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-cL0k0 <br /> To: Chair Ressler and Planning Commission Members <br /> Dustin Rief, City Administrator <br /> y � <br /> � G <br /> From: Jeremy Barnhart, AICP `gkESHO°' <br /> Community Development Director <br /> Date: November 16, 2020 <br /> Subject: #LA20-61, City of Orono Text Amendment: Expansion Permits <br /> Public Hearing <br /> Application Summary: A text amendment that would establish criteria and process for <br /> processing minor amendments, avoiding the variance process. <br /> Staff Recommendation: Planning Department Staff is requesting feedback regarding a <br /> proposed text amendment that would permit staff issued expansion permits. <br /> Background <br /> Currently, any improvement that does not conform to the applicable setbacks requires a <br /> variance, and the applicant must prove practical difficulties, among other standards. <br /> The Code Review Committee has discussed the desire to allow minor improvements to non- <br /> conforming structures without a variance for some time. The City of Mound provides a process <br /> where the Community Development Director may issue "minor expansion permits",for specific <br /> improvements and when specific criteria can be met. If considered a minor amendment, a <br /> variance would not be required, and no public hearing would be required. <br /> There are several benefits to this process: <br /> 1. the City can establish which modifications are considered "minor", and <br /> 2. the City can establish its own criteria when evaluating these proposals. In reviewing <br /> variances,the City must use at minimum State established standards. <br /> 3. the City can establish a process for review of these proposals. <br /> Request <br /> Staff is in the process of developing the ordinance,and seeks Planning Commission feed back prior <br /> to completing a draft. <br /> What constitutes a minor amendment? The City of Mound uses: <br /> i.A roof modification that increases the useable area within the same footprint without <br /> adding a full story to the structure; <br /> ii. A basement excavation within the existing structure footprint; <br /> iii.A one-story addition to an existing upper floor of a nonconforming structure that <br /> does not expand the footprint of the non-conforming structure and the one-story <br /> addition is less than 500 square feet in size; or <br />