09-12-2022 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, August 15, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 5. LA22-000041 ESKUCHE DESIGN, 3005 CASCO POINT ROAD, REQUESTS AN AVERAGE LAKESHORE SETBACK VARIANCE FOR A NEW HOME. (STAFF: MELANIE CURTIS) The Applicants were present. The Applicant is proposing to redevelop the property with a new single family home. As part of the project the property owner plans to combine the subject property with a portion of the property to the north addressed 2987 Casco Point Road. Further they plan to combine the remaining half of 2987 Casco Point Road with the “tennis court lot.” The existing homes are planned to be removed. The Applicant has designed a new home for the newly enlarged property reflected in Exhibit D. For the purpose of this application the Planning Commission should treat the newly enlarged property as existing. If there are any approvals granted, they will be contingent upon completion of all the requirements to administratively move the lot lines. Due to the orientation of the property in relation to the neighboring homes and the curvature of the shoreline, the Applicant is requesting an average lakeshore setback variance for the new home. The Applicant has provided supporting documentation regarding the applicable practical difficulties attached as Exhibit B, and should be asked for additional testimony regarding the application. The neighboring home is pushed back from the lake 210 feet due to a relatively narrow 50 foot lakeshore strip. The result is a large average lakeshore setback over the subject property. The proposed home has been designed to reduce the impact to the adjacent property owners’ views of the lake from the existing condition. The Applicant is proposing to reduce the encroachment into the average lakeshore setback by 15 feet, and reorient the home to pull back from the lake and away from the neighboring lots in the average setback area. Comments have been received and are included in the packet. An additional comment was submitted today. Staff finds that the Applicant’s choice to build a replacement home in the proposed location is not supported by practical difficulty, although it slightly improves the lake views from the adjacent home from the existing condition. There is a conforming building envelope on the property to support the Applicant’s proposed home footprint. Finding inadequate practical difficulties to support the request, Planning Staff recommends denial. Bob Heim, 3005 Casco Point Road, stated this was a three lot parcel and they decided to split it to two parcels based on feedback from the City and neighbors. Now they are trying to build homes that conform with the other homes so they are essentially in a line. Moving the house forward cuts down on the sightline of the neighbor’s pool, although they could plant shrubs on the side to hide the pool. Neighbors on both sides agree with the plan. Michael Gorman, 2987 Casco Point Road, noted they are trying to balance a consistent setback along what was formerly Lakeshore Avenue. This does require a variance based on where the homes are located but it was designed intentionally and showed the line of homes on screen. Sven Gustafson, general contractor, spoke about preserving the Goodwin's sightline. Chair McCutcheon opened the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. Dan Seidel, 3015 Casco Point, supports the plan and thinks they put a lot of care and time into it. He stated the reason his house is in its current location is because they took care not to block the Hartswell house or to loom over the house next to them. The setback is improving on the house next to his as it is being moved back, and they have talked about not putting a forest in to preserve Mr. Seidel’s lake view which he appreciates. He thinks they have a chance to line up the historic homes for the next 100 years.