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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br /> Tuesday,January 17,2017 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> Curtis noted photographs of the monuments have been included in the Commissioners' packets. <br /> The Planning Commission had no questions for Staff. <br /> David Bieker,Denali Custom Homes, stated they did have an active building permit for the property. <br /> Back then landscape plans were not required at the time of building permit. Bieker stated when it came <br /> time to get the pool permit,which also triggered getting the landscaping in order,they submitted the pool <br /> permit application with the new survey showing the pool and the entrance monuments in their present <br /> location. In receiving the permit for the pool,there were no comments about the monuments being too <br /> close to the road. <br /> Bieker indicated they then proceeded with construction of the pool and were subsequently asked to <br /> construct the monuments by the Andersens. Bieker stated they had the understanding that the monuments <br /> were okay since they were depicted on the survey. <br /> Bieker noted property owners are allowed to have two monuments per single property and that the <br /> setback from the property line is acceptable. The one exception is that the monuments are closer to the <br /> roadway than what is normally allowed. Bieker stated the situation was further complicated was he <br /> believed this to be a private driveway and not a private road since the road is not built to normal road <br /> standards, not maintained by the City, and does not allow two cars to pass side by side. <br /> Bieker stated due to the narrowness of the road, some of the neighbors feel they have the right to drive <br /> through Mr. Andersen's bushes and tear up his grass to avoid an oncoming car. The Andersen's desire <br /> was to put the monuments in place to prevent people from driving in that area. Bieker stated they also put <br /> lighting on the monuments since there are no lights on the street and that stretch of roadway is very dark. <br /> Bieker stated this is a very large site but there is a tremendous amount of wetlands on the site which <br /> required the house to be built close to the road. Bieker noted people cannot park on the road and you <br /> need to park on your own property. Bieker stated moving the monuments back would impede on people <br /> being able to park in the driveway and be able to negotiate in and out of it. As a result,the location was <br /> selected since it was believed to be the best spot for the monuments and still be far enough from the <br /> roadway. Bieker commented people should not be driving more than five or ten miles an hour since it is <br /> built like a private driveway. <br /> Bieker indicated he has some photographs of the monuments and the general area. Bieker noted there are <br /> a number of things that are located much closer to the road than the monuments, such as telephone poles, <br /> trees,gates, fences, and boulders. Bieker stated these monuments are actually further back than many of <br /> those other things that exist along the road and that during the onsite visit by Staff there were no safety <br /> concerns expressed. <br /> Bieker stated how this transpired was unintentional. Bieker stated the monuments cost in excess of <br /> $10,000 and they would need to be destroyed and rebuilt if they have to be relocated. <br /> Steve Andersen,Applicant, stated he read through the letter that was sent to the City and that there has <br /> been one neighbor that voiced his concerns throughout the project. Andersen stated he has eight other <br /> neighbors who were fine with the project. Andersen indicated he was out there pretty much every day <br /> making sure that the road was cleaned off. <br /> Page 10 of 15 <br />