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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, March 9, 2020 <br />6:00 o'clock p.m. <br />Curtis said she did not know. <br />Mr. William Haack, Gordon James Construction, 5159 Main Street, Maple Plain, said there was electrical <br />in the shed previously. The owner wanted a countertop with a sink installed. A cabinet was put in but no <br />sink installed and no plumbing. There is an irrigation system that comes alongside the structure. When <br />they were building the new home, the owner asked them to freshen up the boathouse. He indicated the <br />2015 survey showed the same square footage of the boathouse as the 2019 survey -- 286 feet -- which was <br />after the work was done, so hardcover was not changed. It was a simple facelift and it was not considered <br />that any special permits were needed to re -side it. The homeowner removed the deck and hired a dock <br />company to install a removable dock system. The homeowner considered it part of his boat dock and that <br />is how it was constructed. <br />Crosby asked if the calculation on the old deck was added to the square footage of the new house. <br />Curtis stated she is not sure where it went, but it did go to the project. <br />Mr. Haack indicated if Staff's numbers were 240 square feet on the dock, 249 is the number for the <br />permanent deck that was on there originally. <br />Walsh said the construction company has been around for a long time and knows the rules. He asked how <br />a conversation about putting a dormer on a boathouse goes when everyone knows it will not get approved. <br />Mr. Haack stated they looked at it from a footprint and height perspective. The height is exactly the same <br />except the chimney; the footprint does not change. The architect may have overlooked that the gable part <br />goes out of the spirit of an in-kind/volume aspect. <br />Walsh asked if Mr. Haack now understands the rules. <br />Mr. Haack stated they are getting more clear <br />Walsh said he was personally a little disappointed to see it was done without asking anyone, because <br />approval would never be given. He stated anything above the high-water mark, whether it is on planks or <br />not, is a deck/hardcover. The owner has the right to have the same amount of hardcover as before but will <br />have to find hardcover somewhere else. <br />Crosby noted a plumbing permit was not yet pulled and wondered, since there is a sink planned, if that <br />would be done later or would be done in the middle of the night. <br />Curtis indicated the homeowner can have a sink with a permit. <br />Mr. Haack stated they would be putting in a sink and a cabinet. He said the chimney is for aesthetics, but <br />if the homeowner chose to put a fireplace in later, they would need to contact the City for a permit. <br />Seals said the facelift looks very nice. The City is very protective of the first 75 feet, it is clear a <br />homeowner can replace in-like/in-kind, and the City was clear in their direction regarding the new build <br />of the house. It is sneaky to call it a dock, and when you do anything on the water, everyone can see it. <br />She agreed there is no practical difficulty and because it is after the fact, it is concerning. She supports the <br />Planning Commission and Staff. If the Council says yes, it could bring about more of this behavior. <br />