03/21/2005 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,March 21,2005 6:00 o'clock p.m. (#05-3094 Bohland/Calvin Presbyterian Church,Continued) yet been rezoned to match the CMP and is still zoned RR-1B, Single Family Rural Residential, requiring 2.0 dry buildable acres per lot and a 200-foot lot width. The proposed single-family detached development with an average lot size of around 15,000 square feet fits into the general range of lot sizes in the surrounding neighborhood. The residential neighborhood directly to the west in Orono has existing developed SFR lots generally ranging in size from 17,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet. The area southeast of the church has lots in the range of 14,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet. Gaffron stated a density of two to three units per acre would mean an average lot size of 14,000 to 22,000 square feet, which is similar to the surrounding developments. Gaffron suggested the Planning Commission discuss the three proposed lots in the 12,000 square foot range. Gaffron stated the proposed road layout of Plan A appears to meet the corridor standards of a 50 foot right-of-way and 100-foot cul-de-sac diameter. The access location onto Willow Drive is approximately 150 feet south of Elm Lake,which just meets Orono's 150-foot standard for street intersection offsets. Gaffron noted the City of Long Lake has submitted a letter that indicates they would be more in favor of the plan that provides access to the development from Willow Drive rather than through the church parking lot from Glendale Drive. Currently Long Lake's ordinances do not allow the construction of private roads to more than two homes and requires cul-de-sacs to have a 60-foot right-of-way with no less than 48 feet of pavement. Gaffron noted Orono normally requires that all lots in a subdivision be served with driveways from the new local road rather than from the arterial road. Proposed Lot 10 would access directly from Willow Drive. An alternative would be to create a 30-foot corridor from the proposed cul-de-sac road,but this would have a significant impact on Lots 8 and 9. Gaffron reviewed the City's PUD standards for SFR developments and noted that the City typically requires a 15,000 square foot minimum lot area, 90-foot minimum lot width at the setback line, a 125-foot minimum lot depth, and a 25-foot setback on internal streets. The proposed lots in certain cases would not meet all of the City's PUD standards and the Planning Commission should discuss whether the RPUD standards are appropriate for this development and whether any variances to those standards would be considered. The Planning Commission should also discuss whether the density for this small a plat should be based on just the area within the lots or should be based on the lots plus the road. Gaffron stated one option would be to create a subdivision of the R-1A District and zone the site at one-half acre. Gaffron noted municipal sewer for this development would most likely come from the existing line located just south of the church property. This sewer system discharges to the Long Lake sewer system and its use will require an amendment to current sewer agreements with Long Lake. The developer will pay all costs of utility construction and installation and it is expected that Long Lake will charge unit connection fees for new connections to their system. The Orono Comprehensive Trail System Plan also calls for a future connection from the Highway 12 corridor trail down Willow to Hackberry Park. The ten new lots in Plan A would be subject to the standard 8 percent park dedication fee. It is likely that this will be in the form of a fee rather than land dedication; although the Park Commission will be reviewing this application. PAGE 17