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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, September 16, 2016 <br />6:30 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 6 of 34  <br />  <br /> <br />Curtis stated they are sitting alongside the stairs. <br /> <br />Thiesse asked whether the stairs can be constructed without the walls. <br /> <br />Dutra indicated the stairs can be constructed without the walls at the four foot width. <br /> <br />Schoenzeit recommended the grading plan be approved by the City Engineer and that the stairs not <br />exceed a four-foot width. <br /> <br />Lin Yan stated if the walls along the stairs are not necessary, they do not have to construct the walls. <br /> <br />Dutra stated the biggest concern they have is the hill. If a portion of the hill cannot be removed, the slope <br />will be too steep for stairs. Dutra stated they would like to divert the water from the neighbors and the <br />back yard through the grass and away from the area that currently floods. Dutra noted the tree that was <br />removed had been there for approximately 200 years but that about two feet of roots were exposed and it <br />was dying. To prevent the tree from falling into the house, it was removed. <br /> <br />Thiesse stated he was completely against the application until he walked the property. The intent of the <br />ordinance is to protect the lake view of the house. If six feet is removed from the bluff, it will still remain <br />a flat area and people will not be able to tell dirt was removed from that area a year from now. <br /> <br />Schoenzeit commented it appears the area was incorrectly graded at one time. <br /> <br />Curtis indicted prior to the current house being constructed, there was another house on the property that <br />was located in the lower area of the property. That area was not completely filled in at the time the house <br />was demolished. <br /> <br />Schoenzeit stated typically most homeowners will construct a swale along one or both sides of the house <br />but that this property seems to have a slope toward the basement that appears to be incorrect. <br /> <br />Dutra stated the plan on the overhead shows the cross-section of the back yard and how much dirt will <br />need to be removed and the area that will need to be filled in. Dutra indicated they are trying to take a <br />little bit of the slope out to make sure that the water that comes from the street is diverted. <br /> <br />Leskinen asked if the entire width of the property would be graded flat. <br /> <br />Lin Yan indicated it would only be a portion of the back yard. <br /> <br />Dutra stated it would be approximately half of the property. Dutra indicated the arrows show the <br />direction of the runoff. <br /> <br />Lin Yan stated he owns 183 feet of lakeshore and that in his opinion it will only be about one-third that <br />will need to be graded. <br /> <br />McGrann stated at this point the Planning Commission can table it, deny it, or move it forward. It is the <br />recommendation of Staff that the application be tabled until further comments are received from the City <br />Item #01 - PC Agenda - 10/21/2013 <br />Approval of PC Minutes 09/16/2013 [Page 6 of 34]