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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> October 16,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> City Planner Curtis said the owners plan to build a new home on the existing footprint with a garage <br /> addition as well as other hardcover changes/improvements on the property. Their plans involve elevating <br /> the new home on fill to comply with FEMA regulations and bring the home up to modern standards with <br /> respect to ceiling heights resulting in an increase of mass within the 75-foot setback.As a result of the <br /> required fill and the changes to the structure of the home,the overall height is proposed to increase by <br /> approximately 14 feet over existing conditions. The existing home on the property is situated within the <br /> 75-foot setback from the Forest Lake Channel. There are hardcover improvements within the 75-foot <br /> setback(from the channel and the lake),and the home is nonconforming with respect to FEMA floodplain <br /> regulations relating to the low floor elevation and the adjacent grades. The applicant has identified the <br /> channel as the primary practical difficulty supporting the requested variances. Regarding practical <br /> difficulty, Staff finds that the existing conditions of the lot(the house elevation and location,the narrow <br /> width of the lot,and its location along the channel requiring a 75-foot setback)are practical difficulties <br /> supporting variances. Staff finds there are practical difficulties for the requested variances with the <br /> exception of the screen porch portion of the home within 13 feet of the channel. The increased height of <br /> this porch combined with the extreme proximity to the channel cannot be supported,she said.The <br /> applicant has the right to rebuild this portion of the home in-kind but staff does not find practical <br /> difficulty supporting the vertical expansion of the porch due to the close proximity to the lake. The <br /> applicant should redesign the porch to minimize the massing impact so close to the Ordinary High Water <br /> Level, she said. <br /> Ressler clarified that it will be necessary for the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to review the plan <br /> as well. <br /> Erick Hill with Keplinger&Keranen Builders,Maple Plain, and two other representatives of the <br /> builder as well as the homeowner,the applicants, said they tried to design something that fit the <br /> neighborhood and blended in with the neighborhood. They were required to raise the house because of the <br /> flood plain. The lot is on the Narrows Channel and so heavily wooded you would not see the massing.A <br /> hedge will be added where necessary,but the massing will be completely hidden by the tree cover. The <br /> porch is in about the same place and at the same level of the house as the current home,but the house is <br /> being raised because of the floodplain. There is also a peaked roof. <br /> Ressler asked if the porch roof could be changed. <br /> Libby pointed out the pitch of the roof would result in a fair amount of water flow off the roof.He asked <br /> if there were other higher-level views of the location. <br /> Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 7:22 p.m. <br /> There were no public comments. <br /> Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 7:22 p.m. <br /> Bollis said he is in favor as applied and isn't concerned about the porch. The massing isn't within any <br /> neighbor's view of the lake and they have been thoughtful about the design,he said. <br /> Ressler said they just had the discussion about going up on narrow lots and he would agree. <br /> Page 5 of 11 <br />