04-27-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 27, 2015 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 4 of 21 4. #15-3711 CITY OF ORONO – AMEND CHAPTER 86-68 TO MODIFY SURVEY REQUIREMENTS FOR MINOR PROJECTS/ADDITIONS (continued) Curtis stated there is a definition in the code and that the Council recently defined the permit parameters for that to 20 cubic yards. McMillan stated people typically think of landscaping as planting flowers, bushes or trees. Walsh stated he would like to make the language narrower to avoid any confusion for people who simply want to plant a few bushes. McMillan stated it could say zoning permit for land alteration rather than zoning permit for landscaping and that a grading plan shall be submitted with a surveyor site plan. Council Member Printup noted the draft ordinance establishes a requirement for a separate zoning permit. Printup asked if that would have another fee applied to the building permit. Curtis indicated the land alteration permit is $50 and it would be assigned to the landscaping contractor rather than the builder. McMillan stated with that change, the language should work. Walsh stated land alterations are already defined in City Code. Walsh noted the word landscaping is included in the ordinance a few times where it would need to be changed. McMillan stated landscape plan should be a grading plan in Paragraph B under Section 1. City Attorney Mattick stated to his knowledge it is called a site and grading plan on the sample permit. Mattick stated Staff will go through the draft ordinance, clean up that language, and bring it back before the Council. Walsh stated under Item B under surveys required it states, “shall be accompanied by a certificate of survey or site plan drawn to scale prepared by a person registered by the MN Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture and Interior Design. Walsh asked if it should be all of those or one of those. Public Works Director/City Engineer Edwards indicated that is the name of the Board, which has sub- boards within it. Edwards stated the City’s current code reads that there needs to be a survey that is signed by a licensed surveyor and in some exceptions a licensed engineer. Edwards stated a licensed surveyor goes out and surveys the ground whereas a landscape architect or a civil engineer or an architect actually creates a plan and a design. Edwards stated Staff has been requiring individual homeowners or contractors to then put the design on the survey, which is an additional cost to the people. Edwards stated what they are attempting to say this is the board of professionals to be licensed through. Edwards stated they are not saying that someone who is an interior designer would be allowed to sign the survey or site plan.