08-20-2001 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 9,2001 To Orono City Council Input for hearing on Boat Storage Criteria Greetings, We are residents with a lake frontage lot, 600 ’ deep. We have only lived in Orono about 1 1/2 years. We purchased land with sufficient space to acconunodate our needs and due to the recent article in the paper found out about some of the storage requirements for boats. Our boat happens to be only 16 feet and is not impacted by most storage requirements. We understand a desire to have pleasing views for passerby’s and for neighbors. That always needs to be balanced with the rights of the landowner to reasonable be able to use and enjoy their property. In looking at the competing factions, we would prioritize the needs of neighbors and landowners over that of passerby’s. The landowners and neighbors are 24-hour-a-day users of the property. Putting this into perspective, passerby’s have very short term (likely seconds) view of the property with no financial investment. Their concerns should not outweigh those who pay for and use the property 24-hours-a-day. Lot sizes also vary widely here. It makes no sense to require a visual barrier for a boat of whatever size if the boat is barely visible to any one but the landowner. Persons living on the lake border each other’s property and e.xpect to see boats. It is unreasonable for passerby’s to expect not to see boats in a lake front area. Our suggestion is that if boats arc stored more then 50 feet off the road and 10 feet otf property lines, there be no requirements for ‘screening’ regardless of size. The screening can be a bigger problem to neighbors then the boat. If a building can be 10 feet off the line, so should a boat. We’d rather look at a boat stored off season then a building there permanently. If a lot is of sufficient size to reasonably maintain it on the property, there should be no reason the landowner cannot keep it on their own property. For smaller lots, using a set back should resolve the problem and those set backs should be no more restrictive then those for buildings. The boat size would be taken care of by set back requirements. If it is too large for the lot size, they will Aot be able to meet set back requirements. How landowners want to cover their boat or not cover it should be their business. What one person likes, another may find offensive - just like the style or color of your home. We should also keep in mind that there are property owners who have been in this community for a long period of time and may not have the fmancial resources to pay for