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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, November 18, 2019 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 38 of 46 <br /> <br />McCutcheon said people love shallow lots, it is an average house. He asked if there was any variance that <br />wasn't included and if the lakeshore setback was good. <br /> <br />Ressler indicated the lakeshore setback. <br /> <br />Curtis confirmed that they are conforming to the 75, conforming to the average, conforming on the sides. <br /> <br />McCutcheon said since there is limited parking, a 3-car garage is almost a necessity because the driveway <br />can't be increased without impacting the hardcover as well. He asked how much the City was asking for it <br />to be reduced. <br /> <br />Curtis responded it was 222 square feet. <br /> <br />McCutcheon asked the applicant if he had played around with the design. <br /> <br />Mr. Hueler asked the Commission to look at the main floor, which is what would need to be shrunk. The <br />garage is a pretty standard size. The architect is opinionated about what can be shrunk and what can't <br />because of massing and making the house look architecturally correct, but if certain components of the <br />house are shrunk, it will look to him like the garage is eating the house. If they shrunk the family room, <br />dining room, and kitchen from the lake side, he would end up with a room that, according to the architect, <br />is not a good size room. These are not large spaces. The ceiling height is 2 feet below the height <br />restriction, and they did not want to raise the house up, so they are pretty close to the ground on the main <br />floor. That's part of the reason he wanted additional storage in the back hall, because he has no room to <br />put additional items in a basement. <br /> <br />McCutcheon asked what is over the second floor of the foyer in the entryway. <br /> <br />Mr. Hueler said it was a master bathroom and that none of the bedrooms are large. It is a challenging site. <br /> <br />Thiesse noted a couple years ago it was 15 percent. It was raised to 20 percent on the likelihood that <br />people could stay within 20 percent. Thiesse brought up a comment made by a previous Commissioner <br />who said, "It's a clean slate. You can make it work." He agrees with that. <br /> <br />Ressler said he tends to agree that as much as it would be nice to have a 3-car garage, it could easily be <br />amended to a 2-car garage and fit that 20 percentile, understanding that the hardcover would still be there <br />but that also provides more parking instead of a garage and structure. <br /> <br />Thiesse suggested a 2 1/2 car garage and then there would be storage. <br /> <br />Ressler stated he is in agreement with Staff, he would like to see it down to 20 percent, also based on <br />Thiesse's comments that it was 15 percent and that's something the Commission is already more flexible