Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, February 13, 2017 <br />7:00 o'clock p.m. <br />Carlson stated she is here tonight to request that her neighborhood and other small neighborhoods be <br />given the opportunity to have conversations regarding their zoning designations. Carlson stated in her <br />view it is most appropriate that these discussions be held as part of the Comprehensive Plan update and <br />that she would like to know what to do from this point. <br />Walsh suggested she provide her name to Mr. Barnhart if she would like to be involved in this process. <br />Walsh commented the more people involved, the better. <br />Carlson asked if the small lot neighborhood zoning will be part of the Comprehensive Plan Update. <br />Printup stated his idea was to keep it separate from the Comprehensive Plan Update and have a discussion <br />on what can be done to help out the smaller lot neighborhoods. Printup stated one of the things that the <br />Council talks about quite often is that it does not make sense to have two -acre density apply on some of <br />these smaller lots. <br />Carlson stated the intent back in the 1970s was that people would purchase more than one lot and create <br />bigger lots. Carlson stated that has not happened in her neighborhood. <br />Printup commented that discussion has not gone anywhere but that he has been advocating for that <br />discussion because some kind of attention needs to be paid to those issues. <br />Carlson asked why that discussion would be separate from the Comprehensive Plan Update. Carlson <br />stated an email discussion she had back in 2013 with Planner Gaffron suggested to her that to change the <br />zoning would take an amendment of the Comprehensive Plan, that it would be very time-consuming for <br />Staff, and that the time to do it would be during the update. <br />Printup stated maybe what she is interested in is subdividing. <br />Carlson stated her standpoint was not solely for herself but as someone who lives in the area for 33 years. <br />Currently people in her neighborhood have great difficulty building a garage or remodeling their house <br />the way it would be aesthetically the best because they are impeded by the variance process and the costs. <br />Printup asked if there is a way to do that without changing the zoning. <br />Carlson stated most likely not, especially when the lot is only a tenth of an acre but is in a two -acre zone. <br />Printup stated that is why he is eager to have that conversation. <br />Walsh stated the Council is looking at the issues involved with smaller lots and how the process can be <br />made easier. Walsh stated he is not sure the Comprehensive Plan Update process will solve those issues. <br />Barnhart stated to his understanding previous Councils have recognized there is a problem with the <br />smaller lots but that they need to look at the whole city comprehensively. Barnhart stated the reason why <br />it is being recommended to break it apart is to allow a more detailed discussion on those issues. Barnhart <br />stated the end result may not be a rezoning but rather revising some of the regulations. Barnhart stated <br />the expectation is to move the discussion on the smaller lot neighborhoods to the front of the line and that <br />it may require a Comprehensive Plan amendment or it may not. <br />Page 13 of 18 <br />