Planning Commission

CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Minutes - Final Planning Commission Wednesday, December 4, 2024 7:00 PM Harrigan Centennial Hall I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Present: Darrell Windsor (Chair), Katie Riley, Wendy Alderson, Stacy Mudry, Thor Christianson (Assembly liaison) Excused: Robin Sherman Staff: Amy Ainslie, Kim Davis, Ariadne Will Public: Canyon Lewis, Supatcharawipa Lewis, Connie Kreiss, Floyd Tomkins, Ross Marley, Greg Charlton, Becky Charlton, Morgan Bruno, Ryan Nichols, Ashleigh Stromquist Chair Windsor called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. II. CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA III. CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES A PM 24-14 Approve the November 6, 2024 meeting minutes. M/Mudry-S/Alderson moved to adopt the November 6, 2024 meeting minutes. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. IV. PERSONS TO BE HEARD V. PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT Ainslie reported that new staff member Ariadne Will had begun work as Planner I. PND Engineers, Inc. was set to provide scoping and preliminary site selection services later in the week as part of the Land Suitability and Feasibility Study. VI. REPORTS VII. THE EVENING BUSINESS B CUP 24-12 Public hearing and consideration of a request for a conditional use permit to operate a food truck at 328 Lincoln Street in the CBD central business district. The property is also known as Lot One (1), Columbia Bar Subdivision. The request is filed by Canyon Lewis. The owner of record is Drew Wilson. Davis introduced a conditional use permit to operate a food truck at 328 Lincoln Street in the CBD central business district. The property fronted Lincoln Street but the food CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 Planning Commission Minutes - Final December 4, 2024 truck was to operate behind the building, in the parking lot adjacent to Harbor Drive. There was concern about pedestrian traffic and jaywalking at the elbow of Harbor Drive, across from the library. Davis said CBS was working with DOT to formalize a plan for pedestrian traffic in the area, independent of the food truck. Staff recommended approval. Applicant Canyon Lewis, representing Thai Alaska Kitchen, said that the kitchen operated the previous summer. He said that his clientele was mostly pedestrians moving from Lincoln Street towards the food vending, instead of people crossing the street to reach it. There was no public comment. Commissioners agreed the placement of the food truck would encourage customers to stay on the lot and out of the roadway. M/Mudry-S/Riley moved to approve the conditional use permit for a food truck at 328 Lincoln Street in the Central Business District, subject to the attached conditions of approval. The property was also known as that portion of Lot One (1), Columbia Bar Subdivision. The request was filed by Canyon Lewis (Thai Alaska Kitchen). The owner of record was Drew Wilson. Motion passed 4-0 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 4-0 by voice vote. C P 24- 02 Public hearing and consideration of a plat for a lot merger of 605 Merrill Street and 604 Geodetic Way in the R-1 single-family and duplex residential district. The property is also known as Lot 48 and Lot 62 of the Amended Pinehurst Subdivision. The request is filed by Clayton and Ashleigh Stromquist. The owners of record are Clayton and Ashleigh Stromquist. Davis introduced consideration of a plat for a lot merger of 605 Merrill Street and 604 Geodetic Way in the R-1 single-family and duplex residential district. The merger resulted in one 11,572 SF lot. The preexisting lots were 6,059 and 5,500 SF. The property abutted Geodetic Way (undeveloped) and Merrill Street. The lot went against the comprehensive plan goal of increasing higher density housing, but was in line with the intent of the action to build housing. Staff recommended approval. Applicant Ashleigh Stromquist told the commission that she and her husband own the two lots. She said the bank wouldn’t allow them to construct on the lot without a merger. Both lots were sold together and needed to be merged for the house construction to include the value of both lots. There was no public comment or commission discussion. M/Alderson-S/Riley moved to approve the lot merger of 605 Merrill Street and 604 Geodetic Way in the R-1 single-family and duplex residential district, subject to the attached conditions of approval. The properties were also known as Lots 48 and 62, Amended Pinehurst Addition. The request was filed by Clayton and Ashleigh Stromquist. The owners of record were Clayton and Ashleigh Stromquist. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. M/Alderson-S/Riley moved to adopt the findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 Planning Commission Minutes - Final December 4, 2024 D P 24- 04 Public hearing and consideration of a preliminary plat for a minor subdivision resulting in two lots at 305 Islander Drive in the SFLD single-family low density residential district. The property is also known as Lot Five (5), Harris Island Subdivision. The request is filed by Ryan Nichols. The owner of record is Randall G. Nichols Revocable Trust. Ainslie introduced a preliminary plat for a minor subdivision resulting in two lots at 305 Islander Drive in the SFLD single-family low density residential district. The proposed resultant lots were both just shy of 18,000 square feet, well above the 15,000 square feet required of lots in the district. A 1,926 SF single-family house, 780 SF detached garage and dock were already on the proposed Lot Five A (5A). A small shed, located on the proposed Lot Five B (5B) was not included in the existing plat and would encroach on a setback resulting from the subdivision. A driveway needed to be constructed. DEC approval was necessary to install a septic system. Public comment from Greg Charlton expressed concern about the subdivision changing the character of the highly restrictive SFLD zoning designation. Additional concerns were mentioned by Connie Kreiss, Floyd Tomkins, and Ross Marley, who talked about the zone's restriction of accessory dwelling units and the condition of the roadway on Islander Drive, which was privately maintained but not tied to any known maintenance agreement. Staff suggested a condition of approval requiring the development of a maintenance agreement and clarified that the commission's role was to ensure the infrastructure met certain criteria, but that it was not the body's responsibility to enforce such agreements. Staff recommended postponing the item to the February 5, 2025 meeting to allow for further discussion with neighbors about the possibility of a maintenance agreement. Commissioners discussed the concerns raised during public comment and said that their decision in February will not require the maintenance agreement. They agreed to postpone the item to the February 5, 2025 meeting. M/Riley-S/Alderson moved to postpone to the February 5, 2025 Planning Commission meeting the hearing and consideration of a preliminary plat for a minor subdivision resulting in two lots at 305 Islander Drive in the SFLD single-family low density residential district. The property was also known as Lot Five (5), Harris Island Subdivision. The request was filed by Ryan Nichols. The owner of record was Randall G. Nichols Revocable Trust. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. E P 24- 03 Public hearing and consideration of a final plat for a minor subdivision resulting two lots at 2030 Halibut Point Road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex and manufactured home zoning district. The property is also know as Lot Three (3) and the southeast one-half of Lot Four (4), Subdivision of Lot 6A, U.S. Survey 2747. The request is filed by Marty Martin. The owners of record are Martin Revocable Living Trust. Davis introduced a final plat for a minor subdivision. The applicant proposed to divide a lot resulting in two lots. The preexisting lot was 42,415 SF. The resulting Lot A was CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3 Planning Commission Minutes - Final December 4, 2024 14,595 SF and Lot B was 28,760 SF. A drainage plan was completed and included a ten-foot drainage easement over the natural drainage way. The applicant was working on an easement maintenance agreement to be recorded with the plat. Morgan Bruno spoke on behalf of her father, applicant Marty Martin. She told the commission she had nothing to add. No public comment or commission discussion took place. M/Riley-S/Alderson moved to approve the final plat of a minor subdivision at 2030 Halibut Point Road resulting in two lots in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home district subject to the attached conditions of approval. The property was also known as Lot Three (3) and the Southeast One-Half of Lot Four (4), Subdivision of Lot 6A, U.S. 2747. The request was filed by Marty Martin. The owner of record was the Martin Revocable Trust. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. M/Riley-S/Alderson moved to adopt the following findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 4-0 by voice vote. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Chair Windsor adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 4