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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, February 23, 2015 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 16 of 19  <br />  <br />9. VIDEOTAPING PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS (continued) <br /> <br />Minnetonka is approximately 90 percent commercial applications with a few residential variances. <br />McMillan stated she can see videotaping the meetings when a majority of the applications are <br />commercial. <br /> <br />McMillan stated she also looked back at 2014 and that the largest number of views was regarding the <br />Lakeview application, which was a unique situation. McMillan stated perhaps on some of the more <br />unique applications the City could film them, such as the Comprehensive Plan update, but that she does <br />not see the need to videotape the meetings given the large amount of residential applications. McMillan <br />stated it is likely some people will feel uncomfortable and that they are not familiar with appearing before <br />the Planning Commission. <br /> <br />McMillan stated the second item to consider is the fact that the City Council is elected versus being <br />appointed. McMillan stated one of the reasons why the Council is taped is because they are elected <br />officials and that the videotaping of the meetings gives the residents an opportunity to see how the <br />Council acts. <br /> <br />McMillan stated the third consideration is the fact that the Planning Commission really has all of their <br />items as public hearings, with notice being given to the neighbors. McMillan stated in her view it is <br />important for those neighbors to be in attendance at that meeting if they decide they want to say <br />something about the application, which would not be possible if they simply viewed it at home. <br />McMillan stated she would like to keep that public involvement. <br /> <br />Printup stated more engagement could occur by videotaping the meetings and that it is a public meeting. <br /> <br />Levang stated the Council should also listen to the input from the Planning Commissioners in making this <br />decision. <br /> <br />Printup asked if Council Member Levang would change her mind if the majority of the Planning <br />Commissioners would say they were fine with it. <br /> <br />Levang stated in her view she has a good sense of it already and that it would not change her mind. <br />Levang indicated she has attended and watched a number of Wayzata meetings to see what is happening <br />in their commercial district but that she is not interested in their residential applications. Levang stated <br />people are more interested in commercial applications and that in her view not a lot of people are <br />interested in individual residential applications. <br /> <br />Walsh stated transparency is a key and that people volunteer to be on the Planning Commission. <br /> <br />Levang stated videotaping the meetings was not what was agreed to when they accepted the position. <br /> <br />Walsh noted the majority of what the Planning Commission is vetting is placed on the Consent Agenda at <br />the City Council. <br /> <br />Printup moved, Walsh seconded, to videotape the Planning Commission meetings.