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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Monday,April 15,2019 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> 3. Expansion of the road width to 24 feet. <br /> 4. Extension of the road or an easement through the wetland buffer to coordinate the driveways <br /> serving the two lots. <br /> 5. Obtain Watershed approval of the driveway through the wetland buffer. <br /> Ressler asked if the 24-foot width is based on the cul-de-sac. <br /> Barnhart stated the minimum width standard for a private road serving three homes is 24 feet and that he <br /> does not believe there is a standard for a private driveway. A cul-de-sac is required on a private road. <br /> Thiesse asked if it could be considered a driveway with only two homes. <br /> Barnhart indicated it could if there were only two homes accessing off the road but the lot with the <br /> existing house on it qualifies as the third lot. <br /> Thiesse asked if the southern piece of property will be landlocked. <br /> Barnhart indicated a portion of the property south of the subject property would still have access off of <br /> Kintyre or Stubbs Bay. <br /> George Stickney stated he is representing the property owners. The proposal meets all the standards but <br /> there were some deviations as were brought up by Staff. A meeting was held with the fire chief. The <br /> definition of a cul-de-sac is that it is an appropriate terminal for a safe turnaround and safe redirection of <br /> traffic. That is a loose definition but that is what is in the code. Stickney stated they made sure there is <br /> enough room for the building sites so there would not only be a turnaround for the fire trucks but enough <br /> room to put a circular driveway in front of each house, including the existing house, and that it provides <br /> good traffic flow. <br /> Stickney stated he has measured Fox Street several times and that he does not believe there is one piece of <br /> Fox Street that is 20 feet wide. The narrower road width would allow them to preserve the existing tree <br /> canopy. If the road is wider than 20 feet,that would damage the canopy of the beautiful red pines. <br /> Stickney stated he knows there are three lots involved in this project,but the driveway turns into the first <br /> property within 50 feet of Stubbs Bay Road. The road is straight and provides a good sightline. Another <br /> example of a narrower road width is at Mooney Lake Preserve, which has 20 feet of asphalt. The desire <br /> for tree preservation in this area is huge and there is also the possibility they can convince the Burkharts <br /> to connect to Stubbs Bay Road,which would mean there would only be two properties accessing this <br /> road. In addition,the 20-foot width would still allow two-foot shoulders as well as allow a semi to drive <br /> in there. Adding the cul-de-sac and more asphalt would create more hardcover and have a larger impact. <br /> As it relates to the finger configuration on Lot 1,the applicant's family owns the property to the south so <br /> it becomes a nice buffer and makes the property conforming in all ways. It makes a nice recreation area <br /> and makes it more manageable for the rest of the property that the family owns. <br /> Stickney stated they are trying to meet all of Staff's objections and that in his view they are addressing the <br /> desire for a hammerhead versus a cul-de-sac as well as the narrower road width. Stickney stated they do <br /> Page 4 of 29 <br />