08-22-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

J± -1if I :1 ' V.».C. ^McDonald IHomes Inc. I> l. > I <. \ I K ^ • HI I 1 I) I R " Jean Mabusth City of Orono 2750 Kelley Parkway PO Box 815 Orono. Minnesota 55356-0815 July 18. 1994 Dear Jean. I am writing to request placement on the agenda of the August 22.1994 Orono City Council Meeting. As you know a variance was issued to Christine Freeman back in February 1994. which was contingent on a spring hardcover inspection. The spring inspection revealed a gravel "Driveway", which exceeded Orono hardcover requirements. I would like to request an amended variance from the City Council and Planning Commission for the following reasons; • Because there is little parking area in the driveway, the gravel provides a safe area for guests to park to keep their cars off the street. Overnight guests occasionally park on the gravel since there is little room elsewhere. The road curves quite a bit in this area and it seems reasonable to keep cars off the street as much as possible. Any large utility vehicle will hang out into the street if parked in the space in front of the garage door, and this gravel area provides safer off street parking if necessary. The homeowner had to replace her garage door recently due to a boat falling off its trailer and sliding into it. Frankly. Ms. Freeman is concerned that a similar incident might occur w hile there is a car parked in front of the garage. • Because of the steep slope from the street to yard level, replacing the gravel with grass or other landscaping would make it impossible to access the yard. The driveway provides access to .service vehicles that occasionally need to access the yard and hou.se. Since the distance from the street is so great, it is common for mechanical contractors to have closer access to the house. • Another factor that must be considered is the area itself. The driveway is surrounded and overhung with large shade trees, which do not provide adequate natural light. Grow ing grass on a shaded, north facing slope would be very difficult and prone to erosion. I realise the concern that the City has of the runoff rainfall reaching the lake, but I believe that the water which does not soak through the gravel would be ab.sorbed by the flat grass area at the bottom of the slope. • This situation is a common one in the surrounding homesites. Many of the homes have p <ved or crushed rock driveways going from the street down to the house. In this case, the gravel stops about 20 feet to the rear ot the garage, instead of continuing down to the hou.se. r believe that these reasons show that there is sufficient reason to grant an amended variance in this situation, and that by granting a variance there will be no negative impact to the lake. 1 you have any questions or comments, plea.;, call me at 455-5142. Sincerely, Blake Slranz. Renuxleling Managei McDonald Homes Inc. ■i()20 Seventv-l ifth Street Hast Inver (irove Heights. .Minnesota 550“6 6l2-lS5-St i2 • F.\X 012 isS 229’