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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,April 11,2022 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> City Planner Curtis gave a report stating the Applicants own the properties on either side of 2965 Casco <br /> Point Road(formerly the Swenson property). The Swenson lot is nonconforming in area,width, and <br /> hardcover and the Applicants recently purchased the lot together and hope to split the property and <br /> combine each abutting piece with their own lot.The Applicants are proposing to maintain the existing <br /> buildings-the existing home will become part of the Oare property and the detached garage will go to the <br /> Abbott property.Because of the non-conformities,prior to approval of an administrative boundary line <br /> adjustment,variances will be required including a hardcover variance and guest house variance.Although <br /> the 3 combined lots currently exceed 25%the Applicants are proposing a total net decrease in hardcover <br /> of 813 square feet.The hardcover for the new combined Abbott parcel will have 26.8 %hardcover,and <br /> the new Oare property will have 25.6%.The Oares wish to maintain the full functionality of the existing <br /> "Swenson"home to serve as a guest house.A guest house use in the LR-1C district requires a minimum <br /> lot area of 1.0 acre in addition to a Conditional Use Permit(CUP). The resulting lot area for the Oare <br /> property is proposed to be 0.73 acre. Ms. Curtis stated the Applicants are requesting a lot area variance <br /> from the guest house acreage requirement as part of this application. On February 22,2022 the Planning <br /> Commission held a public hearing. There was considerable discussion surrounding the lot area variance to <br /> support a guest house CUP.The Commission seemed to generally support the application in spirit but felt <br /> that practical difficulty was not provided. The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to deny the requested <br /> variances as applied. Comments from neighbors, which are all supportive,were received and included in <br /> the packet. Staff recommends approval of the hardcover variance for both properties resulting in a net <br /> decrease. Staff continues to recommend denial of the lot area variance for the guest house use.The Oares <br /> are permitted to maintain plumbing facilities in the existing house with a restrictive covenant addressing <br /> the use as an accessory building with full plumbing. <br /> Mike Sharratt is an architect,although he is not designing anything for this property.He noted there are a <br /> lot of non-conformities and in granting permission for the requests they are curing a lot of those non- <br /> conformities.Mr. Sharratt has listened to a lot of applications and there is a lot of pressure due to the <br /> value of roe to do subdivisions to tryand get multiple non-conforming1 <br /> p p rty pots out of a large property. <br /> This situation is the opposite as the Applicants are trying to remedy and make things better.The Swenson <br /> lot is very non-conforming and is only 20 feet wide at the lake.There are easements being eliminated,the <br /> net decrease of hardcover,giving up the dock, and they are not asking for additional parking. On the <br /> merits of what will be a much better situation for the Applicants and for the City, it seems a reasonable <br /> ask. <br /> Mayor Walsh thinks it is great that they are putting lots together and cleaning things up.He has the same <br /> issue with the last application which is the practical difficulty for the guest house.He needs to know the <br /> practical difficulty in having a house that can be rented out or lived in. <br /> Mr. Sharratt noted the Applicants have already agreed that they will not be renting this out. It is only for <br /> friends and family and will be less occupied and have less traffic on Casco Point Road because of the <br /> combination. <br /> Mayor Walsh noted they could sell it one day and it might be something different.He would agree with <br /> Staff's recommendations. <br /> Ms. Curtis clarified the City has a covenant for guest houses that would be recorded against the property <br /> that would have the same restrictions that a plumbing accessory building has but also has the additional <br /> level of not being able to rent it or use it for home occupation.The Applicant is willing to sign a covenant <br /> restricting the use. <br /> Page 7 of 9 <br />