LA18-000067 (1212 Briar St) VAR Exhibit D Draft PC Minutes

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Monday, August 20, 2018 6:30 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 1 of 2 ROLL CALL The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Chair John Thiesse, Commissioners Bob Erickson, Bruce Lemke, and Jon Ressler. Representing Staff were Community Development Director Jeremy Barnhart, City Planners Melanie Curtis and Laura Oakden, and Recorder Jackie Young. Mayor Dennis Walsh was present. Acting Chair Lemke called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. LA18-000067 KEVAN NITZBERG, 1212 BRIAR STREET, VARIANCES, 6:31 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Kevan Nitzberg, Applicant, was present. Oakden stated the applicant is requesting a side yard setback, front yard setback, and a 20-foot front yard setback in order to construct a single-car detached garage forward of the principal building. Currently there is no garage located on the property. The applicant has stated this garage is necessary due to the extreme weather conditions and safety for the livability of his home. The garage will provide additional storage for the property. The new garage will be placed over an existing paved parking pad. The applicant will also be removing excess blacktop from the site bringing the lot into conformance with the hardcover Tier 2 standards. A 5-foot side yard setback is proposed for the south side of the property where 10 feet is required along with a 20-foot front yard setback. The garage will be located in front of the principal structure and located approximately 57 feet from the front of the property. Staff finds the request for a detached single-car garage in the proposed location to be reasonable. The City has previously considered lack of garage parking satisfies practical difficulty. Due to access and the substandard size of the lot, the applicant has stated this is the most reasonable location for the structure. Alternatives include placing the garage in the rear yard but that could potentially create additional hardcover for access. There is currently paved blacktop in this location and the applicant will remove any excess blacktop and bring the hardcover into conformance with the City Code. A garage will increase the usability, safety and storage for the home on the property making the site more useable for the property owners. The neighbor to the south at 1224 Briar has submitted an email in support of the request. The applicant has also submitted signatures from other neighboring properties on the road in support of the request. Planning Staff recommends approval of the request if the Planning Commission agrees with the proposed findings. The Planning Commission had no questions for Staff. Kevan Nitzberg, Applicant, stated Staff has done a great job. Nitzberg noted they do not currently have a garage and that previous owners went through the same process for a two-car detached garage but then decided to sell the property. In their view a 20’ x 24’ structure would be too big and cover up too much of the house so they are instead proposing a single-car garage at 14’ x 20’. Exhibit D LA18-000067 Council