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u <br />Dr«n #5 - 5/20/04 A RESOLUTION <br />ESTABLISHING POLICIES REGARDING <br />MINIMUM HARDCOVER STANDARDS <br />FOR GARAGES, DRIVEWAYS, SIDEWALKS, AND <br />SIMILAR PROPERTY FEATURES <br />WHEREAS, the City of Orono since 1975 has regulated the use and placement of hardcover on <br />land within 1000 feet of lake shorelines; and <br />WHEREAS, City Ordinances define hardcover as "Any structure, blacktop, or other material <br />which interferes to any degree with the direct absorption of rainfall into the ground"; and <br />WH ERE AS. the City Ordinances placing limitations on the use of hardcover divide the 1000-foot <br />regulatory zone into four tiered "liardcover zones" which are cormonly rcfen etl to as "the 0-75* zone", "the <br />75-250* zone", "the 250-500* zone**, and "the 500-1000* zone'*; and said zones are respectively allowed <br />0% hardcover, 25% hardcover, 30% hardcover, and 35% hardcover; and <br />WHEREAS, due to the hardcover limitations it has become common practice for applicants for <br />building pennits to minimize hardcover associated with driveways and sidewalks in order to maximize the <br />hardcover available for their structural footprint while meeting the established hardcover limits; and <br />WHEREAS, due to the hardcover limitations, applicants for building permits might choose to not <br />include a garage in their initial permit request, only to later request hardcover or setback variances foi <br />construction of a garage stalls; and <br />WHEREAS, the City has heretofore not established minimimi st;uidards for garage, driveway and <br />sidewalk dimensions, and consequently has been faced with proposa ’s for garages, drivewiys and <br />sidewalks that arc minimally functional or non-fimctional and which do no. provide for safe, efficient access <br />and off-street parking needs; and <br />WHEREAS, the City wishes to avoid situations in which poor garage, driveway and sidewalk <br />planning results in later requests for excessive hardcover; and <br />WHEREAS, the City seeks to establish a balance that avoids excessive liardcover while providing <br />adequate functionality with regards to private garages, driveways and sidewalks, and therefore it is in the <br />best interest of the City and its residenb' to establish a policy providing minimum sta*idards for such features <br />for property subject to hardcover regulations. <br />I*f k <br />Page 1 of 3