10-13-2014 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 13, 2014 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 11 of 21 (8. #14-3690 TONKA LAKE PROPERTIES, LLC, 1565 ORCHARD BEACH PLACE (PID 07-117-23-43-0026), VARIANCES AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, Continued) Haugan stated the proposed house is pretty modest. Haugan stated he heard comments about how the neighboring lots are huge, but they were once platted as small individual 50-foot lots. Haugan noted this is an 83-foot wide lot, 100 feet deep, and abuts a road. The assessed value of the property is approximately $75,000 currently, and once a house is constructed, the assessed value will go up to $600,000 to $700,000. Haugan noted the road serves no one other than the two neighbors above, with the rest of the road being exclusively for this property. Haugan stated in his view Staff’s report is absolutely wrong in determining whether this is a buildable lot. Haugan indicated the applicants would like a setback from a back and a side that offends no one, and that if there are neighbors here that are complaining, the only two that would have any dog in this fight would be the people who live 20 feet higher than this proposed house and that their view of the lake is obstructed by the massive trees on the subject property. Haugan stated it is his belief the lake views are not an issue. Haugan stated as it relates to the effect the variance would have on government services, there would be none since the property is readily accessible by a road. Whether the variance will affect substantial change in the character of the neighborhood is not true. Haugan stated the biggest disruption to the neighborhood was the 9,000 square foot, $4 million house that was allowed to be constructed across the street, which is an aberration in the neighborhood. Haugan stated the 1,050 to 1,200 square foot floor plan being proposed is identical to the two residences above this lot. Haugan stated as to whether the practical difficulty could be alleviated by a feasible method other than variance is not possible since the property cannot be made bigger. Haugan stated the applicants also did not create this practical difficulty and that it resulted from over 100 years of changes in various laws. The property will become, if a variance is not granted, functionally obsolete. Haugan stated the final criteria in light of all of the above factors; a variance would serve the interests of justice. Haugan asked what is wrong with building a modest house, raising a family, and paying taxes on it. Haugan stated in the grand scheme of things, this is all positive. Haugan stated the applicants are requesting the variance be granted and that in his view the request is modest. Lisa Wysocki, 1555 Orchard Beach Place, stated this lot serves as a drain field for a six acre piece of land and that it is continually swampy and very wet. Wysocki stated there is a corner on their property that is also very low and that there can be a foot of standing water following a heavy rain. Wysocki stated she has a concern that the drainage problems will be made worse if this piece of property is developed. Wysocki stated she has also been told that Orchard Beach Place is a fire lane and that there is a lift station at the end of the road. Orono trucks are down there every single day. Wysocki stated shortening the driveway would eliminate parking for those trucks and/or guest parking. In addition, the neighborhood likes to use the public access. Wysocki stated in her view the proposed house would block her view since it is far in front of the average lakeshore setback and that they are opposed to all of the variances.