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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br />Monday, July 15, 2019 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 2 of 2 <br /> <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 /> <br />Barnhart indicated that is true. <br /> <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 /> <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 /> <br />Gettman commented he likes the new language. <br /> <br />Bollis stated he also likes the new language, it makes sense, and it will help eliminate some issues. <br /> <br />Erickson indicated he would support Staff’s recommendation. <br /> <br />McCutcheon stated in his view this makes more sense and he would support it. <br /> <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 />Barnhart noted the table will not be part of the code and is intended for illustrative purposes. <br /> <br />Bollis moved, Erickson seconded, to recommend approval of Application No. LA19-000062, City of <br />Orono, Text Amendment, Accessory Building Size Regulations. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. <br />