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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br />MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018 <br />6:30 o'clock p.m. <br />Schoenzeit stated the extra 10 feet was added to help in situations where there was a door leading out to <br />the back yard and there was a buffer. Schoenzeit stated the extra 10 feet was designed to give the <br />homeowner some extra room and this seems to take that away. Schoenzeit suggested Staff consider <br />adjusting it for a door going out to that area. Schoenzeit stated if the door is on the side of the house and <br />not next to the buffer area, they might not need that extra room. <br />Thiesse noted it was the City's request previously to add that extra 10 feet. <br />Schoenzeit stated that extra 10 feet provides additional protection to the wetland buffer. <br />Thiesse stated they could also state that no door is allowed into that area. <br />Barnhart stated the Watershed District's sole purpose is to protect the wetland, and it was the thinking that <br />if the Watershed District does not require an additional setback to the buffer, why should the City. <br />Thiesse stated the minute something is allowed right next to that buffer, activity is going to start to occur <br />within the buffer because there is a need to maintain someone's property. <br />Landgraver noted in the past the Planning Commission has recommended the additional protection be <br />added. <br />Schoenzeit stated it is similar to the 75 -foot zone rather than a 50 -foot setback. <br />Thiesse stated his concern is if the 10 feet is removed, all that accomplishes is that the structure is moved <br />up to that buffer and the City now has something they cannot enforce. <br />Barnhart stated the homeowner can walk in that area but they cannot mow or add fertilizer. Barnhart <br />stated to some degree it is not the City's rule to enforce and it falls to the Watershed District. <br />Schoenzeit commented if it is not broken, there is no need to fix it. <br />Thiesse asked if the City has received a number of requests to go within the 10 feet. <br />Barnhart stated it is his understanding that there are a number of residents who have spoken to elected <br />officials about the extra setback but that he does not have any hard data about that. <br />Landgraver commented the City needs to balance what Orono has stood for in the past and the requests <br />from a couple of residents. Landgraver stated he believes the 10 -foot setback was a reasonable <br />enhancement and that he has not been convinced that anything has changed. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />