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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, November 17, 2014 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 19 of 23  <br />  <br />Leskinen noted that is something that cannot be addressed by the Planning Commission and would need <br />to be taken up with the City Council. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated the City Council will be reviewing that ordinance and that there have been some instances <br />where the City Council has deviated from those fees. Gaffron stated he does not disagree that the fee is <br />huge but that there is a basis for why the fee was put in place and that it is something that should be taken <br />up with the City Council. <br /> <br />Denman stated the plan would be to handle all of the drainage on site so there would not be a burden to <br />the City. <br /> <br />Chair Leskinen opened the public hearing at 8:45 p.m. <br />Gaffron noted a public hearing is technically not required with a sketch plan but that Staff would like to <br />hear any public comments from interested parties. <br /> <br />Jim Whalen stated they have owned their piece of property for approximately 40 years. In approximately <br />1998, when the Department of Transportation was putting in a new road, access was taken away. The <br />Department of Transportation purchased the land to the north and constructed the CR6/US12 interchange, <br />which prevented them from accessing their property. <br /> <br />Whalen stated they do not plan to build on the land. Whalen indicated they operate a bible camp up in <br />Aitkin County and that they would like to donate the land to the ministry, who would then sell it and have <br />the funds to construct a main building on the property up in Aitkin County. <br /> <br />Whalen noted he and his wife have submitted a letter to the City outlining some of their concerns with the <br />proposed development. <br /> <br />Jean Whalen stated she is happy to see that there might be a solution for providing access to their <br />property. <br /> <br />Chair Leskinen closed the public hearing at 8:47 p.m. <br /> <br />Leskinen stated the sketch plan is pretty straight forward and gives some hope to the Whalens and the <br />other small lot. Leskinen indicated she does have a small concern with the shared driveway, but since it <br />would only be for two large lots, it probably will not be an issue and that other options could be explored. <br /> <br />Landgraver asked if the developer has had any discussions with the Whalens yet. <br /> <br />Denman indicated he did have a phone conversation with them and that they had been exploring access <br />from the Jacobs Mill Road easements. Denman stated he had been working with that homeowners <br />association to see whether access could be gotten from them but that not much progress was being made. <br />Denman stated at that point in time he had not come to the City and discussed other access routes and that <br />in his view this is a good solution for them and the Whalens. <br /> <br />Landgraver commented it would be extremely helpful for the Whalens if access could be worked out. <br /> <br />Denman stated they would like to recover some of their costs in putting infrastructure to the Whalen site. <br /> <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/20/2015 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes <br />[Page 19 of 23]