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•St <br />Ite. J««n Habusth <br />October 6, 1992 <br />Page 2 <br />granted significant variances. The narrow depth and natural <br />contour of the lot place great constraints on construction. Orono <br />ordinances have put increasing restrictions on the sise and <br />location of isproveaents, and have further ispacted this lot. As <br />you pointed out in your staff report, previous construction had <br />been penitted prior to or in accordance with regulations that are <br />no longer in effect, and such of the isproveaents are nov <br />considered non-confoming. <br />Nr. Hollander requested a variance to add an attached garage with <br />deck in 1974, resoving the existing, detached garage as a condition <br />for the grant of the variance. In 1982 a najor fire dasaged such <br />of the house, including, incidentally, such of the possible <br />documentation of the original Iniilding of the deck and gasebo. <br />Isproveaents to the house were made under permit as a result of the <br />fire damage. In 1987, the "storm of the century" caused a <br />landslide and approximately $100,000.00 in unreimbursed damage to <br />the recently renovated house. Again, building permits were <br />obtained for the reconstruction and have been provided in the Staff <br />package. <br />Recent review of the City's dociimentation disclosed that the <br />detached deck and gazebo in question were not part of the <br />previously issued building permits, and this natter was brought to <br />your attention. As has been previously ao^ sdged, documentation <br />in past years was often not *- as is done today. <br />Furthermore, il^>rovements ' . «‘existing ordinances and <br />regulations are now . .j uses under current zoning <br />ordinances. Lack of ... .usentation does not conclusively <br />establish that the deck ai.u gazebo are recent improvements. <br />Mr. Hollander has been able to establish that the deck and gazebo <br />are grandfathered, non-conforming structures under the current <br />ordinances, and were not built after the 1987 storm damage. Copies <br />of the Orono City Assessor's property cards refer to a 780 square <br />foot deck in 1983. This is the approximate size of the current <br />deck and gazebo as calculated by Mark Gronberg in the su.'vry <br />submitted as part of this variance application, and much larger <br />than any deck attached to the house. Copies of 1983 and 1984 <br />valuation sheets showing both a deck and enclosed porch are <br />attached. The City Assessor does not have any records prior to <br />1983. This documentation can only be interpreted as showing that <br />the unattached deck existed in 1983, prior to the 1987 storm <br />damage. <br />Pictures of the storm damage, copies included, show the deck <br />covered by mud and the remains of the gazebo structure.