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, �I ��.r�� o��o�u � Cn,��c��,. �4P�� - �- � � � IQ�/� �'��n�=� lo-z�-o3 REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION �� -��,� �;U`��`� �� `�� DATE: October 27, 2003 G-�`'S�� S ��OJ� �3 t) �` �R � ITEM NO.: � � � ,� Department Approval: Administrator Reviewed: Agenda Section: Name Gregory A. Gappa Public Services Director's Report Title Director of Public Services � l� Item Description: 2530 Fox Street Drivew -Appeal of Administration Decision � Construction of a new home on a previously vacant lot on Fox Street is nearing completion. The issue of the driveway location for this new house was considered by the Council at the October 14, 2002 meeting. There are two options for the driveway location. The driveway access could either be loc�ted directly on Fox Street or on an existing shared private drive located adjacent to the house. The October 14, 2002 staff recommendation was for the new house driveway access to be from the shared private drive,and the property owner is requesting driveway access directly from Fox Street. No decision was reached by the Council at this meeting, and the issue was tabled. Attached is a second request from the property owner for the appeal of an administrative decision on the driveway location. Also, attached are the Council Minutes and the Request for Council Action information from the October 24, 2002 meeting. The property owner is requesting direct driveway access to Fox Street instead of using the shared private driveway for access to Fox Street. The proposed driveway onto Fox Street is shown as Option 3 on the plans submitted by the property owner. These plans also show two access points onto the shared driveway. Option 1 which will not require the removal of any substantial trees has a 23% grade which is too steep for a driveway. Option 2 has only a 2% grade, but would require the removal of several substantial trees. Another potential possibility could be to construct a driveway between Options 1 and 2. Moving the driveway further north will increase the steepness of the driveway, and most likely require removal of the 32" diameter White Pine tree. There are several issues to be addressed regarding the driveway location. The first issue concerns the general City policy in the Comprehensive Plan that driveway access should be minimized on City streets for new developments. This policy has generally been consistently adhered to for new larger subdivisions,with all of the driveways located on the new private road. The adherence to this policy has been somewhat inconsistent for the smaller land divisions. The applicant has noted a year 2001 front /back lot split on Fox Street in which two separate driveways were allowed instead of one combined driveway. The second issue is tree preservation. Orono historically has advocated for the preservation of trees in order to preserve the rural character of the City when properties are developed. The property owners request for a driveway access directly onto Fox Street is based on preserving several large Page 1 of 2