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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, September 15, 2014 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 39 of 59  <br />  <br />Gaffron stated the same drawings and grading plans have been resubmitted and that it is his belief nothing <br />has changed. <br /> <br />Todd Haugan, Attorney-at-Law, stated he represents the applicants and has been a resident of Orono for <br />27 years. Haugan indicated his first house in Orono was approximately the same size as what is being <br />proposed tonight on a 50-foot lot and that he raised two children in that house. Haugan stated he is <br />wondering why a house cannot be built on this property. <br /> <br />Haugan stated the law does not allow any city to take away any reasonable use of a property, which is <br />what is happening in this situation. Haugan stated he is trying to understand as an Orono resident why <br />someone cannot take a lot that was platted and had a house and garage on it at one point in time, but then <br />as years go by and numerous laws and ordinances are passed, that what was once a buildable lot, platted <br />as a buildable lot, is no longer buildable. <br /> <br />Haugan stated the proposed house is pretty modest. Haugan stated he heard comments about how the <br />neighboring lots are huge, but they were once platted as small individual 50-foot lots. Haugan noted this <br />is an 83-foot wide lot, 100 feet deep, and abuts a road. The road serves no one other than the two <br />neighbors above, with the rest of the road being exclusively for this property. <br /> <br />Haugan stated at the end of the day, his comments might be better made in a different forum, but that <br />there are two issues. One, as it was mentioned, this is only a variance request for size and not use. <br />Haugan stated in his view Staff’s report is absolutely wrong in determining whether this is a buildable lot. <br />Haugan indicated the applicants would like a setback from a back and a side that offends no one. <br /> <br />Haugan stated if there are neighbors here that are complaining, the only two that would have any dog in <br />this fight would be the people who live 20 feet higher than this proposed house and that their view of the <br />lake is obstructed by the massive trees on the subject property. Haugan stated in his view that is not an <br />issue. <br /> <br />Haugan stated as it relates to the effect the variance would have on government services, there would be <br />none since the property is readily accessible by a road. Whether the variance will affect substantial <br />change in the character of the neighborhood is not true. Haugan stated the biggest disruption to the <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 10/20/2014 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 09/15/2014 <br />[Page 39 of 59]