Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,February 18,2014 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Leskinen asked whether the applicant has spoken with any church officials about them doing landscaping <br /> on their side of the property. <br /> Goodwin stated they started the discussion last fall with the church and the husband of the property owner <br /> indicated he would be agreeable to the fence and was even willing to build the fence himself,which might <br /> still happen. Goodwin indicated he did not discuss the height of the fence with him at all. <br /> Leskinen indicated she visited the property on Sunday and that she walked in the parking lot but did not <br /> go into the amphitheater due to the snow. Leskinen stated due to the elevation of the Leaf Street property, <br /> it would be possible to see over any size fence and that she is attempting to figure out how any size fence <br /> would make any difference in terms of screening. <br /> Lemke noted the applicant did indicate the fence would also act as a sound barrier. <br /> Leskinen stated she is not sure whether an 8-foot fence would make that much difference in terms of a <br /> sound barrier versus a 6-foot fence. <br /> Thiesse stated he understands the need to keep a fence at the allowable 6-foot height but that he is not <br /> sure whether anyone would know it is an 8-foot fence given the topography. <br /> Schoenzeit commented an 8-foot fence would not harm anyone. Schoenzeit stated if the weddings are <br /> happening on a regular basis, in his view it would be a pretty severe hardship. <br /> Thiesse stated this would be a location where he could see a separation of the properties. <br /> McGrann noted three of the property owners are supportive of the fence and that no representative from <br /> the church has expressed any opposition to the fence. <br /> Thiesse commented he would not want to have to deal with it every weekend and that noise is a hardship <br /> in his view. <br /> Leskinen commented the appearance of the fence would not change based on whether it is a 6-foot high <br /> fence or an 8-foot high fence. <br /> Schoenzeit noted the variance is very specific to this property and what it is attempting to do. <br /> Leskinen asked if the Planning Commission would be at risk of setting a precedent. <br /> Thiesse noted there are not too many churches located in residential neighborhoods. <br /> It was the consensus of the Planning Commission that it would not set a precedent. <br /> Schoenzeit asked how long the church has been engaged in performing commercial wedding activities. <br /> Gaffron indicated there was a church in the approximate location of the McCarthy residence until the mid <br /> 1970s when it burned down. There have been weddings performed at the church since at least 1978 when <br /> that church burned down. Gaffron stated the subdivision of the property that created Oxford Road <br /> initially had the McCarthy,the Goodwin, and one other property platted as an outlot. Gaffron indicated <br /> Page 4 of 11 <br />