07-13-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIIL MEETING Monday, July 13, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. Senior Planner Gaffron noted this is the City Council's first review of the preliminary plat for the parcel of land located at 300 Sixth Avenue North. The applicant is proposing a subdivision to create 11 new lots out of approximately 95 acres. There would be two new roads in the subdivision. The Planning Commission reviewed this application and held public hearings at its May 18 and June 15 meetings. On May 18, the Planning Commission tabled the application, requesting that the applicant provide additional information regarding the tree preservation covenant limitations that would be placed on individual lots as well as more detail regarding the future intent for preservation of the prairie areas. On June 15, the Planning Commission reviewed a revised lot layout (Plan B) and voted 6 to 0 to recommend approval of the application as revised, with conditions. At both public hearings there was a considerable amount of discussion from the public and the neighborhood about what they feel should be preserved. Gaffron stated there was a good discussion at those meetings about whether it is more important to preserve the prairie areas or the Big Woods. Gaffron indicated Staff's report contains a fair amount of information and that he would like to turn it over to George Stickney, the proposed developer of the property, to provide some background on the application and what he is currently proposing. George Stickney, BPS Properties, stated in his view both plans that were submitted are great. Stickney stated throughout the whole process the goal has been to meet the seIler's vision for the property. Stickney stated his reason for bringing a different plan to the City Council was to address the comments raised at the May 18 meeting. The revised plan has removed one of the proposed lots from the Big Woods area and added it to the prairie area abutting Hunter Drive. Stickney stated when he first developed this plan, it had four lots with the backs of the homes facing the prairie. Stickney stated he did not present that plan and that he revised it to have the homes more hidden in the woods. Stickney stated in creating this subdivision, he went through every possible option to locate a septic, a driveway, house, and preserve as many trees as possible. Stickney stated Diagram No. 2 consists of Block 1, Lot 1; Lot 2 of Block 2; and Lots 1 and 2 of Block 3. The driveways have been changed to be south of the septic locations. Stickney stated all of the driveways are perfectly located and that he has created a new driveway that lost one less tree on the way to Lot 7. Stickney noted the covenants protect the trees and that the proposed driveway only loses one tree. Stickney stated in the area of the cul-de-sac, there is an Outlot B that travels approximately 125 feet to get to Lot 2, Block 2, and that he only loses three trees over six inches. Stickney indicated as a developer they would construct the road and the driveway to ensure they are located in the right place. Stickney stated the most sacred trees are on the north side of Lot 7 and that no one is going to be able to propose a house on the north side of Lot 7. Stickney stated his plan depicts the building envelopes and that those were not depicted in the plan that was presented on May 18. Stickney noted maximum tree preservation zones have been created along with penalty clauses and that every property owner in this development has to replace any trees at a 2:1 ration. Stickney stated under Plan A they would have lost around 130 trees out of 1,430 trees. As it relates to mature trees that are in excess of 22 inches in diameter and over 75 years old, nine total trees will be lost. Diagram No. 3 depicts the building envelopes. Stickney noted they are still preserving 150 feet of buffer along the prairie grass on Lots 1 and 2 and have created a 30 -foot setback to preserve prairie grass around the perimeter as well as a 45 -foot setback to the south. On the wooden lots, Stickney indicated they Page 7 of 28