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Home My WebLink About08032021 Planning & Zoning Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commissiomfipceeel Meeting Minutes August 3, 2021 Volume 7, Page 481 CALL TO ORDER The August 3,2021 regular meeting of the Seward Planning& Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Cindy Ecklund. OPENING CEREMONY Commissioner_Sullivan_led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Cindy Ecklund presiding, and Clare Sullivan Tom Swann Vanessa Verhey Craig Ambrosiani Nathaniel Charbonneau Excused—Gary Seese Absent—None Comprising a quorum of the Board; and Jackie C. Wilde, Community Development Director Courtney Bringhurst,City Planner CITIZENS' COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING Carol Griswold stated that there should be a full-scale map that shows all of the land within the City limits. Griswold made other suggestions for the zoning map such as key changes, coloring changes, labels,and other formatting. Griswold clarified that in the minutes from the July 6th meeting she did not suggest that the commission should not meet on the holidays, but rather just during the summer. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed AYES: Charbonneau, Swann, Verhey, Ambrosiani, Sullivan, Ecklund NOES: None July 6, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes were approved on the consent agenda. City of Seward, Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission•;Peeial Meeting August 3, 2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 482 SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Administration Report: Community Development Director Jackie Wilde—stated that the animal shelter project has been approved and is moving forward. Community Planning has also met with an appraiser to assess the value of various plots of land that the City will be selling. The City had a Tsunami warning on July 28`h. Community Development set up the EOC in City Hall that night, and has had various follow up meetings to review what happened and how everything went. Community Development is getting quotes from businesses for a columbarium for the City Cemetery. Wilde and Bringhurst attending a Rotary meeting early in the day where Historic Preservation presented their work in creating historic signs that will be placed in front of various historic locations throughout town. Wilde stated that the City has provided the Commission with surface pro laptops so that they can access future meeting packets online. If the Commission would like, Community Development will be meeting with members of the Commission before the work session on August 17, 2021 to explain how to use the Surface Pros. Other Reports, Announcements,and Presentations—None PUBLIC HEARINGS Resolution 2021-017 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission, Granting a Variance From Seward City Code 15.10.20 Signs, To Harbor St Creamery, Permitting An Exception To The Zoning Code To Allow For An Awning Sign Located At 305 South Harbor St, Seward Small Boat Harbor, Lot 1, Block 8, In The Harbor Commercial (HC) Zoning District Chair Ecklund opened public hearing on this item. Applicant Comments: Mr. Park had no comments. Public Comments: Carol Griswold stated that the resolution is confusing. She also stated that there are lots of signs already on the property, which makes it look cluttered. The suggested sign looks pleasing, but allowing it would only make the building look more cluttered. Griswold suggested that the awning could be allowed but without the signage. Or the owner could remove some of the other signs on the building to make the building look less cluttered. Motion (Ambrosiani/Charbonneau) Resolution 2021-017 Granting a Variance From Seward City Code 15.10.20 Signs, To Harbor St Creamery, Permitting An Exception To The Zoning Code To Allow For An Awning Sign Located At 305 South Harbor St, Seward Small Boat Harbor, Lot 1, Block 8, In The Harbor Commercial (HC) Zoning District City ofSeward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission*meit4Meeting August 3, 2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 483 Chair Ecklund closed public hearing and asked for the staff report. Bringhurst read the staff report from the Resolution and Agenda statement. Ambrosiani asked to if the awning sign would be placed on the North entry or the South entry. Wilde clarified that it would be placed on the North entry. Ambrosiani asked how much square footage would be on the parcel if this awning sign was allowed. Wilde said that Community Development had taken pictures of all the signage on the building,but that there was no way they could measure every single sign to know the exact square footage.Tom Swann made a motion to postpone the approval of this Resolution until they had more information.Chair Ecklund asked if there was a second to the motion.No one seconded the motion. Charbonneau asked how much square footage of signage had been allowed per business before the change in City Code. Tom Swann wanted to clarify how much signage was allowed per square footage of frontage. Swann also asked if the parcel owner should be the one bringing forward the sign variance. Wilde stated that the parcel owner had been notified and was okay with the owner of Harbor Street Creamery applying for the sign variance. Wilde read the Seward City Code for signs. Commissioners reviewed the As-Built survey to discuss how much square footage should be allowed for the Harbor Street Creamery based on the square footage of frontage property that the building had.Ambrosiani asked if the sign would have a light in it since the drawings of the sign mentioned that there would be a light. Chair Ecklund asked Mr. Park to come forward and answer a question about whether or not his sign had a light in it. Mr. Park clarified that the sign would not have a light in it. Sullivan asked if this sign would obscure any of the other signs that are on the building. Wilde stated that it would not block any of the other signs.Tom Swann stated that he would like to see in future sign variance applications the amount of current square footage of signage that is on the building. Motion Passed AYES: Sullivan, Swann, Charbonneau, Ambrosiani, Verhey, Ecklund NOES:None UNFINISHED BUSINESS-None NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2021-018 of the Planning And Zoning Commission of the City of Seward,Alaska, Recommending the City Council Attest the City of Seward Zoning Map With Current Updates Motion (Charbonneau/Swann) Resolution 2021-018 of the Planning And Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending the City Council Attest the City of Seward Zoning Map With Current Updates Wilde explained the history of the Zoning Map. Community Development changed the color of Resource Management, adding Ordinance numbers. Sullivan asked if the Ordinances on the map were linked to the actual Ordinances within Legislative history. Wilde stated that Community Development is working with a GIS company to make that a possibility in the future. Ecklund City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission Speeia4Meeting August 3, 2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 484 stated that the old map would still be available in the Seward Comprehensive Plan for those who still wanted to reference to old map. Motion Passed AYES: Verhey, Swann, Ambrosiani, Sullivan, Charbonneau, Ecklund NOES: None Resolution 2021-016 of the Planning And Zoning Commission of the City of Seward,Alaska, Recommending City Council Adoption of the Municipal Lands Inventory and Management Plan—2021 Update Motion (Sullivan/Swann) Resolution 2021-016 Recommending City Council Adoption of the Municipal Lands Inventory and Management Plan — 2021 Update Wilde explained that there have been various work sessions to update the Municipal Land, and that it was postponed from last meeting to do another work session. Sullivan stated that she had a question about the comments that Carol Griswold had sent to the Commissioners.Ecklund stated that it did not pertain to the scope of the Municipal Plan. Motion (Ecklund/Charbonneau) Amendment to Resolution 2021-016 to correct the location of the current State shop on page 38; change the italic writing on the recommendation of the Waterfront Park on page 62; and change the titles of each of the Public Facility Lands— SMIC from gray to orange. R Motion Passed AYES: Swann, Ambrosiani, Charbonneau, Verhey, Sullivan, Ecklund NOES: None Joint work session with Flood Board and PACAB on August 11, 2021 @ 6:00 pm Topic: "Seward Airport and Preliminary ROW Acquisition Plat" Wilde stated that this meeting was just about the ROW acquisition plat, not the overall project. Joint work session with City Council on August 17,2021 @ 5:30 pm Topic: "Review of Seward City Code Regarding Dwelling, Housing and Lodging" City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission Spesial.Meeting August 3,2021 Minutes Volume 7,Page 485 Wilde stated that the City Council had removed the Definitions from consent at their last meeting because they wanting to have a joint work session with Planning and Zoning. Reschedule P&Z August 17th work session to September 21, 2021 @ 6:00 pm Topic: "Ground Truthing and Land Use Table process" COMMISSION COMMENTS Verhey. Thanked planning department for the laptops. Sullivan. Thanked planning department for all the hard work they have done, especially with all the paperwork and acquiring laptops. Still feels like she is drinking from a fire hose. Ambrosiani Thanked planning department for the laptops. Stated that he was grateful that we all had finally made it through the Municipal Land Plan. Ecklund Stated that she was amazed how much the Commission has accomplished. She was appreciative of everyone's hard work and the input that Carol Griswold has given. Swann Stated that he thought that the Commission didn't need to make an amendment for each change that was made in the Municipal Land Plan. He also stated that he appreciated everyone's work on the Commission, Community Development, and citizens, especially Carol Griswold. Charhonncau Thanked staff for all the hard work and Bringhurst for her participation in the meeting. CITIZEN COMMENTS Carol Griswold stated that she didn't know if she could keep helping the Commission since they do not always listen to her input. She also felt like the beige color was too close to the color white on the Zoning Map. She stated that SMIC should be its own separate map because there is so much going on out there.She also said that some of the City owned property is currently being cut off in the printed map. Griswold stated that the discussion on the Sign Variance was very interesting, but that the Commission did not have enough information to really make a clear decision. She stated that it would've been helpful to know how much current square footage of signage was on the building. COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Chair Ecklund asked if the Planning Department could get the appraisal value for leased parcels of land in the Harbor. Tom Swann stated that he also felt that it was very important with Sign Variances to get an overwhelming amount of information from the applicant before it is brought before the Commission. Chair Ecklund stated that it was very helpful to have the applicant in the room, but also stated that it would be nice to have more information with Sign Variances. Wilde stated that the Planning Department had worked extensively with the applicant and the sign City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission S ieeiakMeeting August 3, 2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 486 company for this variance, but that they would revise the Sign Variance application to require more specific information in the future. ADJOURNMENT(_Charbonneau ) The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. i4_,D,, 64,(_1kc_c- C____ -_-<___ )7 Jackie . Wilde in L. cklund Community Development Director Ch it 'so se;r.orr°9,, a . p F� 3' . id (City • . 1, S ,AL ti . °°r°r€.es a el