Planning panel approves North Shore Drive variances with condition to plant native trees

Orono planners on Feb. 17 approved a package of variances for a North Shore Drive property that will allow reconstruction of a home on essentially the same footprint with a second story, subject to a condition that the owner plant at least two native trees in the lake yard.

Planning staff (Curtis) explained the owner seeks lot-area, 75-foot lake setback, average lakeshore setback, rear and side yard variances and hardcover exceptions in order to rebuild a nonconforming home with a usable second story. Staff said roughly 60–65% of the lot lies inside the 75-foot setback and that redevelopment on the same footprint and raising the low floor to meet floodplain requirements were part of the proposal. The Minnesota DNR reviewed the application and recommended planting one to two native trees in the lake yard to screen the increased massing; staff recommended conditioning approval on a minimum of two native trees and submission of a landscape plan before City Council review.

Applicant Robert Arone described the house as old and constrained by a nonbuildable Hennepin County parcel to the west; he said rebuilding on the existing footprint and raising the floor to meet floodplain rules would improve the property and that an adjacent neighbor to the east had signed in support.

Commissioners debated the DNR screening request. Some members worried about setting precedent and the potential to block a neighbor’s view; others said two native trees was a modest, reasonable mitigation given the addition of a second story. The applicant said he was willing to plant the trees but expressed concern about long-term view impacts.

Commissioner Perkle moved to approve the variances conditional on the DNR/staff recommendation that the owner plant two native trees lakeward of the house; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Staff will place the item on the City Council agenda for March 9.