09-25-1995 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING HELP ON AUGUST 21, 1995 (#14 - #2056 Michael & Barbara Wiglcy - Continued) fiaffrnn reported that the application is for land alteration conditional use permit and variance to excavate in the 0-75' zone and to install boulder retaining walls. Code sections prohibit grading within 75’ of the lake, as well as any hardcover in that area, and requires a CUP for lakeshore alteration The application proposes two tiers of boulder walls; one at the top ot a 2 1 slope, the other at the base of that slope in the flood plain next to the lake The walls would taper to a 3.1 slope A retaining wall at the top of the slope would be extended to make the lawn level .A MCWD permit is required to build within that flood plain A previous contractor had been turned down by MCWD when he applied tor their permit. Gaflron said he had spoken with the MCWD, who saw no need for the walls Gaflron said he concurs with the finding that the walls would provide no significant stabilization Snowing an elevation sketch, Gaflron said the wall would be exposed 5-1/2 ot the 17' height at the lake. It would be difficult to screen all of this wall Gaflron said StatT sees little justification for the walls unless there was imminent tailure ot the slopes Walls are not normally approved by ihe City for aesthetic reasons or for surface soil erosion The erosion occurring by the house is in the . taded area Fill would make this area to the north and south more level and could possible be scrcenable with vegetation Staff currently views the site has having a natural state of shoreline, and changing it as proposed will yield a layered look u'ornamental vegetation The Engineer has found no problem with the proposal from an engineering standpoint, but notes there is no evidence that the slope is about to fail Gaflion said the hardcover had not been measured. There is mulch with fabric within the 0- 75', some of which Gaflron said should stay and svme should be remov ed There is likely a need to stabilize the grc"''^ ” h *re no grass is growing to control the erosion The drainage around the house drain'-1,. .ards the neighbor and fans out. Peterson asked the applicant why she felt the w:dls were needed .Mrs W'igley said it was her feeling that erosion was occurring on both sides ot the house as well as being the issue on the hill I ler main concern is for safety of her fami.y noting the vegetation on the hill is full of poison ivy and poison oak Wigley did not wish to remove the natural look of the hill w ith grass She said she is a maintenance-type person, w ho likes to take care of the problem before the hill fai«s down and would like to ren ove the poisong iv\ and oak Schroeder said the applicant could replace the poison ivy and oak with other vegetation without requiring boulder walls Gaflron said the City feels there is no need to grade the hillside to get rid of the poison ivy and oak, and there is no slope problem requiring the w all GatTron did agree that lev eling of the top area would be helpful Schroeder said he aureed that erosion was occurring on the sides of the house, and maybe at the top of the slope, but did not see any erosion at the bottom