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To:Chair Bollis and Planning Commission Members <br />Adam Edwards, City Administrator <br />From:Laura Oakden, Community Development Director <br />Date:November 21, 2024 <br />Subject:#LA24-0000064, City of Orono Text Amendment: Driveway, Road, and Tree <br />Alteration Standards within the Shoreland Overlay District <br />Background <br />Included in this action are three areas of the Shoreland Overlay District regulations that should <br />be amended including: <br />1. 78-1282: Driveways <br />2. 78-1285: Vegetation Alterations <br />3. 78-1286: Public and Private Road <br />In March of 2024, Planning Commission reviewed a variance request for a driveway to exceed 8 <br />feet in width within the 75-foot setback from a protected tributary on a property in the <br />Shoreland. The variance was approved but included direction to staff to amend the city code to <br />make the language is consistent with the DNR model ordinance. This code change would allow <br />staff and property owners to better determine a minimum driveway width within the setback <br />and take site conditions (i.e. topography, wetlands, and accessibility) into consideration. While <br />preparing this amendment, staff found a typo in Section 78-1268 that included driveways as part <br />of the public and private road standards. Staff is suggesting driveways be removed from the <br />section regarding road standards and amend the driveway section to be reflective of the DNR <br />model ordinance language. <br />Additionally, Staff found a typo in the vegetation alteration requirements. The typo creates a <br />double negative in the city code creating confusion. Staff proposes to correct the double <br />negative where is applied and reorganize the formatting of the section so it is easier to <br />reference for each criterion. <br />Proposed Updates for review: <br />City Code Edits Analysis <br />78-1282: <br />Driveways <br />Amend the language to <br />eliminate the 8’ <br />maximum width standard <br />and implement the DNR <br />model ordinance <br />language <br />This change would allow staff and the <br />applicant to better determine a maximum <br />driveway width within the shore setback to <br />take site conditions into account. It would <br />allow staff to analyzethe site conditions to <br />determine the minimum improvement <br />necessary in this sensitive area within creek <br />and lake setbacks. <br />Application Summary: The City of Orono is proposing an ordinance to amend the Zoning Code <br />regarding the driveway width standards and to fix a typo in the tree alteration requirements, <br />all within the Shoreland Overlay District. <br />Staff Recommendation: Planning Department Staff recommends approval. <br />290