Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,November 18,2013 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> The applicants are proposing a plat of seven lots. The existing topography of the vacant lot consists of a <br /> vacant field gently sloping downhill to the north. The other lot is wooded and has a creek. There is an <br /> easement for the creek. Due to the density with this development, it would be looked at as a public road <br /> rather than private. City sewer would serve this development and the applicant has spoken with Long <br /> Lake about obtaining water. <br /> The zoning of the area surrounding this site consists of the Hackberry neighborhood to the west,which is <br /> comprised of half-acre single-family lots. Lots in that neighborhood are roughly 15,000 to 20,000 square <br /> feet as is the neighborhood in Long Lake directly to the east. The east boundary of the east parcel is the <br /> boundary with Long Lake. <br /> Gaffron stated what is being proposed here are lots that average approximately a third of an acre and a <br /> few that are slightly smaller. In general the lots average out to 0.45 acres of contiguous dry buildable per <br /> lot. In general the lots are fairly buildable from the perspective of flexibility. Some of these lots have <br /> less flexibility than others. <br /> As it relates to a Planned Residential Unit Development,the Code requires that it consist of five acres in <br /> order to do a RPUD. This site has 4.92 acres. The Planning Commission and City Council will need to <br /> find that one of four situations exist in order to allow this to be developed as an RPUD. <br /> The first condition is whether there are unusual physical features of the property itself or of the <br /> surrounding neighborhood such that development as a RPUD will conserve a physical or topographic <br /> feature of importance to the neighborhood or community. <br /> The second condition is whether the property is directly adjacent to or across a public street from property <br /> which has been developed previously as a RPUD or planned residential development and will be <br /> perceived as and will function as an extension of that previously approved development. <br /> The third condition is whether the property is located in an area where the proposed development <br /> provides a transition between a commercial or industrial area and an existing residential area or on an <br /> intermediate or principal arterial as defined in the Comprehensive Plan. <br /> The fourth condition is whether the property contains steep slopes or a substantial number of significant <br /> trees that could be preserved through the clustering of buildings or other design techniques not generally <br /> allowed by the existing zoning district. <br /> The Planning Commission should consider whether one or more of these four conditions exist. <br /> The applicant was advised that he would need to complete a Conservation Design Report and Master Plan <br /> to determine what natural values of the site should be preserved or enhanced. The Conservation Design <br /> Report and Master Plan have been completed and the recommendations are included in the Planning <br /> Commission's packet. <br /> The Conservation Design Report finds that there are two basic views into the property from off site and <br /> include a view of a forested area and several trees across the creek. As you look from Glendale Cove <br /> south,there are views of the forested area and several trees. <br /> Page 5 of 35 <br />