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, MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,March 17,2014 6:30 o'clock p.m. Samuel Geer, Landscape Designer, stated in terms of the concerns of City Staff, he would like to point out is that initially they were not aware of the need to obtain a conditional use permit since they were utilizing permeable clean rock for fill for the elevated patio deck and it was not fill in the traditional sense. 'The excavation that would be necessary to construct the rain gardens was below the stated threshold of 10 cubic yards in the ordinance. Upon being alerted of that fact,Geer indicated they have endeavored to comply with all of Staff's requests in terms of additional planning and plan revisions in terms of adding additional screening and completing a detailed stormwater pollution prevention plan, which also includes an inspection component. Geer stated he would also like to point out that overall this project is dedicated to reducing the amount of hardcover presently on the property and instituting stormwater management practices, such as the elevated paver decks,which are actually built to be permeable, as well as the rain gardens and vegetative shoreline restoration on the north side of the property. Geer stated each of these items is intended to offset the new construction. Likewise, it should be noted that on the west patio,the one labeled H,that there was an existing at-grade deck that will be removed and returned to a permeable condition. Geer stated essentially there will be a net reduction in permeable surfaces. The proposed steps located around Patio H were located roughly over the footprint of an existing concrete slab that wooden steps stepped down previously. Geer stated as it relates to the steps coming off of Patio C,they are requesting that the variance basically take into consideration the fact that overall the hardcover has been reduced in a net sense. Geer indicated the steps are critical for the decking to match with the existing architectural interfaces. Geer stated given the exterior elevations of the entrances and exits to the structure,an attempt to not construct a staircase from the existing footprint would be very problematic and add greatly to the cost of the project. It would also potentially present a safety problem by not complying with the Code in terms of a landing. Geer indicated the steps would be inset into the patio. Leskinen asked when he says Patio H is to be returned to a permeable state,whether it is no longer going to be a patio. Geer indicated that is correct. Leskinen asked if that area is going to be grass or plantings. Geer indicated previously this area was a three-season porch but there a brick patio around the exterior of the three-season porch. The proposed paver deck rests within the existing three-season footprint that was there previously. Leskinen asked if there will be paver patio there instead. Geer stated previously there was a three-season porch there and that the brick patio will be removed and replaced with a mulch planting bed that will be permeable. Geer stated the dotted line depicts the existing at-grade deck constructed out of bricks. Brien Nelson,Applicant, indicated that deck was constructed out of pavers and has been removed. The proposed patio will go directly with the walls as seen in the elevations. The walls will go around the patio in the area between the three-season porch. Nelson indicated the patio will not be going any further out. Page 6 of 26