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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,October 19,2015 <br /> 6:30 dclock p.m. <br /> Landgraver noted under current code there is nothing preventing the applicant from planting arborvitae or <br /> other trees in that area. <br /> Chris Lappen, Applicant, stated they looked at the most practical spot to place the garage and that <br /> attaching the garage to the house would cost more since they would need to put in frost footings and <br /> remodel the inside of the house in that area. <br /> Lappen stated they also attempted to mitigate the hardcover as much as possible and not encroach on the <br /> property line as much as the previous garage did. The driveway currently runs all the way on the east side <br /> from the street to the garage and abuts up to the property line. The new driveway would be a single-car <br /> driveway five feet off the neighbor's property line all the way from the entrance of the driveway to the <br /> garage. Currently there is hardcover all the way up to the tree. That hardcover will be removed and the <br /> driveway will be moved slightly over to the west. <br /> Lappen indicated they have discussed with Staff changing the pitch of the roof and that they are open to <br /> that. <br /> Acting Chair Landgraver opened the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. <br /> Rebecca Holzem, 3407 East Lake Street, stated her property is directly to the east of this site. Holzem <br /> stated there was a structure that had been there for years. Holzem stated at the time she purchased her <br /> property in 1996,the structure was not useable and was sinking into the ground. For 15 years the <br /> structure was not useable unless they wheeled a motorcycle or a lawn mower into a side door. Holzem <br /> stated it came down to the point where she requested the City condemn the garage because it was falling <br /> down and every time it would storm pieces of the garage would end up in her yard. The City did require <br /> removal of the garage. Holzem stated since it was falling or sinking into the ground, it had not been used <br /> for an extensive period of time prior to that. <br /> Holzem stated with regards to the setback, originally the applicants had asked for a 3-foot setback and are <br /> now asking for a 5-foot setback. Holzem stated if the Planning Commission reviews the photographs she <br /> has submitted, five feet is not much and ten feet would be more optimal. Holzem stated the proposed <br /> garage is more than half of the total footprint of her total house. <br /> Holzem stated with regards to sight views, her lower level has a patio on the southeast corner of the <br /> house, so when she is sitting in her home, she would be looking at a garage. From the upper level, she <br /> would be looking at a garage, and on the side overlooking the property from the dining room/living room <br /> area, she would be looking at a garage roof. Holzem noted the former garage was only nine feet tall <br /> where this proposed garage is almost 16 feet tall and would complete restrict her views. <br /> Holzem stated in her view it is excessive. The other properties in the neighborhood with similar width <br /> have single-car garages or no garage at alL Holzem stated her solution would be to attach the garage to <br /> the home and reduce the hardcover footprint, which would allow him to have a single-car garage. <br /> Holzem noted she was only allowed to construct a single-car garage at the time she constructed her house. <br /> Holzem noted there was some discussion about restoring the property to what it previously was, but that <br /> in her view the applicants cannot restore it to a nonfunctioning garage. The applicants have also stated <br /> that there would be no impact to any adjacent properties but there will be a very negative impact to her <br /> property. Holzem stated she would have a dark back yard because the garage will be there in addition to <br /> Page 8 of 29 <br />