12/3/2023
Anchorage Land Use Bulletin: 12/3/2023
Land Use
NEW: First introduction of a change to building code for 3 and 4 plexes as residential construction. AO 2023-130 will be introduced at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting, with a public hearing to be set for a later date. From the Assembly Memo: “...establishes three-unit building development as residential development for the purposes of permitting processes and creates local amendments to allow for flexibility in building codes, where possible without jeopardizing residents’ safety. As explained below, buildings with four dwelling units are required to be reviewed as commercial, but there are some areas where current local requirements are able to be relaxed for fourplexes as well, again without jeopardizing the safety of the occupants and first responders.”
NEW: Downtown Code UpdateTechnical Edits: AO 2023-120 at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting. From the staff report: “On April 25, 2023, AO No. 2023-43, As Amended, was adopted to implement significant changes to Chapter 11 of Title 21. Since approval, the Planning Department has received feedback on potential points where clarification could be helpful in the adopted code. The table below describes the proposed changes by section and explanation.”
NEW: South Addition Neighborhood Plan. The South Addition neighborhood is working on an update to their neighborhood plan. Materials from their November 30th meeting are available here. Page 5/29: “South Addition supports new housing!”
ONGOING: Zoning code: Re-legalizing 3/4 plexes in urban neighborhoods will be heard at the 12/4/2023 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. This item was supposed to go to PZC a few weeks ago, but the meeting was canceled due to snow. This is likely a concurrent effort with the building code changes being introduced in the first bullet above. Original staff report. An Updated memo submitted to the City View Portal on 12/1/2023 suggests that the project will not create a new use type, but will instead exempt 3 & 4 plexes from the more restrictive standards which currently apply to them but not other buildings of the same size.
NEW: Other cases at Planning & Zoning. Not that thrilling, but cases 2023-0130 and 2023-0131 at the 12/4/2023 meeting tell an interesting tale about why the 2040 land use plan map doesn’t always align with real conditions on the ground and also highlights the issues with (what we would consider) the strange practice of Special Limitations “SL” zoning. Basically, a big piece of land in a central area has a television/radio tower that is likely to remain standing for a while, the parcel appears to be zoned to only allow a single use, and the land use plan map really wants the property to be residential.
NEW: Drive-through/Walk-up dispensaries: AO 2023-117 at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting clarifies rules for drive-throughs/walk-up windows at marijuana businesses. This seems to be mostly about having local rules align with state law, but it’s always worth mentioning that “Few uses are more emblematic of land– and carbon–intensive auto-oriented development than the drive-through restaurant” [or the drive-through marijuana shop] (APA Spotlight on Zoning Practice).
ONGOING: Public Bathrooms on the Ballot: The public hearing for AO 2023-114 is item 13.C at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting.
ONGOING: Short Term Rentals AO 2023-110 postponed: “Clerk’s Note: It is the intent of the sponsors to postpone action on AO 2023-110 and continue the public hearing to 12-19-2023.”
RECAP: Anchorage Housing Week–There’s still time to provide your feedback:
Video with bookmarks here.
Tomorrow is the last day to provide feedback on the draft strategic plan here. Send comments to wwmas@anchorageak.gov by December 4, 2023.
Transportation
NEW: AMATS’ 4th quarter project updates are available for review. A few excerpts:
Seward to Glenn PEL: “It’s estimated that a final PEL will be public during winter 2024/25.”
Northern Lights Boulevard Sidewalk Repairs: “Estimated Construction Year: 2026”
Downtown Trail Connection: “Project will construct a connection between the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail to the Ship Creek Trail in downtown Anchorage...An open house to present the preferred alternative is tentatively scheduled for February 2024”
Fireweed Lane Rehabilitation: “This project would rehabilitate Fireweed Lane from Spenard Road to the Seward Highway and include a road diet, changing Fireweed from 4 lanes to a maximum of 3 lanes (2 with a center turn lane). This project would also include non-motorized improvements.”
NEW: Public Transit Safety Plan available online and item 10.G.5 at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting .
ONGOING: AKDOT’s Seward Highway Expansion Project will be holding in-person public meetings in December(12/21/2021: “Dunleavy has instructed the department to find solutions with the ultimate goal of making a four-lane divided highway between Potter Marsh and Bird.”)
Anchorage: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at the Anchorage Public Library, 3600 Denali Street
Girdwood: Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at the Girdwood Community Center
Indian: Thursday, December 7, 2023, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at the Valley Bible Chalet
Online option: December 5, 2023- January 4, 2024
Community
UPCOMING: Winter Solstice Festival at Cuddy Park. Thursday, December 21, 2023 from 5 - 8 pm. More info from Parks & Rec.
UPCOMING: KFQD Park Improvements will be discussed at the Parks & Rec Commission meeting on December 7. Project page.
UPCOMING: New public art at the new solid waste transfer facility at 208 E 56th Ave by Rachel Juzeler and John Coyne. AM 930-2023 and AM 929-2023 at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting.
ONGOING: In Memoriam: Vic Fisher. AR 2023-416 at the 12/5/2023 Assembly meeting: ”…from 1951 to 1955 Vic served as the first City of Anchorage Planning 26 Director, during which time he helped ensure the Delaney Park Strip remained undeveloped; he helped enlarge the city of Anchorage through annexation; created the first areawide recreation plan; and helped acquire land for the Chester Creek Green Belt and Westchester lagoon where thousands of residents and visitors recreate and commute every day.”
Budget
RECAP: The Assembly passed a budget, some of which got vetoed by the mayor. Here’s the meeting page, packet and video. The Assembly will vote on whether to override the vetoes on 12/5/2023. The original budget passed with 9 votes.