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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, January 20, 2015 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 1 of 21  <br />  <br />ROLL CALL <br /> <br />The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: <br />Chair Denise Leskinen, Commissioners Kevin Landgraver, Bruce Lemke, Christopher McGrann, Loren <br />Schoenzeit, and John Thiesse. Representing Staff were Senior Planner Michael Gaffron, City Planner <br />Melanie Curtis, and Recorder Jackie Young. Mayor Lili McMillan was present. <br /> <br />Chair Leskinen called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> <br />CONSENT AGENDA <br /> <br />1. APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF <br /> NOVEMBER 17, 2014 <br /> <br />Lemke moved, Schoenzeit seconded, to approve the minutes of the Orono Planning Commission <br />meeting of November 17, 2014, as amended, with the time of the meeting in the header being <br />corrected to read 6:30 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. <br /> <br />NEW BUSINESS <br /> <br />2. #14-3700 AMENDMENT OF ZONING CODE CHAPTER 78: AMEND SECTION <br /> 78-1379 REGARDING WIND ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS (WECS), 6:33 P.M. – <br /> 7:54 P.M. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated this is an amendment to Chapter 78 regarding small wind energy conversion systems. The <br />City Council adopted an ordinance approximately one year ago that banned the use of small wind energy <br />conversion systems throughout the city. As a result of some court action, the City Council determined <br />that it was appropriate to reconsider and take a look at where and how the City might allow wind energy <br />conversion systems in the City. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted at its November 16 meeting, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to receive <br />public input regarding small wind energy conversion systems or SWECS. The minutes of that meeting <br />have been included in the Planning Commission’s packets. At that meeting a presentation was made by <br />Orono resident Peter Lanpher, who provided some visual aids that depicted the visual impacts of the <br />SWECS on his enjoyment of his property. At that meeting the Planning Commission tabled the <br />discussion for further discussion. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated there are a number of decisions that need to be made tonight in order to craft an ordinance <br />that meets the City’s desired outcome. Part of what the Planning Commission will be doing tonight will <br />be answering questions that will help Staff define what those outcomes should be. Staff has also included <br />a table that compares the ordinance that the Planning Commission had recommended in 2013 to a number <br />of other city ordinances that exist from Woodbury, Brooklyn Park, Lakeville, North St. Paul, Medina, <br />Delano, and other cities. It also compares those to some model ordinances, one of which was put out by <br />the City of Des Moines, Iowa. Gaffron stated based on those ordinances, there appears to be a wide range <br />of standards throughout the state. <br /> <br />The Planning Commission should consider a definition for ornamental wind turbines, whether the <br />Planning Commission would consider the use of WECS systems in a commercial or nonresidential area of <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 02/17/2015 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes [Page 1 of 21]