09-21-2009 Planning Commission Packet

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MINUTES OF THE � ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,August 17,2009 6:30 o'clock p.m. (Z. #OS-3164 CITY OF ORONO, CONSERVATIONDESIGN ORDINANCE, 6:35 P.M.— 6:SS P.M., Coutinued) � The Planning Commission has previously reviewed a draft of the ordinance back in November of 2005. The Commission at that time indicated that while the idea of a density bonus was reasonable,the ordinance should provide the Council with substantial flexibility in whether to grant such a bonus and in determining the magnitude of the bonus for a given application. However, since the density bonus was viewed as the primary incentive for developers to follow Conservation Design principles,exclusion of specific standards was seen by staff as leaving a significant gap in the ordinance. The ordinance, as drafted,establishes the basic requirements for Conservation Design, defines the basic application submittal requirements, and provides a list of topics to be addressed by the developer. It does not,however,include a detailed set of performance standards for each topic Detailed performance standards that often appear in Conservation Design ordinances in other jurisdictions include: l. Expanded goals or directives that specify more detail as to what Conservation Design is intended to accomplish. 2. Detailed methods for calculating the net buildable area or site capacity. 3. Establishment of setbacks and separation distances for cluster development. 4. Numerical formulas for determining density bonuses. 5. Extensive detailed standards for common open space areas such as size,dimensions, location, natural feature preservation, encroachments, allowed uses,required management practices. 6. Standards for landscaping that include credits for preservation of existing vegetation,guidelines for the use of street trees, detailed requirements for establishment of buffers between and among housing clusters and streets, lists of appropriate trees to plant and invasive species to remove. 7. Detail on optional methods of common space ownership an maintenance and requirements to provide plans and funding for long-term maintenance and stewardship of protected areas. 8. Evaluation criteria to be used by the City in determining whether the goals of Conservation Design have been met. Included in the draft ordinance under basic conservation design master plan requirements and evaluation criteria include requiring the developer to prepare a conservation design master plan for development of the property which addresses the following topics: 1. Consideration of the existing drainage system; 2. Establishment of a stormwater management system,using multi-cell treatment principles; 3. Removal of invasive species and diseased trees; 4. Protection of significant tree stands and woodlands that support scenic and/or ecological goals, including mitigation of any such stands to be impacted by development activities; PAGE 2