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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09072021 Planning & Zoning Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission Minutes September 7, 2021 Volume 7, Page 487 CALL TO ORDER The September 7, 2021 regular meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Tom Swann. OPENING CEREMONY Commissioner Charbonneau_led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Tom Swann presiding, and Clare Sullivan Vanessa Verhey Nathaniel Charbonneau Excused—Gary Seese Cindy Ecklund Absent—Craig Ambrosiani 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 No one was signed in or made a comment APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed AYES: Charbonneau, Swann, Verhey, Sullivan NOES: None August 3,2021 Regular Meeting Minutes were approved on the consent agenda. City of Seward Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission September 7,2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 488 SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Administration Report: Community Development Director Jackie Wilde—stated that this morning she had given her two-weeks'notice of her resignation as Community Development Director.Wilde stated that the planning process is meant to serve the public interest,and requires a consistency of policies held that support the entire community. Those who practice planning need to adhere to a higher level of ethics in their practice. Wilde wanted to thank every commissioner and council member and City staff who she has worked with over the past 11 years. Other Reports,Announcements,and Presentations—None UNFINISHED BUSINESS REQUIRING A PUBLIC HEARING Resolution 2021-014 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City Of Seward, Alaska, Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval Of The Preliminary Right Of Way(ROW)Acquisition Plat For The Seward Airport On Various Legals Located In Sec 2 & 3, T1S, R1W And Sec 34 & 35, TIN, R1W, Seward Meridian SW, That Point Known As The Seward Airport,Physical Location,2310 Airport Road Tom Swann opened public hearing on this item. Public Comments: Steve Leirer stated the he owns parcel 4 shown in the preliminary ROW acquisition replat. Leirer stated that he would not sell only 1.986 acres of his property, and that he would only consider selling the entire 19 acres. Bob Linville stated that the long runway is essentially a dyke,and if it is not maintained it will be breeched at some point. Linville stated that the DOT never listened to the concerns the citizens expressed during the whole process of the Airport project. Linville asked the Planning Commission to vote 'no' to the preliminary ROW acquisition replat. Carol Griswold stated that she agreed with the previous comments about the Airport, and stated that the Commission should vote 'no' to the preliminary ROW acquisition replat. She stated that the parcels being acquired for the ROW would not make the approach to the new runway safe. Retaining the existing long-runway would prevent unnecessary filling, clearing,and grubbing. Applicant Comments:Joy Vaughn stated that the DOT cannot raise the current runway because of the FEMA Firm map that was adopted completely separate from the airport project. Whenever there is a floodway placed on an official map, a property owner cannot add fill to where the floodway is located. Also, the project is funded by FFA, which has their own requirements. The runway cannot simply be repaved, the DOT would have to dig down a certain amount and reconstruct the entire runway. If the DOT completely reconstructs the runway they have to prove that there are a certain amount of aircraft using the airport, and the DOT could not prove that. So, the DOT cannot add more fill because of FEMA,and cannot reconstruct because of FFA.Vaughn stated that the FFA also requires a larger separation between the apron and the runway, which is why the shorter runway is being shifted. DOT is trying to be sensitive to the Salmon streams. City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission September 7, 2021 Minutes Volume 7,Page 489 Motion (Sullivan/Charbonneau) Resolution 2021-014 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City Of Seward, Alaska, Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval Of The Preliminary Right Of Way (ROW) Acquisition Plat For The Seward Airport On Various Legals Located In Sec 2 &3, T1S, R1W And Sec 34 & 35, T1N, R1W, Seward Meridian SW,That Point Known As The Seward Airport, Physical Location,2310 Airport Road Tom Swann closed public hearing and asked for the staff report. Bringhurst stated that there was a Substitute Resolution that needed to be brought forward with a motion. Motion(Charbonneau/Verhey) Substitute Resolution 2021-014 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission Of The City Of Seward, Alaska, Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval Of The Preliminary Right Of Way (ROW) Acquisition Plat With Amendments For The Seward Airport On Various Legals Located In Sec 2 & 3, T1S, R1W And Sec 34 & 35, T1N, R1W, Seward Meridian II SW, That Point Known As The Seward Airport, Physical Location,2310 Airport Road Bringhurst read the staff report from the Substitute Resolution and Agenda statement. Tom Swann stated that the Commission should be aware that their decision tonight is simply about the acquisition of the three parcels of land and whether or not they were suitable to be acquired by the airport,and that they were not to discuss other aspects of the Airport project that did not pertain to the acquisition of those three parcels of land.The Commissioners agreed. Motion Passed AYES: Sullivan, Swann, Charbonneau, Verhey NOES: None PUBLIC HEARINGS Resolution 2021-019 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission, Granting A Conditional Use Permit To James Protzman To Construct A Mixed-Use Building On Lots 37-40,Block 4,Original Townsite Of Seward Alaska, Located At 134 Fourth AN en ue; Within A Central Business(CB)Zoning District Tom Swann opened public hearing on this item. City of Seward Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission September 7, 2021 Minutes Volume 7, Page 490 Applicant Comments: James Protzman stated that he grew up in Seward and has a long family history in Seward.Protzman saw the vacant lot downtown and thought it would be a perfect place for some long-term residential homes.He has done construction in Anchorage,and he has wanted for a long time to build this mixed-use building. Protzman stated that the townhomes would be sold as long-term housing, not nightly rentals. Public Comments: Tara Riemer, President and CEO of the Alaska Sealife Center and current owner of the property stated that she was in favor of the project. Reimer stated that the Sealife Center had been holding onto the property for future projects they had plans for, but when those projects fell through they put the property back on the market.Riemer stated that the project James Protzman is proposing is something that she supports and that it would greatly benefit the Sealife Center and their employees, but also the City of Seward. Motion (Charbonneau/Sullivan) Resolution 2021-019 Of The Seward Planning And Zoning Commission, Granting A Conditional Use Permit To James Protzman To Construct A Mixed-Use Building On Lots 37-40, Block 4, Original Townsite Of Seward Alaska, Located At 134 Fourth Avenue; Within A Central Business(CB) Zoning District Tom Swann closed public hearing and asked for the staff report. Wilde read the staff report from the Resolution and Agenda statement. Swann asked if any of the Commissioners had any reasons why they should recuse themselves from this discussion.None of the Commissioners felt that they should be recused. Charbonneau stated that he was grateful to see a property owner taking responsibility for the parking their building would require. He asked if the building would actually have 12 units or 10 units. Protzman clarified that the building would have 6 units on the second floor and 4 units on the third floor for a total of 10 units. Verhey asked if the townhomes would be individually owned or rented because she was concerned that there would be no way for James Protzman to control whether or not the townhomes were used for long-term housing or nightly rentals. Protzman stated that the units would be sold outright as Condos. He stated that there would be Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs) that stated that the townhomes could not be used as nightly rentals. Tom Swann stated that the main reason why a CUP is required for housing in a Central Business District is because of the issue of parking. Swann stated that he wanted to add a condition to the CUP stating that the applicant should meet the requirements for parking under §15.010.215 either on-site or off-site with a parking agreement submitted to Community Development. Wilde read the parking requirements from City Code. Motion (Swann/Sullivan) To Amend Resolution 2021-019 Adding A Condition That The Applicant Meet The Requirements For Parking Under §15.010.215 Either On-Site Or Off-Site With A Parking Agreement Submitted To Community Development • City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission Minutes September 7, 2021 Volume 7,Page 491 Motion Passed AYES: Sullivan, Swann, Charbonneau, Verhey NOES: None UNFINISHED BUSINESS-None NEW BUSINESS Review edits of Lodging and Dwelling Definitions Wilde explained why the edits of the Lodging and Dwelling definitions were being brought back to the Commission. Wilde stated that the Commission could review the edits now, or decide to postpone the review to a work session. The Commission decided to postpone the review of the edits until the September 21, 2021 work session. Work Session on September 21, 2021 @ 6:00 pm Topic: "Review Edits of Lodging and Dwelling Definition and Continue Update and Review of Land Use Table and Planning For Ground Truthing" COMMISSION COMMENTS Sullivan. Thanked planning department for all the hard work they have done. She expressed how sorry she was to see Wilde leave. especially with all the paperwork and acquiring laptops. Still feels like she is drinking from a fire hose. Verhey. Stated that she appreciated Wilde's help with everything and that she will be missed and that she was grateful for citizen's involvement. Charbonneau Thanked staff and said that he was very sad to see Wilde leave. Swann Stated that he didn't have words to express how he felt about Wilde's resignation. CITIZEN COMMENTS James Protzman explained that the parking stalls he had designed were bigger than normal parking spots. COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS City of Seward,Alaska Seward Planning&Zoning Commission Minutes September 7, 2021 Volume 7, Page 492 Tom Swann stated that he understood Protzman's situation, but that seeing as the Townhomes would be sold as permanent homes, the owners would most likely have additional vehicles/toys that would need to be parked somewhere. ADJOURNMENT (Charbonneau) The meeting was adjourned at 8:26 p.m. ii6"4 stK ff- Jackie C. Wilde om Swann Community Development Director Vice Chair ♦*,(1 OF S.Z.1n.'� , ♦ RPM (City Se �l`, 1.: • = • £8 SEAL, _ a n ti. I %. k'OF A\I'' 6'