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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Tuesday,June 21,2022 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> Kirchner moved to deny LA22-000026, 165 Bederwood Drive,Requests Front and Side Yard <br /> Setback Variances for a Garage Addition as applied. <br /> Ressler clarified his position that he is in support of the application as applied for the merits mentioned. <br /> He is in support of a"lesser version"of this.He appreciates Staff clarifying they seem to have majority <br /> support for everything except the encroachment onto the easement.He feels even if denied that feedback <br /> should carry some weight to the City Council. <br /> Erickson seconded.VOTE: Ayes: 5,Nays 1 (Bollis). <br /> 3. LA22-000028 PETER ESKUCHE WITH ESKUCHE DESIGN,2605 NORTH SHORE <br /> DRIVE,REQUESTS VARIANCES FOR BUILDING,HARDCOVER,AND RETAINING <br /> WALLS WITHIN THE 75' LAKESHORE,SIDE YARD,WETLAND BUFFER,AND LOT <br /> AREA IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT A NEW HOME.(STAFF: LAURA OAKDEN). <br /> Peter Eskuche,Applicant,was present. <br /> City Planner Oakden gave a presentation on the item, stating this is a project for a new home with a <br /> request to demolish the existing home and rebuild. She gave background on the surveys noting the site is <br /> unique because Lake Minnetonka is on the south side but is also present on the side,along with a pond <br /> and inlet which creates quite a large 75 foot setback.The new house will be a building,hardcover,and <br /> retaining walls within the 75 foot setback variance requested, sideyard variance request, lot area variance <br /> request,and a wetland setback request. Staff recommends approval of the proposed variances associated <br /> with the construction of the new home; Staff does not support the wetland setback variance as it pertains <br /> to an entrance monument proposed location.The existing structure is 18 feet from Lake Minnetonka at <br /> the closest point on the lake yard and 50 feet on the inlet side/sideyard.The Applicant is proposing a new <br /> home further back from the lakeshore at 36.5 feet from the lake and 53 feet from the inlet.The proposal <br /> includes the removal of hardcover on the west and south side of the property and to minimize the inlet <br /> encroachment the Applicant is proposing to push the house closer to the shared property line on the east. <br /> The Applicant has worked to design the home to try to improve current setbacks and maintain some of the <br /> same footprint of the existing home.Minnehaha Creek Watershed was contacted and they require a low <br /> floor opening of 933.5 which was shared with the Applicant.Oakden stated the property currently has <br /> entrance monuments which could be maintained;the new location of the entrance monuments are roughly <br /> 5 feet from delineated wetland where 25 feet is required. Staff finds the inlet is a practical difficulty <br /> supporting the variance and notes the Applicant is working to improve the site by building within the <br /> existing foot print and moving the house away from the existing setbacks,and reducing the overall <br /> hardcover. Staff finds the wetland buffer variance to allow for the monuments is a convenience and not <br /> necessary for use of the property and does not support that variance. She has included a variance request <br /> from 2019 that has since expired.The Applicant submitted two neighboring signatures with <br /> acknowledgement and those are also included in the packet. Staff recommends approval for the proposed <br /> variances for hardcover,building,retaining wall,and the 75 foot lake yard,75 foot setback, sideyard <br /> setback,and lot area. Staff recommends denial for the proposed setback for the new entrance monuments <br /> as practical difficulty standards were not met. <br /> Ressler asked if there is a survey identifying the existing monument. <br /> Oakden replied the red indicates the existing monument and the blue is the new proposed monuments. <br /> Page 4 of 9 <br />