9/22/2024
Land Use
NEW: More flexibility for mixed use zoning in Girdwood will be case 2024-110 at the 11/04/2024 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The only documentation provided is a 3 page AO adding “mixed use” as a permitted use in two commercial zones in Girdwood.
NEW: “Anchorage School District moves ahead with plans to close, consolidate schools with new public survey” in Alaska’s News Source: “29 schools are below 70% utilization, 14 schools are below 60% utilization,” Bryantt said. “So those numbers of schools could be candidates for rightsizing but we’re not quite there in fully identifying them yet.”
NEW: New planning director’s guidance memo to spot-fix site access standards. The planning department has posted another memo to clarify a new instance in which the new, highly controversial site access standards do or don’t apply. This is the second memo issued since July (with a moratorium on full implementation of the standards still in effect until November 2025).
NEW: The annual exemption report on affordable and workforce housing and tax incentives for housing is item 10.F.1 at the 9/24/2024 Assembly Meeting. AIM 136-2024. List of properties receiving the exemption. Not a lot of detail on what the exemptions entail, exactly.
ONGOING: Expanding tax incentives to the Muldoon Special Study Area: Item 13.A at the 9/24/2024 Assembly Meeting. From the agenda: "It is the intent of the sponsor to postpone this item indefinitely.”
NEW: New Assembly items posting procedure: Update on the Muni meetings webpage for any process enthusiasts: “Laid-on-the-Table (LOTT) Items are introduced during Regular Assembly Meetings. Effective September 20, 2024, LOTT Items will be compiled the day after the Regular Assembly meeting and made available under Links below.”
Transportation
ONGOING: STIP fiasco: “Alaska got the lowest August federal transportation allocation among states at $19 million after error-filled submission” in the ADN. “Emails obtained by the Daily News showed state transportation officials were warned ahead of time by the Federal Highway Administration that certain projects would be rejected because of errors. They were submitted anyway”. Check out the comments about AKDOT from FHWA staff:
“[Resubmission - why are design funds being added 4 years after construction ATP??]”
“In May, requested extension with no change in financials. Why did they request additional funds at that time? End date signals env doc anticipated Dec 2024. How will they expend $672k in 4 months?”
“H080 funds are able to be used on ANY Title 23 project. Why would they want to withdraw them?”
Also from Dermot Cole: “The Department of Transportation needs to explain what went wrong and what other problems might come up with the complicated process of qualifying for hundreds of millions in federal highway funds.” And the ADN editorial board:
“Multiple times in the past year, our state government has made serious errors that resulted in missing out on millions of dollars in federal funding for road projects and education. It’s money we can sorely afford to lose, and it’s not clear what’s going on to cause state officials to be incompetent, obstinate or some combination of the two in disregarding requirements on how that funding can be used.”
NEW: “Snow removal ballot proposition possible, LaFrance administration says” In Alaska’s News Source:
“An Anchorage ballot proposition to help pay for improved snow removal services is one of the possibilities being floated by Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s administration...On her 80th day in office, the mayor talked about a snow removal fleet she called “systematically underfunded” for at least 15 years. Industry best practices recommends that after 10,000 hours of operation, the engine on a grader should be replaced or overhauled,” LaFrance said Wednesday. “Seventeen out of 30 graders are over that threshold.”
NEW: More traffic violence on Anchorage roads: On top of the 4 pedestrian fatalities September 8th-13th, our road system killed three more people this week: A multi-vehicle collision on Tudor killed a driver on Monday, a pedestrian was killed in Midtown on Friday, and another pedestrian killed on Northern Lights on Saturday. Note these are all roads owned and managed by AKDOT. The MOA recently filled a Vision Zero position in the traffic department; it seems they have a lot of work ahead of them.
NEW: AMATS Policy Committee Meeting on 9/19/2024. Speaking of Anchorage’s recent spate of traffic deaths, Assembly Member Zaletel notes:
“We are on track right now, with approximately three deaths per hundred thousand, to be one of the most dangerous cities in America…And I understand pedestrian deaths are complicated, but once they start happening I’m actually outraged that there’s not enough outrage...here there just seems to be no action.”
While talking about the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) around 1:04, the AKDOT central region director outlines their plans for "immediately" addressing pedestrian safety, although the suggested actions sound like they will take several weeks or months. In this comment, that director also wonders aloud what the acronym VRU stands for--Vulnerable Road User is an established term in the industry that is widely used by AKDOT, the federal government, and pretty much anyone else seriously involved in road safety.
NEW: Fireweed road upgrade project review at the 10/7/2024 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting. Per the application:
“DOT&PF, in cooperation with the MOA, proposes to rehabilitate Fireweed Lane from Spenard Road to the Seward Highway to improve safety and to bring the roadway and non-motorized facilities up to current design standards. …The project will improve motorized and active transportation needs, as well as business circulation and access along the corridor.”
Interesting commentary from page 12 of the engineers’ report: “Bike advocates want protected bike lanes. This topic will need proactive expectation management”. See additional info on this project sent by a reader here.
This project is following the Municipality's "Context Sensitive Solutions" process, under which AKDOT&PF must seek input from the Planning & Zoning Commission, but is not actually required to adhere to that input as long as they write a memo explaining why (see 21.03.190B.6: “No agency may proceed with a project that does not conform to the applicable commission’s decisions under this section, unless the agency furnishes the commission and the assembly a written statement of the reasons for its decision to proceed, at least 30 days before implementing the decision” ).
NEW: Chugiak-Eagle River Transportation Strategy Survey: “The Municipality of Anchorage is looking for feedback on long range transportation values and priorities as part of the Municipality’s Long Range Transportation Strategy.” Take the survey here.
ONGOING: Anchorage gets $25M from feds for Bragaw Street safety project. In the ADN: “‘Eliminating two of the four travel lanes will allow for bike lanes, increased spacing between driving lanes and sidewalks to improve snow storage, shorter pedestrian crossing distances, and safer turning movements,” according to the Highway Administration’s grant summary for the Bragaw Street project.” Anchorage’s first complete street?
ONGOING: The Downtown protected bike lane was removed last week. Survey still available here.
Events
NEW: Fairness for Fairview Community Workshop: “What is a Gambell Main Street?” “Community members are invited to participate in an interactive workshop to shape the future of Fairview by digging into the question. ‘What is a Gambell Main Street’? In the 1950’s, Gambell Street was a busy main street for the neighborhood, and efforts are underway to transform it into a thriving main street again.” Sunday September 29th, 2-4 pm. Fairview recreation center, 1121 E 10th Avenue. From a newsletter, no link available.
ONGOING: Community Councils Website Improvement Survey
ONGOING: Federation of Community Councils town hall series: “Demystifying Community Councils:Understanding Their Role in Fostering Civic Engagement.” Monday, September 23, 2024, 7:00pm - 8:00pm, in person at Wilda Marston Theater and via Zoom. Register here