Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,June 17,2013 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> with the City's goal to reduce hardcover near the lake. However, Staff does not find practical difficulty <br /> inherent to the property to support the requests to exceed hardcover or structural coverage limitations. <br /> The applicants should be required to reduce their plans accordingly. <br /> Planning Staff recommends approval of the CUP for the work within the 0 to 75 foot zone including the <br /> walls, stair and flagstone "landings". If the Planning Commission finds practical difficulties exist, a <br /> recommendation for approval of the requested average lakeshore setback variance would be appropriate. <br /> Staff does not find practical difficulties to support the hardcover variance or the structural coverage <br /> variance and recommends denial of these variances. <br /> Leskinen asked if the applicant has submitted any proposed hardcover removals. <br /> Curtis indicated she has not received anything. <br /> Barbara Goodwin, Applicant,thanked Melanie Curtis for all her help on this application. Goodwin <br /> indicated they would like to construct their dream house and they were attracted to this site given its <br /> location on the lake. The existing house has a number of issues, which is why they would like to <br /> construct a new residence that would fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. The current garage is a <br /> tuck-under garage and being proposed is construction of a new garage to be on the same level as the <br /> house so they can enter the house from the garage and improve the drainage. One of the other <br /> improvements is to improve the safety of the driveway by changing the grade of the driveway. The <br /> driveway currently curves towards the property and goes down the hill, which limits the sightlines out on <br /> to the road. Moving the home back as far as possible would help improve the sight lines. <br /> The existing house also has mechanical and serious water issues. The property's lake views are <br /> compromised by the large tennis court fence that adjoins the property. Goodwin stated when they <br /> purchased the property,they expected to be able to construct a house in line with the other houses on the <br /> road. The majority of homes on the point are located along the red line shown on the overhead. Goodwin <br /> indicated they met with the neighbor to the north and have attempted to create a plan that works for the <br /> neighbors as well as minimize the view of the tennis court. <br /> Curtis displayed a picture on the overhead showing the tennis court. <br /> Goodwin indicated they created a plan that would butt that side of the home out further and then steps <br /> back, which would make the home further away from the lake. The proposed house will be six feet <br /> further away from the neighbor's house. <br /> The other issue with the property is the lake front, which is in disarray and consists of a number of <br /> railroad ties. Goodwin stated they would like to remove all the railroad ties,the wooden deck. stabilize <br /> the lake front, and plant native vegetation in that area. When the first plan was submitted, it was <br /> determined by Staff to be over the City's hardcover and structural coverage limits. The latest plan has <br /> reduced the hardcover and structural coverages down to acceptable limits. Those plans have just been <br /> completed late this afternoon and have not yet been submitted to Staff The goal is to create a home that <br /> resembles a classic Lake Minnetonka home and fits the neighborhood. Goodwin noted they are now only <br /> requesting the setback variance in order to minimize the view of the tennis court. <br /> Landgraver asked where the reduction in hardcover came from. <br /> Page 3 of 9 <br />