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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, August 20, 2007 6:00 o'clock p.m. The applicant is requesting variances to allow lakeward and upward structural expansions of the existing home. Since over 99 percent of the property is located within the 75 foot setback area, the property cannot be built on without variances. The existing home is approximately 25 feet wide and 75 feet long. The expansions being proposed will almost double the width and add nearly 15 feet in length. The project also would bring the structure closer to the lake on all sides. Staff feels the additional structural hardcover may be reaching a level of excess and that the property owner currently has reasonable use of the property. Planning Staff recommends denial of the variances. Jacobson distributed and read a letter addressed to the Planning Commission from Mr. Zimmerman regarding his project. Graten stated there are four different options they would like to discuss tonight for the driveway in an attempt to address the issues raised by the City. Option one basically leaves the driveway as it, with the proposal being to expand the hardcover by approximately four percent in connection with the expansion of the house. The overall hardcover on the site is currently 25 .4 percent. The shoreline has been replanted with native plantings to help filter the runoff. Graten stated option two reduces the turnaround and lowers the hardcover by approximately two percent. Graten noted there is an easement that impacts their ability to some extent to construct on the property. Curtis stated to her understanding there is an easement but that the City Attorney does not feel the easement negatively impacts the property owner's ability to build on the lot. Graten stated option three retains the general shape of the existing turnaround but narrows its width down to eight feet from 12 feet, which reduces the hardcover to 24.48 percent. Option four eliminates the turnaround entirely. fu addition, the property owner is proposing to add additional plantings and a rain garden within the center of the turnaround. Kempf noted the City Engineer had recommended that the driveway be repaved as part of the rain garden project. PAGE 12