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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> February 21,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> the proposal will still be over that 25 percent hardcover limitation.Although the deck meets all the <br /> required setbacks, and the overall hardcover on the site will be reduced, staff is recommending denial <br /> based on practical difficulties not being met. The request for the additional deck is more out of <br /> convenience and not necessary for the use of the property. The property currently has a lakeside patio and <br /> an at-grade patio next to the home as well as a rooftop terrace or second story deck. The property <br /> currently has a non-conforming boathouse and lakeside patio that are within the 75-foot setback. If these <br /> were removed,the lot would be within five square feet of compliance with hardcover. Staff believes there <br /> are practical ways to bring the lot into conformance with the required hardcover regulations. The <br /> applicant has provided supporting documentation regarding the applicable practical difficulties and is here <br /> today. A Neighbor Acknowledgement Form has been included,but no other public comment has been <br /> received. The applicant has reached out to staff and informally discussed possibly the removal of the <br /> lakeside patio to further bring this into conformance That would be an additional reduction of 76 square <br /> feet, but I'm not sure if that's going to be proposed tonight or not. <br /> McCutcheon asked if removing the lakeside patio would bring the site to 25 percent hardcover. <br /> Nye said it would bring them to 27.4 versus 27.9, so it just slightly reduces it. <br /> Andy Johnsrud, Lecy Brothers Homes Remodeling, 3250 County Road 10 N, Watertown,MN, explained. <br /> the buyers of the property just purchase it in the last few months and his company is remodeling the <br /> home including a main level bedroom and a deck. He said they were aware of the set-back regulations but <br /> not the hardcover calculations. Our initial deck design actually was 18 feet by 19 feet with a deck stairs <br /> that we removed when we met with Melanie(Curtis, City Planner), back a few months ago. So the deck <br /> that we're seeing right now, as Natalie(Nye, City Planner)mentioned,we are removing the patio that's <br /> out in front of it. We're also moving the flagstone steps. We'd love to keep the patio along the lake. <br /> Natalie mentioned in our staff report(the possibility of removing the lake patio). I discussed it with my <br /> clients. They're open to the idea of it. But that's the big thing that we're looking at as you know. The <br /> dwellings on both the north and south side and the lakeside setback, all was great.I thought when we <br /> removed hardcover,I didn't realize we needed a variance.Natalie informed us of that, so that's why we're <br /> here. And that's also why we reduced that deck four feet along with a four-foot stair that would go down <br /> to be parallel with the lake. Currently the property does not have a deck on the lake side, and I would say <br /> most of the homes along there would have a deck on the lake side. We are going to choose to leave some <br /> steps that are going to be left, instead of putting steps on the deck,which we initially wanted to do. <br /> Kirchner asked if the footprint of the home changed at all as part of the remodel and if the excess of <br /> hardcover that exists today is not a result of your client, it would be from prior homeowner or <br /> homeowners? <br /> Mr. Johnsrud said the footprint of the house would not change and the excess hardcover did go back to a <br /> previous owner. <br /> McCutcheon asked if the applicant had looked at all the design possibilities to get to 25 percent hardcover <br /> like tearing down the boathouse or making the deck smaller. <br /> Page 16 of 19 <br />