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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> May 15,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> ROLL CALL <br /> The Orono Planning Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: <br /> Chair Chris Bollis, Commissioners Mark McCutcheon,Dennis Libby,Jon Ressler,Bob Erickson, Scott <br /> Kirchner and Gary Kraemer. Representing Staff were Community Development Director Laura Oakden, <br /> City Planner Melanie Curtis, and City Planner Natalie Nye. <br /> Chair Bollis called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> APPROVAL OF AGENDA <br /> Libby moved,Kraemer seconded,to approve the Agenda.VOTE: Ayes 7,Nays 0. <br /> APPROVAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES OF APRIL 17,2023 <br /> Kirchner moved,Ressler seconded,to approve the minutes of the Orono Planning Commission <br /> meeting of April 17,2023.VOTE: Ayes 7,Nays 0. <br /> OLD BUSINESS <br /> 1. LA23-000017 MURPHY& CO. DESIGN,746 TONKAWA ROAD,VARIANCES FOR <br /> HARDCOVER,DRIVEWAY WIDTH,AND REAR YARD SETBACK <br /> City Planner Nye said this item was tabled from the April 17 Planning Commission Meeting. The <br /> applicant wishes to build a new three-car garage near the street and demolish the existing garage which is <br /> non-conforming and served by a steep driveway. The proposed garage is 10 feet from the rear or street <br /> property line where 30 is required. Due to the proximity of the garage to the street,the driveway does not <br /> have the opportunity to taper down to the 20-foot maximum width,she said, so the applicant is requesting <br /> a variance from the rear yard setback and also for driveway with to allow a 34-foot wide driveway. The <br /> applicant is also requesting a variance to hardcover. The project would reduce hardcover from 35 to 32 <br /> percent but will still be over 25 percent so it requires a variance. The original plan removed a small <br /> portion of the shared driveway,Nye said, but the revised application restores the shared driveway to its <br /> original design. The neighbors are in favor of the new design. <br /> Dan Demeules with Murphy and CO Design, 235 Lake St. East, Wayzata, spoke as the applicant, <br /> explaining they met with the homeowner to the north and agreed to keeping the existing paving line for <br /> the shared driveway. The plan also removes a stair that used to be on the side to provide outside access <br /> and the owners will now be using a stair inside their garage to get to their lower level. <br /> Bollis said he remembers the Planning Commission were mostly in favor of this request at the last <br /> meeting except for the issue of the shared driveway. <br /> Kraemer said he was in favor before but it's good to get the neighbors on board and that there had been <br /> good communication by everyone. He called the revised plan a no-brainer. <br /> Kirchner said it looks like the difficulty from the previous meeting had been resolved and he had no <br /> issues with supporting the request. <br /> Page 1 of 5 <br />