08-24-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Thursday, August 13, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 8 a given zoning district. He clarified if someone creates a new lot, this would come into play and if someone already has a lot, they would not need to get a variance. Walsh noted the Planning Commission went through the document very well and definitely had a lot of items. He thinks it would be good to send the updated document to the Council so they have time to review and see if there are any other questions they have before they move forward. Johnson noted in the past, when the Council changed how they measure the average lakeshore setback and if a line goes through the middle of the house, the Council talked to some surveyors to receive input. He asked how the Council could involve the people this document affects, for example, those who do work in Orono. He wondered if they should get some input and invite every contractor who has done a development in the City in the past year to read the document so they know what is being proposed and that something isn’t missing. Walsh asked if the document has ever gone to the Development Review Committee (DRC). Barnhart said it hasn’t gone before the DRC as a group, noting it has been mentioned but not as a draft. He said he could send the document to the handful of surveyors that have done plats or subdivisions within the last year and see if they have any comments. Johnson said they want to find a balance between having rigid codes and making sure the codes are as reasonable as possible to avoid having to go through the variance application process. He said he knows a considerable amount about development but there are some nuances in the draft that only someone who really works in that field can give input on. Crosby agreed that it wouldn’t be bad to send it out to the surveyors or developers and invite them to a work session for a discussion and to point out things the Council may want to look at more closely. Johnson said they can give surveyors and developers the opportunity and it’s up to them if they want to speak up, noting if the Council going to do it, they want to do it right. Walsh said it sounds like they’re not in any hurry. Johnson said there is a big difference between over-three-lot developments and the complication you get into there, and if they’re grouping them together, taking out the three Classes the process is the same. He said there was some language about avoiding the need to go before the Planning Commission for some things and he doesn’t see the value in skipping that. Walsh said he agrees and noted the Planning Commission voted not to do that. Crosby said Johnson made a great point about not having to send so many people through the variance process and it’s about simplification. Walsh said this isn’t a variance process, but it’s that subdivisions need to get approval. Crosby said that is correct and this way if the language is clear people know what’s expected so there may be less people applying for variances later on.