HomeMy WebLinkAbout07152025 Planning & Zoning Work Session NotesWORK SESSION NOTES
PLANNING & ZONING
Called by:
Carol
Griswold
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Date: July 15, 2025
Purpose:
Missing Middle Housing
Present:
Daniel Meuninck
Courtney Bringhurst
Jamie Crocker
Commission Members Present:
Carol Griswold
Brenan Hornseth
Vanessa Verhey
Clare Sullivan
Rhonda Hubbard
City of Seward — Planning & Zoning Commission
Work Session Summary - July 15, 2025
Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m.
The Planning & Zoning Commission held a work session on July 15, 2025, to discuss updates to zone
regulations and explore new housing and land use ideas.
Key Topics Discussed:
1. Staff Updates and Introductions
- Daniel Meuninck introduced Jamie Crocker as the new executive assistant to the Community Development
team.
- Noted the recently enacted 38-foot citywide building height limit.
- Introduced the Incremental Development Alliance and upcoming workshop for local development.
2. Veterinary Hospital Zoning
- Reviewed a draft ordinance proposing that veterinary hospitals be allowed by right in certain zones (e.g.,
commercial, office, institutional).
- Discussion included the definition of veterinary services, boarding, grooming, and operational impacts
like odor, soundproofing, and parking.
- Some members supported retaining conditional use permits in downtown areas to allow for public input.
3. Mixed -Use Development
- Proposed definition: development combining residential and non-residential uses on one site or in one
building.
- Discussion included apartment -over -store examples, mixed -use public buildings (e.g., fire station with
apartments), and zoning implications.
- Considered expanding where mixed -use buildings are permitted and debated when conditional use
permits should be required.
WORK SESSION NOTES PLANNING & ZONING
4. Cottage Court Housing
- Introduced as a cluster of single -story homes around a shared courtyard.
- Recognized for its potential to serve a variety of household types while preserving neighborhood scale.
- Concerns raised around density, setbacks, parking, community fit, and cost.
- Discussed need for specific development regulations, including examples from other Alaskan
communities.
Action Items:
[ ] Revise the definition of "veterinary hospital" to reflect broader services.
[ ] Add a formal definition of "mixed -use development."
[ ] Explore expanding "mixed -use building" allowances in additional zoning districts.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 P.M.