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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 8, 2012 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 10 of 21 (8. #12-3575 SCOTT AND MELISSA MUSGJERD, 4156 HIGHWOOD ROAD, Continued) the City is willing to help them by granting small incremental changes in order to allow a useful deck. Walsh commented a deck in the front tends to destroy the view of the home. Bremer asked how the plans the City Council received tonight are different from what was before the Planning Commission. Sharratt indicated the deck was originally designed to be 12’ x 17’. The applicants late last week received an engineering review letter and that they have attempted to draft a response to his concerns. Sharratt indicated he is in agreement that the driveway was too steep at 11 percent. To lower the grade of the driveway, some risers have been placed on the first floor with steps going down from the garage into the house. Raising the garage results in a 2.8’ foot drop from the edge of the road and creates a 6.3 percent slope. The basement floor elevation rose by six inches. The reason the house can only be raised six inches is to meet the 50 percent rule. McMillan asked if the deck would be 12’ x 7’ if it were to meet the 10-foot setback. Sharratt indicated it would be 7’ x 17’. McMillan commented it would still be a fairly substantial deck but that it would be rather narrow. McMillan noted there is not a stairway coming off the deck. Sharratt indicated there is not a deck stairway and that they have to go back into the house to go out on the yard. Franchot asked if the setback is denied, whether they would move the house to the east two feet to get a little more space. Sharratt indicated they did not get anything in writing from the neighbor but that he had indicated he would not be opposed to eight feet. Franchot asked if moving the house would be the reaction of the applicants to the City Council turning down the setback variance. Sharratt stated it would likely trigger that design change. Franchot noted the other consequence of moving the house is that it would make it closer to the property line on the other side where there is actual structure. Bremer noted the City Council would need to approve the house relocation since it would also require a variance. Sharratt indicated there is no buildable area on the site that would meet all the setbacks. Curtis pointed out they would need a variance to enclose above the deck but that they would not require a variance to enclose the area underneath the deck. Bremer asked if the intention is to enclose the area underneath the deck. Item #02 - CC Agenda - 10/22/2012 Approval of Council Minutes 10/08/2012 [Page 10 of 21]