04/19/2010 Planning Commission Minutes

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF TI� ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,Apri119,2010 , 6:30 o'clock p.m. (#10-3456 TRUE NORTH HOMES,INC.,ON BEHALF OF STEVE DORE,2172 SHADYWOOD ROAD,CONTINUED) about 15 feet from the side property lines. Both lots are narrow like this lot. The proposed house is located about 90 feet from the lake. The setback to Shadywood Road is 117 feet. If the view were not a concern,the house could be located about 50 feet from Shadywood Road. At the minimum 30-foot setback from Shadywood Road,hardcover would be over the allowed 30 percent in the 250- 500 foot zone. One way of determining the appropriate level of hardcover would be to allow enough additional hardcover to provide for the longer driveway plus the tapered portion of the driveway. The taper would also be located in the 250-500 foot zone with a 50-foot house setback. For a 9-foot driveway,this would be approximately 1,179 square feet of additional hardcover and would bring the total allowed in the 75- 250 foot zone to about 4,042 square feet. This is 418 square feet less than proposed. - The house cannot have a basement since the lot is barely above the flood elevation. The Commission should consider whether additional hardcover should be allowed for storage and for the furnace and water heater that are usually placed in the basement. The house does include some storage. The garage is extra deep and there is a"rear closet"of about 120 square feet adjacent to the mechanical room. The Commission should consider if a single car detached garage close to Shadywood Road would be an appropriate substitute for the attached third garage stall. The houses on either side have detached garages very close to Shadywood Road. Both were recently rebuilt or renovated. In 1993, structural coverage and hardcover variances were granted to allow the detached garage to the northwest to remain when the attached garage was constructed. The basis for that variance was that the basement of the house was unusable for storage. Planning Staff recommends approval of the lot width and lot area variances. Staff further recommends approval of the hardcover variance but for less hardcover than proposed. Schoenzeit noted the applicant is under on structural coverage, and asked whether Staff would like to see a smaller footprint or the house moved closer to the road to eliminate some of the hardcover. Turner indicated either one would be an option for the applicant,but that Staff feels the applicant could design a house that can be constructed without a hardcover variance. Schoenzeit asked whether the plan as depicted is over in hardcover. Turner indicated it is over by 418 square feet. Storlein stated they are requesting the hardcover variance to allow for a reasonable view of the lake,which creates the hardship for the extra section of driveway. The applicant did consider pushing the house closer to the street but that left a view of the back of the adjoining houses and eliminated the turnaround. Storlein indicated they have done a calculation that if this were a 100-foot lot,they would be at 24.4 percent hardcover in the 75-250 foot zone. Storlein indicated they have reduced the footprint of the house considerably from what they were originally contemplating to maintain the setbacks. The living space is approximately 1400 square feet. Page 2