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<br /> <br /> <br />To: Chair Thiesse and Planning Commission Members <br /> Jessica Loftus, City Administrator <br /> <br />From: Jeremy Barnhart, Community Development Director <br /> <br />Date: June 20, 2016 <br /> <br />Subject: #16-3832, City of Orono, 3580 Wayzata Blvd W, Susan E. Lurton Nature Area <br />Variances: Lake and wetland setback <br />Public Hearing <br /> <br /> <br />List of Exhibits <br />Exhibit A. Practical Difficulties Documentation Form <br />Exhibit B. Proposed Plans <br />Exhibit C. Property Owners List <br />Exhibit D. City Council minutes, May 23, 2016 <br /> <br />Background <br />On April 25th, the Orono City Council approved a plan to develop a portion of Lurton Park as an <br />off-leash park. An off leash park is a park that allows users to unleash their pets, and fencing is <br />constructed to keep the pets within the park boundaries. Other improvements approved by the <br />Council include expansion of the parking lot, additional benches and tables within the park. <br />While the decision to improve a portion of the Susan E. Lurton Nature Area, also informally <br />called Lurton Park, into an off-leash area, the final design details have not been approved. <br />Those details will be decided by the City Council at an upcoming Council meeting. <br /> <br />The variance application was presented to the City Council on May 23rd, and while the Council <br />elected not waive Planning Commission review and hold an official public hearing at their <br />meeting that evening, public comments were received. <br /> <br />The plan presented in May differs from the plan presented now. The proposed fence has been <br />pulled back from the wetland buffer on the west side, pulled back from the private residential <br />property to the north, and largely pulled back from the wetland boundary on the east side of <br />the property. Variances are necessary because the fence crosses mapped wetlands just to the <br />east of the parking lot and is within 150 feet of the edge of Lake Classen. The fence within the <br />wetland near the parking lot replaces an existing fence. <br /> <br />Application Summary: The applicant is requesting setback variances from the lake and wetland <br />boundaries to facilitate construction of fencing within the park. <br />Staff Recommendation: The Planning Commission should provide a recommendation to the <br />City Council. <br />Council <br />Exhibit D <br />16-3832