07-12-1999 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR JULY 12,1999 . ( #S) #2492 RICK AND GAIL L UZAICH, 2490 OLD BEACH ROAD - VARIANCE AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - Continued of the hill. Dr. Bedker did state it might be counter productive to put a 16" tree back for a 16" tree as the tree may or may not survive. A smaller tree may survive better and surpass the growth of a more mature tree. The Planning Commission reviewed a revised plan at their June meeting. The plan had one large retaining wall running from one side of the property to the other. The plan implemented some grading and there were a few hardwood trees included. It was a good plan, but it did not reflect the City's goals as enumerated in the Comprehensive Plan. The goal of the City is to have a shoreline maintained that breaks up the height of the buildings and breaks up the appearance of a built environment around the lake. A larger canopy of trees would help prevent erosion problems. Weinberger said the Planning Commission voted, by a vote of 4 -2, to deny the application in order to expedite the process and move a plan forward to the City Council because the land is laying dormant and some types of erosion control will have to be implemented in order to protect the shoreline. Weinberger reported that Gary Mueller, Mr. Luzaich's landscape architect, met with Dr. Bedker to discuss some of the issues and Dr. Bedker's recommendations. Weinberger said the plan brought in some of Dr. Bedker's recommendations, but it does not address all of them. There is still a large amount of grading being proposed on the hill side and not the • recommended type of trees. He said that a new plan was received from Mr. Mueller on Friday, July 9, 1999. This plan implemented some of Dr. Bedker's recommendations and it is closer to the goal of restoration along the lakeshore. The amount of grading on this plan would be very minimal. Two areas of retaining wall would be used to support the existing stairwell. The types of trees have increased, but they are all located along the property lines and they are not in areas that allow for a more natural appearance from the lake. In the middle of the plan there is a series of perennial plantings which would be adequate for erosion control. They are natural and would not require high levels of maintenance. It was noted in Dr. Bedker's recommendations that there be 25' spacing between trees. The plan does not address the issue of the 29 tree replacement. There is a concern about the center of the property and the trees being located completely on the sides of the property and not in front of the house or along the shoreline. He displayed photographs of the property. Dr. Bedker communicated to Weinberger that most of his recommendations are answered by this plan with the exception of the spacing between the trees and location of some trees in the front of the house and near the shoreline. Jabbour asked Weinberger to elaborate on the vote by the Planning Commission. Weinberger responded that the two votes that were opposed to the recommendation of denial by the Planning Commission were because the Planning Commission thought it was appropriate to review another plan. They were not necessarily in support of the plan that was • in front of them, but they felt that they should present a plan to the City Council that they had Page 11