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Home My WebLink About05062014 Planning & Zoning Minutes City of Seward, Alaska Planning Commission Minutes May 6, 2014 Volume 7, Page 84 Call to Order The May 6, 2014 Regular Meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Cindy Ecklund. Opening Ceremony Commissioner Fleming led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Roll Call There were present: Cindy Ecklund presiding, and Bixler McClure Christopher Edgar Martha Fleming Janet Coulter comprising a quorum of the Commission; and Ron Long, Assistant City Manager Donna Glenz, City Planner Dwayne Atwood, Planning Technician City Administration Report City Planner Donna Glenz updated the Commission on the following business items: • The City Public Works Department had recently started a flood mitigation project for the Dairy Hill area, with ongoing traffic flagging from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The project was slated to be completed by May 31, 2014. • The City of Seward had recently taken possession of a Dairy Hill area property at 1216 Chamberlain Road for a drainage easement. • A downtown sidewalk improvement project was scheduled to begin on May 13, dependent on weather. • A proposed amendment to the City Code that would allow mobile and roving vendors to operate on City land was scheduled to be introduced before City Council on May 12,2014. • City Council had recently scheduled a work session for May 22, 2014 to discuss various City lands, including future use of the Air Force Recreation Camp property. • Community Development staff was continuing to prepare for a 2014 inspection by FEMA •• to evaluate the administration of required floodplain development regulations. The summer site visit had tentatively been set for the month of August. wow City of Seward,Alaska Planning Commission Minutes May 6, 2014 Volume 7, Page 85 i • A Social Security representative was scheduled to be in Seward on May 8, 2014 at various locations to provide public information. Assistant City Manager Ron Long updated the Commission on the following business items: • Administration had recently been working with the City Clerk's office to develop policies and procedures for the proposed mobile vendor and roving vendor City Code amendments. • The required funding had been received for a breakwater project at the Seward Marine Industrial Center. Discussions were ongoing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding any needed design modifications, Long said. • The lease assignment for the SMIC drydock to Vigor Industrial was scheduled to come before City Council on May 12, 2014. An operating and maintenance agreement was to follow, Long said. Commissioner Fleming asked administration if Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations regarding land usage had been forwarded to City Council as part of the recent discussions about future use of the Air Force Recreation Camp parcel and other properties. Glenz said the recommendations for the Municipal Lands Management Plan would come back before the Planning and Zoning Commission for approval before being forwarded to City Council. The document draft would be made available to the Council, Glenz said. Ecklund asked if the Social Security Administration would resume regularly scheduled visits to Seward. Glenz said the visits would be periodic and not occur regularly. Other Reports,Announcements & Presentations—None Citizens' Comments on any subject except those items scheduled for Public Hearing—None Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion (Fleming/Edgar) Approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The following items were approved on the Consent Agenda: April 15,2014 Special Meeting Minutes i Items requiring Unfinished Business Ite q g a Public Hearing—None r New Business Items requiring a Public Hearing— City of Seward, Alaska Planning Commission Minutes May 6, 2014 Volume 7, Page 86 F him Resolution 2014-07 of the Seward Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, granting a variance from Seward City Code 15.10.220 Development Requirements to Shoreside Petroleum, Inc., permitting an exception to the Zoning Code maximum building height to allow four (4) 40 foot petroleum storage structures on Lot 2, Block 2, Leirer Industrial Subdivision, located between Alameda Street and Leirer Road, within the Industrial Zoning District Glenz explained the history of the resolution and the applicant's request for a variance to allow construction above the 34 feet allowed by City Code. Glenz referred the Commission to wall maps and pointed out the project area, as well as the surrounding industrial properties. City department heads did not express any concerns with the project, Glenz said. No public comments had been received at the time of the meeting, Glenz said. Ron Long, Assistant City Manager, said that reducing the tank height from 40 feet to 34 feet would decrease the tank volume by 15 percent and result in a substantial increase in tank diameter. Adequate fire separation was necessary, and the applicant's request for a variance was valid, Long said. Imp Commissioner Edgar asked if the fire suppression system for the tank roofs was addressed in the variance application or staff report. Edgar also asked if there would be any security features that would prevent access to the tank roofs. Notice of public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. Dave Korpi of Great Northern Engineering, speaking on behalf of the applicant, responded to Edgar's questions and said the plans would include a perimeter fire line with water nozzles. The project could also include a foam suppression system, but work was still being done. Korpi also said bridges would be built from roof to roof, and the project would include stairs for tank access. Korpi said the tank farm would be secured with fencing, including locked access. Ecklund asked how tall the existing Shoreside Petroleum tanks were. Doug Lechner, of Shoreside Petroleum, said the tallest existing tanks were 40 feet in height. Ecklund asked if the project could have been scaled to include five, 34-foot-tall tanks instead of four 40-foot-tall tanks. Korpi said the overall future development plan would include eight tanks, and the additional land was being reserved for that possible development. Ecklund asked if the tanks had been assembled. City of Seward,Alaska Planning Commission Minutes Volume 7, Page 87 May 6, 2014 r.r Korpi said the tanks would need to be constructed as part of the project. Motion(Fleming/McClure) Approve Resolution 2014-07 Ecklund asked how many 40-foot-tall tanks were now being used around the Seward area. Lechner indicated that four tanks were in use by Shoreside Petroleum. Ecklund commented that the City Fire Department should acquire equipment capable of fighting fire at a height of 40 feet. Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2014-08 of the Seward Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, granting a Conditional Use Permit to Shoreside Petroleum, Inc., to construct and operate a bulk fuel storage facility on Lot 2, Block 2, Leirer Industrial Subdivision, located between Alameda Street and Leirer Road,within the Industrial Zoning District Glenz said the conditional use permit was for the construction and operation of the proposed fuel tank farm. The fuel storage operation was allowed in the Industrial Zoning District, but did require p a CUP, Glenz said. The project would require other permits, including a City building permit. No public comments on the project had been received, Glenz said. Notice of public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. There were no requests to be heard and the public hearing was closed. Motion(McClure/Edgar) Approve Resolution 2014-08 Fleming asked for more details regarding a rail spur at the development site. Glenz said the spur would be used for delivery and/or distribution of fuels. Dave Korpi, of Great Northern Engineering, said the fuel would be loaded and offloaded by rail at the site. Commissioner Coulter asked if fuel trucks would access the tanks and whether trucks would have any impact on traffic in the area. Korpi said there would not be a truck loading station at the proposed tank farm, although there could be truck loading capability if the project was expanded in the future. City of Seward, Alaska Planning Commission Minutes May 6, 2014 Volume 7, Page 88 Motion Passed Unanimous Unfinished Business—None New Business Items— Reschedule or Cancel the June 3 2014 Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting Glenz said Community Development Department staff had received a scholarship to attend the annual conference of the Association of State Floodplain Managers in Seattle, Washington during the first week of June and would not be available for the scheduled regular meeting or the joint work session with the Seward/Bear Creek Flood Service Area board. Commissioners discussed possible meeting dates and recommended that the June 3 regular meeting be canceled, and that the June 17 work session be held as scheduled, unless business items required a June 17 special meeting. Informational Items and Reports (No action required) FEMA Region X Newsletter imp 2014 Planning& Zoning Meeting Schedule Commission Comments Edgar said the 34-foot maximum structure height may need to be addressed in City Code, instead of continuing to grant variances for taller structures. Fleming said she was hopeful the 40-foot-tall tanks could be enhanced for improved appearance. McClure thanked the members of the public for participating in the meeting. Ecklund said she believed the tank farm project developer was genuinely interested in improving the community. She also pointed out that the Fire Department could benefit from a ladder truck capable of fighting fires at structures taller than 34 feet. Citizens' Comments -None Commission and Administration Response to Citizens' Comments—None Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. City of Seward,Alaska Planning Commission Minutes Volume 7, Page 89 May 6, 2014 mai Al • ••A I flat D ayne,• twoos Cind klund ' • in. 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