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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, March 10, 2014 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />    Page 7 of 17   <br />(4. #14-3648 BEN GOODWIN, 565 LEAF STREET AND 550 OXFORD ROAD, VARIANCE, <br />Continued) <br /> <br />Mattick stated they can erect a 6-foot fence on the property line without a variance, but if they want an <br />8-foot fence that does not require a variance, they would need to place it ten feet from the property line. <br /> <br />Printup stated he would like to hear from the church owners. <br /> <br />Tracy McCall, Woods Chapel, stated they are not opposed to the Goodwin’s constructing the fence. <br />McCall indicated they hold weddings Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and rehearsals on Thursdays. <br />There are no significant activities on the church property Mondays through Wednesdays. <br /> <br />McCall stated as far as the sound issues are concerned, she has not been on their properties. McCall <br />stated when she stands on the far side of the property, she can hardly hear the music and that they have <br />had to put a speaker over there. McCall indicated she is not sure whether the sound carries the other way <br />over the pond. <br /> <br />Printup asked what her thoughts are regarding the fence. <br /> <br />McCall stated they do not have a problem with the 8-foot fence. McCall indicated she did send the <br />property owners an e-mail when the weddings would be held last year and asked them not to cut down the <br />trees if possible during those times. McCall stated she has never told the neighbors they cannot be out in <br />their back yards. The wedding parties are told that there is no off street parking and that they need to park <br />on the church property. McCall indicated they try to be as respectful as they can to all of their neighbors. <br /> <br />Levang asked the City Engineer to clarify his statements regarding the topographical information he <br />provided in his report. <br /> <br />Struve indicated the elevations by the house are fairly equal to what the top of the fence would be at the <br />8-foot level. If a person is standing up by the house, the fence will provide little sound or visual barrier. <br />If you are standing down along the fence line, it will provide more of a visual barrier but a minimal sound <br />barrier. Struve stated he looked at it more from the perspective of up by the house. <br /> <br />Levang noted the City has not allowed very many 8-foot variances and that in her view an 8-foot fence <br />will not make much of a difference. <br /> <br />McMillan stated in her view there are a couple of areas on the western part of the property that do flatten <br />out a little bit and an 8-foot fence would be helpful in those areas. McMillan stated the question then <br />becomes whether the fence should be eight feet at some areas and six feet at others. <br /> <br />Bremer stated she also attended the Planning Commission meeting when this application was discussed <br />and that one of the points that was discussed was that this is a pretty unique location. Bremer noted this <br />area is very hidden, and if the church does not have an objection to it, given the benefits it could bring in <br />the short-term until the pine trees mature, she would be supportive of it. Bremer stated she would caution <br />everyone that it is not a cure for everything. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Item #03 - CC Agenda - 03/24/2014 <br />Approval of Council Minutes 03/10/2014 <br />[Page 7 of 17]