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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> Tuesday,February 21,2017 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Barnhart stated similar to the last application, Staff has prepared two separate draft ordinances regarding <br /> structural coverage. The City Council directed Staff to review the structural coverage limit. The Council <br /> felt that the structural coverage limit might be burdensome to homeowners since there is also a hardcover <br /> limitation. Barnhart stated the challenge that Staff has is there seems to be a strong concern or desire <br /> from the public to protect the massing issue. Barnhart stated structural coverage basically addresses a <br /> massing issue. <br /> Barnhart stated the Council has indicated a desire to reduce regulatory burdens on small lots. In many <br /> areas of the community,where there is a structural component,there is also a hardcover component. <br /> Barnhart stated under the stormwater quality ordinance,there are some opportunities to simply rely on the <br /> hardcover limitations to address the massing goals. <br /> In response to the City Council direction, Staff has drafted two ordinances. Exhibit A does what the <br /> Council would like to accomplish,which removes references to lot coverage and massing standards. The <br /> section regulating massing has been removed and there is no language regarding calculation of massing <br /> and also no maximum or minimum structural coverage depending on the lot side. Exhibit A also <br /> modifies Section 78-1685 where it talks about calculations of massing in the nonindustrial zoning <br /> districts. Barnhart noted the massing standards in the industrial zoning district will stay. <br /> To address some limitation of hardcover throughout the community, in Section 78-17 on Page 2 the City <br /> is broken into six districts. The first five districts provide a hardcover limitation ranging from 25 percent <br /> to 85 percent. In addition,there is a portion of the community that is exempt from the hardcover <br /> limitations. Barnhart stated the draft ordinance prescribes a hardcover limitation in those areas that are <br /> exempt in the stormwater quality map to 75 percent of the gross lot area. All references to structural <br /> coverage have been removed and the hardcover is based on the gross lot area. <br /> Barnhart stated the draft ordinance also addresses the goal of removing redundant regulation. <br /> Thiesse asked Staff to describe a lot that does not have a hardcover limitation. <br /> Barnhart indicated they are primarily located in the center one-third of the City and over 1,000 feet away <br /> from a lake or tributary. <br /> Barnhart stated the main concern of the Council was that the 15 percent limitation is onerous on the <br /> citizens, create unnecessary ordinances, and does not allow the freedom of folks to reinvest in their <br /> property. Exhibit B raises the limit from 15 percent to 20 percent. For lots less than 10,000 square feet, it <br /> raises the structural coverage limit from 1,500 square feet to 2,000 square feet. Barnhart noted Staff had <br /> recommended that originally some years ago. <br /> Exhibit B also modifies the calculation of massing to basically include just roofed structures if they are <br /> over six feet. If it is a roofed area, such as a doghouse,that is below six feet,that would not be counted. <br /> In addition, some modifications have been made to the nonindustrial zoning districts to be consistent with <br /> what was discussed with Exhibit A. <br /> Staff supports Exhibit B since it reaches the City Council's goal and maintains some limits on massing. <br /> Barnhart noted last year the City reviewed four structural variances and each one of those applications <br /> would be helped by this draft ordinance since none of them exceeded the 20 percent. <br /> Page 25 of 32 <br />