06-18-2018 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,June 18,2018 6:30 o'clock p.m. 5. LA18-000055 PAUL VOGSTROM,2709 WALTERS PORT LANE, SKETCH PLAN, 6:49 P.M.—8:07 P.M.—Continued Curtis stated in 2017 the Dunkleys requested a lot line rearrangement after purchasing the adjacent property and demolishing the home on that lot. The goal of their former application was to move the common property line between the two properties to enlarge their residence lot in order to construct an addition while leaving a lot to build a new home between their home and the property at 2715 Pence Lane. The lot line rearrangement application required a number of variances, and after receiving unsupportive feedback from both the Planning Commission and the City Council,the applicants withdrew that request. The property owners then combined the two properties into one PID so they could proceed with the permitting for the addition to the existing home. The lot combination was completed and the property currently addressed 2709 Walters Port Lane now has a total of 4.3 dry acres and approximately 515 feet in width measured in a straight line at the OHWL. It is zoned LR-1B,which has a one-acre minimum lot area. The addition to the home required average lakeshore setback, 75-foot setback and hardcover variances. which were granted. The variances were granted in November of 2017 and the addition is under construction currently. Today the property owners are requesting feedback on a very similar proposal. Because the property as it exists today results from the recent combination of 2709 Walters Port Land and 2710 Pence Lane, a subdivision,rather than a lot line rearrangement, is necessary. A subdivision must conform to the standards of the City Code. The Commission should discuss the appropriate level of flexibility for a subdivision. The Commission and Council should be very cautious when considering a subdivision that does not meet the standards of the City Code. Waivers and variances at the creation of a lot almost always require further variances and waivers when the property is actually used. The issues identified during the initial proposal remain unresolved. The applicant is now proposing to create a new lakeshore lot between their Walters Port home and the Hueler property at 2715 Pence. Their plans show a one-acre lot east of the Dunkley home,wrapping around the Hueler lot. The plan suggests the proposed new lot is 1.0 acres and meets the 140-foot width at the lake and at the 75-foot setback. These dimensions will be verified during the formal review phase. Based on the configuration,the proposed Lot 2 is narrow in the middle where a conforming house would be located. The house shown on the sketch requires an average lakeshore setback variance to create a building envelope. Curtis noted the blue line depicts the average lakeshore setback for this lot. Curtis stated she is not sure at this point based on the plans before her whether it would be possible to locate a house on the property conforming to the average lakeshore setback and at the present time a significant amount of the project would take place in front of the average lakeshore setback. In addition,the roadway or driveway entering the property may require additional variances for Lot 2 since it does not meet the standards of a private roadway. If it is to be an outlot, which is one of the requirements to create a third lot, it would require a cul-de-sac. The applicants are proposing a disconnect from their current driveway at Walters Port and a gated connection at the L or the corner on the south end of Walters Port in an effort to accommodate some sort of turnaround although not meeting the code minimums. Page 6 of 21