06-12-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, May 15,2017 6:30 o'clock p.m. Schoenzeit stated in his view the City would be setting a dangerous precedence to allow an applicant to do a project that clearly needs engineering if they do not require that engineering. Schoenzeit stated in his view it would be irresponsible and dangerous for the Planning Commission to allow it on this project since there will likely be other people who want the same waiver. Schoenzeit stated he would not be comfortable approving it and that in his view the applicant would want to know it is going to survive I 00 -year rainfall events before making this type if investment. Anderson stated a couple of factors apply in this situation. Anderson indicated the slope does have to match the neighboring properties, and if they used an engineering solution on this one, they would also have to clear cut and slice the neighboring property's slope off. At some point the City just has to say we are going to fix it and they cannot impose these kind of costs on a homeowner. Anderson stated the second factor is the structural integrity of that slope. The reason the slope failed is because the rain came from the west and it rained really hard and the ground was saturated. Anderson noted the middle of this property is steeper than anywhere else and the water drains on both sides of those lots. The reason they failed is that all the water focused in one area, which increased that saturation point. The purpose of the proposed berm and the surface drains is so no other water can fall on that slope except for rain. Anderson noted a 3: 1 slope is structural, a 2: 1 slope is a substandard engineering slope, and a 1: 1 slope is what sand will stand at. Anderson indicated they are proposing a slope at just over 1: 1 and that is only because they cannot go towards the water. Anderson stated the only reason they have to staircase the slope is because the subsoil is so saturated that they need to get down to virgin soils in order to compact it. Anderson indicated the saw tooth method is very common and works very well. Anderson stated the City has to be careful about requiring an engineering solution that will impose many hundreds of thousands of dollars because the homeowners will not do anything. Curtis asked if they have done a drainage area analysis to determine how to size the pipes. Anderson stated they do have that information. Anderson indicated that area is 500 yards and that the far right of the property runs forward. Anderson stated there really is not a lot of water but that they want to