11-14-2022 City Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 14,2022 6:00 o'clock p.m. the current garage which extends outside the rear setback and into the County Road 51 right-of- way, and a current parking area that is also in the right-of-way. The goal of the project is to improve those situations by removing the parking area, removing the existing detached garage, and proposing an attached garage. The hardcover and sideyard setback are improving, and a parking turnaround pad allows the Applicants to exit the property with their cars forward rather than backing out on to County Road 51. Ms. Wessling noted the safety issues are real,her son parks on the gravel area and they are trying to build a functional and safe family residence that conforms to the neighborhood. They are very near the street and she worries about not being able to exit the driveway facing forward. Ms. Wessling spoke about near-misses,pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and that the property is on a curve making it hard to see when backing out. With the three car garage,they can utilize the turnaround as intended rather than using it as parking. She noted they are moving it back from the street, improving on all aspects,the property and Shadywood are unique, and it is within the character of the neighborhood. She spoke about a nearby property that has a three car garage and setback that was approved five years ago. Mayor Walsh noted the City Council has considered Shadywood regarding turnarounds because it is a main artery. Johnson noted cleaning up those non-conformities is a trade-off to him in this case. Mayor Walsh clarified they are also reducing hardcover. Johnson moved,Crosby seconded,to approve LA22-000052, 1780 Shadywood Road,Hardcover, Rear Yard Setback,and Driveway Setback Variances in order to construct an addition to the home. VOTE: Ayes 5,Nays 0. 15. LA22-000023—CITY OF ORONO TEXT AMENDMENT RELATED TO ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS—ORDINANCE NO.279,THIRD SERIES Community Development Director Oakden gave a presentation,noting they are proposing a zoning Code text amendment that will add Accessory Dwelling Units(ADUs)as a permitted accessory use in all residential zoning districts. The goal of the ordinance is to permit alternative housing types to support multi-generational housing options within the City of Orono. The Planning Commission held a public hearing,made no language changes, and voted 6-0 in favor of the proposed amendment. Staff recommends approval. Alisa Benson, 1220 Lyman Avenue, is undecided about pros and cons of ADUs.A number of issues have gone unaddressed, she does not feel there has been enough citizen engagement,this is a huge change to current Ordinance, and she has not seen it advertised much on the website,Facebook, or via newsletter mailing. The Code Review Committee identified the need for multi-generational housing and she is Page 3 of 7