Planning Commission

CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Minutes - Final Planning Commission Wednesday, June 5, 2024 7:00 PM Harrigan Centennial Hall I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Present: Darrell Windsor (Chair), Katie Riley (telephonic), Stacy Mudry Excused: Wendy Alderson, Robin Sherman,Thor Christianson (Assembly liaison) Staff: Amy Ainslie, Kim Davis Public: Ben Floyd, Aaryn Licari, Theresa Allen-Olson, Todd Fleming, Shannon Haughland Chair Windsor called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM. II. CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA III. CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES A PM 24-07 Approve the May 15, 2024 meeting minutes. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to approve the May 15, 2024 meeting minutes. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. IV. PERSONS TO BE HEARD V. PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT Ainslie informed commissioners no applications had been submitted and the June 19th and July 3rd meetings were canceled. For the meeting on July 17th there would be the short-term rental report. VI. REPORTS VII. THE EVENING BUSINESS B CUP 24-06 Public hearing and consideration of a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 124 Knutson Drive in the R-2 multifamily residential district. The property is also known as Lot Thirteen (13), Block 3, Knutson Subdivision. The request is filled by Benjamin Floyd and Nicole Floyd. The owners of record are Benjamin Floyd and Nicole Floyd. Ainslie introduced a request for a conditional use permit for a short-term rental (STR) at 124 Knutson Drive in the R-2 multifamily residential district. This was the applicants primary residence. This was a 2,484 square foot single-family home with four bedrooms, three full baths, kitchen and living areas, den, family room, and garage. The CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 Planning Commission Minutes - Final June 5, 2024 applicant was requesting the STR with a maximum capacity of 6 guests. The property had parking for six vehicles, and was buffered by vegetation and two boundary rock walls. The applicants planned to construct a single-family home on the property they own next door at 126 Knutson Drive to reside at during the summer season April - September which would then be utilized as a long-term rental during the other six months.The applicants would manage the STR. Staff recommended approval. The applicant Ben Floyd was present. Riley asked about the timeline of constructing the house next door, Floyd stated he had everything lined up but would be utilizing the CUP while out of town to keep the permit active. Floyd clarified he had applied for the permit before construction to ensure feasibility. Edits were suggested for the renter handout to add no fish processing and quiet hours from 9pm-7am. A letter read into public comment from Alaina Brown had concerns regarding noise. There was no further commissioner discussion. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to approve the conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 124 Knutson Drive in the R-2 multifamily residential district subject to the attached conditions of approval. The property was also known as Lot Thirteen (13), Knutson Subdivision. The request was filed by Benjamin and Nicole Floyd. The owners of record were Benjamin and Nicole Floyd. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to adopt and approve the required findings for conditional use permits as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. C CUP 24-07 Public hearing and consideration for a conditional use permit for a marijuana retail facility at 224 Smith Street in the Industrial District. The property is also known as Lot 6, Smith Street Industrial Subdivision. The request is filed by Aaryn Licari. The owners of record are George J. Skannes and Steven Skannes. Ainslie introduced a request for a conditional use permit for a marijuana retail facility at 224 Smith Street, Suite A in the I industrial district. This was for 928 square feet of retail space located on the first floor which included a sales counter, display case, office space, and a drive-through window with a 11' driveway on the north side of the building fronting Beardslee Way. There was also a cultivation operation, VanGreen's, on the first floor and a permitted caretakers dwelling unit on the second floor above the retail space. The retail facility would not significantly increase noise or traffic and there were similar uses nearby. There were a total of seven parking spaces required; three for the retail business, two for the cultivation operations, and two for the dwelling unit. There were ten spaces identified. Staff had verified no sensitive uses within the 500-foot buffer area and recommended approval. The applicant Aaryn Licari for Island Girl Cannabis was present. She explained the new drive-through regulations and the layout for the drive-through with the window situated towards the back of the building about 16'0 from the east side. Commissioners discussed the location of the drive-through window, traffic, and distance from Beardslee Way. Public comment from Theresa Allen-Olson suggested possibly changing the direction of the drive-through. Commissioners had no additional discussion. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to approve the conditional use permit for a marijuana retail facility at 224 Smith Street in the I industrial district subject to the attached conditions of approval. The property was also known as Lot 6, Smith Street Subdivision. The request was filed by Island Girl Cannabis. The owners CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 Planning Commission Minutes - Final June 5, 2024 of record were George J. Skannes and Steven Skannes. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to adopt and approve the required findings for conditional use permits as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. D P 22- 07 Public hearing and consideration of a final plat for a minor subdivision to result in four lots at 300 Kramer Avenue in the R-1 single family and duplex residential district. The property is also known as Lot 3, West Woodbury Subdivision. The request is filed by Todd Fleming. The owner of record is Sound Development, LLC. Ainslie introduced a final plat for a minor subdivision to result in four lots at 300 Kramer Avenue in the R-1 single-family and duplex residential district. Lot 1 was 9,432 square feet (SF), Lot 2 was 9,474 SF, Lot 3 was 40,375 SF, and Lot 4 was 219,991 SF. Lots 3 and 4 were big enough to be further subdivided. Access and utilities were from Kramer Avenue. The private water line constructed within Kramer Avenue, extended from the city's main which had previously terminated near Emmons Street. The applicant planned to connect Lots 1, 2 and possibly 3 to this line for water service. A maintenance agreement for this water line was to be recorded and referenced on the plat. The sewer line had to be extended to serve the lots and power was available. The site was densely vegetated with wetlands identified on the parcel. The area had a known history of landslides and significant drainage courses. A drainage plan had been approved by the Public Works department. There were plat notes added to the subdivision stating all parcels within were impacted by naturally occurring off-site drainage flows. Owners of the parcels may not divert of off-site flows from entering the parcels and were required to discharge the flows at the same location as naturally occurring or into a public drainage facility specifically designed to collect the flows. Runoff exceeding the pre-development flows of a one-hour storm event shall not cross property lines. This was to be monitored thru the grading permit process. Staff recommended approval. The applicant Todd Fleming for Sound Development was present. He was in the process of working with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for approval of the sewer line. A letter read into public comment from Matt and Sidney Kinney had concerns with drainage in the area and wanted to ensure they were addressed. Commissioners discussed the drainage issues and concluded they would be handle through the permit process. There were no further discussions. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to approve the final plat for a minor subdivision to result in four lots at 300 Kramer Avenue in the R-1 single family and duplex residential district subject to the attached conditions of approval. The property was also known as Lot 3, West Woodbury Subdivision. The request was filed by Todd Fleming. The owner of record was Sound Development, LLC. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to adopt the following findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Chair Windsor adjourned the meeting at 7:49 PM. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3