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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, March 9, 2015 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  <br />Page 16 of 43  <br />  <br />(9. #14-3687 REAL ASSETS II, LLC 3720 – 3730 NORTHERN AVENUE – PLAT OF <br />NORTHERN OAKS, continued) <br /> <br />Levang stated in her view it is not the work of the Council to look at the issue of whether a house is <br />sellable or not in terms of a story and a half versus two stories. Levang indicated she is not willing to <br />change the original resolution. <br /> <br />Walsh indicated he is a little more receptive to changing it and that the City would not be breaking any <br />new ground here in terms of adding additional fill. Walsh stated in his view the City would not be setting <br />any precedent and that the City Council has an obligation to the City to make sure that the correct things <br />are done and that they are not building homes that are not saleable. Walsh stated he would be a little <br />more receptive to solving the problem and getting some good saleable homes. <br /> <br />Todd Holmers asked if they dropped it to a foot and a half and went to the 8-foot basement whether that <br />would solve the problem. <br /> <br />Gaffron noted they had that discussion on the site and concluded that it would help but that Staff would <br />need to see an exact plan. Gaffron stated it would definitely get it closer but it could potentially change <br />the location of the garage and possibly other things. <br /> <br />Gronberg stated they did look at having an 8-foot basement and it did work. Gronberg stated that would <br />lower the house level from what was shown on the original grading plan. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated that is true, and from Staff’s perspective, if there was a grading plan that showed additional <br />fill and the location of the houses, they could review that. Gaffron indicated he would not want to do it as <br />a variance but rather approve it only as a change to the master grading plan for the development. Gaffron <br />stated he does not want to start a precedent of requiring a variance on it, which is why these two <br />applications were brought before the City Council tonight. Gaffron stated this application is still in the <br />development plan phase, which could justify changing the development agreement. <br /> <br />Printup stated if the flexibility is there, the applicant could come back with another plan. <br /> <br />Levang asked if Staff is recommending it be tabled until the applicant can submit a new plan showing the <br />8-foot ceilings. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated it would be helpful to have an actual plan that Staff can review to see whether it would <br />work. <br /> <br />McMillan asked if they would need to come back to the City Council if the 8-foot ceilings worked. <br /> <br />Gaffron stated if the lower basements work with the original grading plan, the only thing the City is doing <br />then is saying that the City will accept the idea that the original grading plan did create the new existing <br />grades for measuring basements and heights. <br /> <br />Walsh asked if that is an interpretation or whether it would require a revision to the resolution.