated in her view the planners recognized this when they added to their plan the following promise: The City will encourage the preservation of private open space and will identify and acquire additional open space public parcels as the opportunity arises. Johnson commented what is really telling is the middle of that,which says,however, once land is developed,the opportunity for preservation of open space is lost. As it relates to Lakeview, it reads: The City will encourage retention and continued operation of the private golf courses. These private facilities provide major active recreation in the City and in addition provide aesthetic open space and open vistas to the benefit of all adjacent property owners and the public alike. The City will discourage conversion of these facilities into non-recreational land use because of the benefit of this recreational opportunity. It also states the City will continue to investigate mechanisms for future funding and will continue to encourage private donations of land or funds in order to maintain the level of active and passive recreation opportunities desired by Orono residents. Johnson stated for those reasons she believes that the re-guidance of the Lakeview Golf Course as it is currently proposed abrogates the plan and its goals. Johnson stated she would urge the Council to uphold the current guidance while the City seeks with the residents other viable options for this property and that one proposed deal should not be allowed to destroy the City's whole community management plan. Bryce Johnson, 580 North Arm Drive, stated he has been asked to present a proposal to the City Council from a large group of fellow citizens who desire to be heard on this matter. This group has coalesced around the name of Citizens for Lakeview Preservation. The group began when 54 residents met at the Lafayette Club. In one week the number of people who have identified with this effort and provided their signatures has reached almost 500. Most of the signers have expressed significant concerns and others have merely signed the petition. Page 17 of 36