10-25-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Background The city purchased 365 Old Crystal Bay Road for a new public works facility in 2020. A comprehensive plan amendment (LA21-000006) was approved in April 2021 that added the site into the Metropolitan Urban Service Area, allowing for sanitary sewer access. In September 2021 the City Council waived Planning Commission review, electing to hold required public hearings at the City Council level (Exhibit D). The building is long, with a drive through garage on the west side of the building, and offices, meeting rooms, rest rooms being located in a shorter building on the north side of the garage. The final design of the building has not been established, in terms of building materials, colors, etc. Two variances are required to construct the building as presented. They include a variance from the side yard (north) setback line. The building is proposed to be setback 23 feet from the north side lot line, where 30 feet is required for RR-1B zoning. While the property to the north is owned by MnDOT, it is not considered Right of Way. The other variance required is to the building height. The defined height of the building is 36’ where 30 feet is the maximum. The garage exceeds the 30 foot limit, in part due to the significant slope of the lot (it drops 21 feet in the span of the building length), and the need for high ceilings for the over-head crane and other equipment. The proposed use, municipal buildings, are a permitted use in the RR-1B zoning district. No conditional use permit is has been identified. Planning Staff Practical Difficulty Analysis: Regarding practical difficulty, Staff finds a practical difficulty exists due in part to the slope of the lot and the length of the building. Perhaps the strongest argument for the height variance is based on how defined height is calculated. The height is based in on the lower of the highest existing grade (1023) or 10 feet above the lowest existing grade (1002+10=1012). The 1012 elevation is located in the back 1/3rd of the building. At the street, or at the front of the building, the height will appear as 25 feet (2 stories). Item No.: 9 Date: October 25, 2021 Item Description: LA21-000068 – City of Orono, 365 Old Crystal Bay Road North – Side Yard Setback and Building Height Variance Presenter: Jeremy Barnhart, AICP Community Development Director Agenda Section: Public Hearing Application Summary: The applicant is requesting side yard and building height variances to construct a new public works facility on the property. Staff Recommendation: Planning Department Staff recommends approval of the variances as presented.