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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 27, 2009 7:00 o’clock p.m. ______________________________________________________________________________ PAGE 12 *11. HAZARDOUS BUILDING ACTION AT 3443 CRYSTAL PLACE – RESOLUTION NO. 5832 White noted he did receive a call from an elderly couple residing near Saga Hill and that the City should be looking into other hazardous buildings throughout the City. Bremer moved, Murphy seconded, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 5832, a Resolution Ordering Abatement of Hazardous Building Located at 3443 Crystal Place. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT 12. DISCUSSION REGARDING BIG ISLAND REGULATIONS Mattick stated he requested this item be put on the agenda due to the ordinance that Staff was asked to draft and that he would like some direction from the Council to ensure that the ordinance reflects what the City would like to achieve for overall use of Big Island. Mattick noted the park on Big Island would not be used for camping and fires and that he had some questions on how large groups visiting the island would be handled. Mattick requested the Council provide some direction for large groups using the island from a commercial standpoint through tour boats, such as the Minnehaha. Mattick noted there appears to be an expressed desire to allow the Minnehaha out to the island, but questioned whether the Council would like to allow other commercial recreational boats to dock on the island. Gabrial Jabbour asked if the City Attorney has reviewed the Big Island Conservation Easement. Mattick stated he just received the information. Jabbour stated there are three guiding issues that need to be addressed. One, the contractual agreement with the Minnehaha; two, the city’s philosophy concerning the use of recreational areas; and three, the use of the land. Jabbour noted that the City’s traditional practice has been to spend very little on its parks and to leave them more passive. The Big Island Committee has had a number of discussions about how they can be inclusive but yet limit the impact to the island. Jabbour pointed out the conservation easement pretty much limits what use the island can be put to and noted that alcohol is not allowed, the island is not to be used for profit, and that the use would be passive, which is similar to other City parks. Jabbour distributed a picture from 1999 to the Council depicting the number of boats that this area has experienced in the past. Jabbour noted in the areas where there is no buckthorn, there has been considerable dumping, so the buckthorn has been left as a natural fence. Jabbour expressed some frustration with the limited progress being made by the Big Island Committee and the amount of vandalism that has been experienced to the bathroom facility on the island. Jabbour noted the committee had originally recommended a boat with a bathroom be made available for the island, which he was willing to provide to the City, but that they later changed their recommendation to only allow for five gallon buckets with sawdust due to the Item #02 - CC Agenda - 05/11/09 Council Minutes 04/27/09 [Page 12 of 18]