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• MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEEETING <br /> Monday, September 19, 2016 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Lorsung stated they are fine with public roads but they would like to maintain the 50-foot right-of-way <br /> rather than paving it. Lorsung stated in terms of density, Sugar Woods has 30 acres with 25 lots and they <br /> have 27 acres with 25 lots. Lorsung stated when you look at the average density for both sites, they are <br /> about the same. <br /> Lorsung stated the Larsons and Mabusths are very well connected to the community and that part of the <br /> reason why there are two acre lots being proposed for around the perimeter of the site is to be sensitive to <br /> the neighbors. Lorsung indicated the property owners wanted to ensure there is enough buffer between <br /> the neighbors and the development but that they did not approach any neighbors specifically since this is <br /> still at the sketch plan stage. <br /> Chair Thiesse asked for public comment at 7:44 p.m. <br /> Paul Muldoon, 1801 West Farm Road, stated the devil is in the details and that he has had three days to <br /> review it. <br /> Muldoon read the following statement into the record: <br /> "My wife and I reside in the Orono coinmunity. Our home is located in the West Farm Road <br /> subdivision, which is immediately adjacent to the applicant's property. <br /> We understand that this is a preliminary hearing intended to solicit both neighborhood and <br /> community feedback on the applicant's proposal. We have read the applicant's proposal and <br /> reviewed the commission's preliminary�review. <br /> Tonight's forum is time limited and does not perinit our full commentary on the Commission's six <br /> items under consideration. Instead we will limit our remarks to Items 1-3, which are the baseline <br /> rezoning and variance requests. We respectfully request that these remarks be entered into the <br /> recard. A written copy will be provided. <br /> Let me begin by saying that we are interested in the applicant being able to develop their site in <br /> accordance with the applicable, existing ordinances and zoning as they stand today and have stood <br /> consistently since the applicant purchased this property in the year 2000. <br /> These historical ordinances are both old and new, in the sense that tliey were in place before <br /> applicant's arrival and affinned by the colnmunity for decades. They were adopted formally as The <br /> Community Management Plan in 1980, and have been reaffirmed via our current 2010-2030 <br /> Comprehensive Plan as recently as 9/13/2010. <br /> By our understanding of the Planning Commission's minutes, under current zoning,the applicant <br /> would be entitled to develop up to 10 residential parcels and be able to build on all land other than <br /> that currently designated as protected wetlands. <br /> The permitted scale of a 10-unit single-family development with 2-acre lot minimums, is common, <br /> profitable and fits ouc community's eaisting, stated land use and buildable area restrictions. We <br /> support the applicant's rights to this level of development. importantly, it is compatible and <br /> consistent with the Planning Commission's past decision making,practice and preservation <br /> philosophy. <br /> Page 13 of 23 <br />