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FILE 07-3266 April 16, 2007 Page 4 of 5 because of circumstances unique to the individual property under consideration, and shall recommend approval only when it is demonstrated that such actions will be in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Orono Zoning Code. Issues for Consideration Lot Width and Area Variances: The City routinely reviews these types of requests, and grants them when no other land is available for acquisition and the property existed in separate ownership from adjacent properties prior to adoption of the current zoning standards. This lot satisfies those requirements. Similar variances were granted for other properties on this road. Floodplain Variance: The properties on both sides of this property are in the floodplain. Swales are required along both side lot lines to direct the drainage toward the lake. Without the variance the house could be about 15 feet wide. This regulation is intended to prevent flood waters from washing away the fill around the foundation and undermining it. This is not an issue with the grade beams and pilings. Hardcover: The applicant reduced hardcover by changing the third garage stall to a porch and enclosed entry. This eliminated the driveway to the third stall and the sidewalk to the front door. Staff is concerned the garage is only 22 feet wide by 20 feet deep and suggests the Applicant consider if it could be enlarged by taking a few feet from the mud room to provide a bit more storage space for garden and recreational equipment. The driveway taper needs to be revised to comply with City standards. This should be done with no increase the amount of hardcover. Is the proposed height variance reasonable? A code change that would exclude gable end windows from the building height calculation has been recommended by the Planning Commission and is under study by the City Council. Is the proposed house compatible with the surrounding area? The house to the west (1400) is built into the side of a hill. The grade on the east side of 1400 is at the same level as the Applicant's lot. The grade to the west side of 1400 is six to ten feet higher. The garage floor of 1400 is about two feet below the garage floor of the proposed house. On the street side 1400 has a peak height of 30 feet. The taller side wall facing the Applicant's lot is about 24 feet high. The house to the east (1408) is on a flat lot that is roughly at the same elevation as the Applicant's lot. It is two stories with a peak height of about 27 feet and a side wall height of about 20 feet. The proposed house would have a peak height of 38 feet from existing grade and a side wall height of 22 feet from existing grade. Finished grade adjacent to the house would be two feet higher than existing grade (because of the floodplain regulations). The Baldur Park area is in transition. Older homes are being replaced. Of the 52 lots in the area between Tonkawa Road and the channel between Crystal Bay and North Arm, 39 lots appear to be substandard in area and width.