05-13-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, April 15, 2019 6:30 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ NEW BUSINESS 1. LA19-000014 PRECISION DECKS ON BEHALF OF STEVEN PRAWER, 4470 FOREST LAKE LANDING, VARIANCE, 6:33 P.M. – 6:40 P.M. Nick Rukamp, Precision Decks, and Steven Prawer, Property Owner, were present. Curtis stated the applicant is requesting average lakeshore setback variances in order to rebuild existing decks in kind footprints. The home is nearly entirely lakeward of the average lakeshore setback line due in part to the extreme setback from the lake of the property to the north. The applicant is planning to rebuild in kind the existing decks on the street side and lake side of the home within the same footprint. Minor changes to the lakeside deck to rotate the staircase and to raise the deck floor 22 inches are proposed. Both decks are within the average lakeshore setback. No public comments have been received. Staff provided a practical difficulty analysis within Staff’s report and can answer any questions the Planning Commission may have concerning the analysis. Staff finds due to the nature of the lot and the applied setbacks there are practical difficulties supporting granting the average lakeshore setback variance for the changes to the lakeside deck in conjunction with a near in-kind replacement. The applicant’s desire to utilize the existing footprint in a slightly more functional footprint orientation is reasonable. Staff recommends approval of the average lakeshore setback variance. The Planning Commission had no questions for Staff. Steven Prawer, Property Owner, stated he would be able to answer any questions the Planning Commission may have. Thiesse asked if the raise in the deck is to eliminate the three steps coming out of the patio doors. Prawar indicated it is. Prawar stated the reason for that is he is 77 years old and he just had a hip replaced and that he does not want to lose his balance and fall. The raise in elevation allows them to make it even with the floor in the house so they can walk out directly onto the deck. Chair Thiesse opened the public hearing at 6:35 p.m. Loren Schoenzeit, 4480 Forest Lake Landing, stated in general the project as presented is appropriate but that he would like to confirm that the extreme setback of the house to the north, which is his, is there