Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, January 16, 2018 <br />6:30 o'clock p.m. <br />Landgraver stated the City recently increased the structural coverage to 20 percent and the main reason <br />why the City has those constraints is to keep things in scale. Landgraver indicated he is hesitant to <br />approve that much of an increase over the allowable structural coverage and that he has not been <br />persuaded to approve that. <br />Thiesse noted the Planning Commission recommended the increase in the structural coverage be denied. <br />Thiesse asked whether the applicant would be able to reduce the structural coverage. <br />Martineau stated this is a very unusual lot given the street on three sides and that the proposed house is <br />36 feet wide, including the garage. Martineau stated he is not sure if that includes the deck. <br />Oakden indicated it would be the house and the covered stoop. <br />Martineau stated it would be very difficult to reduce it without reducing the size of the rooms to the point <br />where it does not make sense. Martineau stated he understands citizens have to be good stewards of the <br />property and that it is his belief it is in the best interest of the neighborhood not to make this a two-story <br />house, especially given the street on three sides of the house. <br />Thiesse stated he is looking at the floor plan and he sees a sunroom and a study. Thiesse commented <br />those are wonderful to have but that the applicant might have to decrease the size. <br />Martineau noted the plan was originally at 38 feet wide and they reduced it to 36 feet wide. <br />Lemke asked whether a two-story would be preferable. <br />Thiesse indicated it would not be preferable but it would be allowed. <br />Leskinen stated having the road on three sides makes the lot more challenging and noted the new home <br />would be more centered on the lot. Leskinen questioned whether having a two-story house or having a <br />one-story that is 348 square feet over the allowed structural coverage is really the lesser of two evils. <br />Thiesse noted the home on one side is two stories and the other homes in the neighborhood are a story <br />and a half. <br />Landgraver stated the City thoroughly vetted the new structural coverage ratios and that he is not inclined <br />to approve the increase in structural coverage. Landgraver stated he is willing to approve a two-story <br />home since that is an efficient use of land. Landgraver stated if everything else were single story, he <br />might make an exception, but that he has a feeling that some of the other neighbors in the future may <br />want a two-story. <br />Oakden stated because the proposed house encroaches the setback, if those setbacks continue to be <br />proposed with a two-story home, they would require a variance since the second story would be a new <br />encroachment in height in the setback areas. <br />Landgraver moved, Schwingler seconded, to recommend denial of Application No. 18-4000, <br />Jeff Martineau on behalf of Barbara Garcia, 1335 Arbor Street, based on the structural coverage <br />exceeding the 2,000 square feet. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br />Page 12 of 17 <br />