Planning and Zoning Commission

PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION Assembly Chambers Z.J. Loussac Library 3600 Denali Street Anchorage, Alaska MINUTES OF December 07, 2020 6:30 PM Due to COVID-19, these meetings were conducted virtually. A work session on the MOA 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) was held prior to the meeting and conducted by Aaron Jongenelen with Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) A. ROLL CALL Present Aaron O'Quinn, Andre Spinelli, Brian Looney, Danielle Bailey, Greg Strike, Jared Gardner, Jim Winchester, Radhika Krishna Excused Seth Andersen Staff Aaron Jongenelen, Collin Hodges, Dave Whitfield B. MINUTES 1. Monday, November 2, 2020 COMMISSIONER SPINELLI moved to approve the minutes. VICE CHAIR GARDNER seconded. AYE: O'Quinn, Spinelli, Looney, Bailey, Strike, Gardner, Winchester, Krishna NAY: None PASSED C. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS / EXECUTIVE SESSIONS 1. Disclosures - None PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 2 of 7 D. CONSENT AGENDA - None 1. Resolutions for Approval 2. Introduction for Public Hearings 3. Site / Landscape Plan Approval 4. Time Extensions; Expedited Hearing Requests; Minor Conditional Use Amendments 5. Other E. UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND ACTIONS OF PUBLIC HEARINGS - None F. REGULAR AGENDA - None 1. Resolutions for Approval 2. Introduction for Public Hearings 3. Site / Landscape Plan Approval Time Extensions; Expedited Hearing Requests; Minor Conditional Use 4. Amendments 5. Other G. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. CASE: 2020-0118 (CH) PETITIONER: Greenland, LLC and Bering, LLC REQUEST: Rezone Northern Lights Subdivision (Plat P-54) Block 6, Lots 2 through 11 and Block 9, Lots 7 through 12 from R-4 Multifamily Residential District to B-3 General Business District; and Northern Lights Subdivision PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 3 of 7 (Plat P-54) Block 9, Lots 1 through 6 from B-3 General Business District to B-3 General Business District; and Northern Lights Subdivision (Plat P-54) Block 6, Lots 2 through 11 and Block 10, Lots 1 through 12 from R-4 Multifamily Residential District to R-4SL (Multifamily Residential District with Special Limitations. COLLIN HODGES presented the staff report and recommendations on behalf of the Municipality’s Planning Department. SHAUN DEBENHAM provided a presentation on his own behalf. The Commission discussed Benson Boulevard access; residential components constructed prior to commercial components requirements; and that Dwelling Units per Acre do not have a minimum or maximum number of bedrooms requirement. They also discussed the Commercial Corridor Overlay (CCO) process; residential density; Reinvestment Focus Areas; and environmental contamination. CHAIR BAILEY opened the hearing to public testimony. The following individuals submitted an email request to be contacted by the Planning Department during the public hearing to testify via teleconference: MARGARET AUTH, Spenard Community Council ROBERT AUTH CORY HILL NILE WILLIAMS, 1776 Alaska DUSTIN DARDEN, INFO WARS ALASKA MR. DEBENHAM provided rebuttal testimony. CHAIR BAILEY closed the public hearing. COMMISSIONER SPINELLI moved in Case 2020-0118, Greenland, LLC and Bering, LLC, to approve the rezone, subject to Conditions 1 and 2 shown on pages 18 and 19 in the staff report. COMMISSIONER WINCHESTER seconded. COMMISSIONER SPINELLI intends on supporting the motion. He felt for the public and their concerns about loss of residential-zoned land, but, all too often, we see sites zoned residential adjacent to busy streets that are not ideal for residential development. Sometimes there is the need to stray from the plan, and the petitioner and staff appear to have worked out a compromise. VICE CHAIR GARDNER noted that, at this time, he intends to oppose the motion for the following reasons: PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 4 of 7 1. He does not fully understand the need for a rezone to B-3, which is outside implementing districts for these particular designations. 2. The petitioner mentioned the need for more flexibility. His understanding as part of the intent of these designations is to limit the flexibility in a certain way, so that whatever is built is consistent with the designation. He knows with the special limitation that there were some efforts to help mitigate those differences, but there are more things that go into the zoning districts than just what those special limitations address. 3. He understood the designations for Blocks 6 and 9, which are the Main Street Corridor and City Center, as permitting B-3, if it is part of the CCO overlay. That overlay includes a lot of other limitations and standards, including, among other things, prohibiting certain uses that would not be prohibited with the limitations being discussed here. He is not comfortable that these limitations are adequate to fully implement the intent of the land use designations for these lots. COMMISSIONER O’QUINN stated that he also is not in support of the motion for the following reasons: 1. He does not feel the special limitations addressed some fundamental aspects of the target zones, namely the timing of the residential development. Specifically, with this parcel displacing housing with some sort of indefinite timing for replacing it on the site. 2. The R-4A provides a number of incentives to encourage residential development and allow for the more profitable commercial development by incentivizing certain design aspects. He does not see where the special limitations have addressed that. 3. He encouraged the petitioner to continue to work on improving this project. 4. He is supportive of the project, but this is not the right way to go about it. The comprehensive plan needs to either be changed to address the specific site or specific area, or change the R-4A or R-3A definition. 5. He reiterated that the special limitations address enough of the fundamental aspects of the target zone. CHAIR BAILEY intends to support the motion and stated the following findings: 1. One of the good things with this plan was, sometimes in the past when there is a rezone that takes place, there is that idea of changing the comprehensive plan as well. 2. What she liked about this plan is that the petitioner and staff created a solution to have the rezone fit the comprehensive plan, rather than having to change that overall vision for Anchorage. 3. She concurred with Commissioner Spinelli that a lot of development does not happen because the location is not appropriate. Part of what we, as a Commission, have to do is find a way to encourage people to want to live, build, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 5 of 7 and develop there. Currently, we had 66 units not fully developed that could support, in the future, more residential units. If what we want from the comprehensive plan is more residential units, then we need to be working with the developers to get those done. This plan does that while taking into consideration the needs of the surrounding area. 4. Another reason for supporting this is it is located right along Arctic Boulevard and Benson Boulevard, which are two of the busiest streets. If these are not adequately able to support B-3, what area is? 5. This is not an easy case and she struggled with her decision, but staff and the petitioner worked very hard to ensure that it would keep residential units in the area, and that it would create a blend of businesses into those residential areas, which is what we want to see. 6. This plan did a very good job mitigating what would not work with the current zoning and having those limitations on the pedestrian-oriented areas, and how those would be developed. This is moving forward from what is currently at that zoning location. COMMISSIONER KRISHNA expressed that she does not totally understand why R-3A is not doable, but she does think there is a substantial amount of B-3 zoned land surrounding all of these parcels, which makes it a little easier to see that it is meant for redesignation, or could be. Especially for the blocks abutting Benson and Arctic Boulevards, which are next to B-3 zones. For these reasons and because the special limitation seems to preserve a lot of the housing, she intends to support the motion. AYE: Spinelli, Looney, Bailey, Strike, Winchester, Krishna NAY: O'Quinn, Gardner PASSED 2. CASE: 2020-0134 (AJ) PETITIONER: MOA – Transportation Planning (AMATS) REQUEST: Review and Recommendation by Planning and Zoning Commission to the Assembly of the 2040 MOA Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Commissioner Looney disclosed in Case 2020-0134 that the AMATS Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is listed in the 2040 MTP acknowledgements. He is seated on the CAC representing the Planning and Zoning Commission. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 6 of 7 CHAIR BAILEY clarified that Commissioner Looney had no personal or financial gain in the matter and directed him to participate. AARON JONGENELEN presented the staff report and recommendations on behalf of the Municipality's Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS). CHAIR BAILEY opened the hearing to public testimony. The following individuals had submitted an email request to be contacted by the Planning Department during the public hearing to testify via teleconference: NANCY PEASE CHERYL RICHARDSON, Anchorage Citizens Coalition BARBARA CARLSON, Friends of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge NIAL WILLIAMS, 1776 Alaska DUSTIN DARDEN, InfoWars.com There was no rebuttal testimony. CHAIR BAILEY closed the public hearing. The Commission discussed how comments related to the Draft Non-motorized Transportation Plan will be incorporated, and what, if any, consequences would result if development of the LRTP was delayed. COMMISSIONER LOONEY moved in Case 2020-0134 to recommend approval of the MOA 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) to the Assembly, including the Comment/Response Summary. COMMISSIONER WINCHESTER seconded. COMMISSIONER LOONEY noted that public outreach was extensive, and staff provided well-thought-out responses to the numerous comments, as shown in the Comment/Response Summary. The replacement for this plan is already in progress and the Non-motorized Transportation Plan, which is almost finished, will be part of the next LRTP. CHAIR BAILEY appreciated all the effort put into this plan. It is something that will be built on in the future. She mentioned that Goal 5 needs to be more effectively flushed out to make sure that issues of social justice and equity are addressed more directly and that they can be targeted by measurable outcomes. With regard to the public’s concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, she thinks it is indirectly reflected in this plan as far as reducing traffic congestion, eliminating traffic time, and amount of driving miles. All of these are correlated, but again, it would be helpful to see how that fits into the other goals that we have, such as reducing it 40 percent by 2040. There are ways we can progress on this in the future, but this is a very comprehensive look at it with very good detail. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING December 7, 2020 Page 7 of 7 AYE: O'Quinn, Spinelli, Looney, Bailey, Strike, Gardner, Winchester, Krishna NAY: None PASSED H. APPEARANCE REQUEST – None I. REPORTS - None 1.Chair 2. Secretary 3. Committee J. TITLE 21 DISCUSSION - None K. COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS CHAIR BAILEY announced that Collin Hodges, MOA Senior Planner, is leaving Alaska. She expressed appreciation for his enthusiasm and knowledge that he has shown the Commission. L. ADJOURNMENT COMMISSIONER SPINELLI moved to adjourn. COMMISSIONER O'QUINN seconded. AYE: O'Quinn, Spinelli, Looney, Bailey, Strike, Gardner, Winchester, Krishna NAY: None PASSED The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.