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Home My WebLink About07022024 Planning & Zoning MinutesCity of Seward, Alaska Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes July 2, 2024 Volume 8, Page 65 CALL TO ORDER The July 2, 2024 regular meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Carol Griswold. OPENING CEREMONY Commissioner Sean Ulman led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. ROLL CALL There were present: Carol Griswold, presiding, and Nathaniel Charbonneau Vanessa Verhey Sean Ulman Rhonda Hubbard comprising a quorum of the Commission; and Daniel Meuninck, Community Development Director Courtney Bringhurst, City Planner Clara Brown, Executive Assistant Kris Peck, City Clerk Excused — Hornseth Absent — None Vacant — One CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING -None APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Motion (Charbonneau/Verhey) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda Motion Passed Unanimous The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items: Approval of the June 6, 2024 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes SPECIAL ORDERS, PRESENTATION, AND REPORTS Proclamations and Awards -None City ofSeward, Alaska Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes July 2, 2024 Volume 8, Page 66 City Administration Report Community Development Director Daniel Meuninck provided an update on P&Z agenda items that were being forwarded on to City Council for review. He said that Ordinance 2024-009 regarding cluster subdivisions had been postponed until the next meeting. Also coming up at the next meeting would be the Dieckgraeff Road flood mitigation issue and the Olympia Road renaming resolution. Meuninck wished everyone a happy Fourth of July week. Presentations -None PUBLIC HEARINGS Resolutions Requiring Public Hearing Resolution 2024-014, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Granting a Conditional Use Permit to CATC Alaska Tourism Corporation to Construct a Second Bunkhouse on Lot 22A, Clearview 2018 Replat; Located at 208 Phoenix Road; Within an Auto Commercial (AC) Zoning District (This is a quasi-judicial item. Commissioners may not discuss any items pertaining to this Resolution with the applicant, other commissioners, or the public) Motion (Charbonneau/Hubbard) Approve Resolution 2024-014 "Bringhurst explained the history of the 2018 CUP for a 12-unit bunkhouse for this site. Construction was never started so the CUP became void. The proposed 16-unit bunkhouse would be built in the same location." Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened Geri Nipp, outside city limits, introduced herself as the manager for Kenai Fjords Tours which was a CATC property. She spoke in support of approving the CUP because housing was in short supply in Seward. She wanted to provide good housing for all their employees. There had never been any complaints from the neighbors regarding previous bunkhouses. Lastly, Nipp said this bunkhouse was intended to be used only in the summer. No one else appeared and the public hearing was closed. Griswold explained that this was a quasi-judicial hearing and asked commissioners to disclose any ex parte contact that they may have received. None of the commissioners had any ex parte contact. Griswold disclosed that the applicant did approach her, but she explained ex parte contact, and nothing further was discussed. After the ex parte contact had been disclosed the commission started their discussion on the CUP. 1 1 • 1 C City ofSeward, Alaska Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes July 2, 2024 Volume 8, Page 67 Charbonneau said he looked over the conditions of the CUP and the parking seemed ample, and the bear -proof cans were a good idea. He felt that providing housing for the employees was very important. Hubbard said she appreciated the buffer of greenery around the property. She asked if landscaping was required in code. Bringhurst clarified that sometimes screening was required, but there were not any requirements in code. Griswold noted that Condition #1 in the resolution required that every effort be made to retain and maintain the green buffer. Griswold invited the applicant Larry Harmon to come up to the table to answer any specific questions. Griswold discussed the parking plan and noted that employee parking could be relocated next to the building. She said it was great to see an employer providing employee housing. Ulman said it was nice to see this bunkhouse in a location where we already know a bunkhouse worked well. He was curious why the 2018 CUP failed or what obstacles it faced. Harmon said he wasn't sure why the 2018 project stalled out. However, he knew it was not related to the CUP in any way. Ulman asked about the possibility of winter rentals. Harmon said the building would be built to Alaska winter standards and could be lived in year-round if needed. Motion Passed Unanimous Resolution 2024-015, of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Seward, Alaska, Recommending City Council Approval of Renaming the East Portion of the North/South Right - Of -Way Currently Known as Olympia Road to Phoenix Road Located Within the Gateway Subdivision Hilltop Addition and the Gateway Subdivision Addition No. 2 Motion (Charbonneau/Verhey) Approve Resolution 2024-015 Bringhurst explained the replat only addressed the section of this Right -Of -War. She said the road was a natural continuation of Phoenix Road. This rename would help avoid confusion in the future. Notice of the public hearing being posted and published as required by law was noted and the public hearing was opened. No one appeared and the public hearing was closed Charbonneau felt this renaming was about as good as it was going to get. It was still a strange situation, but there was no way to get the street names any better. Griswold said it was a perfect time to rename the road before anyone actually lived there. Permanent addresses had yet to be issued. Motion Passed Unanimous City ofSeward, Alaska Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes July 2, 2024 Volume 8, Page 68 UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None NEW BUSINESS Other New Business Discuss a land swap between the property located at 2405 Seward Highway and city owned property at 1000 Hemlock Ave Meuninck said administration was looking for feedback from the commission. The swap would benefit the city by expanding the "snow dump" area, and then provide the private owners with direct access to their property along Hemlock Ave. He said there were three different zoning districts in the area. The pieces of land to be traded would need to be rezoned and sorted out. He questioned the best order of operations for this process and recalled the city land sold to Seward City Tours was sold first prior to the rezone. The Commission discussed the possible land swap. Griswold emphasized that public land was involved, and the swap must be shown to be in the public interest. Meuninck thanked the Commission for the discussion. Discuss Work Session Topic for July 16, 2024 Meuninck said he had two topics that he was hoping the Commission would discuss: Comprehensive Plan Update & Feedback Marijuana Establishment Update for City Code INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS Reminder of Meetings Work session on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. Regular meeting on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS -None COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS & RESPONSE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS Meuninck thanked the five commissioners for showing up on a sunny July evening. Ulman thanked the public for showing up for the meeting. He thanked administration for setting up the Commission for good discussion. 1 1 1 1 1 City of Seward, Alaska Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes July 2, 2024 Volume 8, Page 69 Charbonneau thanked administration for their hard work. He thanked the public and applicants for coming to the meeting. Hubbard thanked administration for sending out a nice packet. She appreciated all the help from staff and commission. Griswold thanked the applicant for showing up for the CUP. She wished everyone a very happy Fourth of July. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m. COLA/04 TA.rakurred Kris Peck Carol Griswold City Clerk Chair ..%**of �S E (City Seal) A -• "1 ,....— s•. SEAL =' -.- 0L sj .•'••.E �:.•••'P5 grEof P\-