10-25-2015 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 12, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 14 of 37 9. #15-3774 MICHAEL STEADMAN ON BEHALF OF IRWIN JACOBS, 1700 SHORELINE DRIVE, PRELIMINARY PLAT (continued) Walsh stated everyone knows that there is a public right-of-way down there and that there is going to be a development. Walsh stated he does not have any issues with that in general but that in his view some of the other issues need to be discussed. Cornick stated he is good with the overall development. Levang stated she is fine with the development and the proposed building pads. Levang indicated she does have a concern about the two cul-de-sacs and that she would like to discuss that. Levang stated in her view the tree preservation is important and that she is hearing the applicant is concerned about that as well. The City Council does have the Conservation Design Report, which takes into account that there are some species that need to be eliminated, but that she is pleased with the overall design. Printup stated he has a question regarding the lot layout. Printup asked what potential there is for a future connection going southward as you come off of the cul-de-sac where the lots begin to get platted. Printup stated he is thinking of a future connection going southward to future development. Mark Gronberg, Surveyor, stated the slopes are too steep in that area to have a road. Gronberg stated they showed slopes of 12 percent and the elimination of a number of trees. Gronberg stated it is very doubtful they would want that as a city street for future developments. Printup asked if this development would happen if Heritage was a private road. Gaffron stated he is not sure whether he can answer that, but that it might be a similar situation to the Bollis application. Gaffron stated in this case there is a public road that is platted to the property boundary and that there really is no rationale for putting a road through the middle since there are only two lots being platted. Walsh stated there would also need to be some easements, and without those, it would not happen. McMillan stated she was surprised at the two cul-de-sacs and that she had assumed there would be a road that would branch off into each individual lot. McMillan noted there are quite a bit of big woods in that area, and on the Dayton property, the City requested the cul-de-sac be pulled out of the woods. McMillan asked if it is too late to look at removing the new cul-de-sac and having the three driveways branch off the other cul-de-sac, which would save a lot of trees. McMillan stated the idea of having a cul-de-sac 100 feet away from the other cul-de-sac is not really accomplishing much except for snow plowing. Gaffron stated in his view the elimination of that cul-de-sac has not been considered since the applicants were attempting to meet the requirements of the Code. Gaffron stated in his view the developer would prefer not to have to construct a new cul-de-sac. Gaffron stated Staff will have to look at the dimensions of the existing cul-de-sac to see whether that should be upgraded but that there would still need to be a driveway going through the wetland. McMillan stated the second cul-de-sac in the middle of the woods is not very natural looking. McMillan stated she understands the need for a turnaround and the ability to maneuver vehicles, but that this may be a situation where the Council can allow some flexibility.