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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING <br /> HELD JUNE 25, 1997 <br /> Schneider asked what would satisfy the Board. Kohnen responded that was not the charge of the <br /> Board. <br /> Bellows confirmed there were no certificate of occupancies on file. <br /> Kohnen felt the closest thing to a certificate of occupancy was A1 Olson's determination of F-2 <br /> classification and the intent to issue a certificate of occupancy. He added that the lives of children <br /> is a very important issue. <br /> Erickson commented that the children in the Lake Minnetonka Environmental School have a choice <br /> of whether to be there or not. All the parents have been through the building and none have <br /> mentioned any fire hazards or the building being unsafe. There are five exits for two floors. Each <br /> classroom has a direct exit to the outside. There will only be 7-8 children in the Art Studio at one <br /> time and the parents make the choice to have them attend class. <br /> Bellows asked how many students were in the Environmental School. Erickson responded there <br /> were 13 currently, with projections of 20. <br /> Sherokee Ilse,parent and founder of the Environmental School, stated that parents have commented <br /> that they feel safer with a child in the Hill School than the Orono Middle School or High School <br /> because of the long corridors and masses of people. She added the Sojourn program in Spring Park <br /> uses an early detection fire system which met the code of the State Fire Marshall and City and did <br /> not need a sprinkler system. <br /> Bellows was unsure how the Environmental School got to the point it has. She had talked with Ilse <br /> and suggested the Environmental School hire someone to do a code search on the building. City <br /> Planner Liz Van Zomeren concurred. <br /> Erickson responded that the Environmental School would be leasing the building from Schneider. <br /> Many architects have looked at the building. Yoos indicated she had met all the requirements Oman <br /> had asked for, which included attaching the fire escape in the back. <br /> Bellows felt if a code review had been done, she would look more favorably on the situation. The <br /> whole purpose of having occupancy regulations is for life safety. <br /> Grace stated before he could do a code review he would have to know what the occupancy is of the <br /> building. To him, the records show the building is an E occupancy, and technically Schneider <br /> doesn't have to do anything. The Fire Marshall is the one who determines if there is a threat to life <br /> safety, not the building official. <br /> 8 <br />