04-21-2003 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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L. Dr. Dennis and Diane KiUian Variaacc Applicatioa 3/18/03 DESCRIPTION OF REQUEST We are a couple ulio are raising otir niece in oiff home. We would like to build a lakeside home to live in which is suflicient size for us to comfortably raise our niece. Our request is that we can build such a house, on our double lot, as it is described in this Variance application Additional Background Information: (This section ^ written with the Toths, our new neighbors, with whom we coordinated our home design. So, it U very similar to the description in their Variance application) We own 3 adjacent properties and are planning to build a home for ourselves at 1300 Spmee Place and sell 1280 and 1290 Sprtice to the Toths, a very nice couple, for their retirement home. We are extremely sensitive to the delicate lakdront ecology and have worked closely with the Killians and our designers to come up with a plan, which will significantly iinprove tiie beauQr and lakefiront environment of these ar^acent parcels. In a nutshell, the net impact of our two proposals (Toths* and Killians*) h to remove about 3,000 square feet of hardcover from the 0'-75* lake front zone. 3,000 square feet is the equivalent of one good sized or two extremely modest homes. The only man made items left in that zone are essential existing retaining walls needed for erosion control, and existing stairs so that we can walk to the edge of the water. Additionally, the net effect of our two proposals will be to reduce the overall site hardcover from 42% to 39% while removing a sipiificant portion of hardcover which is presently in the 0*-75 zone and placing a reduced amount well within present day set b^ks. We have met several times with Orono planning officials and have continued to reduce the size of our proposed home until it reached what we consider a functional minimum. UARDSmP/DESCRIPTION OF UNUSUAL PROPERTT^ CONDITIONS As is the case with our future neighbors, the Toth's, it is our understanding that these lots were subdivided at a time when the cit> 's lot requirements were much smaller. Subsequently, the area has been re-zoned w ith much higher minimum lot size requirements. This re-zoning has created a hardship by making historically buildablc lots unbuildabic. We therefore request that the city grants us a variance regarding minimum lot size and maximum allow able hardcover for these lots. Additionally, this double lot, which we purchased, has a “fan” shape, in which the largest part of the lot is facing the lake. This is one of the things, which made this lot attractive to us. (See Sheet #2 of attached supporting documents.) Unfortunately, this fan shape creates a configuration hardship becau:>e the shape of the lot places a 1^ peicentcge of the lot area in the 0*-75' setback. At the same time the