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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 33 of 35  <br />  <br />Leskinen moved, McGrann seconded, to recommend approval of Application No. 13-3616, City of <br />Orono, Amendment of Zoning Code Chapter 78, Add Section 78-1379, Alternative Energy Systems, <br />incorporating Option 2B on the WECS system and Option 1 for the hydronic furnaces per Staff <br />recommendations. <br /> <br />Landgraver asked whether only Option 2B would be presented to the City Council. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated he would bring the two different versions forward to the City Council along with the <br />Planning Commission’s recommendation. Gaffron indicated he would bring a version that has a <br />prohibition on WECS since there has been some feedback from the City Council that they are interested <br />in a prohibition. Gaffron stated he does not know where the full Council stands on that and that he would <br />like to bring forward the version the Planning Commission is recommending as well as another version <br />prohibiting it. <br /> <br />VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />Thiesse asked whether the draft ordinance would need to come back before the Planning Commission for <br />a public hearing if the City Council comes up with another option. <br />Gaffron stated in his view it would not need to but that he can ask the City Attorney. Gaffron noted the <br />Planning Commission held the public hearing tonight. <br /> <br />Curtis stated the overall topic has been noticed. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated if the City Council adds a fifth category that has not been part of the discussions, that <br />would be far afield and require it to come back to the Planning Commission. <br /> <br />9. #13-3644 CITY OF ORONO, AMEND CHAPTER 78 REGARDING MINIMUM <br />STANDARDS FOR DWELLING UNIT SIZE AND DIMENSIONS, 9:46 P.M. – 9:53 P.M. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated as a result of a recent zoning application for a lot with a minimal buildable envelope, as <br />well as questions recently raised with regard to a violation situation involving the premise that a tiny, <br />uninhabitable cabin should have status as a principal dwelling Staff has conferred with the City Attorney <br />and concluded that a minimum dwelling size ordinance should be enacted. Gaffron indicated such an <br />ordinance is relatively common in municipal and county regulations. In Orono, only the RPUD and RS <br />districts are subject to a minimum single-family detached dwelling size. <br /> <br />The City’s current code requires that in the RPUD districts all dwelling units, including manufactured <br />homes, shall have a depth of at least 20 feet for at least 50 percent of their width. All dwelling units, <br />including manufactured homes, shall have a width of at least 20 feet for at least 50 percent of their depth. <br /> <br />The RS district requires that all new or remodeled dwellings or habitable buildings shall meet or exceed <br />the following minimum square footage of enclosed floor area on the main floor. No minimum area is <br />required for tents, screen houses, or other permitted accessory structures. Principal dwellings must be a <br />minimum of 800 square feet and seasonal dwellings or guest cabins must be a minimum of 400 square <br />feet. <br /> <br />Thiesse asked if that would include garages. <br /> <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/21/14* <br />Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 11/18/2013 <br />[Page 33 of 35]