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Minutes <br />Planning Commission Regular Meeting <br />Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 6:00 PM <br />City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 <br />Page 2 of 4 <br />Erickson moved, Libby seconded, to table LA23-000062, 3838 Cherry Avenue After-the-Fact <br />Conditional Use Permit pending further review meeting the conditions outlined in the staff report. <br />VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 0. <br />4.2 LA23-000064, Brent Walton, 2405 Dunwoody Ave, Hardcover Variance <br />The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss the <br />variance request. Staff recommended approval as the design replaces the existing driveway hardcover <br />with a structural hardcover and reduces the hardcover on the property. <br />The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the contractor, Jeff <br />Danberry of Tonka Bay Development, representing the applicant who was not present. <br />Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 6:30 p.m. <br />The were no public comments. <br />Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 6:30 p.m. <br />Commissioners briefly discussed the item calling it pretty straightforward. <br />McCutcheon moved, Bollis seconded, to approve LA23-000064, 2405 Dunwoody Ave., Hardcover <br />Variance as applied. VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 0. <br />4.3 LA23-000065, Eskuche Design, 4423 North Shore Drive, Variances. <br />The Planning Commission is requested to review the Staff report, receive a presentation, and discuss and <br />deny the application for variances, noting staff agrees the building envelope is small but believes the <br />design and location of the new house and other improvements could be modified to avoid encroaching on <br />the bluff. <br />The Planning Commission discussed the item and asked questions of staff and the applicant, Kenneth <br />Schmeling, 5515 Minneapolis Ave., who is proposing to build a new home on the approximate site of the <br />existing home at the Dunwoody Avenue lot. Peter Eskuche of Eskuche Design also gave comments and <br />answered questions. <br />Chair Bollis opened the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. <br />There were no public comments. <br />Chair Bollis closed the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. <br />Commissioners discussed the request and said that the uniqueness of the site contributes to the practical <br />difficulty there and noted the applicant seems to have worked hard to meet the setback and other <br />requirements and seemed to be making the plan less impactful on the bluff than what is there today. <br />Discussion centered on the new patio and retaining wall and its proximity to the bluff. Commissioners DRAFT187