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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, May 20, 2013 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 21 of 25  <br />  <br />Landgraver stated he was opposed to the motion since the applicant went through a process of discussing <br />this with the appropriate officials and then he finds out there is some kind of communication or public <br />relations shortcoming. The neighbors are frustrated but the operator of the boat club was not aware of <br />those concerns, which is an issue. <br /> <br />Matt Johnson stated he is getting the impression that he should have had more involvement with the City. <br />What is happening is that someone is running a commercial business next to a residential property and <br />that the manager of the business has to know the condition of that building. He should also know that <br />there are parties going on in there since they happen every night during the summer. Johnson stated there <br />is also a substantial amount of debris around the property. <br /> <br />Johnson stated when he hears Commissioner Landgraver say that they should have let the City know, the <br />onus is on the owner of the commercial property to resolve these issues. Johnson indicated they have <br />never been approached by that group and that they are reasonable people who have lived in Orono for a <br />long time. <br /> <br />Anderson commented that is why there is a public hearing. <br /> <br />Landgraver stated there needs to be a public relations issue that needs to be addressed and open lines of <br />communication between the parties. Tabling the application would facilitate that. <br /> <br />Bennett stated her concern with the property is not necessarily what the neighbors are saying but the fact <br />that they are using a residential property for commercial uses. The concern deepens when he says he does <br />not know whether he has a lease to do that or not and who would be liable if someone was hurt. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted this item will go before the City Council sometime in June. <br /> <br /> <br />*5. #13-3602 CITY OF ORONO, AMEND HARDCOVER REGULATIONS IN 78-571 <br /> <br />Landgraver moved, Schoenzeit seconded, to recommend approval of Application #13-3602 City of <br />Orono, Amend Hardcover Regulations in 78-571. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. <br /> <br />OLD BUSINESS <br /> <br />6. #13-3601 CITY OF ORONO, WETLAND ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, 8:17 P.M. - 8:34 <br />P.M. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted the City has spent some time reviewing their wetland ordinances. One of the key elements <br />that came out of those discussions was that the biggest issue with the wetland ordinance is enforcement <br />and administration of a buffer requirement, which is fairly new and was adopted in 2005. The City had a <br />26-foot setback requirement going back to 1974 or 1975, which was adopted when the City was entirely <br />rezoned and a number of other requirements were put into place. In 2005, that was changed from a <br />buffer setback to the required establishment of buffers that were triggered by a significant number of <br />activities that someone might do to their property. <br /> <br />As a result of the discussions, Staff has looked at an ordinance amendment that removes the buffer <br />requirements from the code and provides the Watershed District with authority for managing buffers. <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 06/17/2013 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 05/20/2013 <br />[Page 21 of 25]