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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,January 22,2013 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> many chickens is correct for a given properly,the Planning Commission may want to consider the <br /> following: <br /> 1. Does Orono want to place severe restrictions on chickens for any property less than 2 acres in <br /> total area within those zones where animals are allowed? <br /> 2. Does Orono want to relate the number of chickens to available pasture area or to other site- <br /> specific measurable pazameters such as total lot area,location of chicken coop, or chicken run <br /> areas relative to neighboring properties? <br /> 3. If there is support to reduce the number of chickens allowed on any property regardless of lot <br /> size, should that be through, (a)reducing the number of chickens that comprise an animal <br /> unit, or(b)reducing the number of animal units allowed for smaller properties? <br /> As it relates to pasture acreage for horses, Orono Code since 1968 has stated that where horses are kept <br /> stabled without requirement of pasture for feed purposes,the minimum pasture requirement may be <br /> reduced at the discretion of the Council. The Code provides no direction as to what factors should be <br /> taken into account in determining whether to reduce the pasture requirements,nor does it specify a <br /> process for making that decision. The Council has indicated that such factors and process should be <br /> established. <br /> Staff would suggest that the code-required acreage for horses should not be construed as purely based on <br /> the area necessary to grow adequate forage to sustain the animals' nutritional needs and should take the <br /> following factors into consideration: <br /> 1. Adequate paddock area to avoid creation of a denuded ground surface as a result of grazing and <br /> trampling. <br /> 2. Sufficient area to manage manure either by active management(accumulation and disposal)or <br /> passive management(allowing it to assimilate into the soil surface)to avoid odor and water <br /> pollution problems. <br /> 3. Adequate area for the horses to be exercised. <br /> 4. Sufficient separation from neighboring homes and properties. <br /> 5. The long-established code which has created an expectation and/or assurance that horses cannot <br /> be kept on a property less than 3 acres in area. This protects our many neighborhoods developed <br /> on 2-acre lots. <br /> Curtis noted approximately 20 to 25 properties in Orono have horses and/or the facilities in place to keep <br /> horses and the majority of those properties are in 2-acre and 5-acre zones. Requests to the City for <br /> reductions in pasture acreage for horses are rare,perhaps one every ten years. In order to provide Council <br /> with direction as to how to use its discretion in determining when it is appropriate to allow a reduction in <br /> pasture acreage, a conditional use permit process may be appropriate. <br /> Staff would suggest the Planning Commission consider the following: Should a conditional use permit be <br /> required(in any district where horses are allowed)to keep horses with less than the required acreage of <br /> Page 11 of 18 <br />