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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Wednesday,January 22, 2003 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> (#02-2860 SUNSTATE CONCEPTS, Continued) <br /> Originally, a 1 acre zoning district,the zoning was changed in 1975 to 2 acre minimum and well and <br /> septic serves the property. Gaffron explained that the applicant recently purchased the property intending <br /> to tear down the superstructure and re-use the existing footings and slab foundation. A lot area and <br /> setback variance is required to replace the 4-stall garage in the substandard side setback abutting the <br /> Dakota Rail corridor. Gaffron continued that the house will be enlarged to incorporate a second story, <br /> including a"bonus room"above the garage, which adds a second level of encroachment to the side <br /> setback. <br /> Gaffron pointed out that, from staffs perspective,there is little hardship to support the side setback <br /> variance, since the garage could become 3 stalls instead of 4. He noted that the house/garage could also <br /> be reconfigured to provide for additional storage behind the garage next to the pool, while meeting the 30' <br /> setback. He added that the applicant had provided a second survey,which indicates a proposed <br /> house/garage location,which meets the 30' setback, should the side yard be denied. <br /> For zoning purposes, Gaffron pointed out that the publicly used and maintained cul-de-sac existing upon <br /> the SW corner of the property had been deleted from the lot area calculation. Therefore, a line 10' from <br /> the edge of the pavement of this portion of the `public road' must be used as the front property line for <br /> front setback determination. Although there is no current plan to remove or discontinue use of the cul-de- <br /> sac,the City Engineer in his 1999 County Road 15 Traffic Study suggested that a future method to make <br /> 15 safer would be to eliminate the Heritage/15 intersection and redirect neighborhood traffic to Brown <br /> Road <br /> South across the rail corridor. Gaffron noted that such a rerouting would eliminate the cul-de-sac and <br /> hence the setback issue. <br /> While the existing and proposed house appear to be setback approximately 39' from the wetland, Gaffron <br /> acknowledged that the wetland has not been formally delineated. He felt it would be appropriate to have <br /> the applicant get the wetland boundary delineated prior to construction of the deck to ensure it meets the <br /> required setback. <br /> Gaffron reported that the current residence per the original plan is considered as a 4-bedroom home and <br /> the existing septic system has served it well,but its actual design capacity is unclear based on the lack of <br /> information from the drainfield replacement done in 1982. The City has considered this as a conforming <br /> system,which has been functioning well under the prior owner's usage pattern. Gaffron maintained that <br /> it is unlikely the property contains an alternate site meeting setback requirements from lot lines, <br /> structures, wells and wetlands. While it might be reasonable to allow the new structure to be reconnected <br /> to the existing septic system for the time being,the lack of an alternate site suggests that the applicant <br /> should work toward getting sewer connected as part of the rebuild,rather than forcing the cost onto a new <br /> buyer should the old system fail. <br /> PAGE 14 of 29 <br />