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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, January 21, 2014 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 6 of 26  <br />  <br />Following construction of the new home on the property and the commencement of the activity to <br />construct the new lakeshore access stair and landscaping within the 75-foot setback area, the applicant <br />noted a dying/diseased tree and significant erosion lakeward of the tree. The tree can be removed but <br />reinforcement and restoration of the remaining ravine is needed to stop the erosion. <br /> <br />The applicant has provided an engineered plan which contemplates the installation of sub-grade walls to <br />support the slope. The area will be graded to result in a more stable slope and vegetated to reinforce the <br />soil. Once the vegetation is established and matures, the restoration area and the reinforcement should not <br />be visible. In addition, the applicant is proactively creating an armored overflow swale on the west end of <br />the lakeshore slope to accommodate the stormwater drainage from the property. This overflow will be <br />screened with plantings and should not be significantly noticeable once the plantings have matured. <br /> <br />By code, conditionally permitted uses must be reviewed using the criteria found in Section 78-916. Staff <br />finds that Items 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 13 apply in this situation and has found that those items are compliant <br />with the Code. <br /> <br />Staff finds that the conditional use permit amendment to allow the ravine repair, restoration, and the <br />overflow swale within the 0-75 foot zone appears to be reasonable and consistent with similar properties <br />in the neighborhood and the landscape plan offers a natural looking slope. The City Engineer has <br />conducted a cursory revise of the plans and no significant concerns were noted. A full engineering review <br />will be conducted at the time of the administrative permit for construction. <br /> <br />The Planning Commission should discuss the issues outlined in Staff’s report and determine whether any <br />conditions are necessary to be imposed in order to mitigate any additional impacts created by the work. <br /> <br />Planning Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit amendment allowing the earth work <br />within the 0-75 foot setback area. <br /> <br />Dale Gustafson, Applicant, indicated he is the landscape designer on this project. Gustafson stated when <br />they were designing this project, they did notice the gully on the east side but discovered, once the work <br />commenced, that the bank was really piles of debris and branches pushed down there and contained little <br />soil. Gustafson stated the approach they feel is the most practical in that case is to use a subterrainian <br />wall made out of timbers to reinforce the entire bank. The wall would then be backfilled with soil, which <br />would be sloped down the top. Vegetation would then be planted on top of that. Gustafson stated that <br />method has been one of the most effective methods used on lakeshore erosion projects. <br /> <br />Gustafson stated on the other end of the gully, the idea is to provide a place for additional runoff to go. <br />The silt fence that was placed there was not able to sustain it during the heavy downpour that occurred <br />this summer. Gustafson stated in his view there will still be considerable runoff down the bank and that <br />they would like to slightly adjust the grade prior to sodding the area to allow the water to be diverted to <br />the rock channel. The channel will be filled with boulders with vegetation planted along the sides. The <br />plants will eventually grow over the rocks so in time it will not be very noticeable. Gustafson indicated <br />the water will come down the slope, go through the rocks, and then into the riprap. The additional <br />vegetation will also allow for even more filtering of the runoff. <br /> <br />Gustafson stated currently the east half of the lot is graded in such a way to allow some of the water to go <br />to the bank and then down. Gustafson illustrated on the overhead the flow of the runoff. Gustafson stated <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - * 02/18/2014 <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 01/21/14 <br />[Page 6 of 26]