11/19/23

Written By Guest User

Housing

  • ONGOING The Assembly’s 3/4 Plex Ordinance Going to the Planning & Zoning Commission presumably at the 12/4/2023 regular meeting. (This item was supposed to go to PZC last week, but the meeting was canceled due to snow)  

  • RECAP:  Anchorage Housing Week–provide your feedback

Land Use

  • NEW: Should Midtown have a Business Improvement District? Do you own property or a business in Midtown? Take the survey on whether the area should form a BID. Project details here.

  • NEW: Simplifying the process for changes to commercial property in B-1A zoning : AO NO. 2023–92 Not a super exciting item, but look up the major site plan review process sometime to see how you’d feel about spending your money on it. November 21, 2023 Assembly Regular Meeting. 

  • NEW: Title 21's obsession with conformity: An interesting discussion item at the Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting on 11/16/2023: Current zoning rules require property owners to pay a sort of tithe for fixing up an old building if they can’t afford to bring it up full compliance with everything the current zoning codes and building codes require (even if the building is fully functional as is). Cook Inlet Housing and the Anchorage Community Land Trust both sent letters requesting repeal or modification of these rules, as they often hamper adaptive reuse. 

Transportation

  • NEW:  Some unexpected changes at the AMATS Policy Committee meeting from last week included reallocating funding from projects in areas many people didn’t want them to the areas many people do want them. For example:

    • TIP NHS 1 (Seward Highway O'Malley Road to Dimond Boulevard Reconstruction Phase II): Amend project description to reevaluate the project purpose and need and the various components of the project (interchange, highway widening, undercrossings, etc) and will involve extensive public input. The change was unanimously supported by the Policy Committee, including DOT Central Region Director (Sean Holland), representing a long-sought solution to a project that has been carried by momentum rather than demonstrated need.

    • The funding freed up from the above project allowed the following additions to other projects:

      • Add CPS047 Artillery Rd interchange in Eagle River due to public and Muni support ($32.8m)

      • Add NMO202 Glenn Pathway connection at Artillery Rd ($1m)

      • Increase funding for CPS 092 (Ingra St rehabilitation) and 118 (Gambell St rehabilitation) by $15.2m each for a total of $37.5m each, to bring them closer to reality of what will likely be needed

    • Other changes that don’t affect dollar amounts of the projects:

      •  Change project description for TIP CS 11 – Eagle River Road Rehabilitation (milepost 0.0 to 5.2, Old Glenn Highway to Oriedner Road) to explicitly include a separated multi use pathway

      • Change project description for CPS151 – Old Glenn Highway (Eagle River Loop Road to North Eagle River Access Road) to take out lane removal and add improved traffic calming and improved active transportation facilities

AMATS staff will now implement these changes to produce the final version of the 2050 MTP.

  • NEW: AR on Speed Enforcement: AR NO. 2023-392 allocates around $216,000 for speed enforcement on the Glenn and Minnesota. If we’re going to have speed limits, one supposes we may as well enforce them. Similar resolution with AR 2023-393 on impaired driving. November 21, 2023 Assembly Regular 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 

Budget

  • NEW: Actually an item from 10 days ago that we didn’t post yet. The recording of the assembly work session on the budget is available for viewing. Some proposed amendments which might be of interest.

    • New Vision Zero coordinator

    • New planner in the long range planning department at the Muni

    • New bus route 36: Muldoon to Anchorage Airport

    • Free monthly bus passes for people in emergency shelter

    • Mountain View Park Improvements

    • Russian Jack Springs Park path rehab

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