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V- MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION ON DOMESTIC ABUSE SHELTERS HELD ON FEBRUARY 21, 1995 The Orono Planning Commission met on the above date with the following members present: Chairman Charles Schroeder. Vice Chairman Steve Peterson. Sandra Smith and Charles Nolan. City staff was represented by Building and Zoning Administrator Jeanne Mabusth and Assistant Planning and Zoning Administrator Michael Gaffron. The applicants were represented by Dan and Valerie Hessburg and Margaret Weber. No members of the public were in attendance. The work session was called to order by Chairman Schroeder at 7.00 p.m. Gaffron briefly reviewed the January 20th workshop and noted that the February 21st work session is intended to specifically review land use and zoning issues. Gaffron indicated that a domestic abuse shelter is not currently listed in any of Orono ’s zoning districts as a permitted, accessory or conditional use. Therefore the code would have to be amended to allow such use. This amendment could take the form of adding a conditional use in the LR-IC zone in which the proposed shelter site is located; or a conditional use in the R-IA zone to which all other residential zoning districts refer; or a conditional use permit in a commercial zone. In the latter case, a re^oning of the specife site from residential to commercial would be necessary. At your January 20th session. Planning Commission indicated that such a rezoning would likely not be appropriate for this site. Gaffron further commented that once the Planning Commission concludes whether the domestic abuse shelter use should be allowed somewhere in the City, the next step is to determine what criteria should be used to establish suitable locations and operation standards for such use. A zoning code amendment can be constructed to limit the use to locations meeting those criteria. The criteria might include facto*^ such as availability of sewer, proximity to shopping center'-, public transportation, etc. Schroeder requested confirmation that this use could not be allowed as a variance. Gaffron indicated that is correc», and to do so would constitute a .*se variance which is not allowed. Schroeder asked whether there were any currently allowable uses that approximate this shelter use. Gaffron indicated that the most similar uses listed are hospitals and nursing homes, in the B-4 commercial district. Smith requested that staff review the information provided from other cities with sheltere. Gaffron noted the City of Plymouth allows shelters as a conditional use in their higher density residential zones, although a facility serving six or fewer persons in a single family dwelling is permitted in their single family zones. Plymouth’s ordinance has detailed application requirements as well as specific development standards and performance criteria. He briefly reviewed those criteria noting the 1,320 ’ required separation between facilities, and other requirements such as consistent architeemre with the neighborhood, required licensing, parking and signage, etc.