Planning Commission

CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Minutes - Final Planning Commission Thursday, April 2, 2020 7:00 PM Harrigan Centennial Hall I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Present: Chris Spivey (chair), Randy Hughey, Victor Weaver, Stacy Mudry Absent: Darrell Windsor, Kevin Mosher (assembly liaison) Staff: Amy Ainslie (Planning Director), Scott Brylinsky (Special Projects Manager) Public: None Chair Spivey called the meeting to order at 7:11 pm. II. CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA IV. PERSONS TO BE HEARD VI. REPORTS A MISC 20-04 2019 Annual Short-term Rental Report Attachments: 2019 Annual Short-Term Rental Report 2nd Address Report Short-term Rental Distribution Maps Rental Statistics from the Department of Labor Ainslie presented the findings of the 2019 Annual Short-term Rental Report which received one-hundred percent participation from permit holders from 2019. Ainslie noted the report was completed by March 18th, but Covid-19 concerns prevented the report from being presented until April 2nd. Ainslie discussed the details of the report including permit holder and property data, marketing platforms, community survey results, and potential direction for staff. Ainslie detailed the total number of short-term rentals, bed tax collected, and implied revenue which has increased over the past three years. Ainslie also detailed the community survey results noting the limited number of responses. Ainslie asked for discussion on how the commission would like to proceed with short-term rental permits given the recent report. Commissioners discussed possible methods of limiting short-term rental permits should the need arise. Hughey expressed concern over the increase in permit numbers and the potential impacts on availability and affordability of long-term rentals. Spivey shared similar concerns but noted that short-term rental density was still within acceptable limits. Brylinsky noted that while short-term rentals may CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 Planning Commission Minutes - Final April 2, 2020 impact the affordability of long-term rentals, the focus should be to create more affordable choices, not limit short-term rental permits. Brylinsky stated that short-term rentals were important to encourage tourism and help families supplement their incomes. Hughey expressed interest in disallowing long-term rentals to be converted to short-term. Ainslie and Spivey noted the difficulty of determining if a residence had been used as a long-term rental. Mudry asked for clarification on sales tax for residential long-term rentals. Ainslie promised to look into it. Spivey and Hughey acknowledged that the current short-term rental season may be affected by Covid-19 concerns and determined now was not the time to discuss limitations. Ainslie mentioned the need to consider permit extensions should permit holders be unable to find renters due to economic and health concerns. VII. THE EVENING BUSINESS B MISC 20-05 Discussion/Direction on process forward for the No Name Mountain/Granite Creek Master Plan project. Attachments: status report #4_Planning Commission_No Name Mtn MP 26Mar20 Brylinsky updated the commission on the potential changes to the No Name Mountain/Granite Creek due to Covid-19 regulations and asked for direction on the process forward for the project. Brylinsky summarized the four options and the pros and cons of each option. Staff recommended option number three which included the use of an interactive website in place of public meetings with the contract terms and completion date of June 15th, 2020 to remain intact. Other options included extending the project, putting it on hold, or closing it out. Brylinsky said that the project was on track for the contract completion date and was about halfway complete. Ainslie clarified that budget changes or decisions would go to the Assembly, but staff could answer questions on efficiencies or inefficiencies of each option. Hughey supported option three to keep the project going. He cited the need for projects in town that could bring much needed work. Weaver mentioned the ongoing hospital project that would need rock and noted the potential of a gravel pit with the No Name mountain project. Brylinsky was asked to follow up on the amount of rock needed for the hospital project. Mudry and Spivey expressed concerns about the project continuing without a full landslide report from FEMA. Ainslie explained that once a master plan was in place site-specific landslide surveys would be conducted prior to development. She noted that large-scale landslide mapping was unavailable and potentially too non-specific to be utilized, and would not change the master plan. Spivey voiced concerns that community outreach may be negatively affected with the interactive website in lieu of public meetings. Brylinsky stated the website and subsequent decisions would be advertised the same way public meetings were and office staff were available for questions and website assistance. Hughey suggested they move forward with the website and reevaluate how well the community was involved by mid-May. M-Hughey/S-Weaver moved to recommend moving forward with the No Name Mountain/Granite Creek Master Plan, using an interactive website in lieu of public meetings and keeping all other contract terms including the completion target of mid-June. This would be re-evaluated in mid-May to gauge the level of public involvement; the project timeline may be extended if the Commission CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 Planning Commission Minutes - Final April 2, 2020 is unsatisfied with the result. Motion passed 4-0 by roll call vote. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Seeing no objection, Chair Spivey adjourned the meeting at 8:22 pm. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3