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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Monday, September 16,2019 <br /> 6:30 p.m. <br /> Gettman stated he believes the table is off by one decimal point in the fourth column. <br /> Barnhart indicated he will re-examine the table and verify the numbers. <br /> Gettman stated he understands the maximum, but he does not know why there is a minimum. <br /> Barnhart stated the minimum acres is 3.01 and the maximum acres is 3.5. If you are allowed a 2,800 <br /> square foot oversized accessory building and have the minimum amount,that person would have 2.14 <br /> percent of the lot covered by the oversized accessory building. <br /> Gettman stated other than the misplaced decimal point,the table is very clear. <br /> McCutcheon commented this table makes more sense. <br /> Chair Ressler opened the public hearing at 9:03 p.m. <br /> There were no public comments regarding this application. <br /> Chair Ressler closed the public hearing at 9:03 p.m. <br /> Thiesse asked whether the maximum amount or the cumulative square footage is what applies and that the <br /> City does not care about how many buildings they have. <br /> Barnhart indicated that is true. <br /> Thiesse stated he believes this revision was based on one request for a variance and there was confusion <br /> about the practical difficulty in that situation. The state is very specific on what a practical difficulty is, <br /> and the applicant was not going to meet it because he created the problem himself. The criteria are <br /> whether the area is going to be used in a reasonable manner, if the person did not create the practical <br /> difficulty, and if it fits within the character of the neighborhood. If someone meets all of those,they have <br /> met the practical difficulty. <br /> Orono is considered a lakeshore city and a rural oasis. Thiesse stated when he thinks of a rural oasis,that <br /> means a house,a barn, a grainery, and maybe a couple of sheds. Those buildings were located and <br /> constructed for function,but they became the City's motto for massing and is symbolic of a rural oasis. <br /> The new ordinance goes from a cluster of buildings to a possible singular large building,which is <br /> changing the meaning of a rural oasis. <br /> Gettman commented he likes the new language. <br /> Bollis stated he also likes the new language, it makes sense, and it will help eliminate some issues. <br /> Erickson indicated he would support Staff's recommendation. <br /> McCutcheon stated in his view this makes more sense and he would support it. <br /> Ressler stated if you look at the corresponding acreage to allowable cumulative building footprint area, <br /> those numbers do not seem alarming and he is in support of it. <br /> Page 22 of 24 <br />