02-13-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Tuesday, January 17, 2017 6:30 o'clock p.m. Curtis stated Staff would prefer the Planning Commission speak directly to the request. Curtis stated if the Planning Commission feels the practical difficulty is sufficient enough to approve the addition, they should recommend the approval. If not, they should recommend denial or request the applicant modify their plan to improve upon the setback. Daly stated if a different addition goes on the south side of the house, the current house is still close to the setback line. Curtis noted the house is 17 feet from the property line. Daly stated it would not make sense for that room to be there then if they have to move it. Daly stated their goal is to maintain what is there today and that they are requesting permission to attach the addition to the primary structure. Daly indicated the space is currently a walkway or a sidewalk and that they are requesting permission to connect those two areas together. Schoenzeit stated if they find out that the garage does not have frost footings, they will have to tear it down if they want to connect it to the house. Schoenzeit stated if they end up tearing it down, his recommendation is that they not put the new structure exactly where the old structure was but instead make it more compliant with the setback. Schoenzeit stated the only reason why the Planning Commission is considering the variance is because the garage is where it is. Daly stated even if it were torn down, as a detached structure they are allowed to rebuild it in kind. Daly stated their intentions are to try to keep the garage since it has some historical elements. Schoenzeit stated the code would probably allow them to tear down the garage, rebuild it in place with frost footings, and then get a variance to connect it to the house since they would have a practical difficulty. Schoenzeit commented this would short circuit it and basically say it is there. Landgraver stated that is the end game that is allowable and doable. Landgraver stated he is more concerned about the hardcover since they are so close to being in compliance. Landgraver stated when there are complete do -overs, it is hard to grant an exception, but that this is not a complete do -over. Landgraver indicated he is okay with the side setback variance for the reasons already articulated. Schoenzeit stated from the neighbor's point of view, their view will not change.