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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday, September 15,2014 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> neighborhood was the 9,000 square foot, $4 million house that was allowed to be constructed across the <br /> street,which is an aberration in the neighborhood. Haugan stated the 1,050 to 1,200 square foot floor <br /> plan being proposed is identical to the two residences above this lot. <br /> Haugan stated as to whether the practical difficulty could be alleviated by a feasible method other than <br /> variance is not possible since the property cannot be made bigger. Haugan stated the applicants also did <br /> not create this practical difficulty and that it resulted from over 100 years of changes in various laws. The <br /> property will become, if a variance is not granted, functionally obsolete. <br /> Haugan stated the final criteria is whether,in light of all of the above factors, a variance would serve the <br /> interests of justice. Haugan asked what is wrong with building a modest house,raising a family, and <br /> paying taxes on it. Haugan stated in the grand scheme of things,that is all positive. <br /> Haugan stated the other criteria is undue hardship and whether there is undue hardship. Number one,the <br /> property in question cannot be put to a reasonable use if the variance is not granted. Haugan stated to his <br /> knowledge that question was posed to the Planning Commission previously,and that the question then <br /> becomes, if the variance is not granted,what could possibly be done with the property. Haugan stated he <br /> heard from the videotape that someone could camp on it. Haugan noted this property has been valued as <br /> high as $150,000,there was a mortgage on the property for as much as $150,000 a number of years ago, <br /> but it is literally worthless if a house cannot be built on it. <br /> Haugan stated the applicants are requesting the variance be granted and that in his view the request is <br /> modest. <br /> Schoenzeit asked if he is aware of the last time this property had a house. <br /> Haugen stated to his knowledge it was in the 1930s or 1940s. Haugan stated the house burnt down,the <br /> property owners resided in California and never came back. Haugan stated the garage on the property <br /> became a nuisance and was required to be removed sometime in the 1960s. <br /> Schoenzeit stated independent of all the variance requests,the one request that concerns him the most is <br /> the average lakeshore setback,which is one of Orono's most specific setbacks and ranks up there with the <br /> Page 40 of 59 <br />