09/15/2014 Planning Commission Minutes

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, September 15,2014 6:30 o'clock p.m. Hiller noted there are two cul-de-sacs that exceed the 1,000 foot maximum. One cul-de-sac is 1,012 feet and the other is 1,320 feet. Hiller stated the way the site has been laid out, the homes have been wrapped around the plateaus and the layout has been designed around the terrain, which helps to minimize the amount of grading on the site. Hiller stated the building pads will be largely untouched until the house is constructed and then surveys will be submitted. Hiller stated throughout this whole process they have had several forums for public comments and have received a number of comments from the neighbors in the immediate area. The majority of the comments related to traffic impacts. Hiller stated in the area where North Arm intersects County Road 19,there is a two-way stop. Hiller pointed out there is an entrance to allow traffic to go down to the four-way stop and an entrance to go to the two-way stop. An additional concern was down to the south with the Red Oak Golf Course development and its 59 homes and the impacts that will have on traffic on these particular intersections and County Road 19 in general. Hiller indicated they have gone ahead and hired a traffic consultant and the basic answer is that the proposed additional lots for both developments are well within the design capacity for those intersections and County Road 19 and no modifications need to be made by the developer. Hiller stated one of the other EAW action items was to conduct an archeological study. Hiller indicated they went ahead and followed through on that. The firm hired to do the archeological study dug a bunch of holes over the course of a week and no remains were found. Hiller stated the DNR also alerted them to the fact that there was an existing avian bird survey for the area and that that information could be accessed. Hiller stated the DNR is not asking them to do anything further on that. Hiller stated as they have gone through the process, some of the neighbors on North Arm asked if a park could be considered as part of the development. Hiller indicated the development had not been previously designed to include a park but that there is a four and a half acre lot that they would be willing to set aside as a park. Hiller stated the septic site did test out fine on that lot and a house could be built on that lot if the park concept does not work out. Hiller stated as they started working with the neighbors on the park, the thinking was that it could be a passive park with a trail that could be used by the residents of this development as well as the surrounding neighborhood. Page 48 of 59