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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01092024 Planning & Zoning Minutes City ofSeward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024 Volume 8, Page 39 CALL TO ORDER The January 9,2024 regular meeting of the Seward Planning & Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Clare Sullivan. OPENING CEREMONY Commissioner Nathaniel Charbonneau led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Clare Sullivan presiding, and Nathaniel Charbonneau Brenan Hornseth Sean Ulman Comprising a quorum of the Commission; and Courtney Bringhurst,Acting Community Development Director Clara Brown,Executive Planning Assistant Kris Peck, City Clerk Jodi Kurtz, Deputy City Clerk Excused—Vanessa Verhey Absent—None Vacancies-Two CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING—None APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approval of the November 7, 2023 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS Proclamations and Awards—None City Administration Report. City ofSeward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9,2024 Volume 8, Page 40 Acting Community Development Director Courtney Bringhurst hoped everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Bringhurst introduced Clara Brown as the new Executive Planning Assistant. The city also recently hired Danny Mueninck as the new Community Development Director and said he would be starting at the beginning of February. Other Reports and Announcements—None Presentations—None PUBLIC HEARINGS Resolution 2024-001, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval of the Land Use Amendment to Rezone Fort Raymond Subdivision, Replat Number 7, Lot 10A-1, Located at 905 Sea Lion Ave, from an Institutional (INS)Zoning District to an Auto Commercial (AC)Zoning District Motion(Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-001 Bringhurst explained the owner was Seward City Tours who had recently purchased this property from the city. Bringhurst explained that the applicant had requested the zoning change from Institutional Zoning to Auto Commercial. The owner desired to build an automotive maintenance shop which required this rezone. In addition to the agenda statement, Bringhurst wanted to add that south of the rezone was a parcel that was still zoned Institutional. This property still belonged to the city and the intention was to also rezone it to Auto Commercial. Notice that the public hearing has been approved and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened No one appeared and the public hearing was closed Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2024-002, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending Kenai Peninsula Borough Approval of the Preliminary Plat of T 1 S R 1W Sec 1, Seward Meridian SW E /2 NE '/4&Govt Lots 4&5,Excluding Nash Road ROW;Located at 1303 Nash Road; Creating Mount Alice Estates Planned Unit Development, Phase 1, Lots 1-11 and Tracts A-D Motion(Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-002 Bringhurst summarized the agenda statement in the packet and recommended approval of the resolution. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened Carol Griswold, inside city limits, spoke in opposition to Resolution 2023-002 and read from the written statement she had provided to the clerk and commission. City ofSeward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024 Volume 8,Page 41 Clerk's Note- The Griswold letter is available on the City of Seward Legislative History site as a laydown. Iris Darling(telephonically) said she had owned the property for a long time and explored every angle of development. She was mindful of the eagles' nest and did not want to destroy the nest or detract from the beauty of Seward. Darling had met with engineers and surveyors,and they were considering every aspect involved with development.Darling said she would abide by all the rules and regulations of converting this land into housing for the community. No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed. Charbonneau said this resolution was a simple matter of dividing up the parcel.He felt that the Griswold laydown comments would be more applicable to the resolutions coming up next on the agenda. The Commission suspended the rules to ask the surveyors to speak to a question regarding the access gate to the subdivision. Professional Land Surveyor Jonathon Lang said he had no opposition to setting back the gate from the highway to create a turnaround area. However, he recommended adding these specifications into the subdivision agreement rather than the plat. Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2024-003, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval of the Land Use Amendment to Rezone Mount Alice Estates Planned Unit Development, Phase 1, Lots 1-11 and Tracts B-D, Located at 1303 Nash Road, from a Resource Management (RM) Zoning District to a Multi-Family Residential (R3) Zoning District Motion (Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-003 Bringhurst summarized the agenda statement and recommended approval of the resolution. She said Iris Darling intended to develop this property for dwellings and residential use. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. Carol Griswold, inside city limits, encouraged the commission to make amendments to these resolutions,otherwise no changes would actually be made. Griswold stated how the Seward Code did not allow for split zoning. She spoke in opposition to Resolution 2024-003 and read from her written statement that was provided to the clerk and commission. Iris Darling (telephonically) said she explored all angles of this rezone and would listen to all the comments and try to do the best for Seward and the community. City of Seward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024 Volume 8, Page 42 No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed The commission discussed why R3 zoning would be more beneficial than R1 zoning.There was also interest in getting a traffic study done for this development project. The commission suspended the rules to speak back and forth with Professional Land Surveyors Jonathan Lang and Ken Lang about the development. Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2024-004, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Granting a Conditional Use Permit to Resurrection Bay Investments LLC to Implement a Planned Unit Development, Including the Development of Streets, Utilities, Dwellings, and Residential Docks, on Lots 1-11 and Tracts B-D, Mount Alice Estates Planned Unit Development, Phase 1; Within a Multi-Family Residential(R3)Zoning District Motion (Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-004 Bringhurst summarized the agenda statement and recommended approval of the resolution. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened Carol Griswold, inside city limits, had many concerns about a planned unit development that would allow for a gated community with a private road,private boat launch and private docks along the shore of Resurrection Bay. She spoke in opposition to Resolution 2024-004. Griswold read from her written statement that she provided to the clerk and commission. Rissie Casagranda, (telephonically) spoke as the real estate agent for Iris Darling. Casagranda wanted to rezone the property for higher usage and noted the R3 zone would be drastically surrounded by industrial zoning. No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed The commission discussed the possible traffic study requirement. Resolution 2024-004 was amended in Section 1 (a)to read: Civil engineering will be required for each site. Motion (Sullivan/Charbonneau) Postpone This Resolution Until After The Commission Can Discuss This Resolution At The January 23,2024 Work Session Motion to Postpone Approved Unanimous City ofSeward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024 Volume 8,Page 43 Resolution 2024-005, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending the City Council Amend Seward City Code 15.10.226(C)(7), Requirements for Mobile Vendors Motion (Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-005 Bringhurst summarized the agenda statement and recommended approval of the resolution. This would come before City Council as an ordinance to allow mobile vendors to remain in place overnight. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed The commission discussed the resolution and felt there were no major issues to allow the vending carts to remain in their designated spots overnight. Motion Passed Unanimous UNFINISHED BUSINESS—None NEW BUSINESS Resolution 2024-006, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission Priorities for January 2024 to January 2025 Motion (Charbonneau/Hornseth) Approve Resolution 2024-006 Bringhurst said one of the goals for 2024 was to revise requirements in city code for Conditional Use Permits. She also noted this year the commission would be attending a variety of group work sessions with Seward Bear Creek Flood Board, Parks& Recreation Department, and Trout Unlimited Alaska. On another topic, Bringhurst said there were many requests for the city to change the building height restrictions to accommodate 3-story buildings. The commission discussed the path forward to update the Comprehensive Plan. Motion Passed Unanimous Other New Business Items Discuss work session topic for January 23,2024 The commission noted that their next Work Session would be to discuss the amended and postponed Resolution 2024-004. The secondary topic would be signage. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS City ofSeward,Alaska Planning&Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes January 9, 2024 Volume 8, Page 44 1) Work Session on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. 2) Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS—None COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS AND RESPONSES TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Ulman thanked everyone for attending the meeting tonight. He enjoyed public participation and it was important for the commission to hear these viewpoints. Ulman hoped there would be a good public turnout at the next work session. Hornseth thanked everyone for coming. He said it was nice to be back after the holiday break. Charbonneau thanked the administration for all their hard work and said hello to the new staff members in attendance. Sullivan thanked the commission for tackling these complicated topics. Not everyone would be pleased with the final decisions, but the commission made an effort to consider all viewpoints. Sullivan thanked city administration and the clerk's office for their assistance and response to her questions. Bringhurst thanked everyone for attending tonight and thanked the commission for delving into the public hearing items. She anticipated a lot of public interest in the planned unit development on Nash Road. Bringhurst noted the P&Z packets were now available on the city website and she was looking for other ways to increase public awareness of P&Z meetings. City Clerk Kris Peck echoed Bringhurst's comments about ramping up the city website in the wake of losing the Seward Journal. Also currently in the works was a subscription-based email service for receiving news and updates on city council,city departments and many other city related topics. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. GK-7. Jo Kurtz Clare Sullivan Deputy City Clerk s.•• of SE j,V '.,g Chair (City Seal) 2 1.4%O ter' - • SEAL • • = q OF��-P�`' s'1881111os-- 8