2026-11-02 - Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

00:05one thing it's on looking

00:05past. A house just these 2 on

00:13chase what you when you want

00:14want to stop. He's

00:19>> Let's call this.

00:23>> Meeting of the Planning and

00:24Zoning Commission to order

00:25place of the roll call.

00:26>> Congressman Alley here,

00:27Chair Gardner. Read Krishna

00:30here, Scott here, Jeff. And

00:35I'm about hear Megan Mills.

00:35Here key here. ran deeper

00:40should be calling in shortly.

00:41Thank you. You have a quorum.

00:45>> Okay. Maybe we have a

00:46motion to approve the minutes

00:48of Monday. October 19th. Moved

00:56by Commissioner McKee seconded

00:58by Commissioner Polis. Are

00:59there any corrections to the

01:00minutes? Here and seeing none?

01:04The minutes are approved. Next

01:10item special order of business

01:10disclosures. Are there any

01:15commissioners with any items

01:15to disclose? Here and seeing

01:22none.

01:23>> Next item consent agenda.

01:25May we have a motion to

01:25approve the consent agenda?

01:33>> It's moved by Commissioner

01:37Ricky seconded by Commissioner

01:38Mills. Any one wishing to pull

01:38any items for discussion. Here

01:42and seeing none. Any

01:46objections to the consent

01:46agenda. Hearing none. The

01:50consent agenda is approved.

01:58No, we'll move on to the

02:00public hearings and I will

02:01read the procedure by which

02:02the public may speak to the

02:03commission. After staff

02:07presentation is completed on

02:09public hearing items. The

02:09chair last for public

02:10testimony on the issue,

02:12persons who wish to testify

02:13will follow the time limits

02:15established in the commission

02:16rules of procedure. A

02:20petitioners, including his or

02:21her representatives will

02:22receive 10 minutes. Part of

02:23this time may be reserved for

02:24rebuttal representatives of

02:27groups, Community Council's

02:28PTA, Zeke cetera, will receive

02:295 minutes. Individuals will

02:30receive 3 minutes when your

02:33testimony is complete. You may

02:34be asked questions by the

02:36commission. You may only

02:38testify once on any issue

02:39unless question by the

02:39commission. May we please have

02:45the staff presentation? if

02:51anyone is here for case 2026,

02:52Dash 0, 1, 3, 6, it has been

02:55postponed to November 9th. And

02:58case 2026 Dash 0, 1, 2, 0, has

03:02been postponed to December

03:0314th. Now we will move on to

03:08case 2026 Dash 0, 1, 3, 2, may

03:11be please have staff

03:11presentation.

03:17>> Thank you. Des is a reason.

03:18Real question is heated. But

03:18the owner to amended is only

03:19meant for 2 parcels from our 5

03:23low density residential

03:24district to R 2 d Two-family

03:26residential district. The Land

03:31use designation and the 2040

03:32land use map put dispersants.

03:34He's so single-family and

03:37Two-family R 2 D is

03:40implementing zoning district

03:41of Land use designation and

03:43the reason is following the

03:44abbreviated rezoning process.

03:46The department meld 18th.

03:49notice and received no public

03:50comment. We're also no

03:55comments opposing the rezoning

03:56from the review agencies and

03:59no comments were received from

04:00the Abbott Live Community

04:02Council. The plan is on

04:04information will provide

04:04accommodation to the assembly

04:07and is a rezoning request via

04:09resolution. Assembly's is that

04:11you to make decision-making

04:12body for rezoning? The

04:17department finds that the

04:18rezoning request meets all

04:18tree approval criteria for

04:20abbreviated is on and

04:24therefore recomends that the

04:24planning zoning Commission,

04:28fermentation of approval for

04:30the rezoning request to R2-D2

04:30distinctly. I am available

04:34questions on representative, a

04:37president is present to just

04:39become the petition Are there

04:43any questions for staff?

04:51Hearing seeing none.

04:55>> Will.

04:56>> Invite the petitioner to.

04:58Introduce themselves and

05:05foreman presentation. threw

05:06the chair. Good evening

05:07commissioners. My name is

05:07Tony. Often prepared this

05:10application.

05:12>> This this rezoning is an

05:13ideal situation with the

05:14abbreviated rizo. It's

05:19provided with waters. The lot

05:20are running on public right

05:21away. Improve roads. Water

05:24sewers, their utilities are

05:25all in place. It's an

05:29excellent use the new land use

05:30plan in this process. So other

05:33than that, I actually do that.

05:34Bush said. open to any

05:36questions.

05:41>> Any questions for the

05:41petitioner? Seeing none. You

05:50have 9 minutes. And 26 seconds

05:51for rebuttal. Thank you. with

05:56that, we'll open the public

05:57hearing. Anyone from the

05:58public wishing to testify.

06:03hearing seeing none. Do you

06:07have anything to offer for

06:08battle? Titian or giving up

06:18their time close the public

06:19hearing. What is the will of

06:20the body? Commissioner, a

06:29Would you like state your

06:30motion?

06:34>> I move in case 2026 Dash 0,

06:371, 3, 2, turkomen to the

06:38Anchorage Assembly, approval

06:39of the rezone of 2 parcels of

06:40land from our 5 to R 2 D.

06:47That's seconded by

06:48Commissioner Mills

06:48commissioner about what would

06:49you like to speak? Your

06:49motion?

06:52>> I intend to support this

06:54motion. It meets all 3

06:56approval criteria and we have

06:56not heard any opposition or

06:59agency comments. Thank you.

07:04Anybody else wishing to speak

07:05to the motion. Here and seeing

07:09none. We'll call for the vote.

07:22That motion passes. Next on

07:30the agenda title. 21

07:30discussion.

07:38>> Do we have any tell? 21

07:40items to discuss? If I could,

07:46mister chair that damac of us

07:47along planning. I thought had

07:47to postpone the on the bus.

07:48The second on the list this

07:49year were.

07:50>> somebody out. So we're sort

07:51of shifting around of cases.

07:52But I wanted address your

07:56attention to a few months ago.

07:58There was a discussion in the

07:59commission about the park's

07:59uses and whether something was

08:00accessory or not. And

08:03something you all identified

08:04is now a major component of

08:04the on the bus. So we're we're

08:07making the changes because all

08:08throughout our code, it says

08:09that an accessory use, but it

08:10wasn't listed excess. Russo.

08:11We're changing that 2

08:12components of this use for a

08:15number of definitions. So

08:17thank you to the commission.

08:17It was. Really cool that you

08:21all identify that and none of

08:21us that are had ever really

08:24thought of it. And it was a

08:25big problem throughout Chapter

08:265. So thank you. That will be

08:27on the bus.

08:38>> Next item, commissioner

08:40comments, any commissioner

08:41comments? Commissioner Ron?

08:47Thank you. Not wanting to let

08:51our good work and the work

08:54session to go I would like to

08:56test the commission's interest

08:57in putting forward a

08:58recommendation to the

09:01assembly.

09:01>> For the question asked of

09:06As directed an airtight. 1, 5,

09:07Dash, 6, planning and zoning

09:09Commission should review other

09:10districts and neighborhood

09:10plans just district a number

09:12of plans within the

09:14municipality of Anchorage

09:15should be considered advisory

09:15to the comprehensive plan and

09:17not have the same force of law

09:18as the principal pass a single

09:19set forth in it. That was the

09:22singular question put before

09:22us tonight that we discussed

09:23in a work session. It was

09:27recommended that, in fact, sea

09:30have scheduled work session.

09:30We've done that. And not sure

09:36which from what form it should

09:36take. again, would like to

09:38test the commission's interest

09:38in putting forward a

09:40recommendation to the assembly

09:42that yes, in fact,

09:43neighborhood in district plans

09:43should be advisory. I just

09:57jump in and say I'm open to it

09:59and love to hear what other

10:00commissioners thoughts are.

10:08>> Commissioner pull I will

10:11second that for sure. adult

10:14here, Commissioner Christian a

10:17>> May I ask a question to

10:19staff work to other

10:20commissioners at this point.

10:24Absolutely. I I'm open to it,

10:27too. And I think my question

10:28is I'm not sure we've had

10:29before as assembly

10:31legislation. That's not

10:33actively sponsored in moving

10:33forward and some might.

10:35question is, starting on Page

10:3817 of our memorandum. We have.

10:422 different assembly

10:43resolution. Drafts. what our

10:48recommendation be structured

10:49around these or would it be

10:51more general? How how much are

10:52we looking at the the specific

10:53language?

11:00>> If I could respond to the

11:02commissioners question, my

11:03interest is in putting forward

11:04a recommendation that is

11:05specific to the question

11:06asked. Of should neighborhood

11:09in district plans be advisory?

11:18Commissioner Mills.

11:23>> I guess I will add that I

11:25too. I'm open to what is being

11:26proposed today. I think value

11:30in the presentation we

11:31received an the effort that

11:352026, 0, 1, 2, 9,

11:44>> Yeah. Just add that similar

11:46to some of those older plans

11:47just because the assembly

11:50members thank the sponsors

11:51might no longer be around. It

11:53might have still been a valid

11:53idea. And I do think that if

11:59the commission felt strongly

12:01about it, even without the

12:02prompt from the assembly, it

12:03would be our place too. Just

12:07say, for example, that we

12:09wanted to weigh in on more

12:10skate parks in Anchorage or

12:11some something along those

12:12lines.

12:14>> Commissioner Commissioner.

12:18>> My one suggestion for

12:23request that I think I would

12:23be in favor of is. Using a

12:27language that seen in table.

12:3021 0, 1, Dash 2, which is

12:31referring to them area slash

12:31issue specific plans. I

12:33believe that this would.

12:37Follow the language in code

12:38and I think give a from my

12:43perspective, a more accurate

12:43description of what I believe

12:45for trying recommend that.

12:48That's a preference. Thank

12:48you.

12:55>> If I may respond

12:55commissioners light it. think

12:57I understand its intent I

13:01would put for that. more

13:04expansive than the interest

13:05that I'm trying to put

13:05forward. 21 out. 21. 0, 1,

13:09dash to that table has plans

13:15utility quarter plan's

13:16transportation plans, specific

13:17parks and facilities plans.

13:19>> As we discussed during the

13:20work session, there may be in

13:22need and separate mechanism

13:24forthcoming to acknowledge and

13:25perhaps improve upon. That

13:27subset of plans. So I would

13:32like to limit our actions

13:33specifically never

13:33disappoints.

13:44>> Does staff have everything

13:45they need? far as feedback

13:48from the commission. Let me

13:55read my notes. It sounds like

14:00the commission is open to a

14:01simple question, not focusing

14:02on the particular That was

14:05proposed our. And I guess that

14:12if we could clarify the last

14:13piece of that area or is she

14:15specific plans? The interest

14:17is is looking at all of them

14:18or just certain parts of the

14:19table. Some competing views.

14:24But the commission, I think on

14:25that point. 2 of us have

14:26weighed in. As I put forward,

14:31my interest was specific to

14:32neighborhood in district

14:33plants. All of the other

14:36commissioner speak to their

14:36interests. Commissioner

14:38Christian, you want to

14:38elaborate? No, I'm fine with.

14:43>> Taking up that specific

14:43question.

14:48>> Cool. Okay. So I guess we

14:51can bring an item back.

14:55>> For discussion under case

14:56number is that some? But right

14:58that with that work with you

14:59all probably in 2 months or

15:01so. Something like that. Gets

15:05picked for the commission say

15:06work. Commissioner McKee.

15:15>> Section one, there's kind

15:16of 2 things in one is what's

15:17been brought up is that we?

15:20Say that their advisory or

15:21make that recommendation and

15:23then there's a second

15:26component that says to create

15:28a clear mechanism for the

15:29areas of 32 River to amend

15:30their respective elements of

15:31the comprehensive plan. So

15:34we're only going to make a

15:35recommendation on the advisory

15:35component.

15:40>> We repeat that. I couldn't

15:41hear the second part of what

15:41your

15:44>> In our in our packet on

15:45Page 17 18. There's a second

15:48component to Section one and

15:49Section one would be we are

15:53saying it is advisory, but

15:54then there's a second

15:55component there that it's

15:56asking for. The creation of a

15:58mechanism to allow Greg

16:02wouldn't Eagle River to amend

16:03their respective elements of

16:03the comprehensive plan. And

16:07then the attached the exhibits

16:10and B. So I think what we're

16:11saying is we're only going to

16:12recommend that they be in

16:13Pfizer. Ian, not address the

16:14second component. It's

16:17requested.

16:17>> And that was what

16:18Commissioner Ron put forward.

16:19And I guess the As a

16:23commission we can decide

16:25together. So if anybody had

16:29any different ideas, they

16:30could put those forward.

16:38Anybody else?

16:39>> Chair. If I can jump in, go

16:43ahead. Just to provide some

16:44background information on the

16:45second element that question

16:49after receiving are from the

16:51assembly sponsor. We did work

16:52with the sponsor. We being the

16:54department worked with the

16:56sponsor a little bit on that.

17:01Mechanisms to update plans we

17:07did not reach final conclusion

17:08on that particular aspect of

17:11this. This question and I if I

17:15remember correctly, the

17:15sponsor decided not to.

17:19Forward with that piece of

17:22this. But that did leave and

17:25forget the staff can correct

17:26me if I'm wrong, but that

17:27leave us with still the

17:30question, the first question

17:30of whether or not the

17:31neighborhood and district

17:32plans should be advisory or

17:33not.

17:37>> I brings up a question for

17:38me is. The mechanism for

17:43Girdwood in Eagle River to

17:45change their comprehensive

17:46plans mean is that code for

17:47away for the city to pay for

17:48it? Because I'm assuming that

17:53there's a mechanism for those

17:54areas to. Change your

17:56comprehensive plans if they

17:57wanted to. But through working

18:00with the assembly, the code

18:03right now has sort of 2 ways.

18:04There's like the

18:07administration sponsored of

18:09the department sponsored or an

18:10outside group can bring it. So

18:11to do in 2005 was what created

18:14that process.

18:14>> The outside group to bring

18:15it. But then it does kind of

18:18go through a different kind of

18:19comes as the case because

18:20evaluated his case that has to

18:21be approved or not. Where is

18:24internally? It's more like it

18:24could last much longer. We

18:25don't have those timelines. If

18:27it's a group came to us and

18:28said we want to do is like

18:29when Girdwood came, they did

18:31it that way. So they came as

18:31an outside group. Did it. And

18:33then we have a certain amount

18:34of time to review it a certain

18:35amount of time to bring it

18:36here and everything has to go

18:39through that wears. If

18:40community does it, you write

18:40to Costas on the Muni, but it

18:41can also be an agency review

18:42forever in this net. I think

18:45what we could look at in this

18:46proposal is looking chapter 3

18:48and half to 3 sort of the

18:50procedures chapter if there

18:52does need to be a 3rd new

18:54section or something. So we

18:56have like the Conference of

18:58Plan amendments made by the

18:59municipality Conference Plan

19:00amendments proposed by an

19:01outside group and then Eagle

19:05River in Girdwood just

19:05changing their comprehensive

19:06plans because there's another

19:07piece here, too, in with the

19:08kind talking about it is if

19:10Girdwood in Eagle River

19:10District or neighborhood

19:11plans. But Girdwood I think

19:14was pretty clear in their last

19:15update that they want. There's

19:17now a comprehensive plan. So

19:17they're really asserting that

19:20their plan is sort of its own

19:21autonomous thing. And I think

19:22Eagle River with their update

19:23right now. We'll probably do

19:24something similar. So we could

19:26I think that's a good

19:27question. We could definitely

19:28look at that and see, do we

19:30need another section in

19:31Chapter 3? Just to prepare for

19:31the situation where Girdwood

19:33or Eagle River can maybe do

19:36their process separately for

19:37because it's really like them

19:37updating their conference of

19:38plan and a lot of this is.

19:41Elements of 2040 or the

19:43Anchorage Bowl plans, even

19:44though it's not all like that,

19:45you know, Kurt has Crow Creek

19:46and some of the master plan.

19:48So maybe when we put something

19:50put that on our list of things

19:51to consider. Do we need to

19:52have another section chapter?

19:543 that speaks specifically to

19:56those sort of like big

19:58conferences plans that is

20:00separate from these amendments

20:01to components of other plants.

20:10Yeah, I mean, still just don't

20:10like. Do we need to make a way

20:15for Anchorage to change its

20:16comprehensive plan to or just

20:17go to an end? I just like I'm

20:20just like the comprehensive I

20:21we don't need to talk about

20:23Commissioner Mills is the

20:25Promise. A chart.

20:29>> I was just listening to

20:30your comment. I was thinking

20:32to include with your taxed.

20:35And in the event that there's

20:37ever a conflict between saying

20:40pressure girdwood or encourage

20:41and Tribeca Eagle River, too.

20:42Have it be clear in my opinion

20:45that it would. It would go

20:47back to Anchorage is master

20:48plan. Commissioner Gardner.

20:57Things. I just wanted to

20:58confirm kind what we're

20:58talking about process here.

20:59Make sure I understand. So.

21:00>> I know we had discussion

21:03about making this advisory,

21:05this some of the elements of

21:06the plan advisory. But this

21:08will come back to us as a

21:09specific agenda item during

21:12which point we will discuss

21:14that more fully and have an

21:15opportunity to vote make final

21:16decisions, commissioner. And

21:17that's what we're talking

21:17about. That's I think our

21:21understanding staff is that

21:21will put something together.

21:23And now since they have you

21:25just pop up that you can see

21:26secures chapter. 21 3 and will

21:27be looking at. Here's

21:28comprehensive plan amendments.

21:31But then I think there's

21:32another section that's about

21:33neighborhood or district plan

21:34amendments. So we could just

21:36see if where that fits. And if

21:37there needs to be something

21:38special. But yeah, that's our

21:42and sting will bring back a

21:43package fuel to look at And

21:44we've another work session.

21:45But thank you. Pressure on

21:46Thanks. Threw the chair to

21:49Commissioner Gardner. I think

21:50my understanding of this is

21:52that we have a question that

21:54commission like us to.

21:57>> Bring back as the case,

21:57which is the advisory or not

22:01for district. A neighborhood

22:03plans and then we have the

22:05separate question, which is

22:05about the updates to those

22:07plans. And I would maybe

22:09recommend that they're handled

22:10separately. Just keep minors

22:14from getting the first

22:16question. Thanks make sense to

22:16me.

22:22>> Any other commissioner

22:23comments? They don't even have

22:27to be about this. They could

22:27be about anything.

22:30>> I have a general comment on

22:30this is that in general these

22:34they're now therefore resolve

22:36through a lot of terminology

22:37in here. That's really vague

22:38that I would love it if they

22:39would have better definitions.

22:43Things like inclusive and

22:47meaningful, which is hard to

22:49find and very interpret a

22:50bull.

22:55>> Commissioner Christian. I

22:57have one request at the

23:02discretion of the department.

23:02I would be curious to see.

23:06>> very short summary about

23:07how this proposed

23:12recommendation would change

23:12the department's work plan in

23:13the future.

23:23>> Commissioner I want to

23:24second what Commissioner Chris

23:25Mitchell said and I would

23:26appreciate some clarification

23:28of and maybe this is something

23:29I can look into that when we

23:31make them advisory, how easy?

23:35Is it too? Go against them?

23:39What would they have to be in

23:41conflict or would there have

23:42to be like a practical reason?

23:44Just some clarification on

23:46what the results of this move

23:46would be. I guess I just first

23:50clarified. What we would be

23:54doing is making a

23:55recommendation to the assembly

23:56so we wouldn't be doing

23:59>> anything other than saying

23:59this is our opinion. That's

24:00what you should do. And then

24:02the assembly would take it

24:03from there than if I guess you

24:07staff can answer the second

24:08part of if the assembly agreed

24:09with us, what would happen?

24:14>> Threw the chair to member

24:15up asset. That is excellent

24:17question and something that we

24:19press, therefore, for the

24:20discussion when this comes

24:21back to the commission and

24:23just a a thought on that

24:25topic. I'm sure have seen some

24:30of the discussions at the

24:32assembly level about Casa and

24:35some of the projects related

24:37to to access. Issues and and a

24:42lot of the materials, there is

24:46there are many references to

24:47that. You trails access. 2

24:51dash perks, access plan, which

24:56was actually tabled

24:57indefinitely by the assembly.

25:01So it is I would consider that

25:02an advisory planet is not part

25:03of the comp plan. It was not

25:06adopted by the assembly, but

25:07it is still quoted a community

25:10plan and used to some extent

25:14for decision-making by the

25:15departments.

25:26>> And anything else before.

25:30We call for the adjournment.

25:33Going once going twice. Is

25:34there a motion to adjourn?

25:41It's moved by Commissioner

25:42Mills, seconded by

25:42Commissioner Bud. The any

25:43objections hearing we

25:51>> Second from movies tree.

25:53♪

25:56♪

26:01♪

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