Laserfiche WebLink
4510 North Shore Drive <br />Orono, MN 55364 <br />May 8,1997 <br />O" <br />Planning Commission <br />City of Orono <br />2750 Kelley Parkway <br />P.O. Box ^ <br />Crystal Bay, MTI 55323 <br />Dear Members of the Orono Planning Commission: <br />Reference: Variance U 2237, Jim & Roxanne Stasik, 1270 Wildhurst Trail <br />Our home is one lot east of the Stasik^ home on Forest Lake Bay. We are familiar with <br />their home and understand that the new deck will replace an existing deck, essentially <br />board for board. Furthermore, the deck is located over a concrete patio and does not, <br />therefore, add any additional hardcover. <br />We support the Stasik’s request for a hardcover variance and question the lo^c in <br />requiring a variance, when construction of the deck does not, in reality, change the <br />hardcover. Water run-off from the Stasik’s property heads to the lake through a gradually <br />sloping lawn and is adequately filtered by the grass. In addition, the pool which is <br />technically considered hardcover, also serves as a rain water retention site for the deck and <br />patio areas. <br />Further, we disagree in principle with stror*; arm tactics, such as forcing homeowners to <br />tear up driveways, or disassemble gardens to come into perfect compliance with hardcover <br />ratios. We can attest to the fact that the turn-around area of their drive-way is absolutely <br />necessary for access to their home in the winter time. The driveway is quite steep, and <br />becomes unuseable when ice accumulates. To force removal of the turn-around area <br />would create a hardship and force the Stasiks to park on the street. Wildhurst Trail is <br />quite narrow and does not accommodate on street parking. <br />Our home is well under the hardcover limits, as are most of the homes in the vicinity of the <br />Stasik’s property. Looking at the area as a whole, I see no value in denying them <br />construction of a replacement deck over an existing concrete patio. <br />Following the letter of the law in this instance serves no useful purpose and we urge the <br />Orono Planning Commission to let logic and common sense prevail and to grant this <br />variance. <br />UAta JEr ITathi, <br />-7 <br />Pete & Kathy Savwki