01-20-2015 Planning Commission Packet

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, November 17, 2014 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 17 of 23 In addition, the road does not appear to serve any public purpose and does not provide access to other properties. The proposed private road corridor is 50 feet in width with a 100-foot diameter cul-de-sac as required by the Subdivision Ordinance and the Community Management Plan for a local private road. The standard paved width for this road would be 24 feet with an 80-foot diameter paved cul-de-sac. The 30-foot access corridor to the adjacent Whalen property to the immediate north would function as the access to a back lot, and by code can be shared by the owner of proposed Lot 3 as well as the owner of the Whalen property. A small amount of wetland may be disturbed in improving this corridor for driveway use. Gaffron noted the Whalen property is currently landlocked. The Whalen property is barely ten acres but contains wetlands such that it would be a single building site. Attempts to obtain other means of access to the Whalen property have been unsuccessful to date. The Community Management Plan indicates that no future trails are proposed along Orchard Park Road and there is no need for trail easements. As a result, payment of the standard Park Dedication fee for two new building lots would be appropriate. Gaffron stated the City will require a road, drainage, and utilities easement over the private road, which should be platted as an outlot and designed and built to City private road standards. Standard perimeter drainage and utility easements will also be required along all property boundaries in the plat as well as Conservation and Flowage Easements over any delineated wetlands and drainageways. The property will be subject to the stormwater and drainage trunk fee. Due to the large size lots, the need for stormwater improvements is likely to be minimal. The property would be served by private onsite systems and private wells and full soil testing and system design will be required for each new lot as well as a review of primary and alternate sites for the existing home. Wetlands on the property will not be impacted except for the 30-foot corridor along the west side of proposed Lot 3. The actual square footage of wetland that would be filled to create the driveway is not known at this time. The MCWD would be involved in establishment of mitigation requirements if needed and would also be establishing appropriate wetland buffers for the development. The City will require a Conservation and Flowage Easement over the wetlands. The developer has been advised that this subdivision will be subject to the City’s Conservation Design Ordinance and will be reviewed in terms of the Rural Oasis goals and policies which have been approved by the City Council. The majority of the property consists of open fields with scattered trees near the homestead and along wetland edges. The Conservation Design Ordinance would require the applicant look at invasive species and views but that in Staff’s opinion the review necessary would be minimal. Gaffron stated the purpose of a sketch plan review is to provide the developer with an overview of the pertinent City ordinances and how they impact the proposed plat. The Planning Commission should provide the developer direction on any issues that they feel require special attention. Gaffron stated this application could potentially provide access to the Whalen property, which should be discussed. Leskinen asked if that 100-foot notch abutting Orchard Park Road is a separate lot. Gaffron indicated it is a separate lot and is not part of the plat. Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/20/2015 Approval of Planning Commission Minutes [Page 17 of 23]