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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMNIISSION MEETING <br /> Monday,May 19,2008 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> (#08-3357 ALONZO &RENEE SERAN,4099 ffiGHWOOD,CONTINUED) <br /> Planning Staff recommends approval of the hardcover and structural coverage variances subject to the <br /> following conditions: <br /> 1. Hardcover being reduced by narrowing the driveway to 16 feet wide. The driveway is presently <br /> 22 feet wide. <br /> 2. The grading plan being revised to the satisfaction of the City Engineer before the Council takes <br /> final action on the application. <br /> Planning Staff recommends the Planning Commission only approve the building story variance if it can <br /> make findings to distinguish this situation from others so to not create a broad precedent for such <br /> variances. <br /> Rice asked how wide the driveway could be at the street. <br /> Turner indicated the driveway could be a maximum of 20 feet or less at the street. <br /> A1 Seran stated at the time he purchased the property,the house was run down and that he has since torn <br /> the residence down and constructed a new residence but left the garage intact. Since that time,the <br /> existing garage has sustained some damage from a fallen tree and needs to be removed. They would <br /> like to construct a new attached garage and add on some living space for their two children. Presently <br /> there are only two bedrooms upstairs. <br /> Renee Seran commented they would like to increase the size of the driveway to allow their children to <br /> play in their driveway rather than in the street. <br /> A1 Seran stated the improvement to the driveway would also allow them to park their cars in the <br /> driveway rather than on the street and would help to improve the drainage in that area. They currently <br /> are experiencing some runoff from the street onto their property. <br /> Renee Seran explained the drainage problems they are currently experiencing as well as the problems <br /> their neighbors also experience,noting they routinely have water in their garage following a rainstorm. <br /> A1 Seran indicated they are willing to discuss the drainage problems with the City Engineer and follow <br /> his recommendations to help correct the situation. At the time the house was constructed,it was his <br /> understanding that 50 percent above grade was considered a story. To his understanding they are within <br /> the City's height restxiction of 31 feet and the addition would not tower over the adjacent residences. <br /> Gaffron noted the City has revised their method of calculating the height of a structure and that the <br /> height is measured from six feet down from the main floor level rather than the lowest floor level. <br /> Turner stated the issue is the basement under the garage and that the garage floor would be more than <br /> six feet above existing grade,which would then be considered a story. It appears from the plans that the <br /> only portion where existing grade would be less than below six feet from the proposed garage floor is in <br /> the front of the garage. <br /> PAGE 3 <br />