07-27-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 13, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 19 Johnson noted the total is roughly 3,100 square feet. Mr. Hanson stated it is basically 230 square feet. Walsh said the other variances are practical difficulties and he would support them. Crosby asked if the Applicant felt there was a place he could allocate to get down to 25%. Mr. Heath Burris, 15535 52nd Place North, Plymouth, said he is building the home and he could get down to 25% by making the driveway smaller. He is not sure how that would affect the curb cut. Currently the curb access is about 20 feet and is not quite as wide as the driveway. The goal is to keep the rainwater from entering the lake, and he does not know if the amount equates to five gallons or 500 gallons of water. In the past they have been able to capture that with a French drain or a French garden. Although they are 2% over, with certain landscape designs, the impact on the soil, lake, road, and stormwater sewer is the same whether it is 27% or 25%. He asked for that option to be considered. If the Council does not approve the variance, the driveway will be smaller. The homeowners could still park on the sod/grass. Walsh stated he did not think the City had trade-offs for rain gardens in the code so it was not an option. Crosby asked if rock would be considered hardcover. Curtis said rock for a driveway would be hardcover. Walsh noted once something is compacted, it becomes hardcover. Mr. Burris said that was an idea they have come up with in the past in the same situation in other cities around the lake, so it was one of the alternatives he brought to Tim and Carrie. Walsh stated each city has a variety of things they look at; it is not in Orono’s code as a trade-off. Crosby said Casco is not a great road and he is concerned about safety. He also understa nds why the Council wants to stick to 25%. He asked if the builder could find a place where he could rob Peter to pay Paul to get to 25%. He stated it would be better to have more cars off the road. Walsh noted it is human nature to maximize things such a s the house and minimize the driveway because more driveway is less house. Crosby said he understands that because the rules changed in the past, the Council wants 25%. Johnson moved, Seals seconded, to deny LA20-000037 – Tim Hanson, 2645 Casco Point Road - Variance Request. VOTE: Ayes 3, Nays 1 (Crosby). 15. LA20-000024 – JAY NYGARD 1380 REST POINT ROAD – LOT AREA, LOT WIDTH, HARDCOVER, AND SIDE YARD SETBACK VARIANCES Staff presented a summary of packet information.