06-09-2003 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, April 21,2003 6:00 o*clock p.m. (1^11 #03-2889 RAVIA REAL ESTATE, LLC, Continued) areas from the potential impacts of a proposed commercial/oiTice development, as well as enhance the quality of such development. Originally, Gaffron reported, the property was part of a 7-acre tract that was platted into two lots for development in 2001. The easterly lot (Lot 2,4.5 acres) was rezoned to RPUD and is now the site of Orono Woods Senior Housing. The west 2.6 acres became Lot 1, Orono Ambar, and was rezoned to B-6 Highway Commercial District. Lot 1 is the subject of the current application. Gaffron continued with a brief history of the parcel, noting that development of a 25,000 s.f. office building on Lot 1 was granted General Development Plan Approval via Resolution No. 4704 on October 22, 2001, subject to the provisions of Planned Unit Development Agreement No. 2A. PUD Agreement No. 2A established that the only permitted principal structure on Lot 1 is a 25,000 gross s.f. 2-story office building with underground and surface parking per the approved site plan. Permitted uses of that building are general office uses which may include business and professional offices of a general nature, and may include a clinic for human care on an outpatient basis only. The building may not be used for general retail use, but accessory retail uses could occur in up to 20% of the )^ss floor area of the building. Develcoer Frank Dunbar subsequently concluded that there was insufficient demand for the of ICC building, and filed Application No. 02-2771 with the City in March 2002, propo: ing a 50-unit Phase II of Orono Woods Senior Housing for Lot 1. That application resulted in a public hemng during which the adjoining neighborhood expressed significant opposition to the project based on the size, orientation and intensity of the proposal. Dunbar did not proceed with that application, and has now sold the property to Wara Real Estate (one of the principal current applicants) contingent upon City approval for the proposed office project. With regard to the surrounding land use, Gaffron pointed out that directly to the north of the subject property is a residential neighborhood called “Sugarwoods ”. The only buffer between the applicants’ office site and the residential use in Sugarwoods is a 40’ wide platted outlot that is owned by the Sugarwoods Homeowners Association. Restrictions were placed on each lot within the Sugarwoods neighborhood that prohibits removal of trees greater than 2” in diameter within the rear setback for those lots located closest to the proposed development. The 40’ buffer outlot is generally wooded. The subject property is located on Highway 12 and the Orono Ambar Senior Housing development is located to the east. Two parcels that are located west of the subject property are developed as the Orono Shopping Center and Conoco gas station; the lot directly adjacent to the west and surrounded on two sides by iq)plicant’s property contains nonconforming residential and industrial uses, including a welding shop. PAGE 18 of 40