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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,June 19,2017 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Thiesse asked if Lot 19 can be divided if the easement is applied to that property. <br /> Barnhart stated in theory, if the right-of-way were vacated, it would go entirely to Lot 19, and that <br /> property owner could then choose to sell the entire right-of-way or a portion of it to the other property <br /> owner. <br /> Schoenzeit asked what percentage of fire lanes the City vacates and whether there is any history of doing <br /> this. <br /> Barnhart stated he does not have that information available tonight, but the most recent one he can think <br /> of occurred in 2015. Barnhart stated to his recollection the road did not touch the lake in that situation. <br /> In addition,the City has vacated unimproved rights-of-way, most recently in the Crestview neighborhood, <br /> but that road also did not touch the lake and was not similar to this situation. <br /> Thiesse asked if the land in front of Lot l would give access to the lake. <br /> Barnhart indicated that is actually city-owned property. Barnhart stated the City owns the four platted <br /> lots on the north side of Crystal Bay Road,which prevents the other four lots from having lake frontage. <br /> Landgraver asked what some of the general reasons are that the City would not vacate this type of <br /> right-of-way. <br /> Barnhart stated Staff does not know the potential future uses for this area and neighborhood and if any <br /> ability to access the lake is removed, it is difficult to get it back. Barnhart indicated the right-of-way also <br /> provides potential public access from the Dakota Trail to Lake Minnetonka and may also have uses for <br /> drainage. <br /> Landgraver asked how close the other right-of-way is located. <br /> Barnhart stated it is approximately half a mile away to the east and that the topography also gets steeper <br /> going that direction. <br /> Schoenzeit asked if this has the potential to be precedent setting. <br /> Barnhart indicated it might. <br /> Catherine Sweet,Applicant, 3405 Crystal Bay Road, stated the home at 3407 is currently empty. Sweet <br /> stated she understands the City's desire to protect the lake and allow for drainage. Sweet stated she <br /> would like to make an alternate proposal, which would be to do what the City did in 1908 and flip flop <br /> the easement. Sweet noted her driveway sits on the easement and that she had received permission from <br /> the City Council in 2004 to retain that. Sweet stated they could take that 20 feet of easement and put it on <br /> the other side of 3407. Sweet stated she would then tear down the garage, remove the existing driveway <br /> in that area, and then at some point tear down the small house and sell the property. <br /> Thiesse asked if she had presented that to Staff at all. <br /> Sweet indicated she suggested it this past Thursday when she received Staff's report. <br /> Page 2 of 17 <br />