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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLA22-000035 (2659 Casco Point Rd) Ex C Draft PC MinMINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, July 18, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. LA22-000035 ALEXANDER DESIGN GROUP, 2659 CASCO POINT ROAD, REQUESTS VARIANCES FOR HARDCOVER, LOT AREA AND LOT WIDTH IN CONJUNCTION WITH REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY. (STAFF: MELANIE CURTIS) Kristy Raasch, Alexander Design Group, and Atrion Faiola. Applicant, were present. City Planner Curtis gave a presentation on the item and asked if the Commissioners received her email that afternoon with revised plans to the application. The Applicant has provided revised plans in response to the Staff recommendation of denial within the report. They are requesting variances in order to construct a new home on a property with substandard area and width. According to the revised plans they continue to request a hardcover variance to permit 29.2% hardcover where 25% is permitted; 32.1% currently exists and the original request reflect 30.8% hardcover. The revised plan reflects a 214 square foot reduction, they have eliminated the requested structural coverage variance and now show 20% conforming structural coverage. The boat house or shed down by the lake is existing and is planned to be rebuilt in-kind. The Applicant has stated that the size and width of the property provide challenges for development. The nonconforming lot size limits the amount of building footprint and hardcover from that of a conforming sized lot. They have provided supporting documentation and should be asked for additional testimony regarding the application. In this neighborhood, Staff finds practical difficulties inherent to the size and shape of the lot affecting the property which justifies the variances allowing redevelopment. However, the proposed structural coverage level, hardcover level, and deck stair encroachment into the side setback are not supported by practical difficulties. The plans have been modified to reduce building coverage and resulting hardcover, and the side setback for the deck stair has been eliminated. The Applicant submitted a neighborhood letter with signatures from neighbors; one neighbor comment was received via email and distributed today and should be included in the public record. Staff finds the lot area and width variances are supported by practical difficulty and Staff supports granting those variances. Staff would additionally support some level of hardcover variance for the redevelopment. Planning Commission should determine if revised hardcover level is supported by practical difficulty. Ms. Raasch stated with the lot being substandard they found it very difficult to get to the 25% and because the lot has an existing boat house it is also adding to the structural coverage and hardcover. She noted they are trying to improve the parking with a side-load garage and driveway which will allow more parking on their driveway and less on Casco Point Road. Chair McCutcheon opened the public hearing at 6:18 p.m. There were no public comments. Chair McCutcheon closed the public hearing at 6:18 p.m. The Commissioners discussed the item. Libby asked if the shed will be purely storage which is why they are looking at like-kind. Ms. Raasch replied in the affirmative. Chair McCutcheon noted it is an improvement and he would like to hear the Commissioners’ opinion on whether they are okay with the hardcover. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION Monday, July 18, 2022 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Kirchner’s first thought is that it is an improvement, however this is a completely new structure and these moments offer the opportunity to make it right and make it conforming to the hardcover. That is his struggle and he is hung up on the hardcover variance, noting one can still build there it is just a matter of size and hardcover. Ressler is in support of this because 60 foot wide lots do not allow accommodation for structure in general, although this is a deeper lot which gives some relief in the calculations. He noted they are meeting lakeshore and north/south setbacks. In looking at the design as proposed he does not know if there is a way to redesign without making more of a nuisance for the neighbors with parking spilling out onto the street. He is in support of the application and feels practical difficulty is met because of the lot width and mitigating circumstances, improvement to existing hardcover, and meeting the setbacks of basically everything else. Chair McCutcheon agrees. If it was a lot of massing it would be different but it is subtle, the garage is basically attached to the house. He thinks it is a better layout, they are reducing hardcover, and it is safer for the community and Applicant. He noted on that small of a lot, the Applicant does not have a lot of options. Having the support of the neighbors also helps him with this application. Erickson appreciates the effort they are making and that it is a narrow lot. However hardcover is still an issue. In the past the Planning Commission was always quite strict if one has a small lot, then they build a small house. Since that time they have seen people wanting a larger house on a small lot and then they see variances with a number of variances already being approved. Peterson was opposed to the application until the latest publication. He thinks this is good faith of the builder and homeowner and would be in favor. Ressler moved, Libby seconded, to approve LA22-000035, 2659 Casco Point Road, as amended per the application received today, July 18, 2022. VOTE: Ayes: 4, Nays 2 (Kirchner, Erickson).