01-21-2014 Planning Commission Packet

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, November 18, 2013 6:30 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 35 The applicants are proposing a plat of seven lots. The existing topography of the vacant lot consists of a vacant field gently sloping downhill to the north. The other lot is wooded and has a creek. There is an easement for the creek. Due to the density with this development, it would be looked at as a public road rather than private. City sewer would serve this development and the applicant has spoken with Long Lake about obtaining water. The zoning of the area surrounding this site consists of the Hackberry neighborhood to the west, which is comprised of half-acre single-family lots. Lots in that neighborhood are roughly 15,000 to 20,000 square feet as is the neighborhood in Long Lake directly to the east. The east boundary of the east parcel is the boundary with Long Lake. Gaffron stated what is being proposed here are lots that average approximately a third of an acre and a few that are slightly smaller. In general the lots average out to 0.45 acres of contiguous dry buildable per lot. In general the lots are fairly buildable from the perspective of flexibility. Some of these lots have less flexibility than others. As it relates to a Planned Residential Unit Development, the Code requires that it consist of five acres in order to do a RPUD. This site has 4.92 acres. The Planning Commission and City Council will need to find that one of four situations exist in order to allow this to be developed as an RPUD. The first condition is whether there are unusual physical features of the property itself or of the surrounding neighborhood such that development as a RPUD will conserve a physical or topographic feature of importance to the neighborhood or community. The second condition is whether the property is directly adjacent to or across a public street from property which has been developed previously as a RPUD or planned residential development and will be perceived as and will function as an extension of that previously approved development. The third condition is whether the property is located in an area where the proposed development provides a transition between a commercial or industrial area and an existing residential area or on an intermediate or principal arterial as defined in the Comprehensive Plan. The fourth condition is whether the property contains steep slopes or a substantial number of significant trees that could be preserved through the clustering of buildings or other design techniques not generally allowed by the existing zoning district. The Planning Commission should consider whether one or more of these four conditions exist. The applicant was advised that he would need to complete a Conservation Design Report and Master Plan to determine what natural values of the site should be preserved or enhanced. The Conservation Design Report and Master Plan have been completed and the recommendations are included in the Planning Commission’s packet. The Conservation Design Report finds that there are two basic views into the property from off site and include a view of a forested area and several trees across the creek. As you look from Glendale Cove south, there are views of the forested area and several trees. Item #01 - PC Agenda - 01/21/14* Approval of Planning Commission Minutes 11/18/2013 [Page 5 of 35]