10-12-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, September 21, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 6. LA20-000062 ACCENT HOMES, 4780 NORTH ARM DRIVE WEST, VARIANCE. STAFF: MELANIE CURTIS. Ellen Forcier, Applicant, was present. Staff presented a summary of packet information. Ms. Curtis noted Planning Staff recommends approval of the requested variances to develop the property. Chair Ressler said just to summarize, the 2 acres and 200 feet is what triggers this variance. Ms. Curtis answered in the affirmative. Chair Ressler noted any lot they want to build on that isn’t already developed will trigger that. Mr. Curtis replied yes, or to redevelop. Ellen Forcier, 3109 Dakota Avenue South, St. Louis Park, noted the property 4780 North Arm Drive is where she grew up in a home with her mother and two sisters. She noted the home burned in about 1985 and was left to Ms. Forcier and her daughter in the hopes from her mother that they would build on the property at some point. Ms. Forcier and her husband are at the point of looking at one-level living and that is why the property has been empty for as long as it has been. They’re asking for the variance, and as Ms. Curtis stated, the house fits within but the septic does not. Ms. Curtis clarified the septic does meet the setbacks. Libby asked if the existing septic or the septic design is in compliance. Ms. Curtis responded the septic design has been approved by the building official. Chair Ressler opened the public hearing at 7:53 p.m. Robin Johnson, 4730 North Arm Drive, is attending to request the Planning Commission hear her concerns regarding the building permit requested by the owner of 4780 North Arm Drive. She noted this is a five-acre lot that has stood abandoned since a home burned on the site in the mid-1980’s. Prior to that, it is Ms. Johnson’s understanding the site was the original Orono one-room Swedish schoolhouse that’s been memorialized by a plaque in Legacy Park. The original fieldstone foundation of the original Orono Swedish schoolhouse is still in-part intact on the site. In July 2020, the neighborhood woke up to the sound of the site being clear-cut, which she understands the owner has the right to do. At the time, the site had completely grown over. Ms. Johnson asked to point out some intricacies about that corner, there’s been a lot of new density brought into County Road 19 right there including the Lakeview Development and Red Oak, that corner (19 and North Arm) is very high density and high traffic, moving at about 50 miles per hour. She noted they see a significant amount of accidents and traffic on that corner, especially on a slippery winter morning, she has seen 18-wheelers slide backward at the stop sign on the corner. Because of the extreme overgrowth on the lot, very few people knew that historical site existed, the homestead was abandoned and left in disrepair for over 35 years, leaving burned remnants, an uncovered well cistern, and became the home for lots of overgrowth and wildlife. Ms. Johnson’s concern, as is the concern of many of the surrounding property owners, and her understanding is that the lot is unbuildable and they’ve been told that over time by the City Planners in decades past. The main reason it’s unbuildable is because of the 50 foot setback from County Road 19 and the other issue is the septic