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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, April 16, 2018 6:30 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ ROLL CALL The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Chair John Thiesse, Commissioners Bob Erickson, Kevin Landgraver, Bruce Lemke, Dennis Libby, and Jon Ressler. Representing Staff were Community Development Director Jeremy Barnhart, City Planners Melanie Curtis and Laura Oakden, and Recorder Jackie Young. Council Member Wendy Dankey and Mayor Dennis Walsh were present. Chair Thiesse called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. LA18-000033 JEFF MARTINEAU, 1335 ARBOR STREET, VARIANCES, 6:34 P.M. – 6:44 P.M. Jeff Martineau, Applicant, was present. Oakden noted this application is a resubmittal of a variance request for 1335 Arbor Street. The applicant is requesting multiple variances for lot area, lot width, front setback, side street setback, and interior side setback. The applicant had previously requested the same setback variances as well as a structural coverage variance. The Planning Commission at its January meeting denied the request due to the structural coverage variance. The City Council, at its February 2, 2018, meeting, tabled the application and asked the applicant to redesign the home to meet the structural coverage standards and to bring the application back through the public hearing process. The applicant is now proposing to construct a new home, replacing an existing home on the property. The proposed home will be more centered on the lot. The site is a corner and through lot with streets on three of the four sides. The new residence will be a ramble style home with a full basement and a two- stall garage and deck. The lot is located in the RR-1B, two-acre zoning district, and the lot is extremely small at 0.20 acres in a zoning requiring two acres. The applicant is requesting a 40-foot front yard setback where 50 feet is required. In addition, the applicant is requesting a 7.5 interior side yard setback where 10 feet is required and an 8.5-foot side street setback where 30 feet is required. The front and interior side yard setbacks seem reasonable for the small lot location. The proposed site plan shows window wells which encroach closer to the setbacks than the principal building. Per City Code, window wells are permitted to encroach into the setback but not extend more than five feet from the building. Staff finds there are practical difficulties inherent to the lot area, lot width, and proposed setbacks due to the size of the lot. The lot is also unique in that it has street abutting three sides of the lot. Staff recommends approval. The Planning Commission had no questions for Staff.