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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, September 14, 2015 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 26 of 39 <br /> <br />11. #15-3772 ROBERT MILLER, 60 SMITH AVENUE, VARIANCES – RESOLULTION NO. <br />6539 (continued) <br /> <br />Bonnett indicated it would be. <br /> <br />Walsh noted in addition to the side setback, there would be some hedges and the garage that would help <br />mitigate that. <br /> <br />Bonnett stated the hedges are near the end of their life and that the pine tree is dying. Bonnett stated he is <br />not sure how the architect can say there is adequate screening. <br /> <br />McMillan stated it is difficult to screen a second story. <br /> <br />Bonnett stated he agrees with that but that they are looking for some type of screening. <br /> <br />Levang stated the lilac bushes will probably not provide much screening. <br /> <br />Bonnett stated it is his understanding the garage will be in the area of the lilacs. Bonnett stated they are <br />basically looking for a little less massing on the property. <br /> <br />Levang commented it would look different if the home was in the middle of the lot but it is off more to <br />one side of the property. <br /> <br />McMillan noted a number of these homes existed prior to the 2-acre zoning and that the Bonnett’s lot is <br />close to two acres but their home is close to the side setback. <br /> <br />Bonnett stated it was the City’s hope that these lots would be combined but they weren’t and now larger <br />homes are being built on the lots. <br /> <br />Ryan Blackwell, 80 Smith Avenue, stated their concern with the proposed project is the height for both <br />the main structure and the garage. The structure will be quite large given the actual useable space on the <br />property. Blackwell stated as far as the side setbacks are concerned, there will be 18 feet on the Bonnett <br />side and 10 or 11 on his side. Blackwell stated in his view it is excessive to increase the size by 10 feet <br />on a house that already has a second floor over a portion of the house and that he would ask the Council <br />to consider the side impacts on both neighbors. <br /> <br />Blackwell stated in his view he is less impacted than the Bonnett’s since they are on the garage side of the <br />expansion but that the proposed garage height will be 21 feet. Blackwell stated he would request that any <br />vegetation that is damaged or removed be replaced with something similar. <br /> <br />Blackwell noted the street is a dead-end and fairly narrow and that during the construction process he <br />would ask for consideration about parking on the street and allowing cars to pass. <br /> <br />Rob Miller, Applicant, stated as it relates to the size of the home, they are working within essentially the <br />same footprint of the house and that the house will be no wider than what exists now. It will still be 40 <br />feet wide and the only piece that is coming out is the component in the front. In addition, the footprint on <br />the main level is just over 1,100 square feet and the second story will bring it up to 2,250 square feet.