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I <br />To: <br />From: <br />Date: <br />Subject: <br />Chair Smith and Planning Commissioners <br />Mike Gaffron, Planning Director <br />November 24,2003 <br />Proposed Policy Resolution - <br />Minimum Hardcover Standards for Driveways, Sidewalks, and Similar Features <br />f <br />Due to Orono’s strict hardcover limitations, builders and property owners often attempt to minimize <br />essential functional elements of their site plans to meet hardcover limitations, in order to obtain a building <br />permit. <br />The Zoning code has no minimum standards for driveways, sidewalks, decks, etc. Staff is often hard- <br />pressed to deny a building permit application proposing to use wood-chip sidewalks, extremely narrow <br />driveways, etc., even though we expect that the builder or property owner is likely to be unsatisfied with <br />the result. <br />In a number of recent cases, once the construction project is complete or near completion, the property <br />owner has then requested vaiHances for (or sometimes gone ahead and constructed) additional hardcover, <br />claiming it is needed to make the site functional or to provide an amenity tliat was earlier relinquished to <br />obtain the permit. Examples include: <br />#2954 Alton - 1635 Concordia - Hardcover variance .equest to expand deck/patio that was <br />minimized in order to get the building permit for large addition... <br />#2935 Hutton - 1835 Shadywood Road - Hardcover variance request to keep driveway that was <br />eliminated to obtain building permit, then was put back... <br />#2895 Germundson - 4101 H'ghwood Road - Hardcover/structure variance request to add a deck that <br />was eliminated in order to obtain building pennit... <br />#2890 Crcc - 3120 North Shore Drive - Hardcover variance request to allow pavers to expand <br />minimal driveway that was approved with building pennit... <br />(No #) Cable - 3532 Ivy Place - Reduced house size and proposed tiny driveway and wood chip <br />sidewalk to obtain building permit, then installed excessive driveway and concrete <br />sidewalk... <br />The list could go on and on. In order to provide applicants and Staff with some guidelines as to what is an <br />acceptable minimum driveway or sidewalk plan, the attached Policy Resolution is offered for discussion. <br />Upon your review and recommendation, this will be brought to the Council for action. <br />Question: Should decks also be added, with some minimum deck, landing or patio sizes that must be <br />provided for any door openings?