09/19/2011 Planning Commission Minutes

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MINUTES OF T� ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday,September 19,2011 6:30 o'clock p.m. Curtis indicated it would not. The applicants are proposing to include some native plantings in the area of the rain garden to improve filtration. � Thiesse asked whether the City has any guidelines for rain gardens. Curtis indicated the City Engineer has provided some guidance on the rain garden and that the applicants have submitted a detailed plan that the City Engineer is in the process of reviewing. Thiesse asked if the majority of the buffer exists on the adjacent property. Curtis indicated it does. Roger Remark,Applicant, stated he purchased the house in 1994 and the house was constructed in 1958. They are looking to add a mud room in the garage and also a master bedroom and bath above the garage. Remark indicated they installed drain tile in the house and installed the outlet in the grassy area along the property line. A substantial number of plants that are typically present in a wetland are located in that area. Prairie Restoration has been contacted to come in and remove the switch grass that exists,which is a nonnative species, and also undertake a complete restoration of the buffer area and rain garden. Remark stated it is not a huge addition but one that will improve their lifestyle. Schoenzeit asked why they elected to have the drainage go in that direction. Remark illustrated the drainage from the Wayzata Country Club. The neighbors have a settling pond in their back yard. Remark indicated they are limited on the north side of the property to construct any kind of garage addition. The proposed garage is located at the 10-foot setback. Remark indicated they utilized Kathy Alexander to design a plan. With the setback as it currently exists,which goes through the middle of the house,they do not have any other option but to seek a variance. Schoenzeit commented it is fairly dry out there currently so it was difficult to see which direction the drainage flowed. Remark stated in the spring the area was a lot wetter. Levang asked whether the applicant has obtained any further information on the sump pump draining into the rain garden. Remark indicated it would not be a problem to extend it to the rain garden if required. Levang asked whether Mike Gaffron would be okay with that option. Gaffron asked if the drain tile and sump pump are taking ground water and not surface water. Remark stated it is all ground water. Gaffron stated if that is the case,he is less concerned about treating it than if it was running through the yard and picking up nutrients. Gaffron asked if the drain tile is gravity flowed from the basement level. Page 3