HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-30-1982 Council Minutes Special Meeting _ �
CITY OF ORONO
7 :30 P. M.
Special Meeting of the Orono Council , June 30 , 1982
BIG ISLAND
The Orono Council met on the above date with the
following members present : Mayor Van Nest ,
Councilmembers Butler and Hurr . Absent : Coun-
cilmembers Adams and Frahm. Also present : City
Planner Olson andOn-Site Septic System Inspector
Gaffron . Also present : 50-70 persons , inc-
luding persons representing at least 29
properties .
Mayor Van Nest called the meeting to order calling
this an informal work session designed to keep the
Island owners informed of and involved in the
City ' s planning process . He gave a brief
introduction explaining the mandatory land
planning requirements in the metro area . The
Island studies are an �_ntegral and necessary part
of that process .
The CityCouncilischargedwithprotectingpublic
health , safety and welfare . Council is
concerned that the City is physically and
financially incapable of providing extensive
public services to the Islands . Under the
historic low-level of seasonal land use , this
hasn ' t been a terrible problem. But the more
development , more people on the Island , the more
important these services become .
The Couneil does not want to change the character
of existing seasonal use of the Islands . The
Council is concerned that increasing development
pressures on all of Lake Minnetonka will soon turn
to Big Island and Deering Island .
The Council wants to be ready with a realistic
zoning plan for the Islands . The purpose of this
planning is to discover existing problems � and to
identify an aceeptable level of ultimate
development for the Islands .
City staff has visited every island property;
inventaried its size, existing struetures ,
septic systems , wells and topography ; and has
photographed this development . They have
determined how many cabins are on the Islands now,
and how many could be built in the future at
various zoning densities .
�DCIAL MEETTNG OF TF� ORONO COUNCIL, JUNE 30, 1982 page 2
� There are 55 dwellings now, including 7 of the 32
Veteran ' s Camp cabins . Under the existing 2-
acre zoning � up to 48 new cabins could be
built ,almost doubling the use density from 55 to
103 units . At a reduced one-acre zoning , up to
114 new units ( 169 total) could be built , but this
would likely require expensive sewer service .
If the zoning were changed to 5-acres per unit ,
only 14 new units would be built ( total 69 ) . At
10-acre density � six new units would be built. At
20-acre density , only three new units could be
built .
Any inerease in the zoning lot requirements as
above would primarily affect the few large
properties on the Island . It would have no effect
on the existing cabins or on the few existing
� vacant lots . The Council is primarily concerned
withsubdivisionof theselargelotsbecause those
are the properties that will feel the development
pressures . Extensive development of the larger
properties would have the potential of completely
changing the present Island character .
The City Council has gone on record in our
Comprehensive Plan of supporting the Hennepin
Park Reserve District as the ultimate steward of
Big Island . But Park Reserve acquisition of
property should only be on the open market . Orono
will not support condemnation of private property
for park purposes . The existing private cabins
are a reasonable use of the Island and should
continue as long as their owners wish to . �
Those present generally spoke in agreement to the
above position . They supported rezoning of the
Islandtoatleast5-acredensity , even suggesting
10 or 20 acre sizes , as long as they were assured of
being able to maintain their existing cabins .
Questions included concern about maintaining
existing structures , building replacement
cabins � adding guest quarters , rebuilding in case
of fire , and building new on the 15 existing vacant
lots . Intended use of the Power Squadron
property was discussed with two or three
representatives who were present .
City Planner Olson read through the list
identifying each subdividable lot , giving the
number of units possible at two or five acre
densities ; identifying each existing developed
property including lots in common ownershp which
are considered as one building site ; and
identifying each vacant site as to whether it may
SPECIAL MEETING OF TfiE ORONO COIJNCIL, JUNE 30, 1982 Paqe 3
be buildable or not . Of 15 single-separately
owned vacant lots , 10 are buildable and 5
unbuildable at 2-acre density. If some of these
lots , which are separately owned but adjacent ,
would be combined with each other � there might be
only two unbuildable sites . At 5-acre density .
there would be at least 7 buildable lots , and only
8 unbuildable sites if ad,jacent lots combined) .
Mayor Van Nest closed the meeting by stating that
the staff and Council would proceed further with
thestudybydevelopingstandardsfortheIslands .
Individuals were encouraged to call or visit with
staff to discuss their individual properties and
any unique problems they might have .
The result of this work session is that a new
ordinance will likely be adopted , which would
include some of the following points :
1 . Zoning designation change to "Seasonal
Recreational"
2 . Permitted uses to include :
a) private seasonal cabins (would not
exclude year-round use)
b) private recreational use of land without
structures , such as camping or day use only .
c) Park Reserve land use
3 . Conditional uses to include :
a) private club or association uses such as
the Power Squadron
b) semi-private camp ground use - the
Veteran ' s Camp
� c) possibly guest cottages
d) all conditional uses to have performance
standards developed
4 . Performance standards to specifically
address septic system standardsrelated to actual
land use , such as when drainfield is required ,
whenouthousesmightbeaeceptable, andwhen other
innovative toilets might be allowed (or required)
5 . Individual land holdings and parcels would be
identified in the ordinance as to the number of
existing dwellings and as to whether or not a new
or replacement dwelling could be built . This
would "grandfather" existing uses regardless of
zoned density which would be applied to new
subdivisions . All such grandfathering rights
. !
SPECIAL MEETIIVG OF Tf-IE ORONO COUNCIL, JUNE 30, 1982 Page 4
would be conditioned upon proof of satisfactory
septic system design , location and operation .
After completion of these next steps another
public meeting or hearing wi12 be called to
continue this process with the owners .
Meeting adjourned at 9 : 0 P. M.
� Q.�Z/n
William B. Van Nest , Mayor
/ �
Attest •��`-���-z, ��y� ��.���
•Alberta M. Strom , City Clerk
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