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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, November 18, 2013 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 8 of 35  <br />  <br />The applicant has platted, at the City’s request, a road connection to the property to the immediate <br />southeast for potential future road connection to serve that property. This would allow for a future <br />through road from Willow to Watertown and would provide more options for future development of the <br />property to the southeast and ultimately make for more efficient road maintenance. <br /> <br />The 2008-2030 Comprehensive Trail System map indicates that a future trail is planned to extend down <br />Willow Drive from Highway 12 to Hackberry Park. The plan terminates this trail at Hackberry Park and <br />ends just short of the subject property. The trail picks up again further south at the Luce Line with a <br />future connecting segment to Brown road and the Dakota trail. A 10-foot trail easement was dedicated <br />along the west boundary of Glendale Cover to allow for future extension of the City’s public trail system <br />along Willow Drive. While the developer is not required to construct this trail extension, Staff <br />recommends that a 10-foot trail easement be required along the west side of Oliver Hill for a possible <br />future trail. <br /> <br />The Park Fee is determined as 8 percent of the fair market value of the land being subdivided, with a <br />minimum of $3,250 per welling unit or a maximum of $5,550 per residential dwelling unit. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted the property is located with the MUSA and sewer service is available to these properties <br />via the Hackberry system which discharges to the Long Lake system. At this time the applicant is <br />proposing the use of private wells to serve each home. The developer will be responsible for installation <br />of sewer and possibly water laterals to serve the development. <br /> <br />The Planning Commission should consider the following issues: <br /> <br />1. The Planning Commission should consider whether RPUD is the appropriate rezoning option for <br /> this development. Staff believes RPUD is the only viable available option for development of <br /> this parcel in the manner for which it is guided in the CMP. <br /> <br />2. Based on the overall grading plan, development of this site will result in removal of a majority <br /> of the existing tree backdrop that separates the easterly and westerly portions of the property. <br /> The areas remaining undisturbed will mostly be limited to wetlands and the treed areas along and <br /> past the creek on Lots 3, 4, and 5. A beefed-up landscaping plan may help to soften the visual <br /> impacts that will be created. <br /> <br />3. The proposed road corridor is directly across from existing homes which front on Willow and the <br /> headlights from cars leaving the subdivision could become an annoyance. There may not be a <br /> solution to this potential problem. <br /> <br />4. The applicants should identify their intent for the remnant corridor extending to Watertown Road <br /> from the easterly parcel. <br /> <br />5. Via the RPUD process, certain defined development standards that are not strictly met can be <br /> allowable through granting flexibility rather than via a strict variance proceeding. This Staff <br /> report identifies a number of areas where the RPUD requirements are not being adhered to. The <br /> Planning Commission should discuss each of those items and determine whether they should be <br /> allowed. <br /> <br />6. Since the developer is planning to build modestly priced and sized homes, the Planning <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/21/14* <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 11/18/2013 <br />[Page 8 of 35]