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r. • <br /> NIIN[JTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMIVIISSION MEETING <br /> . . Monday,June 20,20ll � <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> detached garage. A small garden shed/addition to the garage is also proposed. This addition to the garage <br /> is proposed to be within the 50-foot front setback and 7.2 feet from the side lot line. <br /> Nearly the entire home is situated within the 50-foot front yard setback.The applicant is proposing � <br /> . improvements which consist of a covered front porch which will serve as a covered walkway to the front <br /> entrance;relocation of the existing front stoop to the side of the home; an addition connecting the home to <br /> the detached garage; and second-story additions over both the existing home and the new connection <br /> addition. All of the additions would be within the front yard setback area. The connecting addition is <br /> proposed to provide a connection between the home and detached garage as well as allow for a place to <br /> construct a legal stair to access the basement and a second story. Additionally,the garden shed/addition <br /> to the rear of the garage technically requires a front yard setback variance as it is proposed to be located <br /> within the required 50-foot front yard setback as well. Due to the location of the home on the property, <br /> any improvement to the existing siructure which consists of an expansion"of the building envelope <br /> requires variances from the zoning code setback requirements. <br /> The applicant's property is nonconforming with respecf to area and width. The exisfiing home is located <br /> en�irely within the required 50-foot front yard setback. The applicant is proposing additions to the <br /> existing home which they believe will make the property safer and more functional. The applicant's <br /> property is a 0.5 plus acre lot within a small-lot neighborhood which exists in a two acre zoning district. <br /> Larger acreage lots exist to the north,directly across Dickenson Street. The homes on the properties to <br /> the north are set back at least 50 feet from Dickenson. It does not appear these homes would be <br /> negatively impacted by the applicants'proposal. There would appear to be no additional impact from this <br /> proposal on the adjacent property to the west. The proposed additions do not appear to limit the light,air, . <br /> and open space currently enjoyed by the adjacent property owners. <br /> The applicant's variance requests may be reasonable considering the front property line is 23 feet from the <br /> . edge of the blacktop on Dickenson Street for a total setback from the street of approximately 31 feet. The <br /> proposed additions will not increase beyond the existing encroachment into the front yard. The <br /> applicant's request results in minimal negative impact of adjacent properties. � <br /> Staff finds the location of the existing home and the size of the property creates a unique circumstance not <br /> created by the applicants. Granting the applicant's request is in harmony with the purpose and intent of <br /> . the ordinance and will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. If a new home were to be <br /> . . constructed on the property, it would appear that all of the required setbacks could be met. � <br /> There are portions of the applicant's request that may serve solely as an aesthetic function or convenience <br /> . such as the length of the porch,the relocation of the wooden stoop,and the garden shed. The proposed <br /> connecting addition will also serve as a new vestibule or front entrance. While the removal of the front <br /> door and wooden stoop from the front reduces the encroachment into the front yard,the new <br /> encroachment created by moving the door and stoop to the east side appears to serve merely as a <br /> convenience. The proposed shed/addition to the rear of the garage could be located to a conforming <br /> � location elsewhere on the property as it is intended for storage of gardening and lawn mowing equipment <br /> and is not integral to the functionality of the garage. Lastly,the applicant's project will result in the <br /> removal of the roof of the existing home and possibly the garage may result in the removal of one or more <br /> exterior walls and/or existing main floor. <br /> Issues for consideration: <br /> Page 8 <br />