07-25-2022 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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