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Date: October 20, 2025 Item: 5.5 <br />Presenter: Laura Oakden, Community Development Director <br />Section: Public Hearings <br /> <br />Title: LA25-000039, Text Amendments regarding Retaining Walls (Laura <br />Oakden) <br /> <br /> <br />1.Purpose: <br />The City of Orono is proposing an ordinance to amend the Zoning Code to clarify retaining wall <br />standards within the Shoreland Overlay District and the allowances within the required yard <br />setback areas under the Permitted Encroachments section. <br />2.Background: <br />The City of Orono regulates retaining walls within required yard areas as permitted <br />encroachments, and within the lakeshore setback and bluff areas within the Shoreland Overlay <br />District. <br /> <br />Earlier this summer, the City Council directed staff to clarify the conditional use permit standards <br />for retaining walls in bluff areas and within the lakeshore setback. During the review of the City <br />Code staff identified additional areas requiring clarification for retaining wall allowances within <br />Section 6.12.6940, Permitted Encroachments pertaining to retaining walls throughout the city. <br />3.Public Comment: <br />No comments from the public have been received. <br /> <br />The MN DNR has reviewed the proposed changes and provided comments. The comments from <br />the DNR were merged into the draft language for the Planning Commission’s review. The <br />Conditional Approval letter from the DNR is attached as Exhibit C. <br />4.Staff Recommendation: <br />Staff recommends adopting the proposed language as drafted with the included DNR language. <br />5.Planning Commission Action Requested: <br />Motion to recommend approval of the proposed text amendment for retaining walls. <br />AGENDA ITEM <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Exhibits <br />A. Staff Report, LA25-000039, TA Retaining Walls <br />B. DRAFT Language, TA Retaining Walls <br />C. DNR Conditional Approval Letter <br />232