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• MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,November 21,2016 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Schutt stated if there is documentation showing that,they would be willing to submit that. <br /> Lemke asked what would happen if it was depicted on the plans. <br /> Curtis stated even if it was on the plans and somehow it appears to have been approved by Staff by <br /> omission, Staff still does not have the ability to grant a variance. <br /> Leskinen noted what is before the Planning Commission right now is whether Staff applied the ordinance <br /> correctly based on the information they have before them tonight. <br /> VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. <br /> 8. #16-3878 CITY OF ORONO,TEXT AMENDMENT EMERGENCY DOCKS, 8:07 P.M.— <br /> 8:45 P.M. <br /> Barnhart noted last April the City Council adopted an ordinance that allowed docks controlled by <br /> Hennepin County to allow boats to get in and out of Lake Minnetonka in a rapid manner. Discussion <br /> centered around what protections should be in place. The issue is that there is a dock that does not have a <br /> principal residence. The Planning Commission and City Council also expressed a concern about the <br /> aesthetics of the dock and nearby area and use of the area for unintended purposes. <br /> As a result of those discussions,the Planning Commission proposed an added clause that there be a fence <br /> and gate. Since it is a permitted use in the LR-1A,there was a site plan review. Also reviewed at that <br /> time was parking at the site. Ultimately the City came up with a new ordinance amendment that <br /> identified a county dock that would be owned and operated by Hennepin County solely for the purpose of <br /> facilitating lake to ground transportation of patrons in emergency or law enforcement situations. <br /> The original allows this as a permitted use in the LR-1A zoning district. The five criteria directly <br /> connected to this use included that it would need to be directly connected to Hennepin County right-of- <br /> way, no overnight boat storage,no canopies blocking visibility from lakeshore properties,the dock must <br /> be secured by a fence and gate, and the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District also needed to approve <br /> the dock. <br /> Barnhart stated late this fall members of the Long Lake Fire Department approached the City requesting <br /> the ability to store a boat on Lake Minnetonka to facilitate emergency response. The Long Lake Fire <br /> Department does have a boat that they can use. The City Council suggested an amendment to the <br /> ordinance be considered that would allow the Long Lake Fire Department to use the dock and store its <br /> boat there during the overnight hours to allow for quick access to the lake. This would be an alternative <br /> to trailering the boat to various locations. <br /> Staff's recommendation is to eliminate the no overnight boat storage clause from the ordinance. The <br /> other four clauses would still remain. It would remain Hennepin County's dock but they would allow the <br /> Long Lake Fire Department to use it if they approve the ordinance amendment. Barnhart stated the City <br /> wants to avoid opening it up to other entities having docks on the lake and that the ordinance has been <br /> very narrowly tailored to these two outside agencies. <br /> Barnhart noted Fire Chief Van Eyll is present tonight to provide some feedback to the Planning <br /> Commission. <br /> Page 17 of 26 <br />