09/16/2013 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, September 16,2013 6:30 o'clock p.m. 9. #13-3631 LANDSOURCE,LLC,REPRESENTED BY TODD HOLMERS,3700 NORTHERN AVENUE, SUBDIVISION,8:29 P.M.- 9:48 P.M. Todd Holmers, Applicant, and George Stichney, Developer,were present. Gaffron stated this is a request for a subdivision for property located on Northern Avenue. The property consists of 4.89 acres and is located in the LR-IC, one family lakeshore residential district, which requires one-half acre and 100-foot lot width. Gaffron stated the drawing that is on the overhead shows the lot sizes in the surrounding neighborhood. It also depicts the Dakota County Trail,Northern Avenue, and Togo Road. The property is surrounded pretty much by developed residential property. The proposed subdivision proposes six lots consisting of two back lots with a narrow corridor leading to the rear of the property and then four lots located across the front of the property. The developer is showing the two driveway corridors on either end of the property. Gaffron noted the lots are rather strangely shaped and is probably the result of the applicant's surveyor attempting to make sure that each lot contains the required half acre of dry buildable. The two back lots are required to be comprised of at least three-quarters of an acre of which at least one-half acre dry buildable. Gaffron noted this property is unique in that it has significant wetlands of approximately one acre in the middle of the property which results in very narrow areas around it in which to build. Gaffron stated the first page of Staff's report shows that the wetland consists of approximately 0.83 acre and that there is 4.89 acres of dry buildable. A portion of that dry buildable area is located alongside Northern Avenue. Gaffron stated 101 years ago, back in 1912,Northern Avenue had been platted as a 66-foot right-of-way paralleling the railroad. The railroad has a 100-foot right-of-way. In 1912, the town board,for unknown reasons, elected to vacate Northern Avenue,which resulted in all the properties abutting it to gain some acreage. The Regional Railroad Authority currently owns the right-of-way, and in the last ten years, it has exerted its influences over properties that have encroachments in their right-of-way and they have actively tried to remove any encroachments in the right-of-way. Approximately half of the existing paved road of Northern Avenue is located within the railroad right-of-way and half of it is located in the private properties. Gaffron stated in the initial discussions with the applicant and their surveyor, it was suggested that there be a dedication of 30 feet of right-of-way adjacent to the railroad right-of-way so that the City can accommodate the existing Northern Avenue as it is traveled and paved and the existing water and sewer lines. Gaffron noted that 30 feet actually matches a prior subdivision done approximately 30 years just to the west in which the City gained back some of that right-of-way that was vacated in 1912. One of the factors in looking at development of this property is that the City is going to be looking for dedication of the right-of-way and whether 30 feet is correct or whether more should be required is questionable. One of the questions Staff has is whether the City will be required by the Regional Rail Authority to relocate that road, which would be difficult with a 30-foot right-of-way. The City standards Page 22 of 34